Post on 12-Jan-2016
John J. Entsminger, General Manager
www.snwa.com
Belts, Suspenders and Safety Pins:
How America’s Driest City is Preparing for an Uncertain
Future
Approximately:
- 8,000 square miles
- 2 million residents
- 40 million annual visitors
- 4 inches annual rainfall
Southern Nevada: A Snapshot
Regional water supply planning
Conservationprogramming
Operate Major Regional Facilities
Water Quality
Facility construction
What We Do:
3
Southern Nevada relies on Colorado River resources to meet 90 percent of its water demands.
3,900,000
1,000,000
850,000
1,700,000
4,440,000
2,850,000
300,000
ColoradoWyomingNew MexicoUtahCaliforniaArizonaNevada
Nevada receives 300,000 acre-feet of Colorado River water annually.
Beginning in 1999, the Colorado River Basin has been experiencing severe drought conditions.
January 2000 Elevation: 1,214 ft.July 2010 Elevation: 1,087 ft.
The drought has had devastating impacts to Lake Mead’s water elevations.
8
850
875
900
925
950
975
1,000
1,025
1,050
1,075
1,100
1,125
1,150
1% 5% 10% 25% 50%
YEAR
Lake
Mea
d El
evati
on in
Fee
t
2025 2030 20352015 2020 2040 2045 2050 2055 2060
Ongoing, persistent drought projections anticipate that reservoir elevations will remain low.
Elevation Probabilities
Access to water supplies Access lost at 1,000 feet – currently at 1,085 feet
Compromised water quality
Additional treatment costs
Additional power costs
New facility or facility upgrade costs
Supplemental resource costs
Loss of operational flexibility
Note: Analysis done using Historical Hydrology only
What does lowered Lake Mead elevations
mean for Southern Nevada?
Lake Mead Intake Profile
Intake 1
Intake 2
What We’re Doing:
Reducing Demands
Working with Colorado
River partners
Securing temporary
and long-term supplies
Safeguarding our access
Southern Nevada has been diligent in its conservation efforts.
Development codesLandscape rebatesWatering restrictionsFixture retrofit kitsWater auditsCar wash couponsEfficient irrigation programsWater Efficient TechnologiesPool cover rebatesWater Smart Contractor programWater Smart Home programWater Upon Request programWater Conservation CoalitionWater Smart Innovations ConferenceConservation HelplineDemonstration GardensH2O UniversityWater waste investigations
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 20130
50,000
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
350,000
1.5 mil
1.6 mil
1.7 mil
1.8 mil
1.9 mil
2 milPopulation
14
Southern Nevada consumptively used about 32 billion gallons less water in 2013
than in 2002, despite annual population increases and millions of annual visitors.
Water Use (Acre-feet)
Since Water Smart Landscapes Program inception:
• $205 million invested to date
• 78 billion gallons saved
• 170 million square feet of turf converted*
*Southern Nevada has removed enough grass for a roll of sod to extend 86 percent of earth’s circumference! (Approximately 25,000 miles)
15
What We’re Doing:
Reducing Demands
Working with Colorado
River partners
Securing temporary
and long-term supplies
Safeguarding our access
• Coordinated operations of the system’s two major reservoirs
• Shortages
• River augmentation
• Environmental issues
Since the onset of the drought, the seven Colorado River Basin states have been cooperatively addressing river issues:
Protecting river supplies remains a priority for the Basin States:
• System Conservation programs
• Weather modification efforts
• Conservation and resource opportunities with the country of Mexico
The United States also began working with Mexico to address basin-wide concerns.
1944 Water Treaty (US-Mexico)
MINUTE 318Mitigated earthquake
impacts – stored water in one country on behalf of another.
MINUTE 319Creates pilot program to replenish Colorado River Mexican Delta wetlands and outlines conditions for delivery reductions among the countries
19
What We’re Doing:
Reducing Demands
Working with Colorado
River partners
Securing temporary
and long-term supplies
Safeguarding our access
Temporary water supplies will meet interim demands until more permanent supplies are developed.
Arizona Water BankCalifornia Water BankSouthern Nevada Water BankVirgin and Muddy River Tributary Conservation and Imported ICSBrock Reservoir ICSYuma Desalting PlantExtraordinary Conservation ICSBinational ICS
Virgin River, Nevada
Groundwater Development Project alignment
A water supply separate from the drought-stricken Colorado River is necessary.
What We’re Doing:
Reducing Demands
Working with Colorado
River partners
Securing temporary
and long-term supplies
Safeguarding our access
Intake 1
Intake 21,000 Feet
1,050 Feet
The SNWA is constructing a third intake in Lake Mead to access the deepest part of the lake.
860 FeetIntake 3
- Replaces capacity in the event declining lake levels render Lake Mead Intake No. 1 inoperable
- Accesses water of best quality (deepest part of lake)
- Construction started 2008; to be finished in 2015
New Intake Site
Intake No. 3
Pumping Station
Discharge PipelineIntake 1
Water Treatment
Plant
Intake Structure
Access Shafts
Intake Tunnel
Connector Tunnel
Intake 2 Connection Intake 2
Major Project Components
• $817 million, all locally funded
• 3 shafts(Up to 30 ft. diameter and 600 ft deep)
•4 miles of tunnel(Up to 20 ft in diameter)
• A 100-ft tall steel and concrete intake structure on the lake bottom
CutterDiscs
Irreparable Cutter Discs
Worn Cutter Disc
Tunnel Boring Machine
Cement trucks for intake structure placement
Intake structure
Intake Structure Installation
Total Tremie Concrete = 11,300 cy
February and March 2012
A Look Ahead…Intake Structure Tie in
10-ft.
INTAKE 1
INTAKE 2
WATER TREATMENT
FACILITY
INTAKE STRUCTURE
ACCESS SHAFTS
(Complete)
INTAKE TUNNEL
CONNECTOR TUNNEL
CompletedJun 2010
Completed Jul 2014
INTAKE 2 CONNECTION
CompletedMar 2012
Lake Mead Intake No. 3Current Progress – August 2014
Current Tunnel Progress - 77%
It will take a suite of tools to minimize Southern Nevada’s drought risks.
When these tools are used in concert, Southern Nevada will enjoy reliable water supplies for years into the future.