Central Texas Drought and
Floods,
The Austin Region’s Response
Daryl Slusher, Assistant Director
Austin Water
September 28, 2015
1
Austin Water
• Public utility owned by City of
Austin
Ullrich Water
Treatment Plant
• Water, Wastewater and
Reclaimed Water Utility
• 900,000+ population served
• 3 water treatment plants
• 2 main wastewater treatment
plants, Hornsby Bend Biosolids
Plant
51st Street
Reclaimed
Water Tank
• Water rights and long term
contracts for more than twice
the water Austin is currently
using
– from the “other” Colorado River,
sole source of Austin’s drinking
water
South Austin Regional
Wastewater Treatment Plant
Water supply lakes for Austin and
Central Texas
Austin’s Drinking Water Reservoirs: Lakes Travis and Buchanan
Lake Travis, before the drought
Image Courtesy of LCRA
In drought
Central Texas Drought:
The Numbers
Drought chronology
• Drought began 2008
• Temporary relief with wet year in 2010
• Followed by one of hottest and driest years in Texas history, 90 days
over 100 degrees
• Dry years continue, drought determined worse than legendary 1950s
Texas “Drought of Record”
• Lakes sunk below one-third full, but did not hit emergency level of
30% / 600,000 acre-feet
• Heavy rains and flooding Memorial Day weekend May 2015
• Lakes now at 73%; Austin continues Stage 2 drought restrictions
Historical Drought Trends
1952
2010
2015
Calendar Year Totals, ac-ft
Average
1,216,295
2011
127,802
2012
393,163
2013
215,138
2014
209,023
Inflows in
2011 were
11% of
Average
Higher Rainfall but
Lower Inflow: A Climate Paradox
•
Rainfall slightly more in lake watersheds than in 1950s
Drought of Record, yet inflows dramatically lower
•
Possible explanations
– Higher temperatures leading to more rainfall absorbed
into the ground
– Upstream impoundments like stock tanks reducing
inflow to the lakes
•
Even with similar amounts of precipitation, the future may
mean reduced water availability.
We are in
Uncharted Territory.
~1.3M acre-feet
Behind the 1950s
Drought of
Record
(Lakes full at
2.01M acre-feet)
Drought Response:
Building Resiliency
Multi-Faceted Drought Strategies
 Strengthened water conservation programs in 2007 including two
day per week mandatory watering restrictions
 Moved to Stage 2 restrictions in 2011, including one day per week
watering
 Further strengthened Drought Contingency Plan in 2012
 Unprecedented curtailment of downstream agricultural users i.e.
rice farmers, beginning 2012
14
2007 Water Conservation Task Force
Recommendations: Ten-Year Estimated
Peak Day Savings
Millions of Gallons per Day
1.
2.
3.
4.
Unprecedented Curtailment of
Agricultural/Interruptible Customers
• State-approved
Emergency Orders
curtailed agricultural
releases in 2012, 2013
and 2014
• New Water Management
Plan pending at state
Austin’s Stage 2 Restrictions
• Outdoor watering
limited to one day
per week
• No home washing
of automobiles,
wash at
commercial
facilities only
• Charity car
washes prohibited
Austin’s Stage 2 Restrictions, continued
• No operation of
ornamental
fountains with
aerial spray or
water fall >4”
• Commercial patio
misters 4pm-12am
only
• Austin in Stage 2
for 46 of last 48
months, including
currently
South Austin
Regional
Wastewater
Treatment
Plant
Interdepartmental and Interagency
Coordination
• Austin Energy is Austin
Water’s sister utility
• Fuel mix is approximately 20%
renewable, and then roughly
one-third gas, nuclear and coal
– One gas plant supplied
with reclaimed water and
the other with river water
with potential to switch to
reclaimed
• Power distribution is handled
on statewide basis by ERCOT,
Electric Reliability Council of
Texas
Interdepartmental and Interagency
Coordination - 2
•
Emergency planning and
response coordinated through
Emergency Operations Center
– Includes law enforcement, first
responders, utilities and other
local and state agencies
– Climate studies
•
Power outages during Memorial
Day flooding, Austin Energy
traditionally has very rapid
response
– Austin Water renewable
energy production:
– solar roof of major service
center Hornsby Bend powered
by methane cogeneration
GPCD on the decline in Austin!
Water Conservation & Drought Response
Alter Traditional Financial Patterns
Traditional Pattern
Dry Year
$
Wet Year
New Pattern
Dry Year
$
Wet Year
$
Moving to Augment Water Supply
• Walter E. Long (Decker) Lake: Convert to off-channel reservoir
• Lake Austin: Fluctuate level of constant level lake
• Lady Bird Lake: Capture local inflows and pipe water upstream.
– Considering indirect potable reuse in Drought Stage 4.
Walter E. Long
(Decker) Lake
Moving Forward
• Planning for hotter and drier climate with increased
extremes
• Continue with Colorado as sole source?
– Citizens task forces urge locally-based solutions
– Integrated Water Resources Plan
• Considering permanent one day per week restrictions
• Ongoing shift to drought tolerant landscapes
• Increasing use of renewable energy, especially solar
Questions
Contact:
Daryl Slusher
Daryl.slusher@austintexas.gov
512-972-0218
27
• Extra Slides
The Arithmetic of Drought Response
and Conservation – Impact on Rates
•
Drought response and conservation lower
revenues
•
Treating and delivering less water reduces
some costs (e.g., treatment chemicals and
pumping)
•
But savings nowhere near lost revenue
•
Treatment plants, pumping stations, other
infrastructure must still operate
•
Water must still be delivered to all customers
through underground pipes to every faucet
•
Consequently, fixed costs are very high
portion of overall costs
Ullrich Water
Treatment Plant
South
Austin
Regional
Wastewater
Treatment
Plant
Restructuring Revenues
• Adjusting water use projections downward, assuming permanent
changes
• Maintaining residential conservation block rate structure that
charges big users more
• Increasing fixed revenue goals and fixed charges, beginning in 2012
– Goal: 20% in FY15 and 25% recommended for FY16 (was 12% in FY11)
• New Stage 3 Drought Surcharge: $1.00 per 1000 gallons
• New Stage 4 Drought Surcharge: $3.00 per 1000 gallons
• Ongoing discussions about major changes in business model
Multi-Faceted Drought Strategies
 Strengthened water conservation programs in 2007
including two day per week mandatory watering
restrictions
 In 2012 strengthened existing Drought Contingency
Plan
 Staged phase in of drought restrictions based on lake levels
 Curtailment of of interruptible customers i.e.
downstream rice farmers, by Lower Colorado River
Authority
 Moved to augment water supply
 Restructuring of revenues