The Delta and the Future of California s Water Supply

Transcription

1 The Delta and the Future of California s Water Supply Water Conservation Showcase March 25, 2008 Douglas Wallace, East Bay MUD Importance of the Bay Delta Habitat for 500 species, including 5 ESA listed species and used by 80% of State s s commercial fisheries Bay Area 33% of water supply from Delta Irrigates 45% of the fruits & vegetables produced in US So. California 30%of water supply from Delta 1

2 Critical Delta Infrastructure Power lines Gas lines Rail lines Contra Costa Pumps SWP Pumps CVP Pumps Mokelumne Aqueduct 4 205z 2

3 EBMUD & the Delta Mokelumne fish migrate through Delta 15 miles of Mokelumne Aqueducts traverse the Delta, vulnerable to flooding Mokelumne Aqueducts Below Sea Level - 25 ft ft. Mokelumne Aqueducts - 15 ft. Below Sea Level ft -5 ft. 3

4 A Brief History of CALFED Born in 1995, love child of the Bay Delta Accords Spent $4.7 billion, with some progress in water use efficiency, habitat restoration, and groundwater storage Delta smelt and other fish species decline, no expansion of export pumping, public funding dries up Expired in 2006 with advent of Delta Vision EBMUD Addresses Higher Authorities on Water Policy 4

5 Stakeholder Kerfuffle Drivers of Change in the Delta Land subsidence Seismic faults Urbanization Invasive species and ESA requirements Intensified flood threats Sea level rise 5

6 Accommodation Space in the Delta 3.4 billion cubic yards 70,000 football fields 30 feet deep A string of 10 yard dump trucks running 52 times around the earth 1,800 years of landfill space to replace Altamont A 52 foot wide tunnel from San Francisco to Perth, Australia 6

7 An Unraveling Ecosystem To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering. - Aldo Leopold 6.5 Richter Earthquake and 20-Island Failure 7

8 6.5 Richter Earthquake and 20-Island Failure 6.5 Richter Earthquake and 20-Island Failure 8

9 6.5 Richter Earthquake and 20-Island Failure 6.5 Richter Earthquake and 20-Island Failure 9

10 6.5 Richter Earthquake and 20-Island Failure 6.5 Richter Earthquake and 20-Island Failure 10

11 Initial Impacts Exports cease & do not resume for the foreseeable future 85,000 acres of ag land & crops flooded 3,000 homes inundated Initial Impacts Infrastructure Failures Hwy 12 & 160 flooded Natural gas and oil pipeline ruptures Railroad embankment failure Resulting In Major transportation disruption in Bay Delta region Interruption of rail and truck deliveries Shortage in natural gas Hazardous spills and cleanup 11

12 Extended Impacts Water Availability Levee repairs will require at least 15 months; More realistically, the repairs will take longer Southern Cal agencies drawing from reserves; Some will last 24 months; others will go dry sooner Extreme conservation measures enacted Groundwater basins drawn down may lead to contamination Water conservation & transfer programs enacted Extended Impacts Water Quality Brackish water remains in deep pools along remnant levees Fisheries Impact to endangered species & food chain unknown; Likely, some species would benefit & others would be severely hurt 12

13 Jones Tract Flooding Levee Breech 13

14 State Response to Delta Vulnerability Delta Vision process initiated by Governor s Executive Order Blue Ribbon Task Force report completed in December 2007 Strategic Plan preparation in 2008 Water bond bills introduced into the Legislature Court ordered export reductions Numerous parallel processes technical evaluations, studies, negotiations 14

15 The Delta Vision Co equal priority for ecosystem restoration and water supply Study of dual conveyance, adding a peripheral canal to existing pumps Increased water conservation, and new surface/groundwater storage New, powerful governance entity Short term protective actions EBMUD Interests in the Delta Protect the Mokelumne Aqueducts State not expected to keep reclaiming flooded islands (Jones Tract) Levee improvements needed to provide additional insurance for the mid term Plan for a long term alternative to the aqueducts a tunnel under the Delta? Protect the Mokelumne fishery potential for adverse impacts from new Delta conveyance options 15

16 What about that Peripheral Canal? Reference: Lund et al. (2007). Envisioning Futures for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Climate Change Impacts on the Delta Sea level rise Intensified flood events Earlier peak runoff Water temperature increases Increased water demands 16

17 Delta Politics in 2008 Blue Ribbon Task Force to complete strategic plan for implementing Delta Vision finance, governance DWR to initiate studies of PC and lead multi agency Delta disaster planning Legislature and stakeholders to resume debating water bond bills, possibly water surcharge Religious wars on storage to continue Looming Questions Will there be a completed peripheral canal before a major levee failure? (How big will it be?) Who will pay for implementing the Delta Vision? (We all will, but how much?) Have we reached a breaking point in the Delta ecosystem and in its capacity to provide water supplies? 17

18 Implications for Water Conservation Challenge intensified by climate change, growth in population/economy, increased instream flow requirements Additional increments of conservation more difficult & expensive; however Other water sources also becoming more expensive Conservation more essential than ever Water Demand Reduction at EBMUD, 1970 & , , MGD 212 MGD 210 gpd 158 gpd Accounts Consumption Per Capita Use Source: EBMUD 18

19 Conservative PROJECTED Sea Level Rise 2 ft. Questions? 1 ft. Source: IPCC,