Water Infrastructure Needs in the Columbia River Basin Legislative Council on River Governance

Transcription

1 Water Infrastructure Needs in the Columbia River Basin Legislative Council on River Governance Bryan Horsburgh, Deputy Manager, Resource and Technical Services Pacific Northwest Region August 21, 2012 Outline Introduction to the Bureau of Reclamation Climate Change Projections Water Conservations Strategies Infrastructure Case Studies Yakima River Integrated Water Resource Management Plan Henry s Fork Basin Study 1

2 Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) Assist in meeting the increasing water demands of the West while protecting the environment and the public's investment Bureau of Reclamation Provides one out of five Western farmers with irrigation water for an estimated 10 million acres of farmland 2

3 Bureau of Reclamation Second largest producer of hydroelectric power in the western United States 58 power plants annually provide more than 40 billion kilowatt hours Generate nearly a billion dollars in power revenues and produce enough electricity to serve 3.5 million homes. 3

4 Climate Change In 2009 the SECURE Water Act was enacted Coordination LCCs, Reclamation Inter- and intra-agency Coordination, Secure Climate Change Workshop Climate Change Science Assessing Risks / Impacts Develop Adaptation Options Adaptation / Mitigation Monitoring / Other WaterSMART Grants to Develop Climate Analysis Tools, CSCs, WWCRAs, R&D Climate Science Research, Collaboration with CSCs, NOAA, RISAs NCAR and other research agencies Basin Studies, WWCRAs, Feasibility Studies (NEPA Integration); Report to Congress Secure Feasibility Studies, Dam Safety Program Integration, Reservoir Operations and Planning, WaterSMART Grants, Title XVI, WCFSP Monitoring with NRCS, USGS, NOAA, LCCs, state water agencies, HPPG for Climate Change, HPPG for Water Conservation Climate Change River Management Joint Operating Committee climate change study completed in 2011 Joint study by Reclamation, Bonneville Power Administration, and the Corps of Engineers Climate and Hydrology conditions for future years 4

5 Volume, MAF Volume, MAF Climate Change Projections Increased winter runoff, less spring/summer runoff..resulting in: Increased storage needs in the spring, greater drawdown in summer months Increased reliance on stored water vs. natural flow Monthly Mean COLUMBIA RIVER AT THE DALLES (HD 2020s) 35 Peak timing 2000L shifted by one LW/W month in some 30 MW/W projections MC 25 C LW/D MW/D Monthly Mean COLUMBIA RIVER AT THE DALLES (HD 2040s) L LW/W MW/W MC C LW/D MW/D Increased volumes earlier in the year than historical All observations from 2020 are more pronounced in the 2040s Baseline 5 Less volume in the summer months increased reliance on storage 0 O N D J F M A M J J A S 0 O N D J F M A M J J A S 5

6 Gen (amw) Climate Change Impacts on Power 12, Yr Avg Federal Generation 11,000 10,000 9,000 8,000 7,000 6,000 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 - Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr I Apr II May Jun Jul Aug I Aug II Sep Study 21: Base Study 26 C: 2020s Study 32 C: 2040s Study 24 LW/W: 2020s Study 34: MW/W: 2040s Climate Change Next Steps Continue to use refined data to better understand impacts of climate change Continue to coordinate and share climate change information with other Federal agencies and regional stakeholders 6

7 Meeting Infrastructure Needs through Water Conservation WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America s Resources for Tomorrow) Water & Energy Efficiency Grants Water Conservation Field Services Program WaterSMART - Water & Energy Efficiency Grants 50/50 Cost-sharing for water conservation infrastructure projects In the Northwest FY11 $8.34 million for 19 grants FY12 $4.19 million for 11 grants 7

8 Water Conservation Field Services Program FY11 $1.32M for 29 grants to Reclamation districts, estimated to conserve 26,000 a-f annually Yakima Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan (YBIP) June 2009 Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project (YRBWEP) Working Group was formed: Reclamation WA Dept of Ecology Yakama Nation Irrigation Districts Environmental Organizations Federal, State, County, and City governments 8

9 YRBWEP Working Group Formed to help develop a consensus-based solution to the Yakima basin s water resource needs Developed the Yakima River Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan (Plan) Climate Change Yakima River Basin 9

10 Yakima Basin Integrated Water Resource Management Plan (YBIP) The Plan includes the following elements: Fish Passage Structural and Operational Changes Surface Water Storage Habitat and Watershed Protection Groundwater Storage Enhanced Water Conservation Market-Based Reallocation 10

11 Fish Passage Restore access to habitat above all basin reservoirs Provide upstream and downstream passage to salmon, bull trout, and other fish Fish Passage Benefits of restoring fish passage: Increases anadromous species abundance throughout the system Allows reintroduction of sockeye runs Provides greater genetic interchange for bull trout and other native fish Helps fish cope with climate change impacts by providing access to high quality habitat at higher elevations 11

12 Structural & Operational Changes Modify existing structures and operations to improve flows, fish bypass, and smolt outmigration: Keechelus to Kachess Pipeline Pipe selected irrigation laterals within Kittitas Reclamation District Construct a re-regulation reservoir to capture operational spills at Manastash Creek 12

13 Structural & Operational Changes Reduce diversions for power generation at Roza and Chandler Dams to provide instream flows for fish outmigration Wapatox Canal pipe or replace lining; consolidate diversions Raise maximum water level of Cle Elum Lake by 3 feet to add 14,600 acre-feet and improve instream flows 13

14 Surface Storage Wymer Dam and Pump Station Construct a new dam and 162,500 a-f reservoir Provide fish flows, drought relief benefits Lake Kachess Inactive Storage - Pump additional 200,000 acre-feet from inactive storage for drought years Surface Storage Bumping Lake Enlargement Construct new dam downstream from existing dam for an additional 164,500 a-f storage. Provide carryover storage for irrigation, instream flows, flood control 14

15 Habitat / Watershed Protection & Enhancement Mainstem Enhancements: Flow restoration through irrigation system improvements Fish barrier removal; restore fish passage in tributaries Screening of diversions Reconnect side channels and off-channel habitat to stream channels Mainstem floodplain improvements channel and habitat restoration Toppenish Creek Corridor Restoration Project 15

16 Habitat / Watershed Protection & Enhancement Target key off-channel areas for land acquisition actions for habitat enhancement Consider potential Wilderness and Wild and Scenic River designations Groundwater Storage Use surface water to recharge aquifers and store water for later use Aquifer Storage and Recovery - New aquifer storage and recovery facility for City of Yakima Shallow Aquifer Recharge Diverts water into designed ground infiltration systems (ponds, canals) during periods of excess runoff Proposed pilot-testing in Kittitas Reclamation District and Wapato Irrigation Project (1-2 acres) 16

17 Enhanced Water Conservation Agricultural Conservation - up to 170,000 acrefeet Line or pipe existing canals or laterals Construct re-regulation reservoirs Install higher efficiency sprinklers Reduce seepage, evaporation, and spills Enhanced Water Conservation Municipal and Domestic Conservation Assess opportunities to improve efficiency for residential, commercial, industrial, and urban recreational uses Promote efficient landscape irrigation practices Expand education, incentives, and other measures to encourage voluntary efficiency Establish best practice standards for accessing new water supplies 17

18 Status Ecology and Reclamation issued a Programmatic Environmental Impact (PEIS) for the Plan March 2, 2012 The PEIS serves as a framework for the plan. Individual projects will each receive a more specific environmental review Questions so far? Study Manager Wendy Christensen Columbia/Cascades Area Office Yakima, WA

19 Henrys Fork (Snake River) Basin Study Reclamation and the Idaho Water Resources Board signed an MOA in March 2011 Study Framework Water Supply Water Management Environmental Quality Basin Study Definition Identifies and defines options for meeting future water demands Considers the impacts of climate change 19

20 Basin Study Components Four key components: Projections of future supply and demand Analysis of how the basin s existing water and power operations and infrastructure will perform in the face of changing water realities (e.g. climate change) Options to improve operations and infrastructure to supply adequate water in the future Recommendations on how to optimize operations and infrastructure Henrys Fork Basin Study Evaluate water resources in the Henry s Fork basin to develop alternatives for improving water supply conditions in the Eastern Snake River Plain aquifer and Upper Snake basin Selected alternatives moved forward for a reconnaissance level evaluation and more comprehensive scoping and analysis 20

21 Henrys Fork Watershed Council 40+ Brainstorm Ideas 17 Reconnaissance Alternatives Current Status Appraisal Alternative(s) Recommendation(s) 21

22 Reconnaissance Alternatives Existing and New Surface Storage Opportunities Managed Groundwater Recharge Agricultural Conservation Municipal & Industrial Conservation Market Based Alternatives New Surface Storage Opportunities 22

23 Storage Volumes Dam location sited in accordance with past studies Storage volume ranges reflect water supply source limitations Locations of Dam Raise Alternatives 23

24 Managed Groundwater Recharge Two Recharge Alternatives Egin Lakes Teton Island Agricultural Conservation Canal Automation Demand Reduction Lining and Piping of Canals Recharge Using Existing Canals Conversion from Flood to Sprinkler 24

25 Henry s Fork Basin Study Next Steps Interim Report Due October 2012 Process & Stakeholder Involvement Water Needs Analysis of Reconnaissance Alternatives (Technical Memos) Selection of Reconnaissance Alternatives Formulation and Selection of Appraisal Alternatives Additional Questions? Study Manager Bob Schattin Pacific Northwest Region Boise, ID