workshop on climate related water constraints implications across north american boundaries mexico...
TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS
IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES
Mexico City, D.F.March 6, 2009
![Page 2: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Water Management During Climate Change
• David J. Eaton, Ph.D.• Bess Harris Jones Centennial Professor of
Natural Resource Policy Studies• Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs• The University of Texas at Austin • Austin, TX 78713-8925• [email protected]
![Page 3: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Overview
• Climate change and water availability• Generic options for management changes with
respect to climate change • Trans-boundary water management in North
America – existing rules• Implications of climate change for water
management across North American boundaries • Water management across political boundaries, as if
science and people mattered
![Page 4: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
Climate Change and Water
• Climate change could lead to• More water• Less water• No change in amount of water• Shift in timing of water• Increased variablity of water
Problem: less certainty of water availability
![Page 5: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Responses to Water Uncertainty
• Create and share new water• Share less water• Change the rules?
![Page 6: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Create new water
• Reservoirs: Amistad and Falcon• Conservation and reuse: Rio Grande, El Paso • Desalination: El Paso
![Page 7: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
Share Less Water
• War, peace, negotiation will not resolve water instability
• Prevent disputes by sharing uncertainly
![Page 8: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
Climate Change Management Options
• New operating rules for reservoir storage (position analysis)
• New operating rules for droughts (position analysis)
• Voluntary sharing of reduced withdrawals• Inter-basin water transfers (rights; water
loans)• Intra-basin water transfers (rights; water
loans)
![Page 9: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Trans-boundary Water Management in North America
EXISTING RULES:• Mexico-US• Canada-US
![Page 10: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Treaties for Water Management
• Trans-boundary water management in North America is empowered and limited by treaties
• Treaties govern water allocation and water quality for surface and ground waters between sovereign states
• States, provinces, regional institutions and local government have limited roles
• Treaties are not likely to be modified
![Page 11: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Mexico-US Water Treaties
• 1906 Rio Grande/Rio Bravo– Water allocation at El Paso/Jarez
• 1944 Mexico-US border rivers– Water allocation in the Colorado river basin– Water allocation in the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo
basin– Water quality in border rivers– Silence on groundwater allocation and quality
![Page 12: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Canada-US Water Treaty
• 1909 Treaty• Open as to content• Management by basin
![Page 13: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
Water Management Practice: Mexico-US
• Surface water allocation• Surface water quality• Groundwater allocation and quality• Water infrastructure investment
![Page 14: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
Mexico-US Surface Water Allocation
• Each party insists on its water allocation under the treaty• There is insufficient water in the basins to meet the water
allocations, let alone the water needs of the people• Each side declares ‘unusual drought’ on a regular basis to
avoid releases under droughts• Regular circumstance of insufficient water• Water conflicts resolved by rain, not institutions• Each side cooperating in new water investment• Example: new water supply investment improving water
availability to poor along Mexico-Texas Border ($1.5 billion since 1994)
![Page 15: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Mexico-US Surface Water Quality Management
• IBWC/CILA responsible for water quality along the border• No joint standards; coordinated unilateral action• Each Mexico-US sewerage or wastewater treatment project
has its own ‘standard’• Mexico/US agreed to invest jointly in border water quality
under NAFTA• $1.5 billion in water supply, water quality, water conservation
along Mexico-Texas border• Improvements in water quality where investment is made
![Page 16: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
Mexico-US Groundwater Management
• Treaties are silent as to groundwater• Two sides have not sought to establish rules for
groundwater allocation or quality management• Two sides give no indication of interest in
establishing rules• US groundwater rules differ by state• Result: unilateral action• Result: groundwater mining and degradation of
groundwater quality
![Page 17: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Implications of Climate Change for Water Management in North America (1)
• It is unlikely that there could be a change in treaty agreements
• Two sides can and will cooperate to improve conditions for surface water supply and surface water quality (e.g. IBWC/CILA Minutes)
• Cooperation takes the form of investment which can and does deliver results
• Groundwater not likely to be addressed unless local communities or states bring parties along
![Page 18: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Examples of Mexico-US Local or State Involvement in Bi-national Water Issues
• Informal water group in Juarez-El Paso• Laredo-Nuevo Laredo treatment plant• Border 2012 efforts• BECC/NAD Bank investments• Ten state effort
![Page 19: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Implications of Climate Change for Water Management in North America (2)
• Water management under climate change will be the same as water management
• Likely option: coordinated unilateral action and coordinated investment
• Possible option: unilateral action without insight into unintended consequences
• Possible option: local or regional efforts to manage own water resources by co-opting national governments
![Page 20: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Process of Water Dispute Prevention
• Transparent and accessible water data and models
• Training in water management models• Narrative elicitation to develop goals and
measures• Multi-party drought management simulations• Voluntary pre-emptive solutions• Exhaustive, responsive, verbatim, public
participation
![Page 21: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Narrative :The Idea
Telling a story is an efficient, effective, equitable and rapid way to identify problems and solutions in a river basin
![Page 22: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
Narrative as Language
• Every human society tells stories• The structure of narrative is common among
people• Stories of different people often have much in
common
![Page 23: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
A ‘Future’ Water Hypothesis
People from different places with different lives, distinct priorities and strong preferences tell stories that have much in common
![Page 24: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
Narrative and Dispute Research
• A narrative approach can identify appropriate, consensus, and smart management steps for river basin management
• People may disagree on who is at fault or what goals exist, but can agree on some actions to take
![Page 25: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
Water Narrative Elements -1
• What are the water problems in the Basin?• What are the causes of these problems?• What could be consequences of failure to
address these problems?• What actions could help prevent or reduce
the harm from problems?
![Page 26: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
Water Narrative Elements - 2
• What barriers to actions exist that need to be overcome?
• What aids to action exist that can help?• What are the metrics to measure success or
failure after action?• What is the ideal future after actions are
implemented?
![Page 27: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
Examples of Dispute Prevention
• GMA-9 groundwater in Texas: desired future conditions over 50 years
• Inter-basin water transfer from Colorado River basin to Brazos River basin - with exporting basin gaining water and income
• Water management in the South Saskatchewan basin in Alberta
• Mexico-US experience• Palestinian-Israeli joint narrative
![Page 28: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
![Page 29: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
![Page 30: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
Groundwater Flow in Model Cell
![Page 31: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
Summary of GMA 9 Stakeholder Narratives
![Page 32: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
Current Problems
• Some dry wells• Some dry springs• Some contaminated water supplies• Urban encroachment
![Page 33: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
Causes of Water Problems
• Population growth• Limited water resources • Drought• Legal interpretations on use of groundwater• Limited authority of district
![Page 34: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
Consequences if No Action
• More dry wells• More dry springs• More water contamination• Litigation
![Page 35: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/35.jpg)
Possible Actions
• Cooperation• Responsible development• Market incentives• Public education• Alternative sources and conservation• Infrastructure investment
![Page 36: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/36.jpg)
Barriers to Action
• Limited resources: money, data, staff, education
• Mistrust • Costly alternatives• Resistance to change• Resistance to regulation
![Page 37: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/37.jpg)
Ideal Outcomes
• Assured water availability for domestic use• Spring flows• Maintenance of groundwater levels
![Page 38: WORKSHOP ON CLIMATE RELATED WATER CONSTRAINTS IMPLICATIONS ACROSS NORTH AMERICAN BOUNDARIES Mexico City, D.F. March 6, 2009](https://reader034.vdocument.in/reader034/viewer/2022051819/5517b5ef550346892b8b4651/html5/thumbnails/38.jpg)
Groundwater Management Area 9-Major Aquifers