California`s Water Future: Keeping the Dream Alive

Download Report

Transcript California`s Water Future: Keeping the Dream Alive

Envisioning Futures for the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
Ellen Hanak
Public Policy Institute of California
Jay Lund
University of California, Davis
PPIC
1
Authored by Interdisciplinary Team
Economists:
Ellen Hanak, PPIC
Richard Howitt, UC Davis
Engineers:
Jay Lund, UC Davis
William Fleenor, UC Davis
Geologist:
Jeffrey Mount, UC Davis
Biologist:
Peter Moyle, UC Davis
PPIC
2
Major Themes
 Current Delta is unsustainable for almost all
stakeholders
 Improved understanding of the Delta provides
opportunities for new solutions
 Promising alternatives exist
 Most Delta users have ability to adapt
 Promising solutions are unlikely to arise from a
stakeholder-only process
PPIC
3
Outline
 Why the Delta matters
 California’s Delta crisis
 New thinking about the ecosystem
 Some long-term alternatives
 Screening of alternatives
 Recommendations
PPIC
4
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
Above sea level
Sea level to -10 feet
-10 feet to -15 feet
-15 feet and below
Export
pumps
PPIC
5
Why the Delta Matters to Californians
Water Supply
Ecosystem
Agriculture
Infrastructure
Recreation
Housing
PPIC
6
Outline
 Why the Delta matters
 California’s Delta crisis
 New thinking about the ecosystem
 Some long-term alternatives
 Screening of alternatives
 Conclusions and recommendations
PPIC
7
A Three-pronged Crisis
 Levees at increasing risk
– Sea level rise and sinking land
– Floods and earthquakes
 Steep declines in many fish species
– Many are “listed”
– Culprits: invasive species, habitat loss,
pumps
 Governing institutions lacking
– Resurgence of legal actions
PPIC
8
Emerging Policy Responses
 New studies on fish declines and levee risks
 Emergency funds for levee repairs
 “Delta Vision” process
 Bay-Delta Conservation Plan
 Stakeholders promoting several approaches
– Shoring up levees, peripheral canal,
reduced water exports
PPIC
9
Outline
 Why the Delta matters
 California’s Delta crisis
 New thinking about the ecosystem
 Some long-term alternatives
 Screening of alternatives
 Recommendations
PPIC
10
Since 1920s, California Policy
Has Aimed to Keep the Delta Fresh
,
,
1945 USBR report
 Delta farmers and water exporters benefit from low salinity
PPIC
11
In 1940s, Central Valley Project Created
“Hydraulic Barrier” for Water Exports
Arrows show
movement of
fresh water
from storage
PPIC
12
Hydraulic Barrier Prevents Seasonal
and Dry-year Salinity Incursions
Dotted lines
show extent
of saltwater
incursions
1870s drought
Hydraulic barrier
(since 1940s)
Summers, 1908-1917
PPIC
13
But Static, Freshwater Delta Not Good for
Native Species
 Native species evolved in a
fluctuating Delta
Asiatic clam
 Alien species have taken hold and
harm native species
 Alien species do best with constant
salinity (fresh or saline)
 Restoring fluctuating conditions
may be key to native species’
survival
Brazilian waterweed
Overbite clam
PPIC
14
Outline
 Why the Delta matters
 California’s Delta crisis
 New thinking about the ecosystem
 Some long-term alternatives
 Screening of alternatives
 Recommendations
PPIC
15
Nine Delta Alternatives
 Freshwater Delta
– Two levee-based alternatives
– Physical salinity barrier
 Fluctuating Delta
– Two peripheral canal alternatives
– Armored-island aqueduct
 Reduced-exports Delta (*also fluctuating)
– Opportunistic Delta*
– Eco-Delta*
– Abandoned Delta
PPIC
16
5) South Delta Restoration Aqueduct:
A New Peripheral Canal Idea
Main rivers
Brackish tidal area
Delta waterways
Freshwater tidal area
Canal
Optional canal
Release facility
 Improves South
Delta and lower San
Joaquin River water
quality
 Lower San Joaquin
flood bypass for
flood control and
ecosystem benefits
PPIC
17
6) Armored-Island Aqueduct:
A Through-Delta Solution
Channel to river
Dredged channel
Fortified levee
Potential flooded islands
 Keeps eastern Delta
fresh
 Allows western and
central Delta to
fluctuate
PPIC
18
8) Eco-Delta: An Example of
Local Specialization
Main rivers
Brackish tidal area
Delta waterways
Freshwater tidal area
Wetlands
Flooded islands/bypass
Experimental
Possible storage
Upland game/waterfowl
 Allows opportunistic
pumping, but at
lower levels
PPIC
19
Outline
 Why the Delta matters
 California’s Delta crisis
 New thinking about the ecosystem
 Some long-term alternatives
 Screening of alternatives
 Recommendations
PPIC
20
Screening Criteria
 Ecosystem performance
 Water exports
 Economic and financial costs
– Focus: water supply and salinity
– Tools: models and existing studies
 Other Delta services (qualitative)
PPIC
21
Fluctuating Delta Alternatives
Are Most Promising
Alternatives
Environmental
Performance
Annual Water
Exports
Economic and
Financial Costs
1. Levees as Usual
Poor
0 – 6+ maf
~$2 Billion +
failures
2. Fortress Delta
Poor
> $4 Billion +
lost islands
3. Saltwater Barrier
Poor
$2 – 3 Billion +
lost islands
6+ maf
4. Peripheral Canal Plus
5. South Delta Aqueduct
6. Armored-Island
Aqueduct
Promising allows Delta to
fluctuate
$2 – 3 Billion +
< $70 M/year
Mixed
$1 – 2 Billion +
< $30 M/year
$2 – 3 Billion +
< $41 M/year
Promising
2 – 8 maf
$0.7 – 2.2 Billion +
< $170 M/year
8. Eco-Delta
Best?
1 – 5 maf
Several $ Billion +
< $600 M/year
9. Abandoned Delta
Poor
0
7. Opportunistic Delta
$500 Million +
~$1.2 Billion/year
PPIC
22
Outline
 Why the Delta matters
 California’s Delta crisis
 New thinking about the ecosystem
 Some long-term alternatives
 Screening of alternatives
 Recommendations
PPIC
23
Steps Needed for a Long-term Solution
 Focus on promising alternatives
 Create technical track to explore solutions with
problem-solving R&D
 Enhance regional and statewide representation
in Delta land use decisions (e.g. SF BCDC)
 Implement “beneficiaries pay” financing
 Establish mitigation mechanisms – everyone will
not “get better together”
PPIC
24
“No Regrets” Short-term Actions
 Emergency preparedness
 “Do not resuscitate” list for some islands
 Delta land use
– Flood control guidelines for urbanization
– Habitat protection
 Restoration projects for pelagic fish habitat
PPIC
25
Questions?
 For the full report, research brief, and other
materials, go to: www.ppic.org
PPIC
26