planning for utahs water future
TRANSCRIPT
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