Sustainable Water for a Sustainable Delta. Kay Whittington, PE, Director Office of Land and Water Resources MDEQ

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1 Sustainable Water for a Sustainable Delta Kay Whittington, PE, Director Office of Land and Water Resources MDEQ

2 Mississippi s Water Law and OLWR All water belongs to the state A permit is required before water can be used Characterize resources to inform decisions on suitable sources for beneficial uses of a specific amount, location, timing, and quality Ensure the maximum sustainable beneficial use of the waters of the state Conserve and prevent the waste or unreasonable use of the waters of the state

3 Increasing Ground Water Demand Permitted Wells in Mississippi Mississippi Delta (MRVA) Year Permits Permitted Volume ,401 ac-ft/yr ,571 3,428,121 ac-ft/yr ,410 5,594,354 ac-ft/yr Statewide ,430 Total Groundwater Permits

4 There is a Problem

5 Not just in the Delta Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas, and California are all seeing the effects of large scale irrigation and changes in cropping practices, as well as climate variability We are studying and learning from what others have done We have advantages over some Over 50 inches of precipitation annually Drinking water from deeper aquifers Aquifer characteristics Leadership of the Delta

6 What is our goal? Sustainable water use still trying to determine Models are important for making projections and evaluating different scenarios about what is sustainable Must be based on sound science MDEQ and USGS are working together to develop the most scientifically defensible model possible Requires a lot of data Accurate estimate of water use is an important input Metering at least 10% of the wells in each county is a good starting point to obtain geographically distributed representative estimates

7 Improving Information Need better estimates of inputs and outputs so that they can be balanced Inputs Recharge from above Exchange from below MDEQ is monitoring paired wells and evaluating driller s logs Outputs Know trend in wrong direction and more is being pumped out than is being recharged Voluntary metering is needed to better estimate total pumpage

8 Voluntary Metering 5% of all wells in each county metered by 6/30/14 and reported by 2/1/15 Both achieved 10% of all wells metered in each county by 12/30/15 and reported by 2/1/16 Both achieved 10% self-reporting water use annually thereafter If not achieved annually, mandatory program 5% to be metered by July 1, 2014 with reporting of water use to MDEQ for each successive year. Also set a goal for an additional 5% of all wells in each county to be metered by January, will need about 850 meters by July 2014, and 1700 meters by January 2016 It is important that these metering goals be reached otherwise a mandatory metering program has been proposed

9 Water Use Reporting 5% in each county by Feb. 1 st achieved 10% in each county by Feb. 1st 2016 and annually thereafter Long term water use reporting is critical for evaluating geographically distributed trends by crop type, soil type, and varying precipitation Data needed to improve our science Working on data analysis for model input and education and outreach Continue to demonstrate the ability of the Delta to take necessary steps voluntarily

10 Delta Sustainable Water Resources Task Force

11 Governor s Executive Order No Governor Delta Sustainable Water Resources Task Force established on August 26, 2014 To promote conservation measures, irrigation management practices and plans for the implementation of new Delta surface water and groundwater supplies To advise MDEQ on policies related to Delta water resources To prepare and promote the implementation of strategies and plans developed through the Task Force to ensure the future sustainability of water resources in the Delta

12 Task Force Guiding Principles Manage water as efficiently as possible Store water when it is plentiful to use it when it is not Pursue every feasible alternative

13 Manage Water as Efficiently as Possible Conservation is the near-term Task Force Priority Conservation can increase profits NRCS financial assistance is available for conservation Conservation can be implemented quickly and have immediate and significant benefits But conservation alone cannot solve the problem Pipe Planner Surge Valve Meters Soil Moisture Sensor

14 Store when plentiful to use when not and Pursue every feasible alternative Enhanced recharge Groundwater transfer Main-stem recovery and redistribution Treated effluent Well fields Inter/intra-basin transfers Tail water recovery and storage In-stream weirs

15 Next Steps With the information available to date, we are not able to compare apples to apples None of the projects are fully developed enough to provide answers to key questions Comparative analysis of modeling results Working with USGS to develop a delta wide model of how the aquifer will respond to different scenarios Voluntary Metering data is key to accurate representation of water use Consult with an ag economist to get cost estimates in a comparable format Investigate funding options through the Task Force Funding Committee Continue data collection to improve model for future applications MDEQ, with input from the Task Force, will revise the general permit to make it the most effective tool possible

16 There is an Opportunity Water can make the difference in the environmental and economic sustainability of the Delta Great potential for the voluntary conservation practices to save time and money as well as water We don t have years to waste, and we don t have decades to find solutions The problem of declining aquifer levels can only be solved through a Delta-wide commitment and through taking the long view

17 Questions? 700 North State Street