AWRA Webinar Forests_Water_People_Policy7.16.15

Integrated Water Resource Planning –Water, Forests, People & PolicyAmerican Water Resources AssociationWebinar – July 16, 2015

Wayne S. Wright, CFP, PWSSenior Principal

Photo Credit: Wayne Wright

Today’s Message:Importance of WaterImportance of ForestsTimes are ChangingHuman ReactionsFish & Wildlife ReactionsPolicy ChallengesWrap-up


Some “Water Basics”… The earth is a closed system. The same water that existed on the earth millions of years ago is still present today.

Of all the water on the earth, humans can use only about three tenths of a percent of this water.

The United States uses nearly 80 percent of its water for irrigation and power production.

The United States uses about 346,000 million gallons of fresh water every day.


A Matter of Scale and Availability…All water on EarthAll freshwater on EarthAll water in rivers and lakes on Earth

Source USGS: http://water.usgs.gov/edu/gallery/global-water-volume.html

As the Climate Changes – So Does Our Water

About 97% of climate scientists agree humans are changing the climateAs global temperatures rise, there is a real risk, that one or more critical parts of the Earth’s climate system will experience abrupt, unpredictable, and potentially irreversible changesMega-droughts are a growing concern – compounding human influencesBy making informed choices now, we can reduce risks for future generations and ourselves, and help communities adapt to climate change


Some Forest “Basics”…Forests occupy one third of the earth's land area Assuming it lives at least 50 years, a tree exhales 6,000 pounds of oxygen in its life, or about 120 pounds per year.A single tree can absorb 10 pounds of air pollutants per year.More than half of the country’s drinking water originates in forests.A single front-yard tree can intercept 760 gallons of rainwater in its crown, reducing runoff and flooding on your property.Deforestation accounts for up to 15 percent of global emissions of heat-trapping gases.The forest can be broken down into three major parts: surface cover, canopy, and soils.

Source: US Forest Service/FAOPhoto Credit: Wayne Wright

Forestry and the Carbon Cycle


Sinks and Cycles

In total, land in the United States absorbs and stores an amount of carbon equivalent to about 17% of annual U.S. fossil fuel

emissions. U.S. forests and associated wood products account for most of this land sink. The effect of this carbon storage is to

partially offset warming from emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases.


Climate Change Effects Forests & Forestry


As the Climate Changes – So Does Our ForestsWarmer temps lead to longer growing seasons – risk of early bud break/loss of cold hardening as well as frost damage in springDecreased snowpack leads to increased soil frost risk and root damage; warmer temps alter soil/plant processesAltered hydrographs = earlier peak flow, increased flashiness, and decreased summer base flowSummer drought potentialChanged habitat – plants, animals, peoplePests, Invasives, and diseasesForest vulnerability


How does this affect people?

• Food production• Ocean acidification• Ecological impacts• Sea level rise

• Floods, heat waves & droughts

• Wildfires• Health & well-being effects

Altered Economics – Altered Ecology

Photo credit: University of Utah

Millions of people have already been forced to move. Millions more may follow. Credit: Tavis Ford/Flickr

Ecological Change

Wild animal abundance is shifting. These shifts have food supply and related industry implications.Extinctions of sensitive and less mobile species are expected. Ocean acidification is resulting from the oceans absorbing much of the atmospheric CO2. Early affects are observed on shelled organisms such as oysters.

California Red Hills Roach (US Fish & Wildlife Service)


A skipjack tuna caught off the Copper River in Alaska. There had been one confirmed documentation of such a fish in Alaska in the 1980s. (Courtesy of Alaska Department of Fish and Game) September 16, 2014

Courtesy NOAA PMEL

Photo credit: KOMO News 2014

Infrastructure Impact – Wildfires

Coastline highways, utilities, bridges are vulnerable to increased storm surge, sea level rise, and extreme climatic events. Cost of replacement

will increase and designs must accommodate expected changes.

Photo Credit: Mike Bonnickson

Watershed Impact – Wildfires

Soil damage and loss are significant issues that impact forest regeneration, watershed processes of soil cycling, river process impacts

and aquatic species impacts.

Photo credit: NBC 2014

Infrastructure Impact – Floods

Wildfire alters soil characteristics which often leads to flooding. Devastating impact to roads, bridges,

communities, and fisheries habitat.

Infrastructure Impact – Floods

Existing roads and bridges are insufficient to withstand increased flooding and river responses such as channel migration.


Photo credit: Simon Dixon 2014

Altered Hydrograph

Precipitation is shifting to faster runoff resulting in higher rates of erosion, forest disturbance, and increased watershed stress.

Altered Hydrograph

Precipitation is shifting to faster runoff resulting in less snow pack with profound impact on agriculture, hydropower production, fisheries

production, and potable water supply.

Photo credit: WDFW 2013Photo credit: NY Times 2014

Fire & Water• From the tribal view at least fifty percent of the forest needs some

form of restoration today, and is getting only fifteen percent of the fire needed to burn each year. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of tribes, academics and the professional water and land managers California Water Plan Updates 2009 & 2013 include forest management strategy as a key water management tool.

• Source: Goode and Beutler 2015


BalanceWater demands for:

• Power• Agriculture• Watershed health• Industry• Fish & Wildlife• Human Population


Adaptation

Whole system management is often more effective than focusing on one species at a time, and can help reduce the harm to wildlife, natural

assets, and human well-being that climate disruption might cause. Policies and decisions must incorporate adaptation moving forward.


• Reform/change is hard - people resist it - it takes time • Decisions affect several different objectives often in conflict• Relates to all equitably • Optimize economic, social, and environmental outcomes• Incorporate incentives, adaptation, and resilience• Consider the supply as well as the demand side• Communicate, collaborate, build for the future

Some “Good” Policy “Basics”…


Influences on Management Choices

Forest management responses to climate change will be influenced by the changing nature of private forestland ownership, globalization of forestry markets, emerging markets for bioenergy, and U.S. climate

change policy.


Effects on Communities and Ecosystems

Choices about land-use and land-cover patterns have affected and will continue to affect how vulnerable or resilient human communities and

ecosystems are to the effects of climate change.


Deadly Once-in-1,000-Years Rains Wipe Out Roads in Arizona, Nevada Image: John Locher/Associated Press

Land Use

Flooding, drought, and water supply are driving decisions about community location, growth potential,

and rebuilding after storm damage, etc.

1. Researchers show that future carbon accumulation rates are highly sensitive to future land use changes. Incentivizing “keeping forests as forests” and reforestation.

2. Fire management – to burn or not to burn? Prescribed fires, fuels management and fire responses.

3. Water rights for forests? Conflict with groundwater rights surrender for USFS permits. Enforcement of expired USFS water withdrawal permits?

Forests and Policy Change


New Directions for U.S. Water PolicyNine Economic Facts about Water in the United States1. The US is experiencing serious, but not unprecedented, drought conditions.2. Many of America’s Western states are consistently vulnerable to drought.3. Population growth is highest in America’s driest states4. Half of water withdrawals in the United States are used for power generation.5. 80% of California’s freshwater withdrawals go to agriculture.6. Water is a crucial input for a wide variety of American industries, not just agriculture.7. Domestic use of water per capita is highest in the driest states.8. Household water prices vary tremendously across states.9. There are more water systems in the US than there are schools.

Water Resources Utility of the FutureThe Clean Water Act is 40 years old. Public agency leaders are

transforming clean water delivery services. Emerging new technologies and innovations are driving this transformation – stretching taxpayer

dollars, improving the environment, creating jobs, and stimulating the economy.

The most progressive of today’s clean water agencies are defining the Water Resources Utility of the Future (UTOF).

Priority Actions for Congress 1. Refocus federal grant programs to support new technologies.2. Create an early stage technology and innovation investment program similar to the

energy sector.3. Support statutory changes to the CWA4. Embrace Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) programs and promote

IWRM methods.5. Support an Executive Order on water reuse/recycling6. Develop an intergovernmental partnership for water sector adaptation and resiliency. 7. Create and support market-based approaches to efficiently and more equitably

address watershed-scale water quality challenges.8. Consider a 21st Century Watershed Act to drive the water sector.

Potable Supply Changes

Many places in America cannot support the local communities with local water supplies. Water is piped long distances to serve population zones.Water reuse/recycling has become mandatory in many southwest US communities.Desalinization of coastal water is now mandatory in some locations and becoming more common.Water management has significant cost relative to environmental and economic conditions.

Integrated Water Resources Management

1. Solving for multiple solutions to complex related problems2. Multidisciplinary issues requires collaboration 3. Many stakeholders, many viewpoints4. Compromise, creativity and commitment are mandatory5. Analyze, strategize and act6. Evaluate, adjust and reform


What can (or should) we do?

Plan and act with adaptation in mind.Make positive policy changes.Think “water first”.Place value on forests. Promote water cycle education.Clean up our act. Rethink land use.Continue the discussion…


THANK YOU

Wayne S. Wright, CFP, PWSSenior Principal


AWRA Webinar Forests_Water_People_Policy7.16.15

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