Application of IWRM Principles in Reclamation Planning

Levi Brekke, Reclamation Research & Development Office (Denver, CO) Acknowledgments: Randy Christopherson, Art Coykendall, Avra Morgan, Christopher Perry, and Seshu Vaddey (Reclamation, Denver, CO) AWRA Summer Specialty Conference

Integrated Water Resources Management – From Theory to Application

Reno, NV, 1 July 2014

Reclamation Mission

The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of

the American public.

348 Reservoirs, totaling roughly 300 km 3 of water storage Greater than 25,000 km of canals $9 Billion annual agricultural benefits Municipal water to more than 31 million people 58 Hydropower facilities powering over 6 million homes 308 public recreation areas visited by more than 90 million people each year More than $12 billion avoided flood damages since 1959

Outline

• IWRM Principles and Processes • Reclamation Key Planning Areas & how IWRM is being applied… – Basin Studies – Feasibility Studies (plus associated efforts) – ESA Collaborative Programs – Drought Response Planning • Challenges and Opportunities

IWRM – Several Definitions

• Example: CA Water Education Foundation: – IWRM “

… is a collaborative effort to manage all aspects of water resources in a region. It is a consensus-based , cross jurisdictional watershed approach that can help purveyors, planners, landowners, stakeholders and others develop plans to better manage their water resources.

” (“Layperson's Guide to Integrated Regional Water Management,” 2013, available at: http://www.water.ca.gov/irwm/other_resources/publications.cfm

) • Variations: – GWP 2000, Bourget 2006, USACE 2010, AWRA 2011 – USACE 2010 and AWRA 2011 emphasize land-water nexus Source: AWRA 2012, “Case Studies in Integrated Water Resources Management: From Local Stewardship to National Vision”

IWRM Process

• Continuing Process, four key stages: implement, monitor, evaluate recognize and identify conceptualize • Ingredients for success: – legislation – policies – available resources for financing – … coordinate detailed planning Source: AWRA 2012, “Case Studies in Integrated Water Resources Management: From Local Stewardship to National Vision”

IWRM Principles

•

Manage Water Sustainably

– consider quantity and quality; consider environment, social equity and economics •

Coordinate to support Integration

- intergovernmental, between organizations, engage land use jurisdictions •

Encourage participation

– involve local public and stakeholders from all water use sectors •

Address Resources Interconnectedness

– consider larger geographic region or watershed, recognize interconnectedness of land and water, surface water and groundwater, water quantity and river quality, freshwater and coastal waters, rivers and the broader watershed, reservoir space use for flood control and water supply… Source: AWRA 2012, “Case Studies in Integrated Water Resources Management: From Local Stewardship to National Vision”

Reclamation’s Mission is conducted through several types of planning mapped to unique goals…

Goal:

prepare for future risks to water supplies and demands under climate change and other stressors • • •

Basin Studies

Assess future scenarios and vulnerability Appraisal level evaluation of many solutions Federal and non-Federal collaboration

Goal:

inform recommendation to Congress whether to invest in a water resources development through authorized study (e.g., infrastructure, management criteria) • •

Feasibility Studies

Includes prior appraisal studies, evaluates justification of proposed action and associated environmental impacts P&Gs apply

Goal:

address ESA Section 7(a)1 (conservation of listed species), ESA Section 7(a)2 (consultation compliance to avoid jeopardy/adverse modification) •

ESA Collaborative Programs

Involves partnering with environmental and water agencies to identify and implement compliance and conservation strategies, and for some programs, engage basin partners to preclude further listings

Goal:

facilitate collaborative and proactive drought risk management among basin partners •

Drought Response Planning

New program, promote development of contingency plans to complement management reactions during drought

Basin Studies: 22 funded since 2009

2009 Colorado River Basin Milk/St. Mary Rivers Basin Yakima River Basin 2010 Niobrara River Basin Truckee River Basin Santa Ana River Basin Henrys Fork of Snake River S.E. California Regional Basin 2011 Lower Rio Grande River Basin Santa Fe Basin Klamath River Basin Hood River Basin 2012 Upper Washita River Basin Sacramento-San Joaquin Rivers Republican River Basin Pecos River Basin L.A. Basin 2013 San Diego Watershed West Salt River Valley 2014 (

* - not on map

) Deschutes River Basin Missouri River Headwaters Upper Red River Basin Information at: http://www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/bsp/index.html

Basin Study Example #1: Henry’s Fork of the Snake River, ID

• Goal: Identify climate change risks to water supply and demands • Adaptation: Identify and appraise strategies to mitigate risks – e.g., storage, alternative water management • Participants: – Fremont-Madison Irrigation District (FMID), Henrys Fork Foundation (HFF), Reclamation, Trout Unlimited, Native Trout Subcommittee (IDFG, HFF,USFS, FMID, FTR, Consultants, IDWR ) • Completed in 2014 Information at: ( http://www.usbr.gov/pn/programs/studi es/idaho/henrysfork/index.html

) Contact: Lesa Stark ([email protected])

… application of IWRM principles

• • (1) Manage Water Sustainability, (4) Address Resources Interconnectedness: – focus on water quantity for the watershed, addressing surface water and groundwater connections, with consideration for fish habitat, social equity, and economics (2) Coordinate / Support Integration, (3) Encourage participation: – collaboration among USBR, IWRB, Henry’s Fork Watershed Council & stakeholders … helped develop set of alternatives to address multiple resource objectives – Native Trout Subcommittee & small workgroups developed alternatives, discussed analyses, evaluated processes – Websites to engage and collect feedback from the public – Connect with Federal, State & local policies and programs

Basin Study Example #2: Yakima River, WA

• Goal: address climate change risks like other Basin Studies; address contemporary issues of water adjudication, droughts/shortages, and anadromous fish sustainability • Adaptation: Use Basin Study to develop Integrated Water Resources Management Plan (IWRMP), with set of strategies • Participants: – Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project (YRBWEP) workgroup members, including 3 Federal agencies, 3 State agencies, 11 local jurisdictions, Yakama Nation & American Rivers • Completed in 2011 Information at: ( http://www.usbr.gov/pn/programs/yrbw ep/2010workgroup/index.html

) Contact: Wendy Christensen ([email protected])

AWRA recognized the Yakima River Basin Water Enhancement Project (YRBWEP) Workgroup with its Integrated Water Resources Management Award for 2012

Feasibility Studies

• Given: – proposed action that would alter water or related resource management – e.g., new infrastructure, new management criteria • Purpose: – develop informed recommendation to implement an action-alternative or take no federal action. • Considerations: – satisfaction of objectives – physical, environmental, economic and financial feasibility – validity of scientific, technical and design assumptions – ability to implement (reliability of cost & schedule estimates, capability & willingness of partners) Study Requirements at: http://www.usbr.gov/recman/cmp/cmp0 9-02.pdf

Example Program: Title XVI – Water Reclamation and Reuse ( http://www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/title /index.html

)

Principles & Requirements guide Feasibility Studies, relate to IWRM

• – – – –

Guiding Principles :

–

Healthy & Resilient Ecosystems

–

Sustainable Economic Development Floodplains Public Safety Environmental Justice Watershed Approach

•

IWRM Concepts:

–

Manage Water Sustainably

–

Coordinate to Support Integration

–

Encourage Participation

–

Address Resources Interconnectedness

2013 Principles and Requirements, draft Interagency Guidelines at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/PandG

Feasibility Study Example:

Shasta Lake Water Resources Investigation (Enlarged Shasta) • Objectives – Primary: Anadromous fish survival, water supply reliability – Secondary: Ecosystem restoration, flood damage reduction, hydropower, recreation, water quality • Action – Raise dam, increase reservoir storage, relocate reservoir areas, protect/mitigate related resources • Key Players – Reclamation (Lead), USDA Forest Service, other cooperating agencies, Tribes and Local Community, Stakeholders Information at: • Ongoing – Draft Feasibility Report – 2011 ( http://www.usbr.gov/mp/slwri/index.html

) Contact: Katrina Chow ([email protected]) – Draft EIS – 2013 – Final Feasibility Report & EIS – 2015

… application of IWRM Principles

• •

Manage Water Sustainably

– Alternatives were formulated to meet both primary objectives water supply reliability and anadromous fish survival – All alternatives provide benefits to anadromous fish survival, water supply reliability, ecosystem resources, reducing flood damage, increasing hydropower generation, water quality, and recreation – Regional Economic Development and National Economic Development benefits evaluated in Feasibility Report – Potential physical, biological, cultural, and socioeconomic effects of all comprehensive plans evaluated in EIS – Environmental justice evaluated in EIS for all comprehensive plans

Coordinate to support Integration

– Project Coordination Team Meetings w/ cooperating agencies – Coordination of recreation plans with USFS – Coordinated development of comprehensive mitigation plan with USFS, USFWS, BLM, USACE – Review of key documents by cooperating agencies prior to public release

… application of IWRM Principles

• •

Encourage participation

– briefings for reservoir area stakeholders – coordination/outreach to both Federally recognized and non Federally recognized tribal groups – coordination with Reclamation water contractors – development of SLWRI Website & Mailing List – public outreach to support public release of draft EIS (DEIS) • Provided DEIS in multiple formats - Mailed to entire Mailing List, posted to website, hardcopies in public locations across California • • Hosted Public workshops & hearings Participated in radio interviews & local City Council meetings

Address Resources Interconnectedness

– Inclusion of primary & extended study areas – • Primary Study Area – Shasta Lake and tributaries & Sacramento River below Shasta Dam to Red Bluff • Extended Study Area - Sacramento River downstream from Red Bluff, the Delta, and CVP/SWP facilities and service areas – Evaluated benefits and impacts to a broad range of resource areas in EIS, such as effects to groundwater and flows and water quality in the Sacramento River and Delta

ESA Collaborative Programs

• Helps Reclamation maintain ESA Compliance • Includes habitat maintenance and possibly river restoration • Benefits multiple listed species • Involve numerous water users and stakeholders • Formal structure and decision-making Information at: ( http://www.usbr.gov/river/ )

ESA Collaborative Program Example #1:

Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) • Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) – 14 Federal multi-purpose dams – Managed by three agencies for controlling floods, providing irrigation and navigation, protecting fish and wildlife, generating power, sustaining cultural resources . . . – Works through the U.S. Canada Treaty to improve flows for listed salmon and steelhead in the U.S

• Federally listed salmon and steelhead – Led to BiOp issued by NMFS – Reasonable and Prudent Alternative includes hydrosystem improvements for salmon, habitat and hatchery improvements and predator control – Extensive collaboration, including with the Federal Caucus, Fish Accord partners, several States, multiple tribes, and various stakeholders Information at: ( http://www.usbr.gov/pn/fcrps/index.html

and http://www.salmonrecovery.gov/Home.aspx / ) Contact: Kate Puckett ( [email protected]

)

• • •

ESA Collaborative Program Example #2

San Juan Basin Recovery Implementation Program Initiated in 1992 to conserve and recover two endangered fish species in the San Juan River basin while allowing water developments to proceed Program partners: – Jicarilla Apache Nation, Navajo Nation, Southern Ute Indian Tribe, State of Colorado, State of New Mexico, U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribe, Water Development Interests in Colorado and New Mexico Established to protect and improve status of federally listed species while protecting existing and future water uses.

• All four IWRM principles are at play… Information at: ( http://www.fws.gov/southwest/sjrip/index.cfm

) Contact: Brent Uilenberg ( [email protected]

)

Drought Response Program

• Reclamation’s Drought program is being reformulated to: – incorporate climate change information – build long-term resiliency – prioritize planning efforts that are multi-disciplinary, collaborative, and more holistically address risk to multiple sectors (municipalities, agriculture, ecosystems).

• New “Drought Response Program” will begin implementation in FY 2015 ($1.5M requested)

Challenges

• Process distinguishment and benefits unclear – Baseline? Planning without IWRM?

• Environmental compliance requirements are often challenging – E.g., species recovery, adaptive management  IWRM planning and implementation uncertainties • No community of practice • Common mandate isn’t enough, need proper alignment of authorities and budgets – E.g., Reclamation & FWS face challenges trying to leverage resources through LCCs

Opportunities

• Seek better alignment of interagency programs & budgets within authorities and mandates • Support post-analysis of process benefits, engaging social, economic, and political science communities • Encourage peer agencies to conduct maturity assessments of their IWRM processes – identify the workflow and stages, potential maturities by stage, common deficiencies and aspirations – results might inform community science & application efforts

Contacts

• Basin Studies – Seshu Vaddey ( [email protected]

) • ESA Collaborative Programs – Art Coykendall ( [email protected]

) • Feasibility Studies – Chris Perry ( [email protected]

) – Randy Christopherson ( [email protected]

) • Drought Response Program – Avra Morgan ( [email protected]

)