Climate

Change Impacts on Californias Water Resources

California Department of Water Resources Mediterranean CiAes Conference June 25, 2012
Los Angeles, California

Andrew Schwarz P.E.

Irrigated Agriculture

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California Water Management Systems

75 Million acre-feet/year State Water /year) Central Valley Local water 3projects (92.5 Billion m Project

Project and other Federal

Climate Change Impacts

Shrinking Snowpack Changing Hydrology Flooding Sea Level Rise/Salinity Intrusion PotenAal Water Demand Changes

We need that snow to stay high in the watershed unAl aPer the ood season has passed

Sacramento River System

San Joaquin River System

And Then There is Sea Level Rise

 To maintain salinity gradients at their current posiAons we would have to reduce exports by about 23%, carry-over storage would be reduced by 36% by end of century. System interrupAons occur in 1 in 4 years Groundwater pumping throughout the state increases by 15% to make up for shortages, leading to addiAonal overdraP

 Deal with more snowmelt moving into the March transiAon period? (ood protecAon vs. water supply) Deal with increased direct runo and decreased snowmelt runo? (ood protecAon and lack of storage capacity) Will there be more/fewer storms? (uncertainty and variability) Will the character of storms change and how will that aect forecasAng? (uncertainty and variability) Re-imagine the Delta and how to manage it in the face of sea level rise (water supply vs. ecosystems vs. exisAng land uses)