Allan Fulton Irrigation and Water Resources Advisor ...

Allan FultonIrrigation and Water Resources AdvisorUniversity of California Cooperative ExtensionTehama, Glenn, Colusa, and Shasta [email protected]

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Provide background information regarding the establishment of the Tehama Colusa Canal Authority (TCCA)

Explain how the TCCA supports sustainable groundwater conditions through conjunctive water use

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It’s Construction Sacramento River

Division Central Valley Project

Authorized 1950 (President Truman)

Reaches 111 miles Total – 140 miles of

canals and service outlets Corning Canal finished

1959 TCC constructed in eight

reaches (phases) TCC finished in 1980

3

Today Spans four counties 17 Central Valley

Project contractors Joint Powers Authority $250 million annually

in crop revenues $1 billion annual

contribution to the regional economy

4

Today Modern conveyance

and delivery system◦ Receives water from

Shasta and Keswick Dams◦ Lined canal and pipeline

conveyance ◦ Metered outlets◦ Water available on

demand◦ Water delivered under

pressure

5

Today 150,000 acres in service area◦ Nut crops, olives, vines (drip and micro irrigation)◦ Alfalfa and pasture◦ Vegetables, row and seed crops◦ Rice and small grains

Annual crop water use 1.5 to 4.0 ac-ft/acre Wet/Normal year water allocation 2.0 ac-

ft/acre Conjunctive use of surface water and

groundwater practiced

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What is conjunctive water use ?

A water resource management approach that recognizes a natural hydrologic connection between surface water and groundwater and tries to understand and utilize it so the overall water supply is used more efficiently.

Using surface and groundwater together◦ Improve availability and

reliability◦ Manage water supplies for

multiple beneficial uses◦ Economical and practical

Small to large scale Short, annual, or long

cycle Involves balancing

groundwater recharge and extraction (recovery)

Natural and/or active

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Groundwater extraction (pumping)◦ Substantial acreage under drip and microirrigation

In-lieu recharge◦ Substitute surface water for groundwater and reduce

extraction Groundwater recharge◦ Percolation of surface water from flood or furrow

irrigation◦ Percolation from conveyance facilities (relatively low for

TCC)

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0

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90223

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273

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313

Mar

-73

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-75

Mar

-77

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-79

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-81

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-83

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-87

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-89

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-91

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-99

Mar

-01

Mar

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Mar

-05

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-07

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-09

Mar

-11

Mar

-13

Water Surface Elevation and Depth for State Well Number 24N03W17M001M (West of Corning)

Depth

to Water (ft.)

Measurement Date

Ground Surface Elevation 313 ft above sea level

25 feet increase in groundwater

level.

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-100

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Mar

-73

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-79

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-88

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-91

Mar

-94

Mar

-97

Mar

-00

Mar

-03

Mar

-06

Mar

-09

Mar

-12

Elev

atio

n (ft

. abo

ve s

ea le

vel)

Measurement Date

Ground Surface Elevation 189.5 ft above sea level

Water Surface Elevation and Depth for State Well Number 20N04W12F002M. (West of Artois)

Depth

to Water (ft.)


level.

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-90

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-30

-20

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Mar

-65

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-68

Mar

-71

Mar

-74

Mar

-77

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-80

Mar

-83

Mar

-86

Mar

-89

Mar

-92

Mar

-95

Mar

-98

Mar

-01

Mar

-04

Mar

-07

Mar

-10

Mar

-13

Elev

atio

n (ft

. abo

ve s

ea le

vel)

Measurement Date

Water Surface Elevation and Depth for State Well Number 19N04W01A001M.

(West of Willows)


Depth

to Water (ft.)


level.

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01020304050607080901001101201301401501601701806

162636465666768696

106116126136146156166176186

Mar

-65

Mar

-68

Mar

-71

Mar

-74

Mar

-77

Mar

-80

Mar

-83

Mar

-86

Mar

-89

Mar

-92

Mar

-95

Mar

-98

Mar

-01

Mar

-04

Mar

-07

Mar

-10

Mar

-13

Depth

to Water (ft.)

Measurement Date

Water Surface Elevation and Depth for State Well Number 13N02W04G001M (West of Arbuckle)



level.

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1960’s – mid 80’s◦ TCC surface

deliveries contributed recharge◦ Data trends indicate

about 25-50 feet increase of groundwater levels in TCC service area

The balance of conjunctive water use favored recharge in

TCC service area

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0

10

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30

40

50

60

70

80

90223

233

243

253

263

273

283

293

303

313

Mar

-73

Mar

-75

Mar

-77

Mar

-79

Mar

-81

Mar

-83

Mar

-85

Mar

-87

Mar

-89

Mar

-91

Mar

-93

Mar

-95

Mar

-97

Mar

-99

Mar

-01

Mar

-03

Mar

-05

Mar

-07

Mar

-09

Mar

-11

Mar

-13

Water Surface Elevation and Depth for State Well Number24N03W17M001M (West of Corning)

Depth

to Water (ft.)

Measurement Date


Groundwater levels gradually declining since late 1980’s. New lows?

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-100

-90

-80

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

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140

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190

Mar

-73

Mar

-76

Mar

-79

Mar

-82

Mar

-85

Mar

-88

Mar

-91

Mar

-94

Mar

-97

Mar

-00

Mar

-03

Mar

-06

Mar

-09

Mar

-12

Elev

atio

n (ft

. abo

ve s

ea le

vel)

Measurement Date


Water Surface Elevation and Depth for State Well Number 20N04W12F002M. (West of Artois)

Depth

to Water (ft.)

Groundwater levels indicate more variability

and reflect effect of drought and other

factors. Declining in last decade.

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-90

-80

-70

-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0

80

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100

110

120

130

140

150

160

170

Mar

-65

Mar

-68

Mar

-71

Mar

-74

Mar

-77

Mar

-80

Mar

-83

Mar

-86

Mar

-89

Mar

-92

Mar

-95

Mar

-98

Mar

-01

Mar

-04

Mar

-07

Mar

-10

Mar

-13

Elev

atio

n (ft

. abo

ve s

ea le

vel)

Measurement Date

Water Surface Elevation and Depth for State Well Number 19N04W01A001M.

(West of Willows)


Depth

to Water (ft.)

Relatively stable groundwater levels

still reflecting recharge from TCC

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01020304050607080901001101201301401501601701806

162636465666768696

106116126136146156166176186

Mar

-65

Mar

-68

Mar

-71

Mar

-74

Mar

-77

Mar

-80

Mar

-83

Mar

-86

Mar

-89

Mar

-92

Mar

-95

Mar

-98

Mar

-01

Mar

-04

Mar

-07

Mar

-10

Mar

-13

Depth

to Water (ft.)

Measurement Date

Water Surface Elevation and Depth for State Well Number 13N02W04G001M (West of Arbuckle)


Groundwater levels declining since about

2000. New lows?

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1990’s – present◦ Data indicates declining

groundwater levels in some (not all) parts of TCC service area

◦ Some areas with “new lows” with respect to historic groundwater levels

◦ What variables are tipping the balance towards extraction and declining groundwater levels?

◦ TCC still provides infrastructure for potential conjunctive water management options

The balance of conjunctive water use tipping more towards

extraction than recharge in TCC

service area

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Conjunctive Water Use Conjunctive Water Mgt

Using surface water and groundwater in combination

Improve water availability and reliability

Provide for multiple beneficial uses

Economical and practical

Includes conjunctive use principles

Add-ons◦ Increase understanding of

beneficial uses (needs)◦ Monitoring groundwater

conditions◦ Evaluate monitoring data and

beneficial uses as basis for local management objectives and policies

◦ Adaptation◦ Iterative◦ Outreach/Education

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0102030405060708090100110120130140147.5

157.5167.5177.5187.5197.5207.5217.5227.5237.5247.5257.5267.5277.5287.5

Nov

-73

Nov

-75

Nov

-77

Nov

-79

Nov

-81

Nov

-83

Nov

-85

Nov

-87

Nov

-89

Nov

-91

Nov

-93

Nov

-95

Nov

-97

Nov

-99

Nov

-01

Nov

-03

Nov

-05

Nov

-07

Nov

-09

Nov

-11

Measurement Date

Water Surface Elevation and Depthfor State Well Number 22N03W30C001M

Ground Surface Elevation 287.5 feet above sea level

Depth

to Water (ft.)

Current Stage 1 & 2 Alert levels

Current Stage 3 Alert level

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Example Basin Management Objective (BMO) in Glenn County and consideration of more than

one beneficial use

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50Cu

mulative freq

uency (%

)

Total Depth (ft. below ground surface)

Num

ber o

f Wells

Wells Installed From 1950 to 2010 Within 9 Square Miles Surrounding State Well Number 22N03W30C001M

Number of Other & Unknown Wells

Number of Irrigation Wells

Number of Domestic Wells

CumulativeFrequency (%)

Current Stage 1 & 2 for 30C01 (110.1 ft bgs)Current Stage 3 for 30C01 (120 ft bgs)New Proposed Stage 1?New Proposed Stage 2?

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Portrayal of well density in Butte and Tehama Counties

Challenges to conjunctive water management◦ Providing for multiple beneficial uses◦ Balancing utilization of water to

support thriving economies with preservation of water and natural resources

Leading variables influencing conjunctive water management◦ Competition for surface water

Sources for local management Sources for export

◦ Drought◦ Local land use changes and planning◦ Capacity to engage in monitoring, data

evaluation, local oversight, and decision making Trust and commitment to local water management Institutional and economic barriers

◦ Others?

Butte County

TehamaCounty

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[email protected]

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Allan Fulton Irrigation and Water Resources Advisor ...

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