Neal Wilkins, Water Security for Texas: the Role of Science & Technology
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Transcript of Neal Wilkins, Water Security for Texas: the Role of Science & Technology
Water Security for Texas: the Role of Science & Technology
Neal Wilkins Director, Texas Water Resources Institute
Water Security – capacity to efficiently access an
adequate water resource, and the ability to
balance competing demands.
Freshwater Resources
• ~190,000 miles of rivers & streams
• 20% perennial flow.
• >200 major reservoirs ~1.2 million ac.
• 5 million acres of freshwater wetlands.
• 9 major aquifers & 21 minor aquifers.
• 1,292 named springs (~3,000 total).
Texas Water Withdrawals
• Total Water withdrawals of 26,770 million gallons per day.
• Freshwater withdrawals are 88% of total.
• Surface water supplies 68% of all withdrawals.
• Thermoelectric power withdrawals were 11,536 million gallons per day.
Source: USGS. 2005. Estimated use of water in the United States.
How Much Freshwater Consumed?
• Total Withdrawal.
– 26,770 Mgal/d – 11% Saline
• Total Freshwater
– 23,620 Mgal/d – 40% Thermoelectric Power
13,944 Mgal/d
About 14 billion gallons per day
Source: USGS. 2005. Estimated use of water in the United States.
2010 Existing Supplies Amount of water that can be produced with current permits, contracts, and existing infrastructure during drought
Surface 8,427,432
Reuse 482,164
Ground 8,073,609
Projected Demand
18,010,599
Existing Supplies
16,983,205
Municipal 4,851,201
Manufacturing 1,727,808
Mining 296,230
Steam/Electric 733,179
Irrigation 10,079,215
Livestock 322,966
Note: all values reported in acre-feet/year Source: Texas Water Development Board 2012 State Water Plan (Draft)
Surface 8,968,541
Reuse 613,701
Ground 5,688,293
Projected Demand
21,952,198
Existing Supplies
15,270,535
Municipal 8,414,492
Manufacturing 2,882,524
Mining 292,294
Steam/Electric 1,620,411
Irrigation 8,370,554
Livestock 371,923
2060 Scenario Amount of water that can be produced with current permits, contracts, and existing infrastructure during drought
Note: all values reported in acre-feet/year Source: Texas Water Development Board 2012 State Water Plan (Draft)
Surface 8,968,541
Reuse 613,701
Ground 5,688,293
Projected Demand
21,952,198
Existing Supplies
15,270,535
2060 Existing Supplies vs. Projected Demands Amount of water that can be produced with current permits, contracts, and existing infrastructure during drought
* Dashed line denotes values from 2010. Note: all values reported in acre-feet/year Source: Texas Water Development Board 2012 State Water Plan (Draft)
Municipal 8,414,492
Manufacturing 2,882,524
Mining 292,294
Steam/Electric 1,620,411
Livestock 371,923
Irrigation 8,370,554
2060 Recommended Water Mgmt. Strategies
Conservation
Other Strategies
New Sources
Desalination
Irrigation
Municipal
Other
Ground Water
New Reservoirs
Other Surface Water
Sea, Ground, Surface Water
Reuse
Conjunctive, Aquifer Storage, & Other
Projected Supply with New Strategies 9,004,839 $53 Billion
1,505,465
23,432
647,361
2,176,258 (24%)
1,499,671
800,795
3,050,049
5,350,515 (59%)
309,782 (4%)
252,695
915,589 1,168,284 (13%)
Projected Shortfall 6,681,663
2,323,176
Note: all values reported in acre-feet/year
Water Conservation
About 25% of future unmet water demands
are anticipated from implementing
conservation technologies for water use
efficiency and programs resulting in
decreased demands on existing supplies.
Water Reuse
10% of future unmet water demands are projected to come from reuse systems. 1 million acre-feet/year of new supply By 2060.
New Reservoirs
“The 2012 State Water Plan Recommends 26 reservoirs that would provide 1.5 million acre-feet of water during a repeat of drought of record…”
“In the absence of these reservoirs, other water management strategies would simply not be enough to meet the needs of Texans during a severe drought.”
Texas Water Development Board. 2011. Water for Texas 2012 State Water Plan – DRAFT.
26 New Reservoirs – 2012 Water Plan
Area = 152,314 Surface Acres
Supply = 1,412,938 Ac-Ft/Yr
Cost = $12 Billion
10 Largest New Reservoirs
Area = 115,633 Surface Acres
Supply = 1,102,176 Ac-Ft/Yr
Cost = $9 Billion
Brackish Groundwater – A new source?
Brackish groundwater in TX ~ 2.7 billion acre-feet
– Not all is accessible
– 56% in South and West Texas [Regions L (15%), M (15%), F (14%), and N (12%)]
– 2/3 is slightly brackish (1,000-3,000 ppm TDS) & ideal for desal.
Sources: LBG-Guyton Associates, 2003, Brackish groundwater manual for Texas regional water planning groups: Contract report prepared for the Texas Water Development Board, Austin, Texas, 188 p. Available at (http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/RWPG/rpgm_rpts/2001483395.pdf). NRS Consulting Engineers, 2008, Guidance Manual For Brackish Groundwater Desalination in Texas: Contract report prepared for the Texas Water Development Board, Austin, Texas. Available at (http://www.desal.org/desaldemo/Desal%20PDFs%20for%20Site/GM%20-%20Full.pdf). Texas Living Waters Project, 2009, Brackish Groundwater Desalination, Issue Paper 2: Prepared by National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, and Environmental Defense Fund. Available at: (http://www.texaswatermatters.org/pdfs/issure_no2_brack.pdf)
Brackish Groundwater – Challenges
• Issues with brackish groundwater desal.:
– Costs / Energy requirements ($1.50/Kgal to $2.75/Kgal; $410-847/acre-ft)
– Potential impacts to interconnected water resources (i.e. freshwater portions of aquifers)
– Regulatory framework for management (i.e. GWCDs)
– Brine disposal
Sources: LBG-Guyton Associates, 2003, Brackish groundwater manual for Texas regional water planning groups: Contract report prepared for the Texas Water Development Board, Austin, Texas, 188 p. Available at (http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/RWPG/rpgm_rpts/2001483395.pdf). NRS Consulting Engineers, 2008, Guidance Manual For Brackish Groundwater Desalination in Texas: Contract report prepared for the Texas Water Development Board, Austin, Texas. Available at (http://www.desal.org/desaldemo/Desal%20PDFs%20for%20Site/GM%20-%20Full.pdf). Texas Living Waters Project, 2009, Brackish Groundwater Desalination, Issue Paper 2: Prepared by National Wildlife Federation, Sierra Club, and Environmental Defense Fund. Available at: (http://www.texaswatermatters.org/pdfs/issure_no2_brack.pdf)
Challenges
–Conflicting Objectives
–Climate Uncertainty
–Energy : Water Nexus
–Sustaining Freshwater Ecosystems
–Loss of rural lands
Climate Uncertainty
Source: John Nielson-Gammon
Climate Uncertainty
Source: John Nielson-Gammon
Climate Uncertainty
Energy : Water Nexus
It takes energy to produce water.
It takes water to produce energy.
Maintaining Freshwater Ecosystems
• 250 species of fish and rich aquatic life –
supporting the state’s wildlife resource.
• Multi-billion dollar recreational resource.
• Valuable (but yet to be priced) ecosystem
services.
Loss of Agricultural Lands
1997-2007
•2.1 Million Acres Converted
•40% of conversion in the top 25
high-growth counties.
Land “Consumption” Rates
270 acres per 1000 new residents.
Areas of Recommitment
1. support advances in water conservation and
technology development required to implement the
Texas State Water Plan;
2. assess new technologies to improve efficiency of
water use for agriculture and municipal irrigation;
3. provide research and development of best
management practices for water reuse,
desalination, rainwater capture, and other
advances for optimizing water use;
Areas of Recommitment
4. develop and assess new technologies for meeting
wastewater standards and water use efficiency
associated with energy development;
5. provide resources for outreach, extension, for
innovations in water conservation and emerging
technologies; and
6. conduct economic and policy analyses directed at
adoption of new technologies.
Policy Innovations
–Standardize water accounting (e.g. footprinting).
–Develop pricing approaches that reflect the full cost-of-service.
–Clear & secure ownership rights.
–Support markets that assign value to freshwater ecosystems.
–Incentivise Land & Water Stewardship
http://twri.tamu.edu/
Backup Slides
Recently Petitioned Species
Texas fatmucket – E.P.
False spike – E.P.
Golden orb – E.P.
Texas pimpleback – E.P.
Salina mucket – S.T.P.
Mexican fawnsfoot – S.T.P.
Smooth pimpleback – P.O.S.
Texas fawnsfoot – C.T.
Texas heelsplitter – P.W.
Louisiana pigtoe – P.W.
Triangle pigtoe – P.W.
Triangle pigtoe Golden orb
Golden orb
Known range:
Guadalupe, San
Antonio, Colorado,
Brazos, and Nueces-
Frio River systems
Triangle pigtoe
Known range:
Neches and San
Jacinto River basins
Range Overlap of Petitioned Mussels
1997-2007
22% Population Growth
Increase of 4.3 Million
Forecasts for 2020
30.25 Million
6.5 Million added.
1997-2007
85% of Population Growth in
25 High-growth Counties.
40% of Rural Land Loss
occurred in 25 High-growth
Counties.
861,765 ac lost
Land “Consumption” Rates
270 acres per 1000 new
residents.