Demand Management/ Allocations / Land Repurposing

Groundwater demand management (GDM) is an integral part of conjunctive water management in many basins throughout California and the western United States. Water users and managers are faced with a growing need to address sustainable water management by achieving a better balance between available water supplies and consumptive demands so that current trends towards aquifer depletion can be halted and reversed. While augmenting supplies – e.g., through enhanced managed aquifer recharge – is often the preferred approach, it is increasingly clear that effective management of demands is an essential part of the solution. EKI’s team of hydrogeologists, engineers, and water resource planners provides our clients with a comprehensive suite of GDM services to address the demand side of the water balance equation.

Groundwater demand management can be a particularly challenging issue for many water managers, as its core principle is to “do more with less”. In many areas, especially those with robust agricultural sectors, groundwater underpins the regional economy in a fundamental way. Reducing groundwater demand, therefore, requires the development and implementation of strategic approaches that not only address the physical water budget issues, but also align with local and regional stakeholder needs and values. Effective GDM is only possible when solutions are tailored to the physical and socio-economic realities of the area.

EKI’s strong background in the technical, regulatory, and political facets of sustainable water management translates directly to our ability to support our clients with GDM. Our approach starts with closely collaborating with clients to gain understanding of their particular situation, including baseline conditions on the geography, hydrogeology, groundwater use patterns, groundwater sustainability indicator conditions, regulatory drivers, and community and economic factors. We then develop, communicate, and refine solutions that reflect the unique set of considerations. Examples of GDM services that EKI provides include:

• Development of groundwater allocation programs and pumping reduction plans involving phased/gradual groundwater use reduction to meet sustainability goals within defined timeframes, supported through use of integrated hydrologic modeling and geospatial analysis tools
• Development and implementation of strategic land repurposing programs, including designing scalable land repurposing alternatives, associated incentive payment structures, project solicitation and evaluation processes, and outcome monitoring plans
• Project-level groundwater demand reduction planning, including assessment of costs/benefits within the full context of local water source costs and any applicable regulatory fee structures
• Securing grants and other funding sources for GDM programs and projects, including through the Department of Conservation’s Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program (MLRP)
• Support for stakeholder outreach and engagement related to GDM, including conducting surveys, presenting and gathering feedback at public meetings, and working with formal and informal stakeholder groups

Groundwater demand management is certain to be an important yet challenging element of many conjunctive water management strategies for years to come. EKI’s experience and expertise can help chart a course towards effective GDM.