WESim – The Water-Energy Simulator – Helps Water and Energy Managers Plan for Change

Pacific Institute | July 5th, 2012

The Water–Energy Simulator (WESim) is an easy-to-use analytical tool that can be used to evaluate the energy and greenhouse gas implications of water management decisio

The Water–Energy Simulator (WESim) is an easy-to-use analytical tool that can be used to evaluate the energy and greenhouse gas implications of water management decisions. The Excel-based model allows the user to explore a range of possible scenarios, such as increased demand for water resources, the development of alternative water and energy sources, and needed water treatment improvements resulting from emerging contaminants and stricter water-quality guidelines. WESim can be applied by individual water and energy utilities, groups of utilities, and policymakers and decision makers. A WESim User Manual and report, Implications of Future Water Supply Sources for Energy Demands, are provided, as well. Water provision and use require energy in all phases, from source extraction to the discharge of wastewater. Multiple factors will influence the energy intensity of the water sector in the near future: climate change will affect water supply, quality, and demand, potentially creating a need for new energy-intensive supply and treatment options; population growth, water use patterns, technology, and price all will affect water demand; and emerging contaminants may require more energy-intensive treatment technologies. These trends highlight the need for a clear and consistent methodology for evaluating the energy and greenhouse gas implications of water management decisions. WESim addresses this need, as a tool that creates a common framework in which to explore alternative scenarios. The model is designed to allow you to input actual operating data on water and energy use, allowing for an analysis that better reflects operating conditions. To facilitate use of the model, defaults for the energy requirements of various components of the water and wastewater system are provided, as well. WESim was developed by The Pacific Institute and Dr. Bob Wilkinson, with support from the WateReuse Research Foundation, the California Energy Commission, and the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

West False River Drought Salinity Barrier Final EIR

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | November 8th, 2024

With the proposed project, a temporary drought salinity barrier would be installed in West False River up to two times over 10 years, with each installation remaining in

With the proposed project, a temporary drought salinity barrier would be installed in West False River up to two times over 10 years, with each installation remaining in place for up to 20 months over two consecutive calendar years. The barrier would be installed if a drought were to occur during the 2026–2035 period and the drought conditions indicate that a barrier in West False River would be an effective tool to preserve upstream reservoir storage for health, safety, and regulatory releases, while preventing saltwater intrusion into the central and southern portions of the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta (Delta). The drought salinity barrier would be constructed only if DWR, in cooperation with other State and federal agencies, determines that drought conditions have reduced water storage in Northern California reservoirs to critical levels, such that projected Delta outflow would be insufficient to control increased salinity intrusion into the Delta. 

West False River Drought Salinity Barrier Project Environmental Impact Report (Draft)

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | July 7th, 2022

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) proposes to the install the West False River Drought Salinity Barrier Project (proposed project). During drought condit

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) proposes to the install the West False River Drought Salinity Barrier Project (proposed project). During drought conditions, water stored in upstream reservoirs may be insufficient to repel salinity moving upstream from San Francisco Bay. Without the protection of the drought salinity barrier in West False River, saltwater intrusions could affect more than 27 million Californians who rely on the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta (Delta) for at least a portion of their water supply; could render Delta water unusable for agricultural needs; and could reduce the value of habitat for aquatic species. DWR installed emergency drought barriers in West False River in 2015 and 2021–2022 in response to drought conditions to protect water quality in the interior Delta. Installation of a drought salinity barrier in West False River has been shown to be an effective tool for reducing the intrusion of saltwater into the Central and South Delta based on these previous installations (see Section 1.2, “Project Background,” in Chapter 1; California Department of Water Resources 2019).

West Valley Watershed Assessment 2018: Baseline Ecological Condition Assessment of Southwest San Francisco Bay Creeks in Santa Clara County; Calabazas, San Tomas Aquino, Saratoga, Sunnyvale East and West

San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) | May 1st, 2019

This report describes baseline information about the amount and distribution of aquatic resources, and evaluates the overall ecological conditions of streams using the Ca

This report describes baseline information about the amount and distribution of aquatic resources, and evaluates the overall ecological conditions of streams using the California Rapid Assessment Method (CRAM), for the West Valley watershed in Santa Clara County; consisting of Sunnyvale East and West Channels, Calabazas Creek, San Tomas Aquino and Saratoga creeks (subsequently referred to in this document as San Tomas-Saratoga), and many smaller tributaries. 

West-Wide Climate Risk Assessments: Irrigation Demand and Reservoir Evaporation Projections

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) | February 5th, 2015

Section 9503 of the SECURE Water Act, Subtitle F of Title IX of P.L. 111-11 (2009) (SECURE Water Act), authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) to evaluate the

Section 9503 of the SECURE Water Act, Subtitle F of Title IX of P.L. 111-11 (2009) (SECURE Water Act), authorizes the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) to evaluate the risks and impacts of climate change in each of the eight major Reclamation river basins identified in the Act, and to work with stakeholders to identify climate adaptation strategies. Reclamation implements Section 9503 of the SWA through the Department of Interior’s WaterSMART Program1, which is working to achieve a sustainable water strategy to meet the Nation’s water needs now and for the future. Through Basin Studies, part of WaterSMART, Reclamation works with State and local partners to evaluate the ability to meet future water demands within a river basin and to identify adaptation and mitigation strategies of the potential impacts of climate change. Through another activity, West-Wide Climate Risk Assessments (WWCRA), Reclamation is working to provide projections of future changes in water supplies, water demands, and river system operations that could result from changes in climate. As part of WWCRA, Reclamation has conducted an analysis of the potential changes in crop irrigation demand in eight major river basins in the West and projections of evaporation for 12 reservoirs within those river basins when considering observed and projected impacts of climate change. This report contains the results of that analysis. The findings presented in this report are intended to be used for future basin-specific WWCRA impact assessments and Basin Studies conducted under WaterSMART if the teams conducting those studies elect to do so. This technical assessment report provides: (1) an analysis of changes in irrigation demand, and (2) an analysis of changes in evaporation for selected reservoirs across the major Reclamation river basins with respect to presently observed and projected future impacts of global climate change. The analysis involved developing irrigation demand and reservoir evaporation projections associated with World Climate Research Programme Coupled Model Intercomparison Project3 (WCRP CMIP3) climate projections that have been bias-corrected and spatially downscaled (BCSD) and served at the following Web site: http://gdo-dcp.ucllnl.org/downscaled_cmip_projections/dcpInterface.html. For the purposes of this study, CMIP3 climate projections were used because they represented the best available collection of climate projections at the onset of this effort (summer 2011 which was begun prior to the release of CMIP5). Although the CMIP3 and CMIP5 projections are considered equally likely potential climate futures at this time, there is significant variability in the two sets of projections. This is especially true with regard to precipitation projections, and it is significant to note the potential impact of this variability on future irrigation demand and net evaporation estimates. Changes to irrigation demand (model, described below) were analyzed for five climate change scenarios (warm-dry, warm-wet, hot-dry, hot-wet, and central tendency – ensemble median) that were informed by 112 BCSD-CMIP3 projections at three future periods: 2020s (years 2010-2039), 2050s (years 2040–2069), and 2080s (2070-2099) with 1950–1999 as the baseline period. The reservoir evaporation modeling (described below) was performed as transient simulations using the individual 112 BCSD-CMIP3 projections. Both the irrigation demands modeling and the reservoir evaporation modeling used observed data from weather stations representative of irrigated land areas and reservoir sites in a secondary bias correction step to account for local scale climate conditions in the climate change scenarios. Although it would be ideal to calculate future irrigation demands for all 112 projections using the transient method as was done for the future reservoir evaporation estimates, such calculations were not feasible given the multiple crops and numerous locations modeled.

Western and Traditional Ecological Knowledge in ecocultural restoration

University of California, Davis (UC Davis) | October 1st, 2018

 The Delta Plan (DSC 2013) calls for “protecting and enhancing the unique cultural values” of California’s Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, a 2,800-km2 (1,100 mi2)

 The Delta Plan (DSC 2013) calls for “protecting and enhancing the unique cultural values” of California’s Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta, a 2,800-km2 (1,100 mi2) region that was occupied by indigenous peoples for ~5,000 years. The legacies of Native Californians need to be included in the Delta Plan, especially Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) of ways to gather, hunt, and fish for food; build shelters; prepare medicines; and perform ceremonies — along with ways to make tools, clothing, baskets, and shelters. Plants were not just collected but also tended, which involved planned burning, digging, planting, weeding, harvesting, and seed dispersal. Populations of plants that have cultural significance and unique values should be enhanced under the Delta Plan. While Western Ecological Knowledge (WEK) offers a strong foundation for restoration of species assemblages and ecosystems, TEK adds culturally-significant species to restoration targets and traditional management practices to achieve ecological resilience. We compare 11 attributes of WEK and TEK that aid ecological restoration; all are complementary or shared by these two ways of knowing. Both WEK and TEK emphasize adaptive approaches for managing natural resources, as mandated in the Delta Plan. We suggest that WEK–TEK restoration sites throughout the Delta can be linked (virtually) to honor cultural integrity and nurture a “Sense of Place” for Native Californians and others. At the same time, such a network could foster ways to achieve sustainability through the TEK ethic of reciprocity, which WEK lacks. A network of WEK–TEK sites could enhance unique cultural values while supporting passive recreation and attracting ecotourists. 

Western Delta Intakes Concept

Bob Pyke | May 8th, 2013

A Self-Regulating, Inclusive and Sustainable Solution for the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta This white paper outlines a comprehensive solution to the current problems o

A Self-Regulating, Inclusive and Sustainable Solution for the Sacramento San Joaquin Delta This white paper outlines a comprehensive solution to the current problems of the Sacramento - San Joaquin Delta called the Western Delta Intakes Concept (WDIC). The white paper introduced the concept that in normal to dry years, water would be extracted from the Delta only through a new forebay constructed on the eastern two-thirds of Sherman Island into which water would be drawn during periods of extraction through “permeable embankments that would replace the existing levees along the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers; the approach velocities to these permeable embankments would be 100 times slower than the maximum approach velocities used in the current design of fish screens”. While the intent to make extraction of water as invisible as possible to migrating fish, including both salmonids and Delta smelt, was clear, this language failed to explain two other important considerations, one involving the fact that the existing levees would be left in place, both to provide added protection to the new embankments and to create new riparian habitat, and the other involving the small proportion of total flow at Sherman Island that would be extracted.

Westside Sacramento Integrated Regional Water Management Plan Update

Westside Sacramento Regional Water Management Group | January 3rd, 2019

This Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWM Plan) defines a clear vision for the management of water resources in the Westside Sacramento Region (Region) and

This Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWM Plan) defines a clear vision for the management of water resources in the Westside Sacramento Region (Region) and highlights important actions needed to help accomplish that vision through the year 2040. This IRWM Plan Update complies with the 2016 Integrated Regional Water Management Grant Program Guidelines applicable to Proposition 1 IRWM grant funding published by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) in July 2016. This IRWM Plan defines a clear vision for the management of water resources in the Region and highlights important actions needed to help accomplish that vision through the year 2040. The 2018 IRWM Plan complies with the Integrated Regional Water Management Guidelines for Proposition 1 published by DWR in November 2016.

Westside Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan

Westlands Water District | January 23rd, 2020

Westside Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan (Clarified and Amended GSP)

Westlands Water District | July 18th, 2022

Due to size, this file has been divided into 11 parts. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11

Due to size, this file has been divided into 11 parts. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11