WaterWired

CRS Report: 'Central Valley Project - Issues and Legislation' (Updated: 18 June 2019)

Here is the latest updated (18 June 2019) version of the CRS report: Central Valley Project: Issues and Legislation. The author is Charles V. Stern. 

Always great stuff on the CVP!

Download CRS_Report_CVP_Issues_18June2019

Summary
The Central Valley Project (CVP), a federal water project owned and operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), is one of the world’s largest water supply projects. The CVP covers approximately 400 miles in California, from Redding to Bakersfield, and draws from two large river basins: the Sacramento and the San Joaquin. It is composed of 20 dams and reservoirs and numerous pieces of water storage and conveyance infrastructure. In an average year, the CVP delivers more than 7 million acre-feet of water to support irrigated agriculture, municipalities, and fish and wildlife needs, among other purposes. About 75% of CVP water is used for agricultural irrigation, including 7 of California’s top 10 agricultural counties. The CVP is operated jointly with the State Water Project (SWP), which provides much of its water to municipal users in Southern California.

CVP water is delivered to users that have contracts with Reclamation. These contractors receive varying levels of priority for water deliveries based on several factors, including hydrology, water rights, prior agreements with Reclamation, and regulatory requirements. The Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers’ confluence with the San Francisco Bay (Bay-Delta or Delta) is a hub for CVP water deliveries; many CVP contractors south of the Delta receive water that is “exported” from north of the Delta.

Development of the CVP resulted in significant changes to the area’s natural hydrology. However, construction of most CVP facilities predated major federal natural resources and environmental protection laws. Much of the current debate related to the CVP revolves around how to deal with changes to the hydrologic system that were not significantly mitigated for when the project was constructed. Thus, multiple ongoing efforts to protect species and restore habitat have been authorized and are incorporated into project operations.

Congress has engaged in CVP issues through oversight and at times legislation, including provisions in the 2016 Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN Act; P.L. 114-322) that, among other things, authorized changes to operations in an attempt to provide for delivery of more water under certain circumstances. Although some stakeholders are interested in further operational changes to enhance CVP water deliveries, others are focused on the environmental impacts of operations.

Various state and federal proposals are currently under consideration and have generated controversy for their potential to affect CVP operations and allocations. In late 2018, the State of California finalized revisions to its Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan. These changes would require that more flows from the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers reach the Bay-Delta for water quality and fish and wildlife enhancement (and thus would further restrict water supplies for other users). The changes have generally been opposed by the Trump Administration. At the same time, the Trump Administration is pursuing efforts to increase CVP water supplies for users, including changes to CVP operations under an October 2018 White House memorandum on western water supplies. Efforts to add or supplement CVP storage and conveyance are also being considered: The state is proposing a new water conveyance project (known as the California WaterFix) that would bypass the Bay-Delta and, under certain conditions, increase exports from north to south for some users. Additionally, new storage projects are under study by federal and state entities; these projects would aim to increase CVP and/or SWP water supplies.

In the 116th Congress, legislators may consider bills and conduct oversight on efforts to increase CVP water exports compared to current baselines. Congress is considering whether to approve funding for new water storage projects, and may also consider legislation to extend or amend previously enacted CVP authorities (e.g., WIIN Act authorities that are expiring or have exceeded their appropriations ceiling).

Conclusion
The CVP is one of the largest and most complex water storage and conveyance projects in the world. Congress has regularly expressed interest in CVP operations and allocations, in particular pumping in the Bay-Delta. In addition to ongoing oversight of project operations and previously enacted authorities, a number of developing issues and proposals related to the CVP have been of interest to congressional decisionmakers. These include study and approval of new water storage and conveyance projects, updates to the state’s Bay-Delta Water Quality Plan, and a multipronged effort by the Trump Administration to make available more water for CVP water contractors, in particular those south of the Delta. Future drought or other stressors on California water supplies are likely to further magnify these issues.

Enjoy!

"Where your talents and the needs of the world cross, there lies your vocation." - Aristotle

Jason King AWRA Presentation: 'Groundwater Management in Nevada - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly'

Jason King, P.E., former Nevada State Engineer, was yesterday's luncheon speaker at the AWRA Summer Specialty Conference. His excellent presentation (PPT and PDF) - Groundwater Management in Nevada - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly' is provided below:

PPT: Download AWRA_GW_Management_Nevada

PDF: Download AWRA_GW_Management_Nevada

Description
Jason King, P.E.,  will be speaking about the development of
groundwater in the driest state in the Nation. Like most
western states, Nevada’s water law was developed during a
different era; Nevada’s water law provided a comprehensive
process for appropriating water in the state but was not
always harmonized with science. He will be highlighting its
strengths and weaknesses.

Biography
Jason King retired from the Nevada Division of Water Resources in January of 2019 after working for the Division for more than 27 years and served as State Engineer for his final 9 years.   As State Engineer, he oversaw the appropriation, management and regulation of both groundwater and surface water in the driest state in the Nation.  King has negotiated on Nevada’s behalf on numerous interstate water disputes, was a member of the State Environmental Commission, the Colorado Salinity Control Council and served on Governor Sandoval’s Drought Forum.

Diamond Valley
Jason was asked about the 'unbundling' of water rights in Diamond Valley and I told him I would post information on this interesting experiment. Click here. He extended this program for five more years on his last day on the job.

Enjoy!

"Civilization has been a permanent dialogue between human beings and water." - Paolo Lugari

The 'Sage of Salt Lake' Tony Willardson's Presentation at AWRA Conference: 'Resilient Infrastructure - More than Grey or Green'

At the current AWRA summer conference in Reno/Sparks, Tony Willardson, the Sage of Salt Lake and the scholarly and gentlemanly Executive Director of the Western States Water Council, gave an excelent keynote presentation: Resilient Infrastructure: More than Grey or Green.

Here is a PDF of his presentation:

Download 2019 AWRA Willardson Reno 0618

The description:

Federal, state, tribal and local governments face significant challenges in addressing their infrastructure needs. Existing and future water projects need to be more resilient and capable of maximizing multiple societal objectives. Capital and institutional investments should support wise water development, use and protection. Water is an increasingly valuable resource to be used carefully and conserved. Further, uncontrolled, it also has devastating destructive potential. Water-related infrastructure investments must be evaluated based on risks to human health and safety, economic growth, and the environment. Moreover, resilient adaptation requires investments in more than grey or green infrastructure, but also in science, technology, observations, data analysis and visualization for decision support, as well as innovative institutional, legal and political governance. There is a growing and increasingly serious need for collaboration and leadership at all levels, both public and private, academic and operational, corporate and regulatory.

Enjoy!

“I am impressed with the need for the states of the West to look beyond sectional interests and to approach water resource development on a regional basis.  Few endeavors offer more challenge…and greater potential for lasting benefit.  Unless we are successful, lack of water will soon limit development throughout much of the West….  I am convinced that the best approach to westwideregional planning is through cooperative state action.  I see no need, certainly at this time, for the states to look to Washington to act as a broker in this endeavor.”  - former Gov. Ronald Reagan (thanks to Tony Willardson)

CRS In Focus Report: 'Bureau of Reclamation: FY2020 Appropriations' (Updated 6 June 2019)

This CRS In Focus report by Charles V. Stern was updated 6 June 2019: Bureau of Reclamation: FY2020 Appropriations.

Download CRS_InFocus_BuRec_FY2020_Appr_6Jun2019

Overview
Most of the large dams and water diversion structures in the 17 states west of the Mississippi River were built by, or with the assistance of, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), part of the Department of the Interior. Reclamation’s original mission was to develop water supplies, primarily for irrigation to reclaim arid lands in the West. Today, its mission includes management, development, and protection of water and related resources. Reclamation’s mission areas and geographic scope are generally narrower than those of the other principal federal water resource agency, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Today, Reclamation manages hundreds of water storage and conveyance projects. These projects provide water to approximately 10 million acres of farmland and 31 million people. Reclamation is the largest wholesale supplier of water in these 17 western states and the second-largest hydroelectric power producer in the nation. Operations of Reclamation facilities can be controversial, particularly in relation to effects on fish and wildlife species and conflicts among competing water users.

Reclamation’s role has evolved, and its focus has gradually shifted from construction of new water storage projects to operation and maintenance of existing projects. Reclamation has also expanded into new areas, including funding for water supply projects on tribal lands and in rural areas under congressionally authorized Indian water rights settlements and rural water supply projects, respectively. Congress has also authorized Reclamation grants to nonfederal projects, including those for water reuse and recycling, conservation and efficiency, and desalination.

Reclamation’s Water and Related Resources account funds most agency activities, including construction, operation and maintenance, dam safety, and ecosystem restoration. It also funds Indian water rights settlements and most Reclamation programmatic and grant authorities. Reclamation also typically requests funding for three smaller accounts: California Bay-Delta Restoration, the Central Valley Project Restoration Fund (the latter of which is offset by customer receipts), and the Policy and Administration account.

Enjoy!

"Did you hear about the nonpublishing great teacher who did all the service we asked for who made tenure? Me neither." - @ass_deans

CRS Report: 'Central Valley Project: Issues and Legislation' (Updated: 23 May 2019)

Charles V. Stern and Pervaze A. Sheikh have updated (23 May 2019) this very important CRS report, Central Valley Project: Issues and Legislation.

Lots of good information!

Click on graphics to enlarge them.

Download CRS_CVP_Issues_Legislation_23May2019

Summary
The Central Valley Project (CVP), a federal water project owned and operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), is one of the world’s largest water supply projects. The CVP covers approximately 400 miles in California, from Redding to Bakersfield, and draws from two large river basins: the Sacramento and the San Joaquin. It is composed of 20 dams and reservoirs and numerous pieces of water storage and conveyance infrastructure. In an average year, the CVP delivers more than 7 million acre-feet of water to support irrigated agriculture, municipalities, and fish and wildlife needs, among other purposes. About 75% of CVP water is used for agricultural irrigation, including 7 of California’s top 10 agricultural counties. The CVP is operated jointly with the State Water Project (SWP), which provides much of its water to municipal users in Southern California.

 

CVP water is delivered to users that have contracts with Reclamation. These contractors receive varying levels of priority for water deliveries based on several factors, including hydrology, water rights, prior agreements with Reclamation, and regulatory requirements. The Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers’ confluence with the San Francisco Bay (Bay-Delta or Delta) is a hub for CVP water deliveries; many CVP contractors south of the Delta receive water that is “exported” from north of the Delta.

Development of the CVP resulted in significant changes to the area’s natural hydrology. However, construction of most CVP facilities predated major federal natural resources and environmental protection laws. Much of the current debate related to the CVP revolves around how to deal with changes to the hydrologic system that were not significantly mitigated for when the project was constructed. Thus, multiple ongoing efforts to protect species and restore habitat have been authorized and are incorporated into project operations.

Congress has engaged in CVP issues through oversight and at times legislation, including provisions in the 2016 Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN Act; P.L. 114-322) that, among other things, authorized changes to operations in an attempt to provide for delivery of more water under certain circumstances. Although some stakeholders are interested in further operational changes to enhance CVP water deliveries, others are focused on the environmental impacts of operations.

Various state and federal proposals are currently under consideration and have generated controversy for their potential to affect CVP operations and allocations. In late 2018, the State of California finalized revisions to its Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan. These changes would require that more flows from the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers reach the Bay-Delta for water quality and fish and wildlife enhancement (and thus would further restrict water supplies for other users). The changes have generally been opposed by the Trump Administration. At the same time, the Trump Administration is pursuing efforts to increase CVP water supplies for users, including changes to CVP operations under an October 2018 White House memorandum on western water supplies. Efforts to add or supplement CVP storage and conveyance also are being considered: The state is proposing a new water conveyance project (known as the California WaterFix) that would bypass the Bay-Delta and, under certain conditions, increase exports from north to south for some users. Additionally, new storage projects are under study by federal and state entities; these projects would aim to increase CVP and/or SWP water supplies.

In the 116th Congress, legislators may consider bills and conduct oversight on efforts to increase CVP water exports compared to current baselines. Congress is considering whether to approve funding for new water storage projects, and also may consider legislation to extend or amend previously enacted CVP authorities (e.g., WIIN Act authorities that are expiring or have exceeded their appropriations ceiling).

California Water Fix
In addition to water storage, some have advocated for a more flexible water conveyance system for CVP and SWP water. An alternative was the California WaterFix, a project initiated by the State of California in 2015 to address some of the water conveyance and ecosystem issues in the Bay-Delta. The objective of this project was to divert water from the Sacramento River, north of the Bay-Delta, into twin tunnels running south along the eastern portion of the Bay-Delta and emptying into existing pumps that feed water into the CVP and SWP. In the spring of 2019, Governor Newsom of California canceled the plans for this project and introduced an alternative plan for conveying water through the Delta.

DWR is creating plans to construct a single tunnel to convey water from the Sacramento River to the existing pumps in the Bay-Delta. DWR’s stated reasons for supporting this approach are to protect water supplies from sea-level rise, saltwater intrusion, and earthquakes. The new plan is expected to take a “portfolio” approach that focuses on a number of interrelated efforts to make water supplies climate resilient. This approach includes actions such as strengthening levees, protecting Delta water quality, and recharging groundwater, according to DWR. This project will require a new environmental review process for federal and state permits. It is being led by the Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority, a joint powers authority created by public water agencies to oversee the design and construction of the new conveyance system. DWR is expected to oversee the planning effort. The cost of the project is anticipated to be largely paid by public water agencies. The federal government’s role in this project beyond evaluating permit applications and maintaining related CVP operations has not been defined.

Cutting to the chase...

Conclusion
The CVP is one of the largest and most complex water storage and conveyance projects in the world. Congress has regularly expressed interest in CVP operations and allocations, in particular pumping in the Bay-Delta. In addition to ongoing oversight of project operations and previously enacted authorities, a number of developing issues and proposals related to the CVP have been of interest to congressional decisionmakers. These include study and approval of new water storage and conveyance projects, updates to the state’s Bay-Delta Water Quality Plan, and a multipronged effort by the Trump Administration to make available more water for CVP water contractors, in particular those south of the Delta. Future drought or other stressors on California water supplies are likely to further magnify these issues.

Enjoy!

"Happy is good. Joy is better." - @nytdavidbrooks (on @CNN's @FareedZakaria)