COLORADO WATE R PLAN BECKY MITCHELL Colorado Water Conservation - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Technical Update to the

WATE R PLAN

COLORADO

AGRIC GRICULTURE, C COLORADO W WATER PL PLANNIN ING & &

BECKY MITCHELL Colorado Water Conservation Board Colorado Fruit & Vegetable Growers Annual Conference

Sections of the CWCB

CWCB

STA TAFF

Water Supply Planning Watershed & Flood Protection Stream & Lake Protection Finance & Admin. Interstate & Federal MGMT.

• Und

Under er 50 s 50 staff

• 6 S

6 Sec ections

• Mi

Mission:

To Conserve, Develop, Protect and Manage Colorado’s Water for Present and Future Generations.

THE

PLAN

1 3 2

A productive economy that supports vibrant and sustainable cities, agriculture, recreation and tourism.

Efficient

and effective water infrastructure. A strong environment with healthy watersheds, rivers, streams and wildlife.

RIPPLE

E FFE CTS

Since 2015, significant progress has been made on over 65%

• f Water Plan actions even though many of the goals extend through 2050.

SUPPL Y AGRICUL TURE

Reduce the projected 2050 municipal and industrial gap form 560,000 acre-feet to zero by 2030. Support agricultural economic productivity and share 50,000 acre-feet using alternative transfer methods by 2030.

FUNDING

Sustainably fund the water plan by raising $100 million in revenue annually starting in 2020 ($3 billion by 2050). Achieve 400,000 acre-feet of municipal and industrial conservation

• f water

by 2050.

CONSERVA TION

Ensure 75 percent of Coloradoans live in water-saving communities by 2025.

LAND USE

Attain 400,000 acre-feet

• f water

storage to manage and share conserved water by 2050.

STORAGE

Improve the level of public awareness by 2020 and engage Coloradoans

• n key water

challenges by 2030.

EDUCA TION

Cover 80 percent of all prioritized watersheds and rivers with a Management plan by 2030.

WA TERSHED

Respond to and prepare for natural disasters, climate change and energy needs while protecting interstate matters.

ADDITIONAL

MAKING

PROGRE SS

W A TER PLAN

SCE NARIOS

NOTE:

• Scenarios in the Water Plan were named and developed with the IBCC.
• These represent equally plausible futures.

Number of long-term SNOTEL stations that reported low peak snowpack.

16 450,000 Acre Feet

• f volume lost from Blue Mesa Reservoir – which

is almost half of it’s maximum capacity.

64% Increase

In the percent of the state in severe drought from Oct 1 –Sept 30.

46 Days in a Row

Without any precipitation reported at Gateway from October 3 – November 17. cracked the top 10 list for the largest state wildfires on record. The Spring Creek Fire, 416 and MM 117 fires burned more than 200,000 acres.

3 Wildfires

Number of 2”

• r larger hail

reports made. That’s over twice as many as the average

• f 26 reports.

67

All-time highest minimum temperature ever recorded at Trinidad Perry Stokes Airport on June 28.

74°F BY THE NUMBE RS

COLORADO W A TER YEAR 2018

77.1 mph

Highest wind gust in 30 years reported at La Junta on April 17.

“As of the date of this memorandum, the Colorado Drought Mitigation and Response Plan is in effect for Montezuma, La Plata, Archuleta, Conejos, Costilla, Las Animas, Baca, Prowers, Bent, Otero, Huerfano, Alamosa, Rio Grande, Mineral, Hinsdale, San Juan, Dolores, San Miguel, Ouray, Montrose, Saguache, Custer, Pueblo, Crowley, Kiowa, Cheyenne, Lincoln, El Paso, Elbert, Gunnison, Mesa, Delta, Garfield, Rio Blanco counties.”

• Governor Hickenlooper

Drought Activation Memo May 2, 2018

DROUGHT

ACTIVATION

9 COMPACTS

2 DE CRE E S

+

DROUGHT CONTINGENCY

PLANNING

*This would be the water available at a full allocation of that 16.5MAF

CRITICAL ELEV A TIONS FOR

LAKE ME AD

Max Capacity* 1,219’ Current Level** 1,081’ Shortage Condition 1,075’ Minimum Power Pool 1,050’ Dead Pool 895’

*Lake Mead last approached full levels in 1986 **Level as of January 4, 2019

COMPANION AGREEMENT Operational Provisions Drought Response Operations Agreement Demand Management (DM) Storage Agreement

DOCUME ME NT NTS AND A AGRE E ME NTS TS

Lower Basin DCP*

Upper Basin DCP Lower Basin DCP Agreement

• ICS Exhibits
• Intra-State DCP

Agreements

• Legislation
• ICS Exhibits
• Intra-State DCP

Agreements

• ICS Exhibits

NV

Agreements

CA

Agreements Agreements FEDERAL LEGISLATION COLORADO RIVER BASIN DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN (DCP)

AZ

*Activates Section IV of Minute 323 (Binational Water Scarcity Plan)

THIS I IS NOT OT A DM P PRO ROGRAM.

Creates free storage if a DM Program is created.

Colorado River Compact

(1922 - Perpetuity)

Upper Colorado River Basin Compact

(1948 - Perpetuity)

Interim Guidelines

(2007 - 2026)

Drought Contingency Plans for the Lower & Upper Basins

(2019? - 2026)

Upper Basin Demand Management Program (?)

• Colorado apportioned 51.57% of available consumptive use
• Tasks the UCRC with determining volume of water each UB state

must provide to comply with 75 MAF over 10 year rolling average

• Requires LB to take shortages
• Coordinates reservoir operations to stabilize system
• Secures UB right to release less from LP
• Avoids protracted litigation
• Will be re-negotiated by 2026
• TEMPORARY plans to help prevent system crash

if drought worsens

• Allows states to control own destiny
• Helps assure 07 IGs can operate until 2026
• Avoids litigation
• Provides opportunity to identify best tools to continue

UB compact compliance

• One potential tool made possible under UB DCP IF DEEMED FEASIBLE
• Only advances if each UB State agrees to terms and conditions
• Divides watershed into UB and LB
• 7.5 MAF CU apportioned to UB & LB each
• Requires UB to not cause the flow to be depleted at

Lee Ferry below 75 MAF over ten year rolling average

Rights ts to to C Colorado River er W Water er a and Compact C t Compliance e (under er v variable e water er s supplies es)

CONNE CTE D

COMPACTS, AGREEMENTS AND ANY POSSIBLE FUTURE PROGRAMS ARE

VOLUNTARY , TEMPORARY &

COMPE NSATE D

TARGE TE D BASIN PLANNING

• Support the values in the water plan
• Avoid creating winners and losers.
• Find creative solutions (smart planning can help).
• Integrate Water Plan Analysis and Goals into BIPs.

STATE SUPPORT FOR

Case e Studi udies es

• Storage Opportunities
• Alternative Transfer Methods
• Water Reuse

Tool

• ols
• Data Visualization
• Project Costing Tool

Data, D Driver ers a s and nd I Impacts

• Climate Impacts and Scenarios
• Municipal, Ag and Environmental Data
• Population and Urbanization Changes

W A TER PLAN ANAL YSIS

OUTPUTS

• 2,000,000

4,000,000 6,000,000 8,000,000 10,000,000 12,000,000

Population

Statewide Population - Baseline and Projections

SWSI 2010 High Population SWSI 2010 Medium Population SWSI 2010 Low Population

SWSI BASELINE SWSI UPDATE 2050 PROJECTIONS

*SWSI 2010 projection is shown adjusted for 2015 to compare to SWSI Update Baseline.

Comparison to SWSI 2010 Projections

Geographic Comparisons by Water Plan Scenario

0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Business as Usual Weak Economy Cooperative Growth Adaptive Innovation Hot Growth

Urban Center to Mtn. Resort Counties Comparison: Normalized to Business as Usual

Mtn Resort Counties Urban Center Counties All Other Counties

Sets an objective that agricultural economic productivity will keep pace with the growing state, national and global needs, even if some acres go out of production. The state will work closely with the agricultural community , in the same collaborative manner that has produced agricultural transfer pilot projects. To s

sha hare e at l least 50,000 a 000 acre-feet o

• f a

agr gricultural water u using g voluntary alter ernative t e transfer er m method b by 203 030.

TH E CO LO RA D O

WATE R PLAN

ALTERNA TIVE TRANSFER

ME THODS

• ATM = Alternative Transfer Methods
• Methods to share agricultural water to

supply other uses, without permanently transferring the water rights from the farm

• r ranch
• Voluntary, flexible, minimizes third party

impacts, net benefits, fits need of parties

Water Plan Grant Category

FY 17/18 FY 18/19 FY 19/20

WSRF Supplemental Funding

$10M $2M $2.5M

CO Watershed Restoration Program

$5M $2M $4M

Agricultural Transfer Methods (ATM) Grants

$1M* $1M

Agricultural Projects Water Plan Grants

$1M $1M $1M

Conservation & Land Use Planning Water Plan Grants

$1M $1M $1M

Environment/Recreation Water Plan Grants

$1M $1.5M $1.5M

Innovation/Outreach Water Plan Grants

$5M $0.5M $0.5M

Storage & Supply Gap Water Plan Grants

$1M $3M $3M

Water Plan Updating Efforts

$1M $5.5M

TOTAL $25M $11M $20M WATER PLAN GRANT

FUNDING

= $56 M OVE R

*ATM grants were not calculated into the original $25M package in FY 17/18.

Education, Innovation & Outreach

Agriculture Water Collaborative

Applicant: Colorado Cattlemen’s Association Project Cost: $152,400 Water Plan Grant Funding: $76,200 Project: Engage and inform ag water right holders and non-ag water interests about ag water issues, including direct and indirect benefits of irrigated agriculture and how agriculture and other water interests can benefit from mutual collaboration. Measurable Result: 10 workshops, 7 conferences/ tradeshows, 3 webinars, 2 videos, 5 ag water tours, 6 publications, 1 screen tool

Education, Innovation & Outreach

Agriculture Water Collaborative

PROJECT GOALS MEASURABLE RESULTS APPLICANT COSTS

• $152k project with the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association
• $76k in Colorado Water Plan Grant funds
• Engage and inform ag water right holders and non-ag
• Educate about ag water issues, including direct and

indirect benefits of irrigated agriculture and how agriculture and other water interests can benefit from mutual collaboration.

• 10 Workshops
• 7 Conferences/tradeshows
• 6 Publications
• 4 Ag Water Tours
• 3 Webinars
• 2 Videos
• 4 Ag Water Tours
• 1 Screen Tool

PROJE CT E XAMPLE :

WATER PLAN GRANTS AWARDED

ACROSS COLORADO

• Staff Planning Support
• 13 Loan & Grant Programs

BASIN

SUPPORT

AGRICUL TURE

• Complete Water Plan Analysis (SWSI) in July 2019.
• Continue support for AG grants and loans
• Ensure ATM Programmatic Development
• BIP and CWP Updates – Listening Sessions

CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR

Webinar is April 23, 2019. Sign-up Today at www.colorado.gov!

AGRICULTURAL

ME THODOLOGY

• Online fact sheet(s)
• Recorded webinar(s)

THOUGHTS, S, C COMMENT ENTS S OR

QUE STI STION ONS ?