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Can Current Water Laws & Institutions Meet 21st Century Challenges?
Barton H. “Buzz” Thompson
Perry L. McCarty Director,
Woods Institute for the Environment
Robert E. Paradise Professor in Natural Resources Law
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Federal Division of Responsibilities
Water quality
Species protection
Hydropower
Flood protection
Water allocation
Groundwater management
Water conservation
Federal State
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The Critical Role of Public Water Agencies
Municipal SuppliersCity agencies (15%)
Public utilities (85%)
Agricultural SuppliersIrrigation districts
Water districts
Mutual water companies
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Desirable Attributes
Sustainability
Integrated Management
Flexibility
Efficiency
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Sustainability
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Environmental Sustainability
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Hanak et al (2009)
Sacramento – San Joaquin Delta
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Resource Sustainability:Groundwater Overdrafting
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Economic Sustainability
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Integrated Management
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Fragmented Governance
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Fragmented Management of Surface Water & Groundwater
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Cosumnes River (California)
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Conjunctive Groundwater Management
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Wet Growth
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California Water Suppliers
All Water Suppliers with > 50,000 Customers
Findings:Few had taken steps in recent decades to protect watershed from encroachment
Mostly small acquisitions
Many now utilized watershed in manner that undercut water quality
E.g., logging
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Flexibility
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Water Markets Promise Adaptive Flexibility
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Plus an Incentive to Conserve
San Diego
Imperial Irrigation District
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And “Markets for Nature”
Trout CreekRanch
Deschutes Basin
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Problem: The Law –Can You Transfer Conserved Water?
Poorly defined water rights
Junior claimsTransferor has been “wasting” water
Conflict between markets and regulation
Water is a public resource
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Problem: Community Concerns
Conservation versus FallowingEconomic Studies
Short-term transfers generally have small impactTransfers of <20% water supplies generally have small impact
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Problem: Is Any Water Really Being “Conserved”?
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Problem: Dominance of Public Agencies
Holders of most water rights
Owners of most transportation facilities
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“Entitlements” Also Undermine Flexibility
“Hetch Hetchy is San Francisco’s birthright.”
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Efficiency
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Water Pricing Policies
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Tiered Pricing
Coachella Valley Water District (2009)
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Questions?