Testimony at the Oversight Hearing on Water Supply - Environment and Public Works Committee,...

Testimony at the Oversight Hearing on Water Supply -

Environment and Public Works Committee,

Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water

November 14, 2001

Testimony at the Oversight Hearing on Water Supply -

Environment and Public Works Committee,

Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water

November 14, 2001Ane D. Deister

Co-Chair, Interim National Drought Council

Associate Vice PresidentMetropolitan Water District of Southern

California

Ane D. DeisterCo-Chair, Interim National Drought

CouncilAssociate Vice President

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

AttachmentAttachment

Water Availability by stateWater Quality regulation impacts

Water Availability by stateWater Quality regulation impacts

Number of Contaminants RegulatedNumber of Contaminants Regulatedby Safe Drinking Water Actby Safe Drinking Water Act

Source: U.S. EPA Report# 816-R-99-007

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998

RadionuclidesMicrobesOrganic ChemicalsInorganic Chemicals

Re

gula

ted

Co

nta

min

an

ts

Regulation

Relationship betweenRegulations and Technology

Relationship betweenRegulations and Technology

TreatmentTechnology

COST

Risk-BasedRisk-BasedConsumer

DrivenConsumer

Driven

From Health Driven to Consumer Driven:From Health Driven to Consumer Driven:Historical Water Quality EmphasisHistorical Water Quality Emphasis

MicrobialsMicrobials InorganicsInorganics OrganicsOrganics MicrobialsMicrobials TraceOrganics

TraceOrganics AestheticsAesthetics

Acute DiseaseAcute Disease Chronic DiseaseChronic Disease SensitiveSubpopsSensitiveSubpops

Qualityof LifeQualityof Life

Early1900s

1960s 1970-1980s 1990sEarly2000

2010

Water Availability Issues for Bureau States

Water Availability Issues for Bureau States

Drought conditions in western Texas

Extreme drought in Trans-Pecos climate division in Texas and in southeastern New Mexico

Recent locally heavy rains in northeastern Oklahoma an improvement to drought conditions

Drought conditions in western Texas

Extreme drought in Trans-Pecos climate division in Texas and in southeastern New Mexico

Recent locally heavy rains in northeastern Oklahoma an improvement to drought conditions

Water Availability Issues for Bureau States (cont.)Water Availability Issues for Bureau States (cont.)

Drought designation expanded for parts of the Northwest and northern Rockies

Wildfire potential still above normal for all of California and normal for Nevada

Drought designation expanded for parts of the Northwest and northern Rockies

Wildfire potential still above normal for all of California and normal for Nevada

Water Availability Issues for Non-Bureau States


Alabama -- Decline of groundwater levels by 100 feet due to pumping

Alaska -- Permafrost decreases access to groundwater

Arkansas -- Decline of groundwater levels by 60 to 300 feet due to pumping

Connecticut -- Surface water cannot meet demands and SDWA requirements

Alabama -- Decline of groundwater levels by 100 feet due to pumping

Alaska -- Permafrost decreases access to groundwater

Arkansas -- Decline of groundwater levels by 60 to 300 feet due to pumping

Connecticut -- Surface water cannot meet demands and SDWA requirements


(cont.)


(cont.) Delaware -- Decline of groundwater levels by as much as 150 feet

Florida -- Decline of groundwater levels by as much as 150 due to pumping, and coastal area salt water intrusion

Georgia -- Surface and groundwater supplies not readily available near large cities, and coastal area salt water intrusion

Delaware -- Decline of groundwater levels by as much as 150 feet

Florida -- Decline of groundwater levels by as much as 150 due to pumping, and coastal area salt water intrusion

Georgia -- Surface and groundwater supplies not readily available near large cities, and coastal area salt water intrusion


(cont.)


(cont.) Hawaii -- Water resources susceptible to prolonged droughts

Illinois -- Decline of groundwater levels by more than 850 feet in northeastern state due to pumping, and surface water inadequate during drought in southern two-thirds of state

Indiana -- Decline of groundwater levels by 20 feet due to Ag pumping

Hawaii -- Water resources susceptible to prolonged droughts

Illinois -- Decline of groundwater levels by more than 850 feet in northeastern state due to pumping, and surface water inadequate during drought in southern two-thirds of state

Indiana -- Decline of groundwater levels by 20 feet due to Ag pumping


(cont.)


(cont.) Iowa -- Groundwater not available in southern part of state, surface water deficiencies during drought, and Missouri River changes have lowered levels in wetlands and lakes

Kentucky -- Some areas with inadequate groundwater, and surface water inadequate during drought

Iowa -- Groundwater not available in southern part of state, surface water deficiencies during drought, and Missouri River changes have lowered levels in wetlands and lakes

Kentucky -- Some areas with inadequate groundwater, and surface water inadequate during drought


(cont.)


(cont.) Louisiana -- Decline of groundwater by as much as 430 feet in southern, and central state and several rivers have low flows restricting surface water availability

Maine -- Existing and potential surface and groundwater sources not sufficient for southern state

Louisiana -- Decline of groundwater by as much as 430 feet in southern, and central state and several rivers have low flows restricting surface water availability

Maine -- Existing and potential surface and groundwater sources not sufficient for southern state


(cont.)


(cont.) Maryland -- Decline of groundwater levels by as much as 85 feet in south state

Massachusetts -- Groundwater withdrawals for public water supply may lower levels in eastern state

Michigan -- Groundwater inadequate in northern state during droughts

Maryland -- Decline of groundwater levels by as much as 85 feet in south state

Massachusetts -- Groundwater withdrawals for public water supply may lower levels in eastern state

Michigan -- Groundwater inadequate in northern state during droughts


(cont.)


(cont.) Minnesota -- Irrigation and domestic users competing for groundwater

Mississippi -- Decline in groundwater levels along Gulf coast, northeastern, and western state due to pumping

Missouri -- Decline in groundwater levels by several hundred feet in southwestern state due to pumping

Minnesota -- Irrigation and domestic users competing for groundwater

Mississippi -- Decline in groundwater levels along Gulf coast, northeastern, and western state due to pumping

Missouri -- Decline in groundwater levels by several hundred feet in southwestern state due to pumping


(cont.)


(cont.) New Hampshire -- Inefficient distribution system can cause water supply to not meet treatment standards and result in shortages

New Jersey -- Surface water supply to northern state only adequate when precipitation > average, and parts of state aquifers not fully used due to environmental/institutional constraints

New Hampshire -- Inefficient distribution system can cause water supply to not meet treatment standards and result in shortages

New Jersey -- Surface water supply to northern state only adequate when precipitation > average, and parts of state aquifers not fully used due to environmental/institutional constraints


(cont.)


(cont.) New York -- Decline of groundwater by 18 feet and decreases in stream flow by 90% in parts of Long Island, and droughts can cause inadequate water supply in New York City

North Carolina -- Approaching surface water supply limits in the Piedmont area, and coastal plain aquifers declining and experiencing saltwater intrusion

New York -- Decline of groundwater by 18 feet and decreases in stream flow by 90% in parts of Long Island, and droughts can cause inadequate water supply in New York City

North Carolina -- Approaching surface water supply limits in the Piedmont area, and coastal plain aquifers declining and experiencing saltwater intrusion


(cont.)


(cont.) Ohio -- No issues identified

Pennsylvania -- No issues identified

Rhode Island -- Water supply systems cannot meet demands during droughts

South Carolina -- Scarce groundwater in Piedmont areas with reliance on variable surface water, and declining groundwater in southern state from Ag pumping

Ohio -- No issues identified

Pennsylvania -- No issues identified

Rhode Island -- Water supply systems cannot meet demands during droughts

South Carolina -- Scarce groundwater in Piedmont areas with reliance on variable surface water, and declining groundwater in southern state from Ag pumping


(cont.)


(cont.) Tennessee -- Subject to surface water shortages in eastern and central state during droughts

Vermont -- No issues identified

Virginia -- Water supplies not sufficient for future demands in southeastern state, and decline in groundwater up to 200 feet in some areas

Tennessee -- Subject to surface water shortages in eastern and central state during droughts

Vermont -- No issues identified

Virginia -- Water supplies not sufficient for future demands in southeastern state, and decline in groundwater up to 200 feet in some areas


(cont.)


(cont.) West Virginia -- Surface water shortages in southern state during drought

Wisconsin -- Decline in groundwater up to and exceeding 100 feet in eastern and southeastern state due to pumping

West Virginia -- Surface water shortages in southern state during drought

Wisconsin -- Decline in groundwater up to and exceeding 100 feet in eastern and southeastern state due to pumping

Conservation & RecyclingConservation & Recycling

0.00.0

0.20.2

0.40.4

0.60.6

0.80.8

1.01.0

1.21.2

1.41.4

1.61.6

19871987 19901990 19931993 19961996 19991999 20022002 20052005 20082008 20112011 20142014 20172017 20202020

Mill

ion

Ac

re-F

eet

Per

Yea

r

Regional Investments: As of 2000 By 2020Conservation $220 mil $1,300 milRecycling $1,200 mil $4,100 milTotal $1,420 mil $5,400 mil

Actual Projected

2020 Resources

Conservation: ~1.0 MAFRecycling: 0.5 MAF

Example -- Successful Regional Overall Resource Strategy

(cont.)(Metropolitan Water District)

Example -- Successful Regional Overall Resource Strategy

(cont.)(Metropolitan Water District)

John Muir

“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.”

John Muir

“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.”

Testimony at the Oversight Hearing on Water Supply - Environment and Public Works Committee,...

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Transcript of Testimony at the Oversight Hearing on Water Supply - Environment and Public Works Committee,...