A NEW ERA OF RECLAMATION?

Transcription

1 A NEW ERA OF RECLAMATION? WATER STORAGE IN THE AMERICAN WEST IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION Denielle Perry & Sarah Praskievicz University of Oregon, Geography

2 Climate Change Impacts Multimodel ensemble of A1B simulations for compared to base period of Source: Christensen et al Observed trends in hydroclimatic variables from Source: Barnett et al. (2008).

3 Proposed Adaptation Strategies Supply-side Extract groundwater Demand-side Improve water-use efficiency Build reservoirs and dams Desalination Rain-water storage Remove invasive non-native vegetation Water transfers Source: Kundzewicz et al Reduce water demand for irrigation Import agricultural products, i.e. virtual water Promote indigenous practices Expand use of water markets Expand use of economic incentives

4 Research Question What are the advantages and disadvantages of increasing water storage as a climate change adaptation strategy?

5 Umatilla Basin Aquifer Recharge Project

6 Temperature (C) Precipitation (cm) Physical Setting Hermiston, Precipitation Maximum Temperature Minimum Temperature Map by Nick Perdue -5 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 0 Source: NCDC

7 Physical Setting 13% 6% 11% 40% 30% Source: Umatilla Watershed Council

8 Physical Setting Source: Vynne et al. (2010)

9 Umatilla Basin Aquifer Recharge Project Water extracted from Columbia (159,000 AF) Source: columbiariverimages.com Passive recharge to alluvial aquifer Source: Capital Press Source: IRZ (2009)

10 Umatilla Basin Aquifer Recharge Project Water extracted from Columbia (159,000 AF) Source: columbiariverimages.com Pumping to basalt aquifer (132,000 AF) Passive recharge to alluvial aquifer Source: Capital Press Augmentation of Umatilla River flow (27,000 AF) Source: IRZ (2009) Source: oregonlive.com

11 Umatilla Basin Aquifer Recharge Project Source: Wikimedia Commons Source: IRZ (2009) Source: columbiariverimages.com Pumping to basalt aquifer (132,000 AF) Long-term storage in basalt aquifer (11,000 AF) Water extracted from Columbia (159,000 AF) Passive recharge to alluvial aquifer Extraction for irrigation (114,000 AF), domestic (2,000 AF, and municipal (5,000 AF) use Source: Capital Press Augmentation of Umatilla River flow (27,000 AF) Source: oregonlive.com

12 Merced Irrigation District s Lake McClure Expansion Plan Microsoft 2013

13 Physical Setting Estimated 50 Year Floods for Northern Sierra Nevada Source: Das et al. (2011) Modified from source : MID (2012)

14 New Exchequer Dam Type Concrete faced rockfill Height 490 ft (150 m) Crest elevation 879 ft (268 m) Surface area 7,147 acres Storage capacity 1, 024, 600 acre feet Installed Capacity 94.5 MW Annual generation 316,000,000 KWh

15 Lake McClure Expansion Plan Merced Sun-Star - MARCI STENBERG Merced Sun-Star - MARCI STENBERG

16 Wild and Scenic Merced Merced Sun-Star - MARCI STENBERG

17 Case Study Conclusions Criterion Umatilla Basin Merced River Water supply Increase supply Increase supply Infrastructure Mostly existing Mostly existing Impact on incentive to conserve Negative Negative Cost High Moderate Proven technology Unproven (on this scale) Proven Energy Increase demand Increase supply Evaporation Minimal Substantial Flood risk Neutral Increases risk Legal implications Neutral Negative Impact on recreation Neutral Negative Impact on species Positive or neutral Negative Impact on water quality Positive Neutral

18 Conclusions The Umatilla Basin Aquifer Recharge Project: Net effect on water resources: positive or neutral Net effect on energy: negative The Lake McClure Expansion Plan: Net effect on water resources: negative Net effect on energy: positive

19 Proposed Adaptation Strategies Supply-side Extract groundwater Demand-side Improve water-use efficiency Build reservoirs and dams Desalination Rain-water storage Remove invasive non-native vegetation Water transfers Source: Kundzewicz et al Reduce water demand for irrigation Import agricultural products, i.e. virtual water Promote indigenous practices Expand use of water markets Expand use of economic incentives

20 The Larger Context: Energy-Water- Food Nexus Source: WEF (2011)

21 Works Cited Barnett, T.P., D.W. Pierce, H.G. Hidalgo, C. Bonfils, B.D. Santer, T. Das, G. Bala, A.W. Wood, T. Nozawa, A.A. Mirin, D.R. Cayan, and M.D. Dettinger Human-induced changes in the hydrology of the western United States. Science 319: Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) The Bureau of Reclamation: A very brief history. Accessed 2/27/13. Christensen, J.H., B. Hewitson, A. Busuioc, A. Chen, X. Gao, I. Held, R. Jones, R.K. Kolli, W.-T. Kwon, R. Laprise, V. Magaña Rueda, L. Mearns, C.G. Menéndez, J. Räisänen, A. Rinke, A. Sarr, and P. Whetton Regional climate projections. In Climate Change 2007: The physical science basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Eds. Solomon, S., D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M. Tignor, and H.L. Miller. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. CNRA California Climate Change Adaptation Strategy: A Report to the Governor of the State of California in Response to Executive Order S As viewed at Das, T., Dettinger, M., Cayan, D., and Hidalgo, H Potential increase in floods in California s Sierra Nevada under Future Climate Projections. Climatic Change, pg 24. Dillon, P., I. Gale, S. Contreras, P. Pavelic, R. Evans, and J. Ward Managing aquifer recharge and discharge to sustain irrigation livelihoods under water scarcity and climate change. IAHS Publication 330:1-12. IRZ Consulting, LLC Umatilla Basin regional aquifer recovery assessment. Hermiston, OR: IRZ Consulting, LLC. Kundzewicz, Z.W., L.J. Mata, N.W. Arnell, P. Döll, P. Kabat, B. Jiménez, K.A. Miller, T. Oki, Z. Şen, and I.A. Shiklomanov Freshwater resources and their management. In Climate change 2007: Impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. Contribution of Working Group II to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Eds. Parry, M.L., O.F. Canziani, J.P. Palutikof, P.J. van der Linden, and C.E. Hanson. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. McCartney, M., and V. Smakhtin Water storage in an era of climate change: Addressing the challenge of increasing rainfall variability. Pelawatte, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute. Oregon Water Resources Department (OWRD) Oregon s integrated water resources strategy. Salem, OR: Oregon Water Resources Department. Vynne, S., B. Reder, R. Hamilton, and B. Doppelt Projected future conditions in the Umatilla River Basin of northeast Oregon. Corvallis, OR: Oregon Climate Change Research Institute. World Economic Forum (WEF) Global risks Geneva: World Economic Forum. Worster, Donald Rivers of Empire: Water, Aridity, and the Growth of the American West. Oxford University Press.

22 Questions? Preguntas? Fragen?