california’s water crisis – an overview for: calafco’s annual conference

California’s Water Crisis – An Overview for: CALAFCO’s Annual Conference

There are 850,000 irrigated acres on the valley floor, There are 850,000 irrigated acres on the valley floor, one-third of which were permanent crops, in process one-third of which were permanent crops, in process of expanding permanent and decreasing annual.of expanding permanent and decreasing annual.

Kern consistently ranks 3rd or 4th in the state in value of production.

Kern County Agriculture

About one-third of Kern’s area is on the valley floor, which is intensively cultivated.

An Overview of California’s Water Crisis for: CALAFCO Annual Conference

State Water Features

California Aqueduct

Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta

Lake Oroville

Folsom Lake

Lake Shasta

Delta Mendota Canal

Madera Canal

Friant-Kern Canal

Isabella Reservoir

Kern County

San Luis Reservoir


Sources of Supply

KCWA SWP MEMBER UNITS

4 0 4 8

Delano-Earlimart ID

Rag Gulch WD

Kern-Tulare

WD

Olcese WD

Tejon-Castac WD

Devils Den WD IsabellaReservoir

Kern River

CVP FRIANT-KERN DISTRICTS

387,000 af

CVP CVC DISTRICTS

53,000 af

Lebec CWD

California Aqueduct

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

43

119

166

55

43

46

33

58

58

178

KERN RIVER DISTRICTS

740,000 af

Rosedale-Rio Bravo WSD

KCWA Improvem

ent District No. 4

Tehachapi-Cummings CWD

Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa WSD

West Kern WD

Semitropic WSD

Belridge WSD

Bakersfield

Southern San

Joaquin MUD

Shafter-Wasco

ID

North Kern WSD Cawelo

WD

Kern Delta WDHenry

Miller WD

Buena Vista

WSD

Friant-Kern Canal

Cross Valley Canal

Lost Hills WD

Berrenda Mesa WD

5

599

184

33

46

5

5

Arvin-Edison WSD

Kern County Water Districts


KERN RIVER DISTRICTS740,000 af

CVP FRIANT-KERN DISTRICTS387,000 af

CVP CVC DISTRICTS53,000 af

KCWA SWPMEMBER UNITS

1961 – 1,000,000 af

2009 – 530,000 af

2005 – 700,000 af

1961 – 1,000,000 af

2005 – 700,000 af2009 – 530,000 af

KCWA is the largest agricultural State Water Project (SWP) contractor, and the third-largest urban SWP contractor.

KCWA’s annual SWP contracted Table A supply is about 1,000,000 acre-feet a year.

• 880,000 af per year for Agriculture

• 119,000 af per year for Municipal & Industrial

KCWA represents about 25% of the SWP.

State Water Project Supplies


Kern River 64% 440,000 acre-feet (af)

State Water Project 40% 400,000 af

Central Valley Project

South of the Delta Agriculture 10% 190,000 af

Friant Division – Class 1 90% 265,500 af

Friant Division – Class 2 0% 0 af

In-County Banking 300,000 af

Estimated Total 1,595,500 af

Kern River 64% 440,000 acre-feet (af)

State Water Project 40% 400,000 af

Central Valley Project

South of the Delta Agriculture 10% 190,000 af

Friant Division – Class 1 90% 265,500 af

Friant Division – Class 2 0% 0 af

In-County Banking 300,000 af

Estimated Total 1,595,500 af

2009 Water Supply Projections


Valley-wide Impacts for 2009Economic study by the University of California, Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics1

• Income loss: $1.6 to $2.2 Billion (direct and indirect)

• Job loss: 60,000 to 80,000

• Reduction in cropped acreage: 20% to 55%

• Most impacts concentrated among low-wage earners.

• Long-term farm production costs expected to rise by 30%.

1 Howitt, MacEwan, and Medellin-Azuara. Agricultural and Resources Economics Update, V. 12 no. 3 Jan/Feb 2009. Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics, University of California

Kern County Impacts for 2009

• Economy: $300 Million

• Under-irrigated acreage: 48,000 acres

• Unplanted acreage: 40,000 acres

Estimated Drought Impacts


Conservation

Additional wells

In-county transfers

Agriculture

• Fallowing

• Under-irrigation

• Removal of permanent crops

2009 Programs to Deal with the Water Crisis


6.5 Earthquake – Resulting in 20 Islands Being Flooded


To San Francisco

Sac

ram

ento

Riv

er

Stockton

San

Joaq

uin

River

Clifton Court Forebay

Eliminate levee failure as a threat to water supplies

Improve water quality

Better protection for Delta fish

Flexibility to address potential impacts of climate change on water supply

Protect local investments

Building a canal around the Delta will reduce risk

Water would move around the Delta in a 46 mile-long canal

The Delta

A Better Approach is Needed to Protect Our Delta Water Supplies


Short-Term Measures

Operate under new regulatory standards:

• Learn the “rules of the game.”

• Become more efficient operators under the new standards.

Modify Delta channels:

• Install barriers in key channels (2-Gates).

Identify other stressors:

• Toxins

• Predators

• Entrainment

• Invasive species

Implement a Science Program:

• Answer key questions about other stressors.

Litigation

Actions Going Forward:


Mid-Term Measures

Create new habitat for fish

• Create new tidal wetlands

Modify Delta channels

• Install barriers in key channels

Address impacts of other stressors

• Toxins

• Predators

• Entrainment

• Invasive species

Continue a Science Program

• Answer key questions about other stressors

Successful implementation of these measures should result in increased water supply.



Long-Term Measures

Peripheral Canal

Recommended by:

• Governor’s Delta Vision Task Force

• Public Policy Institute of California Report

• The Nature Conservancy

Processes:

• Bay Delta Conservation Plan

• Delta Habitat Conservation and Conveyance Program

Convey and capture more wet year water

• Create additional groundwater banking

• Build additional surface storage



Need meaningful action – NOW!

Summary


Kern County Water Agency3200 Rio Mirada DriveBakersfield, CA 93308

Phone: (661) 634-1400Fax: (661) 634-1428

[email protected]

Mailing Address:P.O. Box 58Bakersfield, CA 93302-0058

Contact Information


california’s water crisis – an overview for: calafco’s annual conference

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