Trout Unlimited. The Challenges Ahead. October

Transcription

1 Trout Unlimited The Challenges Ahead 1

2 NYC s Water Supply System is comprised of three major systems: The Delaware system The Catskill system The Croton system These three systems are used in combination to supply drinking water to approximately 9 million people including: NYC; and residents of outside communities in Westchester, Putnam, Orange and Ulster counties. 2

3 Until recently, the Croton system had been essentially off-line for many years due to water quality issues; resulting in additional demands being placed on the Delaware and Catskill systems. With NYC striving to maintain a Filtration Avoidance Determination (FAD) status for the Delaware and Catskill systems, turbidity issues with the Catskill system have been placing an even greater demand on the Delaware system. The recent return of the Croton system will restore up to 290mgd of high quality water to the NYC Water Supply System; and will reduce the demands on the other two systems. 3

4 What are we looking for? 1. Improved Releases (EAP) 2. Thermal Relief Program 3. Moderation of the rate of reductions in Directed Releases 4. Distribution of Directed Releases between the 3 Rivers 5. A Public Comment Period for review of any Agreement 4

5 THE EQUITABLE APPORTIONMENT PLAN (EAP) What is the EAP? The Equitable Apportionment Plan (EAP) is a modification of the FFMP that will increase water releases from the Upper Delaware River (UDR) system s reservoirs, in a way that will more closely meet the needs of all stakeholders. A 2014 Economic Impact Study indicated that the increased releases could help provide a potential $274million boost to the local economy. 5

6 THE EQUITABLE APPORTIONMENT PLAN (EAP) How does the EAP create new opportunities for improved UDR reservoir water releases? The EAP makes a commonsense assumption that a portion of the additional water that became available to NYC from the recent commissioning of the Croton Water Treatment Plant, can be used to proportionately offset the quantity of water being diverted from the Delaware system. The less water NYC takes from the Delaware system; the more water becomes available for releases to the rivers and lowerbasin States. 6

7 THE EQUITABLE APPORTIONMENT PLAN (EAP) What percentage of the 290mgd Croton Water Treatment Plant production is needed as envisioned by the EAP? Under normal conditions, a modest percentage in the range of 20-25% of total Croton WTP capacity. So far this season, the average required make-up from the Croton system would have been 20mgd = less than 7% of the Croton WTP capacity. 7

8 THE EQUITABLE APPORTIONMENT PLAN (EAP) How much more water will the UDR receive under the EAP? Summertime Releases: FFMP EAP cfs cfs Cannonsville L2: 500/ Pepacton L2: Neversink L2:

9 THE EQUITABLE APPORTIONMENT PLAN (EAP) How would the EAP impact thermal stress conditions in the UDR system? The increased releases under the EAP should help mitigate the frequency and severity of thermal stress conditions; but will not eliminate them altogether. There will still be a need for thermal releases from time to time in the summer months. 9

10 THE EQUITABLE APPORTIONMENT PLAN (EAP) What do the Decree Parties think about the EAP? Despite multiple requests to the Decree Parties to review the EAP, feedback has been minimal. Based on the limited information we have received, we can deduce that: NYC is primarily concerned that the EAP will reduce NYC s water supply diversions, and restrict the 800mgd maximum allowance under the 54 Decree. NYS shares the same concerns as NYC NJ appears to be more closely aligned with the EAP because it makes more water available downstream to support their water supply needs. PA & DE have not examined the EAP closely 10

11 THE EQUITABLE APPORTIONMENT PLAN (EAP) What is the conservation community s response to NYC s concerns about the EAP? The 800mgd diversion provision is a holdover from the 1983 Good Faith Agreement, when NYC s consumption was averaging 1,600mgd. Today, NYC s annual consumption averages closer to 1,100mgd. The EAP does permit NYC diversions to exceed the safe yield of the Delaware system, subject to the availability of water. 11

12 A severe drought in the 1960 s became the new drought-of-record, and resulted in a drop in the NYC Water Supply System s safe yield from 1,665 mgd to 1,290 mgd. Although consumption continued to rise, todays consumption rate is back to where it was in the 1950 s; and NYC s water supply is no longer at risk. The Challenges Ahead NYC DEMAND HISTORY: 12

13 A severe drought in the 1960 s became the new drought-of-record, and resulted in a drop in the NYC Water Supply System s safe yield from 1,665 mgd to 1,290 mgd. Although consumption continued to rise, todays consumption rate is back to where it was in the 1950 s; and NYC s water supply is no longer at risk. The Challenges Ahead NYC DEMAND HISTORY: Should we now experience a repeat of the drought-of-record, NYC will have a significant quantity of excess water available to it, while remaining well within the safe yield of it s three subsystems. This is how it should be. 13

14 THE REFINEMENTS Where is the water coming from to support a Thermal Relief Program, and the ramping down of Directed Releases? The IERQ. For some reason the IERQ value has not changed since 2007, while NYC s consumption rate has dropped significantly. The IERQ needs to be updated to reflect current conditions. The new IERQ calculation suggests that there should be 4 times the amount of water available than is currently published. 14

15 In 2007, the IERQ was computed as 83% of the difference between the highest year s use of the NYC system during the past five years of 1,257 mgd, and NYC s current estimate of continuous safe yield of NYC s system of 1,290 mgd. However, the IERQ calculation has remained stuck with the 1,257 mgd consumption value from The Challenges Ahead INTERIM EXCESS RELEASE QUANTITY (IERQ) CALCULATION: In 2007, the IERQ calculation translated into 15,468 cfs-days. 15

16 In 2007, the IERQ was computed as 83% of the difference between the highest year s use of the NYC system during the past five years of 1,257 mgd, and NYC s current estimate of continuous safe yield of NYC s system of 1,290 mgd. However, the IERQ calculation has remained stuck with the 1,257 mgd consumption value from The Challenges Ahead INTERIM EXCESS RELEASE QUANTITY (IERQ) CALCULATION: During the past five years however, the highest consumption of NYC s Water Supply System was 1,158 mgd, in Should the original criteria be applied today, this would effectively increase the IERQ from 15,468 cfs-days, to 61,864 cfs-days today. 16

17 INTERIM EXCESS RELEASE QUANTITY (IERQ) APPLICATION: With 61,864 cfs-days of IERQ available, there s no reason a formal Thermal Relief Program shouldn t be included in the FFMP/OST today; and the ramping down of Directed Releases should be the norm. We will work with all parties to help achieve these objectives. 17

18 The Failure to ramp down Directed Releases September 4, 2008 September 6, 2008 Photos by Lee Hartman September 28, 2015 September 29, 2015 Photos by Dee Pinto 18

19 It takes 48hrs for releases from Cannonsville to reach Montague. In order to balance the flow at Montague, the RiverMaster typically calls for Cannonsville releases to be reduced 48hrs before an impending storm hits. Montague target: 1,750cfs Trenton: (100mgd) Philadelphia: (175mgd) Delaware Estuary: 19

20 THE REFINEMENTS How can we moderate the rate of reduction in Directed Releases? We have provided NYC and the RiverMaster with a procedure for moderating the rate of reduction in directed releases to avoid a repeat of the 2008 and 2015 incidents. The procedure calls for reductions in Cannonsville s directed releases to be stopped/paused at 500cfs until rain arrives in the UDR region, to help offset the effects of further reductions in releases. Once the rain has arrived, further ramped reductions in releases can take place, while the additional inflow caused by local rainfall helps to minimize impacts to the ecosystem. 20

21 THE REFINEMENTS How can Directed Releases be shared between the three rivers? Currently, NYC s system is set up for 100% of all directed releases to be made from Cannonsville. We have provided NYC with a procedure for sharing directed releases amongst the 3 rivers. NYC needs to reprogram its system to allow for 5% of directed releases to be made from Pepacton; 5% from Neversink; and 90% from Cannonsville. Provided NYC s system is set up to share directed releases at the beginning of the water year, turbidity issues with Cannonsville water in the fall will be of no consequence. 21

22 THE CLOSED DOOR PROCESS How do we know where the Decree Parties stand on any particular issue? We have to contact each Principal individually to ascertain their respective State s position. They will neither disclose nor discuss the position of the other Principals. Only when we have established which Principal(s) voted against a particular issue, can we find out why. With time sensitive issues, this process invariably runs out the clock. 22

23 SUMMARY What are we looking for? 1. Improved Releases (EAP) 2. Thermal Relief Program 3. Moderation of the rate of reductions in Directed Releases 4. Distribution of Directed Releases between the 3 Rivers 5. A Public Comment Period for review of any Agreement 23

24 TIMING Start phasing in improved release Tables: East Branch; Neversink; West Branch. Adopt a ramping procedure for managing reductions in Directed Releases - now. Adopt a Thermal Relief Program - now. Reprogram NYC s system to permit distribution of directed releases amongst the 3 rivers. Report/post progress: DRBC website; in RFAC meetings; press releases. 24

25 QUESTIONS 25 New Croton Dam