Water Operations 101 Jerry Johns and John Leahigh Department of Water Resources BDCP Steering Committee 5/8/09
Water Operations Overview Where Does BDCP Fit Into California Planning Hydrologic Variability and Current Conditions How Do We Operate Today? BDCP Operational Lessons Learned and Next Steps for Refining Operating Criteria
California Water Systems 9
Framework for Action Sustainable & Reliable Water in 2030 Vision Initiatives for Reliability Foundational Actions for Sustainability Vital Economy Healthy Environment High Standard of Living Implement Improve Integrated Statewide Water Regional Water Management Management Systems Use Water Efficiently Protect Water Quality Support Environmental Stewardship
Mean Annual Precipitation in California
Monthly Variation of Runoff 18 16 14 12 Average (27.8 MAF) 1977 (6 MAF) 1983 (69 MAF) MAF 10 8 6 4 2 0 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep
Annual Variation of Runoff
2009
Suisin Marsh and Bay The Delta The Hinge Pin for much of California s...water supply... San Francisco Bay San Francisco Bay - and- Sacramento and San Joaquin River Delta N Preliminary Draft for Steering Committee Discussion Purposes Only
Bay-Delta Standards Contained in D-1641 CRITERIA JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC FLOW/OPERATIONAL Fish and Wildlife SWP/CVP Export Limits [1 1,500cfs Export/Inflow Ratio [2] Minimum Delta Outflow Habitat Protection Outflow 65% [4] 35% of Delta Inflow [3] 65% of Delta Inflow 7,100-29,200 cfs [5] 3,000-8,000 cfs [4] Salinity Starting Condition [6] River Flows: @ Rio Vista [6] 3,000-4,500 cfs [7] @ Vernalis - Base 710-3,420 cfs [8] [8] - Pulse [9] +28TAF Delta Cross Channel Gates WATER QUALITY STANDARDS Municipal and Industrial All Export Locations Contra Costa Canal Agriculture Western/Interior Delta Southern Delta [14] Fish and Wildlife San Joaquin River Salinity [15] [10] Closed [11 < 250 mg/l Cl 150 mg/l Cl for the required number of days [12] Max.14-day average EC mmhos/cm [13] 1.0 ms 30 day running avg EC 0.7 ms 1.0 ms 14-day avg; 0.44 EC Conditional [10] Suisun Marsh Salinity [16] 12.5 EC 8.0 EC 11.0 EC 19.0 EC [17] 15.5 EC
Preliminary Draft for Steering Committee Discussion Purposes Only
How Water Gets to the California Economy 1 Sac River Delta Cross Channel Mokelumne River Old & Middle Rivers 3 Sac River / West Delta 2 SWP Pumps CVP Pumps San Joaquin River
Net Flows Small Relative to Tidal Flows 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 Daily Net Flow -1000 cfs cfs -10,000-20,000-30,000-40,000 Old and Middle River flows - May 5, 2009
Real-Time Decision Making Types of Decisions We Make What to Consider in Decisions Tools That We Use Examples
Types of Operations Decisions Modify Upstream Reservoir Releases Modify Export Operations Modify Delta Flow Patterns
Factors to Consider in Decisions Flows Hydrology Valley Depletions Delta Consumptive Use Reservoir Operations Exports Salinity Fishery
Factors to Consider in Decisions Flows Salinity Current and Projected Conditions Tides Wind Delta Consumptive Use Fishery
Factors to Consider in Decisions Flows Salinity Fishery Salvage Real-time Monitoring Program Data Assessment Team Water Operations Management Team
Tools That We Use Real-time Data Delta Simulation Model (DSM2) Historical Data (Statistical) Analysis Experience
River Telemetered Monitoring Stations Sacramento Freeport N DWR USBR OTHER River Suisun Marsh Sacramento San Joaquin Costa Old Canal CCC Intake Middle Stockton Contra River Clifton Intake Banks PP River Tracy Intake Vernalis
BDCP Lessons Learned Focusing BDCP Next Steps on Water Operations Criteria
BDCP Key Operational Factors Hood Bypass OMR Flows Delta Outflow Freemont Weir Other factors are important but these 4 are the most sensitive Yolo Bypass - Fremont Weir Delta Outflow OMR Hood Bypass Criteria Delta Cross Channel
Operational Issues being evaluated from the BDCP Overview Studies DRERIP results Water supply results Upstream Reservoir impacts Carry-over storage, flows, temperatures North Delta Increased tidal Habitat could affect salinity due to increased tidal t influence DWR/North Delta Water Agency contract added locations, objectives, salinity gradients West Delta Salinity Likely improves with less South Delta pumping South Delta Salinity Less South Delta pumping results in reduced unnatural movement of Sacramento River water into the South Delta which may result in local land based salts accumulating to greater levels Better source control needed
Related Areas of Importance outside the Current Scope of BDCP North of Delta Operations Other users and SWP/CVP Reservoir Operations (temperature and flows) not part of BDCP (except as may be related to possible Delta inflow objectives) Venues: New OCAP Section 7 B.O. with BDCP. FERC Proceedings (Oroville) San Joaquin River Inflows No SWP control over SJR Flows. CVP only has New Melones as part of OCAP consultation Venues: SWRCB ongoing workshops and hearings, FERC Proceedings (Tuolumne, Merced Rivers) Friant Settlement Agreement South Delta Salinity No SWP/CVP control over salinity issues downstream of Vernalis Local discharges degrade salinity beyond the control of SWP/CVP Venue: SWRCB Ongoing workshops and hearings Water Demand Issues South of the Delta Changes in South of Delta demand will not result in decreased exports but is needed to address statewide water reliability issues Venues: 20% by 2020, Water Plan, IRWM, Investments from water Bonds New Storage Look for synergies between BDCP and new storage Venues: CALFED storage Investigations and legislature. Issue is who pays and benefits Flood Control Projects Look for synergies related to BDCP habitat and joint project opportunities ortunities with Flood programs Venues: DRMS, Flood-Safe, Delta Subventions and Special Projects, Delta Levee Investments Strategy being developed, USACE Programs
Next Steps on Water Operational Criteria Resolve of Delta Outflow / Inflow issues 5 step workplan ongoing Results soon Resolve Hood Bypass and OMR operational objectives Start with Scenarios 1 and 2 from January Overview document Evaluate DRERIP analysis Fish agency request for sensitivity analysis Armin developing modeling to address these questions Include NDWA/DWR contract objectives into the base or determine that other objectives achieve these values Develop new Operational Criteria for the Draft Conservation Plan in June Begin impact analysis for Draft Conservation Plan after June