Framework for Water Resilience in Long Island. Samudyatha Mysore Subbarama

Transcription

1 Framework for Water Resilience in Long Island Samudyatha Mysore Subbarama

2 1.Introducing the Client 2.Water - Regional Issue 3.Developing a Framework for Long Island 4.Water Issues on Long Island 5.Call for a Comprehensive Plan

3 Client Established in 1920 Areas of Focus : Transportation, Economic Development, Real Estate, Open Space Planning. Fourth Regional Plan : Building a long term vision, propose investments and policies to ensure the region's success for all residents

4 Water Stress is a Regional Imperative

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6 Floods and Sea Level Rise Source: RPA

7 Aging Infrastructure and Contaminated Supply Table 13. Top Environmental Concerns of the American Public: Selected Years, (Percent who worry "a great deal") Algal Blooms Discontinued, Threatened ground water wells. Source: USGS Issue Pollution of drinking water Pollution of rivers, lakes, and reservoirs Contamination of soil and water by toxic waste Maintenance of nation s supply of fresh water for household needs Loss of natural habitat for wildlife Air pollution Damage to Earth s ozone layer Loss of tropical rain forests Extinction of plant and animal species Urban sprawl and loss of open space Greenhouse effect or global warming Acid rain

8 Developing a Framework

9 Constructing a redundant, resilient and interconnected water supply system Water Supply Water Availability Ground and Surface Water Quality Watershed Integrity Ecosystem Vitality and Biodiversity Water Supply Infrastructure Human Health and Welfare Challenges Water Quality Infrastructure Watershed Management Plans determine the quantity and quality of water produced in these land areas. Threats New Jersey New York 31 Counties Map Watersheds in the Regions Watershed Management Approach Connecticut Resource Management

10 1. Understand System Behavior Study Watershed Management Plans Assess current situation STUDY Land use in & Issues around watersheds Map nodes and critical water supply infrastructure Strategies and BMP s Priority projects and plans Constructing a redundant, resilient and interconnected water supply system Locate Water Supply Statistics on Source, soil, precipitation, climate etc Create an adaptation plan for Long Island to secure water resources.

11 Issues Drought Sea Level Rise Wastewater Practices Urbanisation Aging Infrastructure Lifestyles Solutions Augmentation Land Use Planning Land Conservation Water Governance Water Management Emergency Water Reserves Conservation Advocacy Green Infrastructure Wastewater Infrastructure Stormwater Infrastructure Water Infrastructure

12 Issues Drought Sea Level Rise Wastewater Practices Urbanisation Aging Infrastructure Lifestyles Solutions Land Use Water Systems Wastewater Systems Governance and Management

13 Objective Developing a framework Geography, Issues, Challenges, Solution, TImelines, Cost, Actors Areas of Focus : Long Island's Sole Source Aquifer Plan : Building a long term vision, propose investments and policies to ensure and secure Long Island s water supply for all residents

14 Water Issues on Long Island

15 Sole Source Aquifer Source: NY DEC, < high-yielding glacial sediments Formed during the last ice age years old Largest, and supplies 3/4th of the water for Long Island. 65 million years old Upper Glacial - 62% of all recharge Magotthy - 38% Deepest and oldest. Regulated and conserved by NYS DEC. +70 million years old Llyod - 3%

16 HIGH WATER USAGE Each person uses over 107 gallons of water per day Source: USGS Water Use Data million gallons of fresh water is withdrawn per day Source: USGS Water Use Data 2010 Population of Nassau and Suffolk county 2,832,882 Source: USGS Water Use Data 2010 Water Use Statistics in Long Island 92% of Long Island depends on groundwater supply Source: USGS Water Use Data 2010

17 Water Issues in Long Island 55 Water districts creating artificial boundaries for a natural resource that has no boundaries Source: spx Salt Water Intrusion due to over withdrawal, and coastlines which have decreased by a third over the past three decades. Source: Sewage Plants release billions of gallons of untreated / raw sewage into bays and surface water each year. 3 sewage plants in Nassau county release more than 60 million gallons of treated sewage / day into the bay 200% Increase in Nitrogen levels in Suffolk county, Long Island Source: USGS Water Use Data 2010

18 Issue - Urbanisation Development Interests dominated local politics on Long Island and created a sprawling suburbia Impervious Surface Increased Nitrification Decreased Recharge Water Demand Over Withdrawal Salt Water Intrusion Industrial Brownfields Toxic Plumes

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21 Issue - Saltwater Intrusion Image Source:

22 Superfund and Brownfields

23 Issue - Wastewater System Approximately 1,100,000 people on Long Island are estimated to live in an unsewered area and are using on site-septic systems during the period These onsite-septic systems return about 74 MGD of water from these systems back into the ground. WWTP Discharge into Water Bodies Failed Septic Systems WWTP Failures

24 Issue - Governance Long Island Needs a comprehensive water management agency. Unlike 70% of New York State, Long Island has no entity with a full-time team of water experts dedicated to the constant management, monitoring, research and assessment of its groundwater and sole source aquifer system. 55 Water Districts 70 Major Water Suppliers 2 Counties 1 Aquifer

25 Imagine this Scenario A linked nature network beyond the Pine Barrens in Long Island. A nature conservancy of wetlands, open spaces, forests that would address the need of water recharge in Long Island.

26 Imagine this Scenario A linked nature network beyond the Pine Barrens in Long Island. A nature conservancy of wetlands, open spaces, forests that would address the need of water recharge in Long Island.

27 Comprehensive Urban and Ecological Plan for Long Islands Water Resources

28 Going Forward Evaluate all Planning and Development on Long Island with a focus on how it could improve conditions of the aquifer. Particularly regarding creating of new conservation lands, compact clustered development, to the level of water management on the site level. The idea is to preserve aquifer integrity though land management. 1.Ecology Restoration 1.Ecology Restoration Water Science Research Alternate Wastewater Systems Green Stormwater Systems Primary Goal Protect the Sole Source Aquifer

29 Long Island s Comprehensive Plan for Water Resilience is defined as the capacity to absorb shock and contamination of water supplies, and the ability to withstand the impact of long term climate change on water supply systems. Water and Wastewater systems are more than the physical infrastructure conveying and treating water. They are socio-technical and socioecological systems and involve multiple interactions between humans, the environment and technology Planning Island Wide Restoration Zoning Infrastructure Planning Operations and Maintenance Policy Regulation Governance

30 Land Use - Zoning and Land Use Clustered Development creating walkable compact development Control bulk and density of development to limit buildings and impervious surface in sensitive areas Shift growth away from places most at risk of SLR

31 Land Use - Conservation Zones Long Island Pine Barrens in Suffolk County Restore, Conserve, Protect, and Expand the Long Island Pine Barrels - Promoting / incentivizing coastal or groundwater recharge lands shall be a progressive adaptation legislation to protect natural systems for human sustenance. Image Source:

32 Compatible Growth Area of 47,500 acres Core Preservation Area of 55,000 acres

33 Average Groundwater Recharge in inches

34 Land Use- Restore Coastal Marshland Increased Nitrogen pollution leading to coastal marshland degradation, brings the saltwater-freshwater closer to the landmass. Preserved land improves the quality of water filtering down to the aquifer. 27% of Marshland has been lost from Image Source:

35 Land Use - Remediating Brownfields

36 Land Use - Turf to Garden Introducing Native Landscapes

37 Engineered Solution - Water System Over Withdrawal - Aquifers may be artificially recharged in two main ways: Rapid Infiltration Pits Source: USGS Injection Wells Source: National Groundwater Association

38 Land Use - Sustainable Agriculture Practices If there s one lesson my family has learned in our years in this area, it is that working with, not against, this unique landscape can make a farmer s job easier. Tom Wickham, Farmer on Long Island

39 Land Use - Green Infrastructure Integrate storm water control into site scale planning Streetside Swale Source- Wikimedia Rain Garden Source- EPA Streetside Swales Source- Cleanwater Nashville

40 Wastewater - Stormwater Infrastructure Achieve Zero CSO s by 2040 Image Source: Ramboll Dreiseitl

41 Engineered Solution for Salt Water Intrusion Artificial Recharge Aquifer Storage and Recovery Barrier Systems Desalination Blending

42 Conservation - Advocacy and Water Pricing Conservation is the best reservoir Water Managers

43 Wastewater - Resilient Treatment Plant Implement advanced tertiary treatment for all wastewater treatment systems in downtowns and high density areas.

44 Wastewater - Alternate Septic Systems Target 1,100,000 on Site Septic Systems for Assessment and Replacement. Prioritising areas with high water table. Advocate adoption of alternate septic systems to all homeowners Invest and Incentivise replacement and cleaning of septic systems

45 Collaborative Management of Groundwater How do we bring together political fiefdoms and local governments that aim to maintain their autonomy? Call for greater Collaboration between Federal, State organizations and Long Island based organizations

46 Key Takeaways and Questions