Sustainable Water Supplies for Irrigated Agriculture What If

1
Sustainable Water Supplies for Irrigated
Agriculture What If?
In 1987 a report entitled Our Common Future
defined sustainable development as "development
that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs."
With the 2006 population of 6.5 billion, at the
current world growth rate of 1.4/year, the
population will reach 1.49x1014 in 722 years,
which is equal to the number of square meters of
land area on the earth.

• Presented to the Agribusiness Council of Arizona
• 2007 Annual Meeting May 18, 2007

2
The Shrinking Sector

• Urbanization is reducing acreage
• 1980 Groundwater Management Act contemplates a
  reduction in Agricultural Water Use (in the
  traditional sense)
• Administrative Rules encourage Extinguishment
  of Grandfathered Rights

3
Evolution or Revolution

• Without change, farms will succumb to development
  and changing economics, and the agricultural
  sector may continue to diminish
• With revolutionary changes in approach, farms can
  morph into food, fiber, and fuel factories as a
  new, vital, and essential urban economic input
  while still reducing acreage, reliance on
  non-renewable resources, and negative
  externalities

4
Back to Basics

• Large amounts of capital investment are in the
  ground (infrastructure)
• Water is distributed through Irrigation District
  infrastructure to farms
• Water is delivered from watersheds, imported
  Colorado River water, and groundwater
• Watersheds and Colorado River are drought
  susceptible, and subject to competition for use
• Groundwater supplies are also subject to
  increasing competition, and are non-renewable

5
New Water Supplies Reclaimed Water

• Urbanization yields wastewater
• Reclamation Plants are increasingly advanced, and
  water produced can be polished to drinking
  water standards and beyond
• Direct re-use of reclaimed water can be difficult
  because of the requirement (and desire) to
  prevent potable direct reuse exterior uses are
  not in phase with the supply because of
  seasonality of demands
• Small uses require new expensive distribution
  systems

6
New Water Supplies Imported

• Where is it?
• How do we get it?
• How do we get it here?
• How do we pay for it?
• What is the environmental cost?
• Is it renewable?
• How much energy do we need?

7
Desalination Sources

• Local brackish groundwater supplies
• Ocean Desalination
• Pacific United States
• Pacific Mexico
• Gulf of California/Sea of Cortez

8
The What If Proposition

• Irrigation Districts and Potable Water Providers
• In Lieu Recharge (Groundwater Savings Facilities)
  using reclaimed wastewater
• Water Trades for New Water
• Mexico
• simplest trade is Rio Yaqui water to Hermosillo
  for reclaimed wastewater to Obregon
• More complex is desalination directly to
  Hermosillo with recharge of reclaimed wastewater
  to restore groundwater supplies
• Mexico/US
• Most complex is desalination for Hermosillo,
  wastewater to Obregon, Rio Yaqui water to US
  using inter-basin transfer to San Pedro (wow!).
  Implications to treaty for Rio Grande and
  Colorado River water supplies, environmental
  restoration of San Pedro River, water supply for
  Sierra Vista area, Tucson, ultimately to Phoenix
  metro to Yuma
• Arizona
• Reclaimed water delivered downstream to Colorado
  River users in exchange for additional Colorado
  River Water
• Need new infrastructure for reclaimed water
  deliveries and for importation of Colorado River
  waterbut wheres the gain? Why not keep and
  reuse reclaimed water locally where possible.

9
Benefit of Reclaimed Water

• No drought
• Constant Annual Supply
• Predictable water quality
• Excess can be used to restore aquifers and reduce
  subsidence
• The only growing fresh water supply
• Added value with minimal added costs

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Combine with Controlled Environment Agriculture

• Lower water demands
• Higher yields
• Smaller footprint
• Allows exchange of developable land for
  compensation to capitalize new infrastructure
• Compatible with urbanization
• Protected from elements
• Bio - fuel potential

11
Thank you!
George Fletcher, President Replenishment
Services, L.L.C.

• Presented to the Agribusiness Council of Arizona
• 2007 Annual Meeting May 18, 2007