On March 17, 2016 (St Patty's Day!) we convened a Gathering with 4 water agencies to talk about land stewardship, drought, and partnerships. More info over at: http://openspacecouncil.org/community-events/gatherings/

1. Where the Water and Land Meet
Drought, Climate Resiliency,
and
Water Agency Land Management
Tim Ramirez
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
March 17, 2016
Bay Area Open Space Council
Almost Spring Gathering
1

2. 2

3. Alameda Watershed
3

4. Drinking Water Agencies…
• …are similar, and different, compared to other
public open space managers
• How are we similar?
• All of the same challenges – plant pathogens, ongoing operations
and maintenance costs, navigating federal/state environmental
review processes
• How are we different?
• Funded by ratepayers…and land management is never a priority
• Public access is an education opportunity, not a first order priority
• Federal and state drinking water regulatory framework in addition
to environmental review
4

5. Drinking Water Agencies…
• We are BIG!
• EBMUD – 28,000 acres in Alameda and Contra
Costa Counties
• MMWD – 22,000 acres in Marin County
• SCVWD – 17,000 acres in Santa Clara County
• SFPUC – 60,000 acres in Alameda, Santa Clara,
and San Mateo Counties, plus 210 miles of ROW5

6. 6
Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System
and Watersheds

7. Drinking Water Agencies…
• The LAND is important! From the Conservation
Lands Network…
• Water agencies own/manage almost 20% of public open space in
the Bay Area
• 1/6 of the land determined to be “essential” to biodiversity is
owned/managed by water agencies
• Nearly all (90%) of the land owned/managed by water agencies is
“essential” to biodiversity
• Thanks Tom!
7

8. Drinking Water Agencies…
• Changes in land management are made in the
context of how investments are paid for, and
drinking water regulations – in addition to the
environmental review process
• Example – public access/recreation and “raw water” event
• And…history, and evolution, of land acquisition
and management also creates context
• Examples – Pacific Northwest Watershed Managers (Portland,
Tacoma, Seattle, Victoria, Vancouver…and now New York and
Boston)
8

9. Peninsula Watershed
Bay Area Ridge Trail
9

10. Drinking Water Agencies…
• Drought implications?
• Additional risks as land managers
• Dead/dying vegetation and increased potential for fire
• Biological response (in addition to plant pathogens) – potential to
delay mitigation projects
• Reduced budgets
• In response to customers conserving water
10

11. Peninsula Watershed – Hazard Tree Removal
11

12. Alameda Watershed – Mitigation Site
12

13. Snowpack

14. Total Deliveries

15. Total Deliveries