Sustainable Schools – Sustainable Solutions Conference June 19, 2012

1. Oregon’s Integrated Water Resources Strategy: Moving from Development to Implementation Sustainable Schools – Sustainable Solutions Conference June 19, 2012 Ruben Ochoa, Water Policy Analyst Oregon Water Resources Department

2. The Charge to Develop a Strategy Oregon’s House Bill 3369 (2009) • Directs WRD to lead efforts to “understand and meet” Oregon’s water needs” • Partner with DEQ, ODFW, ODA, other agencies, tribes, stakeholders, public • Account for coming pressures • instream and out-of-stream • …quality, quantity & ecosystem needs …today and in the future

3. The IWRS Process • Setting the Stage • - 3-year Workplan, Issue Papers, Map Gallery • - Formation of Project Team and 3 Advisory Groups • Identifying Water Resource Needs • - 11 Open Houses, Stakeholder Workshops, Survey, Public Comments, Advisory Groups • - Development of Framework (goals, objectives, guiding principles, critical issues) • Developing Draft Recommended Actions • - 12 “Bulletins” containing recommended actions • - Continued input from advisory groups (policy, state agencies, and federal partners) • - Release of “2011 Discussion Draft” in December 2011 • Producing Oregon’s 1st Integrated Water Resources Strategy • - Accepted public comment on discussion draft through March 15, 2012 • - New version by the end of May • - Water Resources Commission notifying other boards & commissions; seeking endorsement • - WRC scheduled to consider adoption in August 2012.

4. The IWRS Today General Approach • Building upon a good foundation of policy and data • Preserve rights and authorities that are in place today • Voluntary, incentive-based approach • Practical, ”implementable” recommendations • Heavy focus on the data required for decision-making

5. The State of Water Resources in Oregon ~ 96 million acre feet of water / year Protected for instream use

6. The State of Water Resources in Oregon • If the majority of the pie is unallocated, • what’s the problem? • Location • Timing • Form

7. Mean Annual Precipitation in Oregon The State of Water Resources in Oregon: Location

8. The State of Water Resources in Oregon: Timing

9. The State of Water Resources in Oregon: Form Current Precipitation Conditions Percent of annual precipitation falling as rain Future Scenario (3° F increase)

10. The State of Water Resources in Oregon: Groundwater Quantity and Quality

11. The State of Water Resources in Oregon The Water and Energy Nexus • Energy used to pump, treat, and heat water accounts for at least 13 percent • of the nation’s total electricity use. • For municipalities, the energy costs for managing water and wastewater • can represent one-third of their total energy bill. • Forty-two percent of Oregon’s electric power comes from hydropower – • the availability of water is essential to hydroelectric generation. • Oregon’s Building Codes Division recently approved Statewide Alternative • Methods (SAMs) on rainwater harvesting for commercial and residential • construction as well as potable and non-potable uses; graywater use. • Strategy recommends enhanced connection between Oregon’s long-term • energy and water strategies.

12. How Will the IWRS Benefit Oregon? • Data Developing science leads to better management • (Rec. Actions #1 – 6)

13. How Will the IWRS Benefit Oregon? • Education and Outreach…(Rec. Actions #8b) • Preparing Oregon’s Next Generation of Water Experts Environmental engineers Soils scientists Water treatment plant operators GIS/Mapping Toxicologists Geologists Attorneys Zoologists Wastewater treatment plant operators Epidemiologists Policy wonks! Civil engineers Water utility workers Public Finance Watermasters Biologists Chemists Hydrogeologists Mechanical engineers Nanotechnologists Hydrologists

14. How Will the IWRS Benefit Oregon? • Education and Outreach…(Rec. Actions #8b) • Preparing Oregon’s Next Generation of Water Experts Environmental engineers Soils scientists Water treatment plant operators GIS/Mapping www.workforwater.org Toxicologists Geologists Attorneys Zoologists Wastewater treatment plant operators Epidemiologists Policy wonks! Civil engineers Water utility workers Public Finance Watermasters Biologists Chemists Hydrogeologists Mechanical engineers Nanotechnologists Hydrologists

15. How Will the IWRS Benefit Oregon? • Water Supply Development • Leads to safe and reliable supplies, (Rec. Actions # 10a-d)

16. The Road Ahead • Water Resources Commission consider IWRS adoption - August • Some implementation requires no legislative action or budget $ • For example, updating the state’s permitting guide • Interagency coordination • Making data more accessible on the web • Some entail budget / legislative requests for 2013 and beyond • For example, developing additional data for science-based decision-making • Creating a water supply development program

17. Oregon’s Integrated Water Resources Strategy Questions? Contact: waterstrategy@wrd.state.or.us