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Felicia Marcus Chair, State Water Resources Control Board Sierra Water Workgroup Lake Tahoe, June 12, 2014 STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD REGIONAL WATER QUALITY CONTROL BOARDS

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Overview Settingall states are unique; Calif just more so. Administrations Water Action Plan Drought update Selected hot issues this year: Groundwater Drinking Water Water Bonds Other: Solution set Bottom line: Will need all of the above to deal with future needs

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Setting Most Variable hydrology Year to year Location to Location Time of year Mix of sources Surface Water system local or imported (extensive storage/conveyance) Groundwater (intensely local) Every locale different mix Impact of drought varies too Mix of water rights too Climate change and other drivers as gamechangers Mix of solutions Conservation/Recycling/Stormwater/Desal Integrated Water Management in regions and statewide, e.g., upper watershed thinking Storage Drought Worst in impact in modern history 3 rd re precip More pop; more irrigated ag; more env water make impact greater than the other two

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Evolution Either/or All of the Above Big projects/single issue Integrated water management/multiple benefit Silos Integrated water management/multiple benefit Challenges: Behavioral Conversational Professional Calls for Egosystem Management

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Precipitation vs. Population Feast or Famine

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Major Water Projects Federal Central Valley Project (CVP) State State Water Project (SWP) Local Many other projects throughout state, including Colorado River system, Hetch Hetchy, EBMUD, Owens Valley Source: Water Environment Foundation

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Future drivers require change Challenges, e.g., Climate change Population growth Food security Other limits to deal with Silos Traditional if comfortable dialogue Paradigm shift essential and happening

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California Water Action Plan Make Conservation a California Way of Life Increase Regional Self-Reliance and Integrated Water Management Across All Levels of Government Achieve the Co-Equal Goals for the Delta Protect and Restore Important Ecosystems Manage and Prepare for Dry Periods Expand Water Storage Capacity and Improve Groundwater Management Provide Safe Water for All Communities Increase Flood Protection Increase Operational and Regulatory Efficiency Identify Sustainable and Integrated Financing Opportunities

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The Drought a glimpse When the well is dry, we know the worth of water. Benjamin Franklin Poor Richards Almanac

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Current crisis: Worst drought in modern times 2013 driest year on record Snowpack fraction of average/ normal Reservoir draw down due to unusual 2012 precipitation pattern Could still rain, as in March miracle of the 90s but that is not a strategy, and it is May. Third worst on record, with far greater impact than the 1920s Beyond anything weve dealt with Harbinger of things to comethink Australia or Climate Change

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Jan 18, 2013 Jan 18, 2014

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Selected Actions Regional differences and choices Different mix of sources and economies Water right priorities and different groundwater regimes Choices re conservation, priorities, etc. Drought Task Force Actions taken and potential: Emergency declarationsGovernor Brown February 17, 2014/April 25, 2014

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Actionscont Emergency Legislation--$680m+ Including Conservation; Recycling; Stormwater; IRWM Disaster reliefFarm Bill/USDA/Food Banks/NGOs Transfers acceleration Temporary flow adjustments to water right permits Contract water allocation cutbacks by state and federal projects Water rights implementation: Curtailments What is reasonable use in a drought?

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Quick Facts on California Water Groundwater Use Percentage of Urban and Agricultural Demands met with groundwater Normal Year: 39 percent Dry year: 45 percent Drought: almost 60 percent About 9 million Californians (1 in 3) rely solely on groundwater to meet their needs On the Central Coast, 86 percent of drinking water comes from groundwater Issues, e.g., Subsidence Infrastructure Neighbor to neighbor impacts Storage loss; storage need Water quality Ecosystem impacts

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% Water Demand Met by Groundwater

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Groundwater Management Components: CaliforniaArizonaTexasColorado New Mexico Statewide groundwater use permitting XX X Active management areasXXX X Statewide policywell data made public XXX X Statewide policymetering, measurement, and reporting requirements aXX X a SBX7 6 provides for statewide measurement (at the basin level), but not metering of water extraction. Western States Approach to Groundwater Management

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Community Well Systems Where Contamination has been Detected

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Community Water Systems with Principal Contaminants Detected

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Policy Reports and. Policy reports Legislative Analysts Office 2009 Public Policy Institute of California 2010 ACWA Framework - 2011 UCLA Pritzker Brief 2011 Stanford Woods Institute 2011 Others. Bars and coffee shops

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Evolution of conversation Policy Reports Groundwater Concept PaperState Board Administration WAP/workshops/stakeholder Proposals Legislation

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Astonishing level of agreement Preference for local action; need for local tools, authorities, and funding. Monitoring and measurement Need for state backstop at State Water Board; info and assistance a combo of DWR and State Water Board Connection between surface water and groundwater and need to acknowledge Reasonable timeframe (2 years/5 years/20 years?) Recognition of existing overlying water rights (correlative) Has to be part of larger water actions, e.g., items in California Water Action Plan

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Key issues Governance Monitoringthresholds/use/storage Finance Surface water/groundwater interaction Nature of or triggers for the backstop DWR/SWRCB roles Water Quality Stakeholder engagement

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Groundwater Level Change Southern Central Valley Spring 2013 to Spring 2014

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Basin Prioritization Results 126 High and Medium 92% GW use 88% Population

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Drinking Water Issues Drinking Water Quality an issue Two recent State Water Board reports highlight problem, in context of communities relying in whole or part on groundwater 98% Served by PWSS that consistently meet public health standards; but 1-2% in CA is a big number Nitrate contamination (legacy and ongoing) Increasing knowledge + technology allows for greater treatment, but costs can be high. Small Disadvantaged Communities particularly challenged 3000 water districts; many individual wells. State regulations: PWSS over 15

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Whats happening Proposal to move to State Board as of July 1 One agency responsible source to tap Efficiency: One stop shopping for $ for many communities One agency responsible for permitting recycled water (but public health issues still paramount) Long term need to steward every molecule in face of climate change Step along path in DAC solutions Part of Water Action Plan

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How we got here Legislation last term Water Action Plan Governors Budget proposal Drinking Water Task Force Trailer Bill language, passed out of conference committee last week.

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Selected issues Drinking Water Task Force State Board vs. Regional Board location/responsibility Field Offices Locations--keep Approachcompliance assistance emphasis Public Health Priority Chief Deputy Director reports directly to ED Public Health background Public Health/Environmental Health Officers National picture Concern re: split in relationships

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Selected issues, cont Emergency ResponseMOU Regulatory homes Permitting remains with Deputy Director (no appeal) Enforcement remains with DD (appeal to State Board) MCLs (go to State Board) Other Key public policy decisions needed re: funding for tech assistance and grants v. loans Need for tech innovation Appropriate regulatory response/level Economic challenge of delivery to small DACs

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Water Bonds 2014

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Water Bonds 2014 Key elements Clean and Safe Drinking Water $900m-1b Grants for systems Groundwater cleanup Emergency water Protecting Waters and Watersheds $0-1.7b Settlement agreements, e.g., Klamath Conservancies Ag runoff Stormwater Regional Water Security $0-2.615b Storage Integrated Water Management Recycling/Stormwater/Wastewater/Conservation/infrastructure

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Other issuesincluding solution set Its all about Integrated Water Management at all levels Recycled water advancement 1% financing through SRF ($800m/150,000 af/yr) General permit for Title 22 uses (June scheduled) SB322 timeline: groundwater recharge/indirect potable/direct potable feasibility report Stormwater capture/treatment/use Accelerating groundwater contamination prevention/treatment/use Upper watershed connection/management BDCP/WQCPs Conservation as a California Way of Life How to implement multiple benefit thinking across departments and disciplines

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Thank you!!!