by Xavier Irias, P.E. by Xavier Irias, P.E. Director of Engineering - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

by Xavier Irias, P.E. by Xavier Irias, P.E. Director of Engineering & Construction May 9, 2014

Agenda Agenda

• 1. Agency overview
• 2. Water in California
• 3. Impacts of Climate Change
• 3. Impacts of Climate Change
• 4. Geospatial Technology for Adaptation

EBMUD System EBMUD System

3

3

EBMUD’s EBMUD’s Water System Water System

• 1,300,000 retail customers
• 400,000 services
• 400,000 services
• 6,600 km pipe
• 31 dams
• 5 treatment plants
• 126 pumping plants
• 126 pumping plants
• 165 reservoirs/tanks
• 122 pressure zones
• Elevation: MSL-442 m

Precipitation and Population Precipitation and Population Not in the Same Place Not in the Same Place Not in the Same Place Not in the Same Place

Graphic from Jay Lund, mavensnotebook.com

Mediterranean Climate Mediterranean Climate

Atmospheric Rivers Concentrate Atmospheric Rivers Concentrate Precipitation in Just a Few Storms Precipitation in Just a Few Storms Precipitation in Just a Few Storms Precipitation in Just a Few Storms

Source: the Pacific Institute Source: NOAA Source: the Pacific Institute

Snow is Essential Part of Water Snow is Essential Part of Water Supply and Storage System Supply and Storage System Supply and Storage System Supply and Storage System

January 18, 2013 January 18, 2014

The current dry year may be far more “typical” than the short historical record would

• suggest. Tree-ring studies
• suggest. Tree-ring studies

suggest that the last 100 years have been abnormally wet.

Conceptual reservoir Conceptual reservoir

• perational rule curve
• perational rule curve
• perational rule curve
• perational rule curve

Basic Flood Control Diagram

4352.1 4552.1 TAF

Reservoirs fill with April – July Snowmelt

3952.1 4152.1 4352.1 l elevation, TA

April – July Snowmelt

3552.1 3752.1 3952.1 servoir pool el

Flood Control Pool

3152.1 3352.1 Sep- Oct- Nov- Dec- Jan- Feb- Mar- Apr- May- Jun- Jul- Aug- Reser Sep- 06 Oct- 06 Nov- 06 Dec- 06 Jan- 07 Feb- 07 Mar- 07 Apr- 07 May- 07 Jun- 07 Jul- 07 Aug- 07 Month

Unsustainable Groundwater Extraction Unsustainable Groundwater Extraction Leads to Huge Subsidence Leads to Huge Subsidence Leads to Huge Subsidence Leads to Huge Subsidence

By Dr. Joe Poland of USGS, 2013 USGS report, SIR 2013-5142

Expected Expected Stresses From Climate Stresses From Climate Change Change Change Change

Warmer weather stresses water supply by increasing demand

From http://www.energy.ca.gov/2009publications/CNRA-1000-2009-027/CNRA-1000-2009-027-F.PDF

by increasing demand for water and increasing losses from evapotranspiration and sublimation.

Projected Average Precipitation in Projected Average Precipitation in California, relative to 1961 California, relative to 1961-1990 1990 California, relative to 1961 California, relative to 1961-1990 1990

Climate change will tend to reduce average precipitation in Northern California, even though other parts

From http://www.energy.ca.gov/2009publications/CNRA-1000-2009-027/CNRA-1000-2009-027-F.PDF

even though other parts

• f the world will see an

increase in average precipitation.

Early Melt Further Reduces Early Melt Further Reduces Available Water Supply Available Water Supply Available Water Supply Available Water Supply

High spring temperatures can produce devastating loss of an already reduced precip. Winter

From http://www.energy.ca.gov/2009publications/CNRA-1000-2009-027/CNRA-1000-2009-027-F.PDF

reduced precip. Winter flood and summer drought can occur in the same water year.

Beyond Average Trends, the Big Beyond Average Trends, the Big Story is About Variability Story is About Variability Story is About Variability Story is About Variability

The last 100 years show The last 100 years show huge variation in supply, but paleo-climatologists believe they’ve been atypically consistent. Climate change is expected to further amplify variability.

How Geospatial Technology Helps How Geospatial Technology Helps With Adaptation With Adaptation With Adaptation With Adaptation

• 1. Facilitates analysis and visualization to
• 1. Facilitates analysis and visualization to

inform policymakers

• 2. Enhances conservation efforts, e.g.
• 2. Enhances conservation efforts, e.g.

satellite imagery helps establish water budgets budgets

• 3. Enables adaptive operations by providing

better data, better long-term weather better data, better long-term weather forecasts

GRACE is Enhancing Knowledge of GRACE is Enhancing Knowledge of Climate Change Impacts Climate Change Impacts GRACE is Enhancing Knowledge of GRACE is Enhancing Knowledge of Climate Change Impacts Climate Change Impacts Climate Change Impacts Climate Change Impacts Climate Change Impacts Climate Change Impacts

Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment can monitor groundwater and soil moisture.

GRACE data show continued GRACE data show continued groundwater depletion groundwater depletion groundwater depletion groundwater depletion

Famiglietti, J.S., 2011 Geophysical Research Letters, Satellites measure recent rates of groundwater depletion in California's Central Valley

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2010GL046442/abstract

50 50-year groundwater trend year groundwater trend

From UCCHM Water Advisory #1, 2014, after USGS Professional Paper 1766

Conservation water Conservation water budgets are built using geospatial data and tools such as and tools such as

• rtho-imagery and

land cover data

Stretch Available Water Supply Stretch Available Water Supply Using Geospatial Technology Using Geospatial Technology Using Geospatial Technology Using Geospatial Technology

Space in reservoir Space in reservoir reserved for flood

What if a the rule curve could change change dynamically based on improved improved weather forecast?

Accurate long- term weather term weather forecasts based

• n geospatial

data promise to

Normal

data promise to allow dynamic, real-time

• perations

la Nina

• perations

instead of static rule curves

la Nina

Images from http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/tao/elnino/nino_profiles.html

el Nino

Images from http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/tao/elnino/nino_profiles.html Sea topo from NASA TOPEX satellite SST from NOA AVHRR satellite Subsurface temps from NOAA TAO buoys

From http://www.adventure-journal.com/2014/03/goodbye-to-la-nada-here-comes-el-nino/

Summary Summary Summary Summary

• 1. Public policy on climate change relies on
• 1. Public policy on climate change relies on

facts and information from geospatial systems systems

• 2. Geospatial technology is a major part of

climate change adaptation climate change adaptation