Update on DCR Land Acquisition p q MW RA Board of Directors Meeting March 1 3 , 2 0 1 3 March 1 3 , 2 0 1 3 Jonathan Yeo Director, Division of Water Supply Protection
DCR/ MWRA Water Supply System y pp y /
Quabbin/ Ware/ Wachusett Source Supply Watersheds Source Supply Watersheds
Why Land Acquisition? y q • The management and maintenance of watershed lands in a natural condition is paramount to the continuous supply of pure water. water. • The finest drinking waters in the world are a product of the natural filtering processes of a forested landscape. f d l d • The replication of these natural processes using infrastructure-based treatment and filtration is infrastructure based treatment and filtration is inferior to, and more expensive than, the incomparable benefits derived from watershed land p otection land protection.
Watershed Protection Planning 4 overarching concepts guiding DWSP watershed management: 1 . Protect the m ost sensitive areas of the w atershed through ow nership or agreem ents w ith land ow ners. 2. Manage DWSP-owned properties to protect water quality and d l d provide stewardship of natural resources. 3. Work with watershed communities to protect water resources while accommodating community needs. 4 4. Monitor to identify potential or existing water quality Monitor to identify potential or existing water quality problems. Control Program or Measure nitoring tion Act nce & uality ach ment nse ces ty Water Quality Mon t t Land Procurement Land Management Emergency Respon Watershed Protect Interpretive Servic Environmental Qu Land Preservation Wildlife Managem Watershed Securit Technical Assistan Community Outre Infrastructure Public Access Management Assessment Land Procurement and Land Source Preservation Programs are major g j Wildlife Public Access/ Public Access/ control program for 8 out of the 12 Recreation Timber Harvesting Wastewater identified sources of pollutants to Roadways/ Railways/ ROWs the watershed system. Agriculture Construction Commercial, Industrial, and Governmental Sites Residential Sites Solid Waste Facilities Future Growth Climate Change
Annual Work Plans Tasks related to the Land Procurement and Land Preservation (Watershed Preservation Restrictions) Preservation (Watershed Preservation Restrictions) are identified in the Annual Work Plans.
DWSP Owned Land - 1985 1985 Fee • 7.9% owned 7.9% owned • 5,600 acres almost all around Reservoir + 2 main tribs • Little buffer Wachusett Watershed
1985-1995 Fee, WPR DWSP Protected Land - 1995 1985 Fee Wachusett Watershed
1985-2005 Fee, WPR DWSP Protected Land - 2005 1985 Fee Wachusett Watershed
1985-2013 Fee, WPR DWSP Protected Land - 2013 1985 Fee Wachusett Watershed
DWSP Protected Land - 2013 DWSP Fee and WPR Other Protected Land Other Protected Land Quabbin and Ware Watersheds
DWSP Watershed Acquisitions 1985 - 2013 1985 2013 % of Acres Acres Total Total Average Watershed Fee WPR Acres Awards Awards Cost/Acre Wachusett 11,428 2,507 13,935 $111,062,135 84% $7,970 Ware 3,396 981 4,377 $12,950,150 10% $2,959 Quabbin 2,060 , 2,133 , 4,193 , $7,430,200 , , 6% $1,772 , Total 16,884 5,621 22,505 $131,442,485 100% $5,841 % of acreage 75% 25%
DWSP Land Ownership Over Time 1985 - 2013 1985 2013 1985 1998 2007 2013 % of % of % of % of Water- Water- Water- Water- Watershed Acres shed Acres shed Acres shed Acres shed Wachusett Reservoir 5,608 7.9% 15,861 22.4% 18,990 26.8% 19,543 27.7% Ware River 19,300 31.3% 22,838 37.0% 23,568 38.2% 23,678 38.4% Quabbin Reservoir 51,792 54.3% 54,203 56.9% 54,517 57.1% 55,985 58.6%
DWSP and Other Protected Land 2013 2013 1985 Fee 1985-2013 Fee, WPR Other Protected Lands Wachusett Watershed
Protected Lands in DCR/ MWRA Watershed System i DCR/ MWRA W t h d S t 2013 Wachusett Ware Quabbin Total % of % of % of % of Water Acres Watershed Acres Watershed Acres Watershed Acres shed Other Protected Open Space 12,502 17.7% 6,533 10.6% 13,589 14.2% 32,624 14.3% DCR Watershed 19,543 27.7% 23,678 38.4% 55,985 58.6% 99,206 43.5% Total 32,045 45.3% 30,211 48.9% 69,574 72.9% 131,830 57.9%
Land Acres Acquired Annually by Watershed 1985 - 2013 1985 - 2013
Land Acres Acquired Annually by Fee and WPR (1985-2013) WPR (1985 2013)
Scientific Method for Targeting Acquisitions in Wachusett Watershed Acquisitions in Wachusett Watershed • Land Acquisition Panel formed in 1993 Land Acquisition Panel formed in 1993 • DCR and MWRA scientists, planners, engineers, and foresters utilized “Expert Choice” analysis of land use factors in Wachusett watershed to determine water quality protection priorities • GIS used to rate every parcel of land • GIS used to rate every parcel of land • Method heralded across water supply and land planning world
GIS Used to Screen Parcels • Green is DCR Protected Protected • Yellow is Other Protected ! ! • Grey is ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! developed ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
GIS Used to Screen Parcels Yellow is Potential Developable Land Developable Land ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Wachusett Land Acquisition Panel Model 2013
Remaining High Priority Lands g g y Breakdown of Watershed Protection Lands by Rating Group Breakdown of Watershed Protection Lands by Rating Group Wachusett Watershed - 2013 60,000 50 000 50,000 40,000 Remaining Acres Protected 30,000 Developed/Un - available 20 000 20,000 10,000 - High Low-Med Rating Category
DWSP’s Watershed Preservation Restriction Program Restriction Program • Landowner gives up certain rights to his or her l land. d • Rights are permanently removed from the property, even when it is subsequently sold. property, even when it is subsequently sold. • Template prohibits activities that can harm water quality (e.g construction, roads, livestock, motorized vehicles). Allows passive l k d h l ) ll use. • DCR Monitoring Landowner relations • DCR Monitoring, Landowner relations, enforcement (dedicated staff position)
WPR Program g Total Num ber of W PRs 100 90 80 70 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009
Use of Non-MWRA Funds • Gifts and Bargain Sales • Gifts and Bargain Sales (Federal Deductions and State Tax Credits) • Collaboration with Non-Profits, Municipalities • USDA’s Forest Legacy Program • Municipal Acquisitions M i i l A i i i
“Q2W” Forest Legacy Application Q g y pp Involvement Involvement • 23 Landowners • 7 Towns • 4 L 4 Land Trusts d T t • 1 Watershed Group • 1 State Agency (DCR) Primarily CRs/WPRs Exemplary benefits: economic, biodiversity, water supply protection, recreation
“Q2W” Forest Legacy Application
Milestones Reached • Over 500 parcels acquired • Over 500 parcels acquired • Over 22,000 acres protected • Over 5 500 acres in WPRs acquired Over 5,500 acres in WPRs acquired • Over $130 million spent • Wachusett watershed acquisitions played large role in q p y g successful filtration avoidance decision by federal courts • Program is a national model in science-based acquisition targeting and use of GIS targeting and use of GIS
Land Acquisition Strategy FY14-18 q gy • Allocate $1 million annually for the period of FY14-18. • Bring additional opportunities of critical nature to the MWRA Board’s attention MWRA Board s attention. • Continue focus on acquisition by WPR. Continue focus on acquisition by WPR. • Utilize the LAP Wachusett Model to identify high rated parcels for acquisition.
Land Acquisition Strategy FY14-18 q gy • Acquire critical lands within the Quabbin Reservoir cqu e c ca a ds e Quabb ese o watershed and limited strategic property in the Ware River watershed. • Maintain LAP’s regular and detailed review of possible projects to focus limited financial resources on the projects to focus limited financial resources on the best acquisition opportunities to protect water quality.
AWWA National Award
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