AUSTIN INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE PLANNING COMMUNITY TASK FORCE January 9, 2024 --12:00pm Hybrid Regular Meeting Austin Permitting and Development Center Room 1405 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr, Austin, TX 78752 Some members of the BOARD/COMMISSION may be participating by videoconference. The meeting may be viewed online at: http://www.austintexas.gov/page/watch-atxn-live For more information go to: Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation. The first 10 speakers to register will be allowed a three-minute allotment to address their concerns not on the agenda. To register, contact Emily Rafferty at emily.rafferty@austintexas.gov. The information required is the speaker’s name, item number(s) they wish to speak on if applicable, email address and telephone number (must be the same number that will be used to call into the meeting). CURRENT TASK FORCE MEMBERS: Voting Members: Bill Moriarty Sarah Faust Hani Michel Perry Lorenz Madelline Mathis Todd Bartee Robert Mace, Vice Chair Paul DiFiore Vanessa Puig-Williams Jennifer Walker, Chair Ex Officio Non-Voting Members: Austin Water: Kevin Critendon Austin Energy: Kathleen Garrett Austin Resource Recovery: Donald Hardee Housing and Planning: Tymon Khamsi Office of Innovation: Daniel Culotta Office of Sustainability: Lucia Athens Parks and Recreation: Liana Kallivoka Watershed Protection: Katie Coyne AGENDA CALL TO ORDER – PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL APPROVAL OF MINUTES November 30, 2023 DISCUSSION ITEMS 1. Review and approve the meeting minutes from the Regular Task Force meeting on 2. Update on Lower Colorado River and Highland Lakes water supply conditions 3. Water Forward 2024 community engagement update 4. Presentation of Water Forward 2024 initial list of water management strategies and initial feedback from Task Force on strategies and portfolio themes VOTING ITEMS FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURN The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please call Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force Liaison, Emily Rafferty at 512-972-0427, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at …
Water Forward 2024 initial list of water management strategies January 9, 2024 WATER FORWARD: PLANNING FOR UNCERTAINTY Range of demands Possible climate futures Droughts Worse than the Drought of Record Regional supply trends Develop a range of future conditions Find common near-term strategies that work for a broad range of futures Develop adaptive plan with key decision points Re-evaluate at key decision points Water Forward 2024 Decision points Uncertainty in future water availability A C D B E 2120 WF24 scenario planning methodology overview Goal Define the needs Evaluate potential solutions Identify potential solutions Select the best solution & implementation strategy Ongoing community engagement and equity work Tasks Develop range of future scenarios WF18 implementation evaluation and update Preliminary needs assessment Identify, screen, and characterize additional WMS Use optimization model to identify top-performing WMSs over all scenarios Construct 50-yr portfolios for further evaluation 50-Year portfolio trade-off analysis Conduct vulnerability assessment to identify system stressors Preferred 50-yr portfolio & equity and affordability analysis Adaptive Management Plan (AMP) Outcome Updated WF18 strategies and range of baseline needs WMSs variables and rules for testing Evaluated 50-year portfolios and identified system stressors Water Forward 2024 Plan Timeline 2022 Fall 2024 2024 Water Forward Plan - Strategy Characterization Review strategies considered and/or recommended in Water Forward (WF)18 Review progress of ongoing programs Identify additional strategies for WF24 initial list Screen through feasibility filter (proven technology, sufficient data, etc.) Identify any variables (operational, scale) Update characterization 2024 Water Forward Plan - Strategy Types Water Management Strategy (WMS) Characterization Update • Supply Strategies • Emergency Water Supplies • Demand Management Strategies • Best Management Practices Supply Strategies Photo credit: https://www.austintexas.org/?asset=1570-ig-18008312938866305 Initial List of Supply Strategies Storage Strategies • Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) • New Off Channel Reservoir with Lake Evaporation Suppression • Off-channel reservoir supplied by Colorado River or reclaimed water (Decker Lake) Water rights and water supply contracts • Additional Supply from Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) • Regional Partnership with Corpus Christi Potable Reuse Strategies New water supplies • • Indirect Potable Reuse through Lady Bird Lake and Capture Local Inflows to Lady Bird Lake Indirect Potable Reuse - Through Alluvial Aquifer or Bed and Banks • Direct Potable Reuse from Wastewater Treatment Plant • Seawater Desalination • Conventional groundwater • Brackish Groundwater Desalination • Interbasin Transfers Storage Strategies Strategy Origin Status Aquifer …
Water supply outlook Highland Lakes Inflows Average 1942 - Present Average 2008 - 2015 2022 2023 t e e F - e r c A 225,000 200,000 175,000 150,000 125,000 100,000 75,000 50,000 25,000 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Combined Storage of Lakes Buchanan and Travis January 1, 2005 through January 1, 2024 2.0M ac-ft Full Storage Austin Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) Storage Volume Trigger Levels 1.4M ac-ft DCP Stage 1 0.9M ac-ft DCP Stage 2 0.6M ac-ft DCP Stage 3 Interruptible stored water for non-Garwood agricultural operations was not provided by LCRA in 2012 through 2015 and beginning with the second growing season of 2022 through 2023. 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 t e e f - e r c a , e g a r o t S 2,200,000 2,000,000 1,800,000 1,600,000 1,400,000 1,200,000 1,000,000 800,000 600,000 400,000 200,000 0 NOAA 3-month Outlook: Dec - Feb The seasonal outlooks combine long-term trends, soil moisture, and El Nino/Southern Oscillation. There is a greater than 90% chance that El Niño will continue through the winter. Questions?
Water Forward 2024 Community Engagement Update Emily Rafferty 1/9/2024 Fall 2023 and Winter 2024 Community Engagement Schedule Goal: To educate the community and get feedback on WF18 plan and WMS to inform WF24 plan update Timeframe Description September Began refining Equity and Affordability Roadmap history section to post on SpeakUp! Austin page October 3 2 0 2 Eblast to organizations working with marginalized communities to set up 1:1s regarding WF24 Eblast to Austin and Hill Country area environmental organizations about Colorado River Land Analysis project Launch survey to get community feedback regarding WMS for WF24 update November Began holding 1:1 meetings with organizations January Hold in person and virtual workshops with broader community 4 2 0 2 February Continue to hold 1:1 meetings with organizations March Review feedback from survey and meetings with organizations Community Organizations Austin Area Urban League Austin Community Foundation African American Youth Harvest Foundation Austin Justice Coalition Austin Latino Coalition Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) Casa Marianella Central Health Community Powered Workshop Diversity, Awareness, Wellness, Action (DAWA) Go Austin Vamos Austin (GAVA) Green is the New Black El Buen Samaritano Equidad ATX Greater Austin Black Chamber of Commerce Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Hispanic Advocates Business Leaders Austin (HABLA) Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas Huston-Tillotson University Las Comadres Lifeworks Austin NAACP UpTogether National Council for Negro Women St. David’s Foundation Young Hispanic Association Austin Community Organizations Purpose • To get community feedback regarding Water Management Strategies for WF24 update and Equity and Affordability Road Map approach • Organizations that work with marginalized Audience communities Responses • Positive, glad we are thinking about these issues and planning for solutions • Try to engage people in everyday places (grocery store, library, etc.) • More education campaigns • To get community feedback regarding Water Management Strategies for WF24 update Survey Purpose Audiences • Austin Energy sent to geographically statistically valid population in November, kept open for three weeks • Austin Water then added survey to SpeakUp! Austin page for another three weeks Responses • 101 responses from AE survey • 473 responses from SpeakUp! Austin page Survey Question 1 – Supply Strategies The following is a list of water supply strategies. Please rank these strategies in order of priority for implementation. 1 = Top priority 9 = Lowest priority ______Aquifer Storage and Recovery – storing potable drinking water underground in an aquifer during wet times for …
Water Forward 2024 initial list of water management strategies January 9, 2024 WATER FORWARD: PLANNING FOR UNCERTAINTY Range of demands Possible climate futures Droughts Worse than the Drought of Record Regional supply trends Develop a range of future conditions Find common near-term strategies that work for a broad range of futures Develop adaptive plan with key decision points Re-evaluate at key decision points Water Forward 2024 Decision points Uncertainty in future water availability A C D B E 2120 WF24 scenario planning methodology overview Goal Define the needs Evaluate potential solutions Identify potential solutions Select the best solution & implementation strategy Ongoing community engagement and equity work Tasks Develop range of future scenarios WF18 implementation evaluation and update Preliminary needs assessment Identify, screen, and characterize additional WMS Use optimization model to identify top‐performing WMSs over all scenarios Construct 50‐yr portfolios for further evaluation 50‐Year portfolio trade‐off analysis Conduct vulnerability assessment to identify system stressors Preferred 50‐yr portfolio & equity and affordability analysis Adaptive Management Plan (AMP) Outcome Updated WF18 strategies and range of baseline needs WMSs variables and rules for testing Evaluated 50‐year portfolios and identified system stressors Water Forward 2024 Plan Timeline 2022 Fall 2024 2024 Water Forward Plan - Strategy Characterization Review strategies considered and/or recommended in Water Forward (WF)18 Review progress of ongoing programs Identify additional strategies for WF24 initial list Screen through feasibility filter (proven technology, sufficient data, etc.) Identify any variables (operational, scale) Update characterization 2024 Water Forward Plan - Strategy Types Water Management Strategy (WMS) Characterization Update • Supply Strategies • Emergency Water Supplies • Demand Management Strategies • Best Management Practices Supply Strategies Photo credit: https://www.austintexas.org/?asset=1570‐ig‐18008312938866305 Initial List of Supply Strategies Storage Strategies • Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) • New Off Channel Reservoir with Lake Evaporation Suppression • Off-channel reservoir supplied by Colorado River or reclaimed water (Decker Lake) Water rights and water supply contracts • Additional Supply from Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) • Regional Partnership with Corpus Christi Potable Reuse Strategies New water supplies • • Indirect Potable Reuse through Lady Bird Lake and Capture Local Inflows to Lady Bird Lake Indirect Potable Reuse - Through Alluvial Aquifer or Bed and Banks • Direct Potable Reuse from Wastewater Treatment Plant • Seawater Desalination • Conventional groundwater • Brackish Groundwater Desalination • Interbasin Transfers Storage Strategies Strategy Origin Status Aquifer …
AUSTIN INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE PLANNING COMMUNITY TASK FORCE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING MINUTES TUESDAY, January 9, 2024 The Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force convened in a Regular Meeting on January 9, 2024, with Social Distancing Modifications. Chair WALKER called the meeting to order at 12:09 pm. Members in Attendance: Jennifer Walker, Chair Robert Mace, Vice Chair Sarah Faust Madelline Mathis Ex-Officio Members in Attendance: Katie Coyne Members in Attendance Remotely: Perry Lorenz Hani Michel Todd Bartee Bill Moriarty Ex-Officio Members in Attendance Remotely: Members Absent Vanessa Puig Williams Paul DiFiore Austin Water Staff: Sara Eatman Emily Rafferty Marisa Flores Gonzalez Teresa Lutes Kevin Kluge Heather Cooke Others in Attendance: Rep. Stan Gerdes The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please contact Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force liaison Emily Rafferty at 512-972-0427, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. Page 1 of 2 Ben Watson Andy Weir Karen Hadden Others in Attendance Remotely: Sheril Smith Michele Gangnes PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL 1. Sheril Smith gave a public comment virtually. 2. Michele Gangnes gave a public comment virtually. 3. Andy Weir gave a public comment in-person. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of the meeting minutes from the November 30, 2023 Task Force meeting. The minutes from the November 30th meeting were approved on Vice Chair MACE’S motion and Member MATHIS’s second on an 8-0 vote. STAFF BRIEFINGS, PRESENTATIONS, AND/OR REPORTS 2. Update on Lower Colorado River and Highland Lakes water supply conditions The presentation was made by Marisa Flores Gonzalez, Program Manager III, Austin Water. 3. Water Forward 2024 Community Engagement Update The presentation was made by Emily Rafferty, Program Manager I, Austin Water. 4. Presentation of Water Forward 2024 initial list of water management strategies and initial feedback from Task Force on strategies and portfolio themes The presentation was made by Marisa Flores Gonzalez, Program Manager III, Austin Water, Sara Eatman, Engineer A, Austin Water. VOTING ITEMS None Chair WALKER adjourned the meeting at 2:12pm. The minutes were approved at the March 5th, 2024, meeting on Robert Mace’s motion, Hani Michel’s second on a 9-0 vote …
