Daniel B. Stephens & Associates, Inc.

Update on Water Planning in Selected Western States

Presented by Dominique Cartron

January 10, 2013

Daniel B. Stephens & Associates, Inc.

States with State Water Plan

Arizona

Oregon

Colorado

Washington

Texas

Utah

Montana

California

Idaho

Nevada

Kansas

Wyoming

New MexicoOklahoma

Completed state water plan

No completed state water plan

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Updates• Recent planning efforts• Funding• Integration of regional and state plans• Linkages between funding and water plans• Climate change

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Arizona

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Arizona• No published state water plan.• Five Active Management Areas (AMAs).• AMAs include 80% of the population,

75% of the water use.• Third Active Management Plan completed

2000-2010.• Goal: Achieve safe yield by 2025.• Fourth Active Management Plan underway.

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Arizona• Project funding down since 2008, program

well staffed.• Groundwater withdrawal fees fund Water

Management Assistance Program. – Groundwater Users Advisory Council recommends

projects.– Funds focused on conservation, recharge,

hydrologic studies.• No specific climate change focus.

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Colorado Basin Planning

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Colorado• No state water plan has been published.• Statewide Water Supply Initiative (SWSI)

2003, 2010, 2016.• Permanent water roundtables in eight river

basins and Denver metropolitan area (2005).– Basin roundtables develop basin-wide needs

assessment → SWSI.

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Colorado• Interbasin Compact Committee (2005).• Annual budget for SWSI, Compact Committee

support, and basin-wide needs assessments: $1.5M.

• Six permanent planning staff within Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB).

• Water Supply Reserve Account ($10M) funds projects to address basin needs.

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Colorado• Only projects recommended by basin

roundtables are submitted to the CWCB.• Other funding sources are not linked to basin

plans.• Colorado Climate Action Plan completed in

2007.• CWCB considering how to address climate

change in current water planning cycle.

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Oregon Integrated Water Resources Strategy

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Oregon Integrated Water Resource Management Strategy

• Planning cycle 2009-2013, plan published in 2012 ($1M).

• Two full-time staff with other agency staff support.

• Governor’s budget request through 2015: Up to $66M for planning and implementation.

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Oregon Integrated Water Resource Management Strategy

• No organized regional water planning program, but some areas are active.

• Active groups go to the Legislature to fund specific projects.

• Major water infrastructure funding programs are not tied to the IWRS.

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Oregon Integrated Water Resource Management Strategy

• IWRS supports research efforts into ongoing basin-level climate change.

• Recommends developing climate change adaptation strategies.

• State works with communities to include climate change in their planning.

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Texas Water Planning• 2012 Texas State Water Plan

– Third plan based on regional water planning • $16M for 2007-2012 planning cycle• $3.5M annually for agency staff, technical

studies, and technical support to regions• 20 permanent water planning staff

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Texas State Water Plan• Projects receiving state funding or requiring

state water rights permit must be consistent with the applicable regional water plan.

• No climate change focus.