The Water Withdrawal Assessment Process The Water Withdrawal Assessment Process • Context within regional water policy discussions • Context within regional water policy discussions – Aquatic ecosystems now a priority Aquatic ecosystems now a priority “ “user user” ” – – No – No “ “Adverse Resource Impact Adverse Resource Impact” ” – Ground Ground- - & Surface & Surface- -water connections recognized water connections recognized – • Groundwater Conservation Advisory Council • Groundwater Conservation Advisory Council – Convened by the legislature Convened by the legislature – – Broadly representative of societal water use interests Broadly representative of societal water use interests – – Charged with definitions, design of science Charged with definitions, design of science- -based process based process – and screening tool, and guidance on policy and screening tool, and guidance on policy – National science review panel National science review panel –
The Flow Regime Paradigm Geology Landuse Climate Flow regime Hydraulics Channel Nutrients Temperature -- There is a geography of flow regimes -- Fish species are adapted to habitats controlled by certain quantities of, and variability in, river flows
2.4 North Branch Kawkawlin River at Kawkawlin 2 1.6 1.2 0.8 0.4 Michigan rivers naturally have 0 different flow regimes, and thus 2.4 different habitat conditions, Grand River at Eaton Rapids 2 biological communities, 1.6 sensitivity to disturbance, and 1.2 potential for fishery management . 0.8 0.4 0 2.4 Platte River at Haze Rd 2 1.6 1.2 0.8 0.4 0
Yield (cfs/sq.mi) 0 - 0.1 0.1 - 0.213 0.213 - 0.334 0.334 - 0.468 0.468 - 0.631 0.631 - 0.826 0.826 - 1.294
Looking Glass River near Eagle Mean Monthly Flows 200,000 Gallons per Minute 150,000 100,000 Stressful, low flow period 50,000 0 Index Flow July August Nov June Jan March May Feb April Sept Oct Dec Index Flow
The Water Withdrawal Assessment Process The Water Withdrawal Assessment Process Feeds Supports Groundwater Stream Flow Fish Populations � Three Models Interact within the impact assessment model � Three Models Interact within the impact assessment model Withdrawal Model - - How much water is in the aquifer, is being How much water is in the aquifer, is being Withdrawal Model withdrawn, and from where and how it will affect stream flow withdrawn, and from where and how it will affect stream flow Streamflow Model - - How much water is flowing in the stream How much water is flowing in the stream Streamflow Model during summer low flow periods during summer low flow periods Fish Impact Model - Fish Impact Model - What fish are in the stream and what is the What fish are in the stream and what is the likely effect of removing water on those groups of fish likely effect of removing water on those groups of fish
The Water Withdrawal Assessment Process The Water Withdrawal Assessment Process This is the process that the user goes though to see whether the the This is the process that the user goes though to see whether proposed withdrawal is OK or is likely to cause an adverse proposed withdrawal is OK or is likely to cause an adverse effect on fish populations effect on fish populations • Screening Tool • Screening Tool – – The Automated Analysis within the The Automated Analysis within the model based on general, state- -wide data for a given wide data for a given model based on general, state withdrawal withdrawal • Site Specific Analysis • Site Specific Analysis – – Same process but using Same process but using professional evaluation of site- -specific data on flow, specific data on flow, professional evaluation of site geology or fish geology or fish
1. The Withdrawal Model • Model needs to know how much water is in the local aquifer • Automatically determines where the nearest streams are. – Apportions the withdrawal effect between streams • Calculates the likely reduction in flow due to the proposed withdrawal Rain and Snow – Recharge to area Rain and Snow – Recharge to area
Characteristics of the Withdrawal Model Characteristics of the Withdrawal Model • Distance Matters • Distance Matters – A well adjacent to a river will very quickly get water either A well adjacent to a river will very quickly get water either – from water that would have gone to the river or directly from water that would have gone to the river or directly from the river from the river – A well farther from a river will get more water from A well farther from a river will get more water from – storage and require a longer time to affect the stream storage and require a longer time to affect the stream • Geology and Soil Matters • Geology and Soil Matters – Clay soils are Clay soils are “ “tight tight” ” and water does not move easily and water does not move easily – – Sandy soils are – Sandy soils are “ “porous porous” ” and water flows quickly and water flows quickly
2. The Streamflow Model 2. The Streamflow Model � Need to Know How Much Flow is in � Need to Know How Much Flow is in any any Stream Segment Stream Segment � “ � “Index flow Index flow” ”; low flow period in the year ; low flow period in the year � Look at the segments where we know the flow (132 stream � Look at the segments where we know the flow (132 stream gauges in the State) and extrapolate these to the streams that gauges in the State) and extrapolate these to the streams that are not gauged are not gauged Major Factors Used Major Factors Used � � Drainage Basin Size Drainage Basin Size � Forest Cover Forest Cover � Geology and Soils � Geology and Soils � Precipitation � � Precipitation
Looking Glass River near Eagle Mean Monthly Flows 200,000 Gallons per Minute 150,000 100,000 Stressful, low flow period 50,000 0 Index Flow July August Nov June Jan March May Feb April Sept Oct Dec Index Flow
Major Factors in the Analysis � The geographic database contains info for 11,000 distinct watersheds and streams � Info on watershed location, size, geology; and on stream flow, temperature, and fish populations � Resulting maps closely match field experiences
3. The Fish Response Model 3. The Fish Response Model � What fish populations live where in the streams � What fish populations live where in the streams and how do they respond to flow reductions in the and how do they respond to flow reductions in the summer (at low flow) summer (at low flow)
0.4 brook trout 0.3 brown trout 0.2 burbot mottled sculpin logperch hornyhead chub rosyface shiner smallmouth bass rockbass 0.1 walleye white sucker northern pike tadpole madtom pumkinseed freshwater drum brook stickleback golden redhorse 0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0 Log Drainage Area (km 2 )
Fish habitat optima identified - Low-flow yield, catchment area, and July mean temperature - 82 most common species Smallmouth bass
Each fish species has a habitat optimum and suitability curve. Each fish species has a habitat optimum and suitability curve. For ~ 60 fish species we determined these for 1) For ~ 60 fish species we determined these for 1) Catchment Catchment area, 2) summer base area, 2) summer base- -flow flow yield, and 3) July mean temperature. yield, and 3) July mean temperature. We assigned scores of 4, 3, 2, 1, 0 (respectively) to each 0.5 standard deviation tandard deviation We assigned scores of 4, 3, 2, 1, 0 (respectively) to each 0.5 s increment away from the optimum for that habitat variable. increment away from the optimum for that habitat variable. Optimum Habitat Optimum Habitat ( ) ‘4 4’ ’ represents represents ‘ ‘best best’ ’ conditions conditions ‘ ‘4 4’ ’ is is ± ± 0.5 SD 0.5 SD ‘ ‘3 3’ ’ is is ± ± 0.5 to 1.0 SD 0.5 to 1.0 SD ‘ Abundance Abundance ‘2 2’ ’ is is ± ± 1.0 to 1.5 SD 1.0 to 1.5 SD ‘ ‘1 1’ ’ is is ± ± 1.5 to 2.0 SD 1.5 to 2.0 SD ‘ ‘0 0’ ’ is is ± ± > 2.0 SD > 2.0 SD ‘ Habitat Gradient (Flow or Temperature for instance) Habitat Gradient (Flow or Temperature for instance)
Score vs. relative density - All species 3 Characteristic Thriving Relative density 2 2X state median Above state median 1 Below state median Abundance Abundance 0 0 1 2 3 4 Score
We grouped Michigan streams into types and developed response models using an average of ~ 20 specific segments per type X 20 Cold Cold Sm Rivers Cold Trans Cool 20 Warm Warm Streams Streams Sm Rivers Lg Rivers
All River Segment Types Groundwater_vsec_statewide_6_14_07.shp Cold small river Cold stream Cool large river Cool small river Cool stream Transitional large river Transitional small river Transitional stream Warm large river Warm small river Warm stream
What Can the Fish Curves Tell Us About What Can the Fish Curves Tell Us About Functional Impairment? Functional Impairment? 1.2 Characteristic species abundance 1 Characteristic species remaining Thriving species thriving 0.8 Proportion 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 Proportion of flow removed
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