Water Storage Projects Should Be Part of Statewide, Integrated Plan, New Report Says
New water storage projects built in California should be part of an integrated, statewide water system plan, according to a new report released today.
The report, “Integrating Storage in California’s Changing Water System,” evaluates the possibilities of increasing water storage capacity in the semi-arid state. Issued by water engineers and scientists at the University of California, Davis, The Nature Conservancy and three prominent water consultants, the report advocates a more integrated approach to surface and groundwater water storage where new storage projects are planned, designed and operated as components of a statewide water system.
The report is available at http://watershed.ucdavis.edu .
The report also states that California could use an additional 6 million acre-feet of above- and below-ground storage -- the equivalent of a third more than can be held at Shasta reservoir.
The study arrives as the California Water Commission prepares to develop rules for allocating investments in storage projects from a portion of the $7.545 billion in funds recently approved by California voters as Proposition 1. More than a third of the water bond funds are allocated for additional surface and groundwater storage. The bond does not specify individual projects nor does the newly released study.
Timothy Quinn, executive director of ACWA issued the following statement on the new report:
“This report advances the discussion about the need to invest in additional storage capacity of all types throughout the state. ACWA will continue to advocate for additional storage as one element of a broad set of strategies to address overall water supply reliability and ecosystem health in California. This report will help inform the debate regarding storage. One key insight of this report—with which ACWA strongly agrees—is the importance of moving beyond a “project by project” approach to storage investments to one where we consciously integrate new storage investments into statewide water management.”
According to a UC Davis press release on the report, the study found that using an “integrated, multi-benefit analysis” for storage projects is the best option. Co-author Maurice Hall, California water science and engineering lead for The Nature Conservancy said such an approach would be a departure from most project analyses and policy discussions that examine water storage proposals as isolated projects.
“Our current water supplies are over-allocated, and we need to invest in a much smarter strategy to upgrade our water system and meet multiple water needs with an eye to the future and changing climate conditions,” said Hall. “We need to design the system for nature’s needs up front if we want to have healthy streams and rivers in the future.”
The report said integrated water projects are likely to “significantly outperform” individual projects in achieving multiple water management objectives. The authors note that this study looks exclusively at storage considerations for surface and groundwater storage, and does not look at comprehensive water conservation strategies, system reoperation, water rights apportionment or other water policy considerations that may stretch existing water supplies.
The report’s other authors are Armin Munèvar of CH2M HILL; Ali Taghavi of RMC Water and Environment; and Anthony Saracino, a water resources consultant. Jeffrey Mount, a UC Davis professor emeritus of geology, and Leo Winternitz, formerly of The Nature Conservancy, contributed to the study.
http://www.acwa.com/news/water-suppl...-storage-new-r
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