SGMA and GSPs: Three Years of Planning 20 Years of Action

Transcription

1 SGMA and GSPs: Three Years of Planning 20 Years of Action December 2016 PRESENTERS Enrique Lopezcalva Leslie Dumas, P.E.

2 SGMA Timeline is Prescriptive GSA deadline: June 30, 2017 for high and medium priority basins GSP deadlines: January 31, 2020 for medium and high priority basins in critical overdraft January 31, 2022 for other medium and high priority basins ACTION Basins must achieve groundwater sustainability within 20 years of GSP implementation

3 GSPs are Just the Starting Point Regulation development and implementation occurring concurrently Multiple steps to GSP development Data collection and analysis Water budget Alternatives development for programs and management actions Monitoring Outreach Financing (!) <3 years for planning

4 Implementation is a Sustained Effort SGMA implementation will be a challenging process Establishing basin budget Obtaining buy-in/avoiding lawsuits Monitoring Adaptive management Competition for limited surface water supplies Economic & financial impacts of reducing water use 10+ year window for large project development and construction Sustainability is long-term programming (2040 milestone)

5 SGMA Compliance Framework SGMA Compliance Other GSAs/Basins Accounting System (Adaptive Management) The Public and Stakeholders Data Water Budget (Hydrologic Model) Data Gaps Data from Others Models by Others DSS Decision Making for Sustainability (Management Actions and Projects)

6 NEEDS VS. ACTIONS: Where to Begin? Focus the Problem Prepare the Water Budget Establish the Goals and Objectives Start Identifying Solutions Implement Adaptive Management Evaluate Projects for Implementation Secure Funding Monitoring Implement Projects

7 NEEDS VS. ACTIONS: Step 1 -Focus the Problem? Is the basin in deficit?? Is there access to alternative water supplies (e.g. surface water, recycled water)??? What are the water-dependent economies in the basin? What s the likelihood of obtaining alternative water supplies??are there ecosystems or habitats in the basin impacted by groundwater use? ACTION Define the problem to be solved

8 Defining Sustainability Basin-specific definition Legislation requires prevention of undesirable outcomes (and avoidance) Approaches to achieve this requires consideration of: Economic impacts Social impacts Environmental impacts/permitting Implementability

9 NEEDS VS. ACTIONS: Step 2 Prepare the Water Budget Water budgetmeans an accounting of the total groundwater and surface water enteringand leaving a basin including the changes in the amount of water stored. Unconfined Aquifer Diversion Canal Wildlife Refuge Confined Aquifer Water resources planning & systems analysis Evapotranspiration Irrigated Agriculture Aquitard Phreatophytes River Agriculture Supply Well Runoff Stream Recharge Basin Groundwater Table Reservoir Water Treatment Plant Treatment Plant Shallow Monitoring Well Municipal/ Industrial Use Injection Well Municipal/Industrial Supply Well Deep Monitoring Well

10 Water Budget Development Groundwater Models are Not the Only Tool Groundwater models are powerful tools Assessment of available resources and data is critical Do not have to start with a model Data Customized Databases Data Visualization Mass Balance Accounting Systems Models Groundwater Models Real Time Decision Making MINIMAL LOW Time to Develop and Run Data Requirements Sophistication LARGE HIGH $

11 Water Budget Development To Model or Not to Model? (i.e. groundwater models) Decision Pathway: Groundwater Budget Development NO NO Use the data approach for groundwater budget START Is there a groundwater model that covers our area? YES Is the model calibration and accepted by stakeholders? NO NO Do you have resources and time to calibrate and gain stakeholder acceptance? Can you refine the model representation for your area? NO Does the model represent your area adequately? NO YES YES Use model approach for groundwater budget ACTION Develop an accepted water budget YES YES Was the model developed specifically for your area? YES

12 NEEDS VS. ACTIONS: Step 3 Establish Sustainability Goals and Objectives Required by SGMA Minimum thresholds Management objectives Monitoring for compliance ACTION Achieve stakeholder buy-in

13 Establishing Sustainability Criteria A Central Valley Perspective Increasing permanent agriculture impacting groundwater levels Fluctuating groundwater levels can lead to inelastic land subsidence Water quality degradation from agricultural chemicals a key concern for those areas dependent on groundwater for potable supply Surface water diversions key source of supply for irrigation but can potentially lead to depletion of streamflowsand impacts to Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs) Possible Undesirable Results: Lowering groundwater levels Reduction in storage Water quality degradation Land subsidence Depletion of interconnected streams

14 Establishing Sustainability Criteria A Coastal Perspective Some communities dependent solely on groundwater for supply Higher potential for seawater intrusion and water quality degradation Increased coastal development and tourism can impact groundwater levels Possible Undesirable Results: Lowering groundwater levels Reduction in storage Water quality degradation Seawater intrusion Depletion of interconnected streams

15 Establishing Sustainability Criteria An Urban Perspective Groundwater supply for potable use either with surface water or alone Meeting drinking water standards a priority Increased urban development and associated demands Water quality degradation a concern - higher potential for groundwater contamination from underground storage tanks Possible Undesirable Results: Lowering groundwater levels Reduction in storage Water quality degradation Depletion of interconnected streams

16 NEEDS VS. ACTIONS: Step 4 Start Identifying Solutions Conjunctive use recharge projects Stormwater capture and recharge Expanded recycled water use (NPR, IPR, DPR) Pumping curtailments/fees Imported water Internal water market cap and trade program Conservation incentives Improved water use efficiencies Drought surcharges Fallowing Crop changes ACTION Think outside the box no alternative left behind

17 Water Markets could be Key in Affordable Compliance Solutions Water Budget ΔS = In Out It s a simple mass balance For basins with overdraft water needs to stay in the aquifer or be replenished Water markets could keep compliance affordable A more dynamic market is required, efforts in place AB 2304 centralized online water market platform called the California Water Market Exchange AB 1755 creates a statewide water information system and online water transfer information clearinghouse Large infrastructure projects could be avoided

18 NEEDS VS. ACTIONS: Step 5 Evaluate Alternatives and Develop Portfolio Evaluate alternatives and formulate portfolios of management actions and projects/programs Consider broad range of impacts Financial Impacts Social Impacts Economic Impacts Environmental Impacts ACTION Achieve stakeholder buy-in!!!

19 GSPs Call for Integrated Planning Traditional supply planning evaluations (single objective, driven by cost effectiveness) are unlikely to achieve desired objectives SGMA is by nature, multi-objective (sustainability is multi-objective) The economic and social elements are key to sustainable solutions Integrated planning Includes the water resources system as the evaluation scope Involves multiple institutions and stakeholders Considers multiple objectives Formally evaluates risk and uncertainty in analysis implementation

20 GSPs Call for Integrated Planning Traditional Groundwater Planning Integrated Resource Planning Objectives Single objective Multiple objectives Alternatives Stakeholder Involvement Least cost is usually preferred Ad hoc or no clear mechanism to accommodate stakeholders Multiple benefits preferred Establishes a process for early and continued stakeholder involvement

21 Decision Support Tools & Processes Technical Data DSS A Decision Support Process allows for transparent investigation of alternatives and identification of solutions to solve problems that are: Too complex for humans alone Too qualitative for computers alone Have multiple possible solutions Decisions

22 Triple Bottom Line Criteria are Factored into Decision Support Analyses BENEFITS COSTS $ Economic output supported by Water Supply Reliability Economic Economic $ Life Cycle Costs and decreased economic activity $ Quality of Life and culture preservation Social Social $ Environmental Justice and economic-driven migration $ Habitat Creation and improvement Environmental Environmental $ Habitat Reduction & impacts $ B $ C

23 Social Impacts Consider who would be impacted: Residents that rely on groundwater for drinking water (Human Right to Water) Economically disadvantaged communities that could be disproportionately affected Businesses that are important to community livelihood Agriculture Tourism Industry Consider magnitude of impacts. Would activities: Jeopardize availability of drinking water? Result in migration from the community? Substantially impact community culture/make-up? Deviate significantly from existing long-range community plans?

24 Addressing Social Impacts Work with stakeholders to determine how to score and rank social factors within the decision support process Ensure that potentially affected groups are included in the stakeholder process Develop outreach materials that are appropriate for stakeholders Not too technical Multi-lingual Distributed broadly Available at public places for those without Internet access

25 NEEDS VS. ACTIONS: Step 6 Outreach, Engagement and Sustained Consensus Technical provide technical input to and review of draft materials GSA Public interested parties that generally do not have strong technical knowledge, but are interested in the process Technical Advisory Committee Board of Directors or Council Public Other GSAs in Basin GSAs coordinate with other GSAs ACTION Outreach early and often with proactive messaging

26 Final Solutions will Require Systematic Views Coupled with Regional Solutions A dynamic water market will be critical to support solutions Large water budget imbalances may require large-scale actions or significant projects to mitigate Cost-effective solutions may require economies of scale Multi-objective, multi-party regional solutions will likely be required

27 Dealing with Uncertainty and Planning for Refinements Uncertainties include climate change, legislative, regulatory, other basins' actions, etc. Adaptive management is a priority GSPs will need to change with changing conditions Emissions Climate Water Assessment of Impacts & Adaptation Options Bottom Up Water Supply Impacts Change in Resource Vulnerabilities Top Down

28 Monitoring for Administration and Evidence of Compliance Establish monitoring goals and objectives Look for opportunities for basin-wide or regional monitoring Don t forget surface water Use management areas to tailor monitoring program Document, document, document Use your results analyze your data regularly Track data gaps and provide plan for addressing them ACTION Data informs all! Use your data for adaptive management

29 Data Management and Visualization Tools will be Critical

30 Funding Proposition 1 Sustainable Groundwater Planning Grant (DWR) IRWM Implementation Grants (DWR) Water Recycling/Clean Water State Revolving Fund (SWRCB) Drinking Water/Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SWRCB) Groundwater Sustainability Funding (SWRCB) Water Storage Infrastructure Program (CWC) SGMA Authorities permit fees, groundwater extraction fees, regulatory action fees, other fees, fees collected as taxes, assessments, charges or tolls Other Future stormwater grant programs Other future funding programs

31 Key to a Successful GSP Clearly define the problem Establish your sustainability goals and objectives Quantitatively define your basin s sustainability Consider all possible solutions (and combination of solutions) Evaluate alternatives in a transparent manner Adaptive management is critical Plan for GSP refinements Stakeholder buy-in is essential -outreach early and often REMEMBER You are in this for the long-haul

32 Three Years of Planning -20 Years of Action Long-Term, Systemic View Water Resources Planning Addressing Uncertainty and Engaging Stakeholders GSP Development Project Implementation Subsequent Phases of Projects Additional Actions Sustainability Solid Governance Structure Implementation of Programs Adaptive Management 2042

33 SGMA and GSPs: Three Years of Planning 20 Years of Action