LA Sustainable Water Project: Los Angeles City-Wide Overview

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | February 1st, 2018

This report assesses the potential to improve water quality standards while integrating complementary One Water Management practices that can increase potential local wat

This report assesses the potential to improve water quality standards while integrating complementary One Water Management practices that can increase potential local water supplies for the City of Los Angeles (the City).  This final report summarizes the current practices and future opportunities at the City-owned Water Reclamation Plants and underlying groundwater basins and highlights the importance of considering all aspects of integrated water management even when dealing with water quality or supply-focused projects. Implementing watershed-scale best management practice programs to meet stormwater permit requirements will significantly improve water quality in all watersheds.  However, additional mechanisms such as increasing Low Impact Development implementation and comprehensive source tracking and source control mechanisms will be required to potentially eliminate water quality exceedances.  There are multiple efforts occurring in the City and the region to increase the recharge of recycled water into the ground and the volumes of remediated groundwater extracted. This research further assessed the impacts of potential water supply portfolios, with greater volumes of locally-supplied water, on GHG emissions and energy needs of supplying LA’s water.  Conservation will be another powerful tool to decrease our dependence on imported water.  This research demonstrates the complex interrelationships between all aspects of urban water management, including, for example, stormwater management and local water supply.

LA Sustainable Water Project: Los Angeles River Watershed

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) | September 1st, 2017

The LA Sustainable Water Project: Los Angeles River Watershed report explores the potential to improve water quality standards while integrating complementary One Water M

The LA Sustainable Water Project: Los Angeles River Watershed report explores the potential to improve water quality standards while integrating complementary One Water Management practices that can increase potential local water supplies for the City of Los Angeles (the City) in the highly urbanized Los Angeles River (LAR) watershed.To assess the integrated water landscape in this watershed, the report also looks at current practices and future opportunities at the Donald C Tillman, LA Glendale, and Burbank Water Reclamation Plants (WRPs) and in the underlying Upper LA River Area (ULARA) adjudicated groundwater basins. Implementing watershed-scale best management practice programs to meet stormwater permit requirements will significantly improve water quality. However, additional mechanisms such as increasing Low Impact Development implementation and comprehensive source tracking and source control mechanisms will be required to potentially eliminate water quality exceedances. The 3 WRPs in the watershed currently discharge more than 30 million gallons per day of treated wastewater into the River; an increased focus on increasing local water supply could lead to a reduction in these discharges. The combination of increased stormwater capture and increased use of recycled water in the LAR watershed could lead to lower flows in the LAR and impact habitat and recreational uses; further study is needed to characterize potential impacts and identify optimal flows for the future of the LAR. The City is leading efforts in ULARA to increase the recharge of recycled water into theground by 30,000 acre feet per year and increase the volumes of remediated groundwater extracted by around 120,000 acre feet per year. This research demonstrates the complex interrelationships between all aspects of urban water management, including stormwater management and local water supply.

Land subsidence in the San Joaquin Valley, California, USA, 2007–2014

Copernicus Publications | November 12th, 2015

Land Transitions and Dust in the San Joaquin Valley

Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) | July 24th, 2022

The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) requires groundwater users to bring their basins into balance over the next two decades. In the San Joaquin Valley, this

The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) requires groundwater users to bring their basins into balance over the next two decades. In the San Joaquin Valley, this will mean taking more than 500,000 acres of agricultural land out of intensive irrigated production. Among other issues, this could potentially lead to air quality impacts if the lands become new sources of dust, especially windblown dust, which can have numerous negative short- and long-term health and environmental impacts. In addition, the changing climate may exacerbate risks as warmer temperatures can dry out soils and increase dust emissions. The overall air quality impact of transitioning agricultural land to new uses is nuanced, but proactive management can help to identify high-risk areas and at-risk communities, and direct effort and funding to the most cost-effective interventions.

Land use and land cover influence on water quality in the last free-flowing river draining the western Sierra Nevada, California

Journal of Hydrology (Elsevier) | November 10th, 2005

Land use and land cover across 28 sub-basins within the Cosumnes Watershed, CA (1989 km2) were correlated to nitrate-N and total suspended solids (TSS) loading between w

Land use and land cover across 28 sub-basins within the Cosumnes Watershed, CA (1989 km2) were correlated to nitrate-N and total suspended solids (TSS) loading between water years 1999 and 2001. The impact of human development on stream water quality was evident as both agricultural area and population density predicted TSS loading in a linear mixed effects model. In contrast to the TSS model, the nitrate-N loading model was more complex with agriculture, grassland, and the presence or absence of waste water treatment plants (WWTPs) all contributing. The lack of correlation between population density and nitrate-N loading indicates that human habitation of the landscape does not impact stream nitrate levels until a WWTP is built within the sub-basin. During dry water years the models predict a linear reduction in TSS loading but the correlations to agriculture and population density remain positive. In contrast, nitrate is positively correlated to grasslands during average water years and negatively correlated during dry water years. Analysis of constituent fluxes from the upper watershed versus the lower watershed indicates that silica is derived primarily from the uplands and that during dry water years the upper watershed is an important source of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrate. The lower watershed contributes the majority of the sediment and nutrients during both dry and average water years, the one caveat being that during dry years the lower basin becomes a nitrate sink.

Land Use and Resource Management Plan for the Primary Zone of the Delta

Delta Protection Commission (DPC) | February 25th, 2010

The Delta Protection Act of 1992 (Act) established the Delta Protection Commission, a State entity to plan for and guide the conservation and enhancement of the natural r

The Delta Protection Act of 1992 (Act) established the Delta Protection Commission, a State entity to plan for and guide the conservation and enhancement of the natural resources of the Delta, while sustaining agriculture and meeting increased recreational demand. The Act defines a Primary Zone, which comprises the principal jurisdiction of the Delta Protection Commission. The Secondary Zone is the area outside the Primary Zone and within the “Legal Delta”; the Secondary Zone is not within the planning area of the Delta Protection Commission. The Act requires the Commission to prepare and adopt a Land Use and Resource Management Plan for the Primary Zone of the Delta, which must meet specific goals. This document constitutes the Land Use and Resource Management Plan for the Primary Zone of the Delta (Plan), as updated in 2010. The Act (Public Resources Code Section 29760 et. seq.) requires the Commission to prepare and adopt and thereafter review and maintain a comprehensive long-term Resource Management Plan for land uses within the Primary Zone of the Delta (“Resource Management Plan”). The Resource Management Plan is to set forth a description of the needs and goals for the Delta and a statement of the policies, standards, and elements of the Resource Management Plan. Within 180 days of the adoption of the Resource Management Plan or any amendments by the Commission, all local governments, as defined in Public Resources Code Section 29725, shall submit to the Commission proposed amendments to their general plans. The amendments shall cause the general plans to be consistent with the criteria in Public Resources Code Section 29763.5 with respect to land located within the Primary Zone. Those criteria include a requirement that the general plan be consistent with the Resource Management Plan (Plan).

Land Use Planning and Management (Resource Management Strategy)

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | July 29th, 2016

Land use planning and management cuts across many resource management strategies (see Box 1). More efficient and effective land use is linked to several resource manageme

Land use planning and management cuts across many resource management strategies (see Box 1). More efficient and effective land use is linked to several resource management strategies including watershed, water use efficiency, groundwater quality, flood management, parks and recreation, climate change adaptive management, and agricultural lands stewardship. Directing development away from agricultural lands permits multi-objective management of these lands for agricultural preservation, floodplain management, water quality, habitat conservation, and sustainable development. In addition, planning for more compact and sustainable communities, both urban and rural, will assist in reducing reliance on the state’s water supply, and result in more efficient use of California’s water resources. Important considerations of water issues and land use planning include not only the effects of the physical environment, but also the economic and social impacts of land use planning and development. Stronger collaboration between land use planners and water managers can promote more efficient and effective land-use patterns and integrated regional water management (IRWM) practices, which can produce safer and more resilient communities. Integrating land use and water management consists of planning for the housing and economic development needs of a growing population, while providing for the efficient use of water, water quality, energy, and other resources. The way in which Californians use land — the type of land use, transportation, and level of use — has a direct relationship to water supply and quality, flood management, hazard mitigation, and other water issues. Likewise, the better integrated water resources are, the more efficient local communities can be at producing land use planning benefits and opportunities. For example, compact development patterns in existing urban areas can limit the amount of development in floodplains, leading to improved flood management and safety and more efficient infrastructure. Land use planners consider water throughout the local land use planning process, and water is a critical element in adopting efficient land use planning policies. The availability of water supplies, water resource features such as streams, wetlands, and groundwater recharge areas, and policies and regulations about water quality, drainage, and flooding are all considered for a community’s land use vision. Planners should also consider the benefits of integrating water- related features for flood management, water supply and quality, recreation, and climate change adaptive management.

Land Use/Water Supply Analysis Guidebook

Northern California Water Association | November 13th, 2008

The primary objective of the Land Use/ Water Supply Guidebook (Guidebook) is to provide members of the Northern California Water Association (NCWA) with practical inform

The primary objective of the Land Use/ Water Supply Guidebook (Guidebook) is to provide members of the Northern California Water Association (NCWA) with practical information to assist them with review or preparation of water supply and demand analyses as part of local land use planning processes. Through a broader understanding of the statutory requirements and relevant analytical methods, NCWA members can help ensure that Sacramento Valley land use planning efforts effectively consider water resources management issues. The Guidebook builds upon the successful efforts of the participants in the Sacramento Valley Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP), which recognize that rapidly changing water use patterns in the Sacramento Valley are impacting business decisions. At the center of this change in Sacramento Valley water use patterns are the changes in land use in a historically agricultural region, driven primarily by urban development that is relying almost exclusively upon groundwater resources to meet new demands. Additionally, changing cropping patterns and managed wetlands may require additional water supplies. The Guidebook will highlight opportunities to maximize Sacramento Valley water resources and to avoid conflict by identifying the primary processes in California for linking water supply planning and land use planning at the local government level. The Guidebook focuses upon the water supply planning components in relevant land use planning documents, the assumptions used to develop the data and the conclusions, and considerations of the typical scope and depth of the required elements. By clearly identifying the range of reasonable assumptions, water managers, land use planners, special district board members, and local government staff and officials may effectively coordinate their efforts as part of the IRWMP and continue practicing integrated regional water management.

LandFlex Grant Program Guidelines

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | January 14th, 2023

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is administering the LandFlex Grant Program (LandFlex) through DWR’s Sustainable Groundwater Management (SGM) Grant P

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is administering the LandFlex Grant Program (LandFlex) through DWR’s Sustainable Groundwater Management (SGM) Grant Program. LandFlex (referred to as Ag Drought Relief) will award funds authorized by the California Budget Act of 2021 (Stats. 2021, ch. 44, § 25). This document contains DWR’s Guidelines and scoring criteria (Guidelines) for LandFlex. Climate change means that California needs to plan for a hotter, drier future. Long-term drought, fueled by climate change, has adversely affected the State’s water supplies, which includes groundwater availbility. In response to the Governor’s California’s Water Supply Strategy, Adapting to a Hotter, Drier Future, DWR will launch the LandFlex Program as a new and innovative tool to protect vulnerable drinking water wells. LandFlex will provide incentives to farmers to limit groundwater pumping in areas near communities reliant on vulnerable drinking water wells before they go dry. LandFlex combines traditional short-term fallowing incentives with the elimination of long-term unsustainable groundwater pumping, a unique approach to groundwater resilience. LandFlex is a program that will provide $25 million in block grants to local government agencies to grant to farmers who limit agricultural water use. Local government agencies will work directly with farmers in critically overdrafted (COD) basins (as identified in Bulletin 118) to identify lands that would reduce pumping impacts to nearby drinking water wells. Through financial incentives to farmers, LandFlex will provide multiple community benefits such as drinking water well relief, groundwater overdraft prevention, and climate resilience.

Landflex Grant Program Guidelines (revised)

California Department of Water Resources (DWR) | October 31st, 2024