1) Water issues in megaregions involve complex challenges due to their large spatial scale, which crosses political, cultural, and regulatory boundaries. 2) Megaregions have increased diversity, complexity, and quantity of water problems compared to smaller regions, as problems and solutions may not apply uniformly across their areas. 3) While the issues themselves are not new, the large scale of megaregions exacerbates existing challenges related to water management, planning, and leadership. Developing best practices is needed to adequately address water issues at this scope.

1. Water in the MegaregionWater in the Megaregion
Mike Dobbins Spring 2010

2. Necessity of waterNecessity of water

3. World Water Supplies
97%
3%
Salt Water
Fresh Water
3% Fresh Water
30%
0.3%
0.7%
69%
Ice
Ground Water
Surface Water
Atmospheric Water
Where is the WaterWhere is the Water

4. Fresh Water AvailabilityFresh Water Availability
• Of all the Water on EarthOf all the Water on Earth
– > 1% is Potable and Accessible to Use by> 1% is Potable and Accessible to Use by
MankindMankind
• >.09% is in Surface Water>.09% is in Surface Water
• ≈≈.9% is in Ground Water.9% is in Ground Water
• All of the rest of the water on Earth isAll of the rest of the water on Earth is
either Saltwater or is locked in the ice ofeither Saltwater or is locked in the ice of
the Arctic or in the Antarctica, Greenlandthe Arctic or in the Antarctica, Greenland
and Iceland icesheetsand Iceland icesheets

5. Water useWater use
•Thermoelectric Power Generation – 48%Thermoelectric Power Generation – 48%
•Agricultural Irrigation – 34%Agricultural Irrigation – 34%
•Public Water Supplies – 11%Public Water Supplies – 11%
•Industrial Uses – 5%Industrial Uses – 5%
•Aquaculture – >1%Aquaculture – >1%
•Livestock – 1%Livestock – 1%
•Mining – >1%Mining – >1%
•Domestic wells – >1%Domestic wells – >1%

6. Groundwater PrimerGroundwater Primer
• Aquifers – Subsurface water which may orAquifers – Subsurface water which may or
may not be isolated from surface watersmay not be isolated from surface waters
– Unconfined Aquifers – Shallow and connectedUnconfined Aquifers – Shallow and connected
to surface waters. i.e. Edwards Aquiferto surface waters. i.e. Edwards Aquifer
– Confined Aquifers – unconnected to surfaceConfined Aquifers – unconnected to surface
waters. i.e. Ogallala Aquiferwaters. i.e. Ogallala Aquifer
• Permeability vs. PorosityPermeability vs. Porosity

7. Edwards AquiferEdwards Aquifer
•Recharged by Local and Regional Rainfall

8. Ogallala AquiferOgallala Aquifer
•Less then 1% RechargeLess then 1% Recharge
by Rainfallby Rainfall
•““Ancient” water –Ancient” water –
250,000 to 2 Million250,000 to 2 Million
Years oldYears old
•Water is effectivelyWater is effectively
“mined”“mined”

9. Water Issues in the MegaregionWater Issues in the Megaregion
• Impervious CoverImpervious Cover
• Water QualityWater Quality
• Aquifer Recharge/DischargeAquifer Recharge/Discharge
• Urban StructuresUrban Structures
• Effects of Climate ChangeEffects of Climate Change
• PoliticsPolitics

10. Impervious CoverImpervious Cover
• Flash FloodsFlash Floods
• Captures Pollutants and DebrisCaptures Pollutants and Debris
• Pollutant concentrationPollutant concentration
• OverchargeOvercharge
• Diversion – Channelization – AquiferDiversion – Channelization – Aquifer
BypassBypass

11. Impervious CoverImpervious Cover
•West Edmonton Mall – 20,000 Parking Spaces in 1,2 and 3 LevelsWest Edmonton Mall – 20,000 Parking Spaces in 1,2 and 3 Levels

12. Impervious CoverImpervious Cover
•MGM/Disney World, Epcot Center, Champion Stadium –MGM/Disney World, Epcot Center, Champion Stadium –
Epcot/Disney 40,000+ parking Spaces on 1 levelEpcot/Disney 40,000+ parking Spaces on 1 level

13. Diversion – Las VegasDiversion – Las Vegas

14. Diversion – Las VegasDiversion – Las Vegas

15. Las Vegas - ChannelizationLas Vegas - Channelization

16. Las Vegas –Las Vegas –
Diversion/ChannelizationDiversion/Channelization
•Artificial Riparian HabitatsArtificial Riparian Habitats
•Capture Pollution and DebrisCapture Pollution and Debris
•Flood ControlFlood Control
•Artificial LakesArtificial Lakes
•Erosion/Flood ControlErosion/Flood Control
•Pollution and Debris CapturePollution and Debris Capture
•Attempt to Recapture Aquifer BypassAttempt to Recapture Aquifer Bypass

17. Groundwater Cycle in the UrbanGroundwater Cycle in the Urban
EnvironmentEnvironment
•Normal Aquifer RechargeNormal Aquifer Recharge
•RainRain
•Infiltration to AquiferInfiltration to Aquifer
•Runoff to StreamsRunoff to Streams
•EvapotranspirationEvapotranspiration
•Urban Aquifer RechargeUrban Aquifer Recharge
•RainRain
•RunoffRunoff
•Infiltration to AquiferInfiltration to Aquifer
•EvapotranspirationEvapotranspiration
•DiversionDiversion
•LeakageLeakage
•OverdraftOverdraft
•Many More CausesMany More Causes

18. Water QualityWater Quality
• Point Source vs. Non-Point Source – DoesPoint Source vs. Non-Point Source – Does
it Matterit Matter
• Runoff from Impervious CoverRunoff from Impervious Cover
• Industrial PollutantsIndustrial Pollutants
• ExobiologicsExobiologics
• PharmaceuticalsPharmaceuticals

19. Dangers to Water QualityDangers to Water Quality
•Leaking pipesLeaking pipes
•Building and Construction (Old and New)Building and Construction (Old and New)
•Underground TanksUnderground Tanks
•PetsPets
•Lawn CareLawn Care
•Impervious CoverImpervious Cover

20. Aquifer Recharge andAquifer Recharge and
DischargeDischarge
• Las Vegas – Channelization causesLas Vegas – Channelization causes
bypass of the Aquifer, hence no rechargebypass of the Aquifer, hence no recharge
• Austin / San AntonioAustin / San Antonio
– Impervious cover built on top if the EdwardsImpervious cover built on top if the Edwards
Aquifer Recharge Zone decreasing rechargeAquifer Recharge Zone decreasing recharge
(Bad Zoning)(Bad Zoning)
– San Antonio – Single source for all water,San Antonio – Single source for all water,
Edwards Aquifer, but few conservationEdwards Aquifer, but few conservation
controlscontrols

21. • OverchargeOvercharge
– Impervious Cover over captureImpervious Cover over capture
– Leaking utilities (Water, Sewer)Leaking utilities (Water, Sewer)
– IrrigationIrrigation
– Climate ChangeClimate Change
• DischargeDischarge
– Overdraft (over pumping)Overdraft (over pumping)
– Climate ChangeClimate Change
– ConstructionConstruction
• Both Overcharge and Overdraft can causeBoth Overcharge and Overdraft can cause
permanent damage to an aquiferpermanent damage to an aquifer

22. Overdraft (Over pumping)Overdraft (Over pumping)

23. More OverdraftMore Overdraft

24. Urban StructuresUrban Structures
• Refer back to Impervious Cover andRefer back to Impervious Cover and
Aquifer BypassAquifer Bypass
• Pipelines, TunnelsPipelines, Tunnels
• FoundationsFoundations
• OtherOther

25. • FoundationsFoundations
– What happens when you dig a 60-100 foot deep foundationWhat happens when you dig a 60-100 foot deep foundation
– What happens when you put 10, 20, 50 of these foundationsWhat happens when you put 10, 20, 50 of these foundations
togethertogether
– We don’t knowWe don’t know
• River walls, Weirs, Dykes, etc.River walls, Weirs, Dykes, etc.
– LondonLondon
• Thames River WallsThames River Walls
• Thames BarrierThames Barrier
– AmsterdamAmsterdam
• Below sea levelBelow sea level

26. Climate ChangeClimate Change
• The Great UnknownThe Great Unknown
• More ExtremesMore Extremes
• Local and Regional DifferencesLocal and Regional Differences

27. Politics - Water lawPolitics - Water law
• Surface WaterSurface Water
– Riparian RightsRiparian Rights
• English “Absolute” Rule (Rule of Capture)English “Absolute” Rule (Rule of Capture)
• American “Reasonable Use” RuleAmerican “Reasonable Use” Rule
– Safe YieldSafe Yield
– SustainableSustainable
– Prior AppropriationPrior Appropriation
• Mainly Western U.S.Mainly Western U.S.
• ““First in Time – First in Right”First in Time – First in Right”

28. Politics – Water LawPolitics – Water Law
• GroundwaterGroundwater
– English “Absolute” Rule (Rule of Capture) (Texas)English “Absolute” Rule (Rule of Capture) (Texas)
– American “Reasonable Use” RuleAmerican “Reasonable Use” Rule
– Correlative RightsCorrelative Rights
• You own what’s under your property (Do you see a problem here?)You own what’s under your property (Do you see a problem here?)
– Frazer v. Brown (Ohio, 1861) – No right to regulate groundwaterFrazer v. Brown (Ohio, 1861) – No right to regulate groundwater
• “…“…the existence, origin, movement, and course of such waters, andthe existence, origin, movement, and course of such waters, and
the causes that govern and direct their movement, are sothe causes that govern and direct their movement, are so secret andsecret and
occultoccult, and concealed that an attempt to administer any set of legal, and concealed that an attempt to administer any set of legal
rules in respect to them would be involved in hopeless uncertainty ,rules in respect to them would be involved in hopeless uncertainty ,
and would, therefore, be practically impossible.”and would, therefore, be practically impossible.”
– Houston & Central Texas Railway v. East (Texas, 1904)Houston & Central Texas Railway v. East (Texas, 1904)
• Based on Frazer v. Brown groundwater isBased on Frazer v. Brown groundwater is occultoccult in nature so evenin nature so even
though cause and effect can be shown and that there were nothough cause and effect can be shown and that there were no
corollary rights assigned to East then the case iscorollary rights assigned to East then the case is damnum abs quedamnum abs que
injuriainjuria [an injury that can not be remedied][an injury that can not be remedied]

29. Politics – Water LawPolitics – Water Law
• Federal LawFederal Law
– Very little, based on Interstate Commerce andVery little, based on Interstate Commerce and
Frazer v. Brown (Ohio,1861)Frazer v. Brown (Ohio,1861)
• StatesStates
– Most water regulation is done by states or byMost water regulation is done by states or by
regions within a stateregions within a state
– Texas Water Development Board and TexasTexas Water Development Board and Texas
Water Conservation DistrictsWater Conservation Districts

30. Politics – Allocation and ManagementPolitics – Allocation and Management
• ““Tragedy of the Commons” (Garret Harden)Tragedy of the Commons” (Garret Harden)
• Decision Support Systems (DSS)Decision Support Systems (DSS)
– Combines science, opinion and community wants andCombines science, opinion and community wants and
needs into a sustainability modelneeds into a sustainability model
– Outcome BasedOutcome Based
• Uses Community based decisions on futureUses Community based decisions on future
conditions to determine current and futureconditions to determine current and future
allocationsallocations

31. Politics – DSSPolitics – DSS
• SoftwareSoftware
– MODFLOWMODFLOW
– Custom DSS softwareCustom DSS software

32. So What About theSo What About the
Megaregion?Megaregion?
• Spatial coverageSpatial coverage

33. So What About theSo What About the
Megaregion?Megaregion?
• SpatialSpatial
– Cross Political and Legislative BoundariesCross Political and Legislative Boundaries
– Cross Cultural BoundariesCross Cultural Boundaries
– Cross Regulatory BoundariesCross Regulatory Boundaries
• DiversityDiversity
– Problems may not me one-to-oneProblems may not me one-to-one
– Solutions may not be one-to-oneSolutions may not be one-to-one
• Increased Complexity and QuantityIncreased Complexity and Quantity

34. Finally….Finally….
• Nothing about the issues or problems areNothing about the issues or problems are
new or uniquenew or unique
• The scale has just increasedThe scale has just increased
• The time is past forThe time is past for laissez-farelaissez-fare
management and planning andmanagement and planning and comme ci,comme ci,
commecomme ççaa leadershipleadership
• Best Practices must be developedBest Practices must be developed