Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force - April 15, 2024
Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force Special Called Meeting of the Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force
AUSTIN INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE PLANNING COMMUNITY TASK FORCE April 15, 2024 --12:00pm Hybrid Special Called 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 Ex Officio Non-Voting Members: Austin Water: Kevin Critendon Austin Energy: Kathleen Garrett Austin Resource Recovery: Donald Hardee Housing and Planning: Tymon Khamsi Todd Bartee Robert Mace, Vice Chair Paul DiFiore Vanessa Puig-Williams Jennifer Walker, Chair 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 5, 2024 DISCUSSION ITEMS 1. Review and approve the meeting minutes from the Regular Task Force meeting on March 2. Update on Lower Colorado River and Highland Lakes water supply conditions 3. Presentation of Water Forward 2024 water management strategy characterization 4. Presentation of Water Forward 2024 plan update methodology 5. Staff update on Austin’s Drought Contingency Plan and Water Conservation Plan updates ACTION ITEMS 6. Approve a letter from the Water Forward Task Force to the Austin City Council regarding the Austin’s Drought Contingency Plan and Water Conservation Plan updates 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) …
Update on Lower Colorado River and Highland Lakes water supply conditions Highland Lakes Inflows Average 1942 - Present Average 2008 - 2015 2023 Jan. - Mar. 2024 225,000 200,000 175,000 t e e F - e r c A 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 Lakes Buchanan & Travis Combined Storage 2.0M ac-ft Full Storage 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 1.4M ac-ft 0.9M ac-ft 0.6M ac-ft COA DCP Stage 1 COA DCP Stage 2 COA 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 2024. 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 U.S. Drought Monitor NOAA 3-month Outlook: April - June The seasonal outlooks combine long-term trends, soil moisture, and El Nino/Southern Oscillation. NOAA El Nino/Southern Oscillation Forecast 85% chance of a transition from El Niño to ENSO-neutral by April-June 2024 60% chance of La Niña developing by June-August 2024 Lakes Buchanan & Travis Combined Storage Projections COA DCP Stage 1 1.4 MAF COA DCP Stage 2 0.9 MAF COA DCP Stage 3 0.6 MAF Questions?
Water Forward 2024 water management strategies April 15, 2024 Water Forward 2024: Planning for Uncertainty Range of demands Possible climate futures Droughts Worse than the Drought of Record Regional supply trends Uncertainty in future water availability Water Forward 2024 Decision points A C D B E 2120 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 Scenario Planning Methodology 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 Strategy Characterization Process Review strategies considered and/or recommended in Water Forward (WF)18 Review progress of ongoing programs Identify additional strategies for WF24 initial list Identify any variables (operational, scale) Update cost and yield characterization for testing Strategy Types Water Supply Demand Management Best Management Practices • Strategies that enable • Strategies like • Strategies that advance the utility to access new sources of water and expand or make better use of existing sources of water conservation and reuse that reduce the demands on raw or potable water Water Forward objectives like protecting the health of the Colorado River and improving the utility’s resilience. Strategy Characterization Approach As strategies will be modeled with various timing and yields in the WMS optimization analysis, each strategy generally includes a min and max yield at each planning horizon Costs for each strategy have been generated at the 2120 max yield Cost information includes: • Total capital cost, including facilities, contingencies, and land acquisition • Total annual costs, including debt service and operations and maintenance • Annualized unit costs in dollars per acre feet per year 2040 Supply Strategy Yield Ranges and Annualized Unit Costs Preliminary and Subject to Change 2120 …
Water Forward WAVE evaluation Water Forward Task Force Meeting March 5, 2024 Water Forward: Planning for Uncertainty Develop a range of plausible future scenarios Find common near-term water management strategies (WMSs) that perform well over many scenarios For long-term (WMSs), develop an adaptive management plan with key decision points Continue to update the plan, re- evaluate, and adapt s o i r a n e c s g n i l e d o M Range of demands Possible climate futures Droughts worse than the drought of record Regional supply trends Water Forward 2024 Decision points including regular updates to the WF Plan Scenarios of plausible future water needs A C D B E 2120 WF24 Methodology Overview Goal Define the needs Evaluate potential solutions Identify potential solutions Select the best solution & implementation strategy We are here 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 WF24 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 Water management strategy Assessment and Vulnerability Evaluation = WAVE WAVE Team Members Rob Lempert Michelle Miro Swaptik Chowdhury RAND Will Support the WAVE with Multi-Objective Robust Decision Making (MoRDM) We live in a fast-changing, hard-to-predict world We can shape the future, even when we can’t predict …
2024 Water Conservation and Drought Contingency Plans Updates Water Forward Task Force – April 15, 2024 Kevin Critendon, P.E., Assistant Director Agenda Water Supply Planning Overview Proposed Water Conservation Plan (WCP) Proposed Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) Next Steps 2 Austin’s Water Supply: 325,000 Acre Feet Per Year Colorado River • Combination of State-granted water rights & long-term contract with LCRA • Up to 325,000 acre- feet per year (afy) LCRA reservation & use fees pre-paid in 1999 • Additional use payments trigger when average for 2 consecutive years exceeds 201,000 afy Centralized Reclaimed System 3 What plans and why do we need them? Texas utilities must provide a Water Conservation Plan (WCP) and a Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) Required by Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) every 5 years WCPs identify programmatic activities aimed at reducing overall water consumption and improve water use efficiency 4 DCPs identify water supply triggers and related drought response activities How are these plans different? Water Conservation Plan (WCP) Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) Plan for all weather conditions Focuses on drought conditions Describes Describes • Utility and water use information • Conservation (rebates, education, enforcement) • Water loss reduction • Reuse activities Includes water consumption and water loss • Drought Stages • Drought Triggers (demand and supply) • Drought Actions & Restrictions Must be consistent with the LCRA DCP Requires Chapter 6-4 changes goals 5 How does this work regionally with our water supply partner? LCRAs Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) AWs DCP aligns with LCRAs DCP LCRA recently updated its DCP on March 26, 2024 LCRAs significant updates include: • Adjusting drought trigger levels (From 4 stages to 5 stages) • Adding LCRAs inflow trigger for Drought Stage 2 • Adding specific drought condition water use restrictions 6 Austin’s Water Conservation Plan (WCP) Public education & outreach Residential assistance Incentive programs Regulatory programs Water loss reduction Water reuse 7 2024 WCP Updates Updated program activity and water savings Increased integration with My ATX Water Updated Conservation Goals and Water Loss goals 8 2024 WCP Proposed Goals Based on a 5-year average and measure attainable achievements and updated targets for: • Total Population Gallons Per Capita per Day (GPCD) reduction of water use • Residential Gallons Per …
AUSTIN INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCE PLANNING COMMUNITY TASK FORCE SPECIAL CALLED MEETING MINUTES MONDAY, April 15, 2024 The Austin Integrated Water Resource Planning Community Task Force convened in a Regular Meeting on April 15, 2024, with Social Distancing Modifications. Chair WALKER called the meeting to order at 12:04 pm. Members in Attendance: Jennifer Walker, Chair Paul DiFiore Madelline Mathis Ex-Officio Members in Attendance: Kevin Critendon Members in Attendance Remotely: Robert Mace, Vice Chair Sarah Faust Hani Michel Todd Bartee Bill Moriarty Perry Lorenz Austin Water Staff: Anna Bryan-Borja Teresa Lutes Kevin Kluge Marisa Flores Gonzalez Sara Eatman Emily Rafferty Fatima Wahid Helen Gerlach Others in Attendance: Brigit Buff (Plummer) Cody McCann (Plummer) Michelle Miro (RAND) 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 Robert Lempert, (RAND) Richard Hoffpauir (Hoffpauir Consulting, PLLC) PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL None APPROVAL OF MINUTES 1. Approval of the meeting minutes from the March 5, 2024, Task Force meeting. The minutes from the March 5th meeting were approved on Member DIFIORE’S motion and Vice Chair MACE’S second on an 9-0 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. Presentation of Water Forward 2024 water management strategy characterization The presentation was made by Sara Eatman, Engineer A, Austin Water. 4. Presentation of Water Forward 2024 plan update methodology The presentation was made by Helen Gerlach, Engineer B, Austin Water, Michelle Miro, PhD., Consultant, RAND, and Robert Lempert, PhD., Consultant, RAND. 5. Staff update on Austin’s Drought Contingency Plan and Water Conservation Plan updates The presentation was made by Kevin Critendon, P.E., P.M.P., Assistant Director, Environmental Planning and Development Services, Austin Water, and Kevin Kluge, Division Manager, Water Conservation, Austin Water. VOTING ITEMS None. Chair WALKER adjourned the meeting at 2:22pm. The minutes were approved at the April 25th, 2024, meeting on Paul DiFiore’s motion, Hani Michel’s second on a …
