planning for utahs water future

PRESENTATION OBJECTIVES

• Describe the circumstances Utah is facing with a growing population and limited water supply.

• Expand integration of water and land use planning

• Foster support for sustainable landscape practices that are designed for our region.

• Encourage adoption of regulations and ordinances to increase water use efficiency and reuse.

• Develop partnerships to promote conservation programs and practices.

NEED FOR PARTNERSHIPS

Source: Utah Foundation Report, “Flowing Toward 2050”, September 2014

“State and water conservancy districts should continue to strongly encourage municipal governments to create or update existing ordinances that support conservation. Although education programs

are important, they aren’t enough.”

“Establish better connections between city planning departments and water conservation districts. Development of communities and a continued supply of water are too closely linked to be planned

without one another.”

Jordan Valley Water’s servicearea encompasses much ofthe Salt Lake Valley, including the most rapidly-growing areas in the state. Sources of water include the Provo, Weber and Duchesne rivers, groundwater, and local mountain streams.

JORDAN VALLEY WATER CONSERVANCY

DISTRICT

88.7%

4.5%

0.8%1.1%

2.2%3.8%

Natural Environment/Groundwater Recharge

Agricultural Depletions

Municipal & IndustrialDepletions

Potential DevelopableSupply

Wetlands/ReservoirDepletions

Net Outflow (includesflow to GSL)

DivertedWater

Source: Utah Division of Water Resources

82%

4%6%

8% Agriculture

Residentialindoor use

Residentialoutdoor use

Commercial,industrial,institutional

UTAH’S POPULATION GROWTH

Source: Governor’s Office of Management and Budget

-

1,000,000

2,000,000

3,000,000

4,000,000

5,000,000

6,000,000

168 years 45 years

Source: Utah Division of Water Resources

Water systems experiencing water shortages

PAST PLANNING HAS BENFITTED UTAHExtent of State Shortages Likely over the Next Decade under Average Water Conditions, 2013

(U.S. Government Accountability Office)

Protect what we have• Repair and replacement of existing infrastructure• Watershed and water source protection

Use it wiselyWater conservation – efficient use of a precious resource

Provide for the futureNew water sources and development of new infrastructure

PROTECT WHAT WE HAVE: AGING INFRASTRUCTURE

• Dams• Treatment plants• Power plants• Reservoirs• Thousands of miles of canals,• Pipelines & tunnels

Our infrastructure supports $5.4 trillion in economic activity

Anticipated statewide infrastructure replacement cost through 2060:

$18 BILLION

USE IT WISELYThe state of Utah has set a goal to reduce water consumption by 25% by 2025.

Proposed Conservation Tools:

• Water efficient landscapes –City Ordinances

Park stripsCommercial and residential

• Advanced Metering Infrastructure(AMI)

• Secondary water use metering

• Conservation pricing structure

• Wastewater recycling

PROVIDE FOR THE FUTURENew water supplies and infrastructure will be vital.

Conservation will delay future water development, but expected population growth will eventually drive the need

for new supplies.Bear River220,000 AF

59%

Other64,000 AF

18%

Colorado River86,000 AF

23%

Anticipated new statewide infrastructure cost through 2060:

$15 BILLION

WATERWISE DESIGN BASICSCynthia Bee, Outreach Coordinator, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District

Waterwise Landscape “Zeroscape”

WATERWISE DOES NOT MEAN “ZEROSCAPE”

GREEN THE BEAN

Design + Photo Credit: Kikuchi + Kankel Design Group

DESIGN MATTERSContrasting positive spaces (filled with plants) and negative spaces (open gravel or lawn) are the key!

Whenever possible, avoidsprinker boxes, trees or anyobstructions in turf areas.Lowers maintenance andimproves irrigation efficiency.

Negative or “Open” spaces

Positive or “Planted” spaces

COMMERCIAL DESIGN: LAWN IS AN ACCENT- NOT A GROUNDCOVER

Bingham Junction Development, Midvale, Utah

15 foot front setback

LAWNLESS COMMERCIAL DESIGN

PLANTED FRONTAGES DRAW ATTENTION

Gorgeous plantings in the frontages draw attention to businesses- without drawing eyeballs away from street level.

TIP:Dense plantings hide imperfect maintenance!

Great Harvest Bread Co. Taylorsville, Utah

CREATE GATHERING SPACES IN LIEU OF LAWN

Gathering Plaza at Savage Construction Office Building, Midvale, Utah

CONSERVATION PROGRAMS & ORDINANCESCourtney Brown, Conservation Programs Manager, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District

PER CAPITA USAGE

Actual Water Use (blue) Compared with Goal (red)

RESIDENTIAL DEMANDSources: DWRe Municipal and Industrial Water Supply and Use Studies Summary, 2005

DWRe Municipal and Industrial Water Use in Utah Report, 2010

LANDSCAPE LEADERSHIP

Grant funding for high-profile conversions of lawn to waterwiselandscaping.

QUALIFIED WATER EFFICIENT LANDSCAPER (QWEL)

ELIMINATE GRASS AND/OR OVERHEAD SPRAY IN PARKSTRIPS COMMUNITY-WIDE

Huge benefits to eliminating lawn in parkstrips:

• Reduce negative impact of overspray on asphalt & infrastructure.

• Conserves water.• More attractive, diverse

landscapes.• Creates sense of separation

from roadways.• Waterwise landscapes fare

better during droughts.

PLANTED PARKSTRIPS

TYPICAL GRASS PARKSTRIPWATERWISE PLANTED PARKSTRIP

Or HERE?

PARKSTRIP EXAMPLES

MODEL ORDINANCE HIGHLIGHTS:

Colorado Model Ordinance:http://Colorado.gov

• Drip irrigation required in all shrub beds, residential + commercial.

• 4” deep mulch required for all commercial project shrub beds.

• Lawn is not allowed in parkstripsnarrower than 8 feet.

• All systems shall be equipped with an automatic rain shut-off device.

• Minimum width of turf irrigated with sprinklers is 10 feet. Narrower areas must be watered with subsurface drip irrigation.

• Turf limits changed from 33% of total area to 25% in residential settings.

• No new turf in non-residential areas unless it qualifies as a Special Landscape Area or is watered with recycled water.

• Flow sensors are required

California UPDATED Model Ordinance:http://www.water.ca.gov/wateruseefficiency

HOW TO ACHIEVE AN EFFECTIVE WATERWISE LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE

1. Seek input from stakeholders

2. Ordinance must be well written, organized, and comprehensive

3. City councils support, planners require and developers comply

4. Water-efficient landscapes must be attractive and protect property values

5. Caretakers of water-efficient landscapes must water less (ordinance saves water)

6. Most effective when combined with other programs

SAMPLE WATERWISE LANDSCAPE ORDINANCE

• Applicability• All new and expanded development

• Landscape Design• Limited turf• Waterwise plants• Use of mulch

• Irrigation Design• Zonal irrigation• Spray irrigation prohibited on park strips narrower than 8 feet• Irrigation efficiency requirements

• Enforcement• Excessive Water Use