Volume 4 Issue 6
GENE SHAWCROFT of Central Utah Water Conservancy District
June 2018
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Municipal Water Leader is published 10 times a year with combined issues for July/August and November/December by
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6 GENERAL MANAGER GENE SHAWCROFT OF CENTRAL UTAH WATER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT
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Contents June 2018 Volume 4, Issue 6
5 Collaborating on Water By Kris Polly
MANAGER PROFILE 28 Maintaining the West's 14 The Importance of Oldest Retail Water Provider: Water Dispute Mediation in Laura Briefer of Salt Lake City Successful Water Management: Public Utilities Dr. Todd Votteler of Collaborative Water Resolution 32 Continuing a Legacy in the Upper Colorado Region: Upper 18 Building a Flood Control Colorado Regional Director System for the 21st Century Brent Rhees By Congresswoman Doris Matsui 4
Copyright Š 2018 Water Strategies LLC. Municipal Water Leader relies on the excellent contributions of a variety of natural resources professionals who provide content for the magazine. However, the views and opinions expressed by these contributors are solely those of the original contributor and do not necessarily represent or reflect the policies or positions of Municipal Water Leader magazine, its editors, or Water Strategies LLC. The acceptance and use of advertisements in Municipal Water Leader do not constitute a representation or warranty by Water Strategies LLC or Municipal Water Leader magazine regarding the products, services, claims, or companies advertised. MuniWaterLeader
COVER PHOTO: Gene Shawcroft of Central Utah Water Conservancy District at the Big Sandwash Reservoir.
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF CENTRAL UTAH WATER CONSERVANCY DISTRICT.
6 Implementing Prepare 2060 for Utah's Water Supply: Gene Shawcroft of Central Utah Water Conservancy District
20 Developing Flood Protection in California's Capital: Rick Johnson of Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency
CIRCULATION: Municipal Water Leader is distributed to irrigation district managers and boards of directors in the 17 western states, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials, members of Congress and committee staff, and advertising sponsors. Please send address corrections or additions to Municipal.Water.Leader@waterstrategies.com.
Collaborating on Water
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unicipal water supply, flood control, and growthrelated issues are extraordinarily complex challenges that require visionary leadership and creative funding to solve. This issue of Municipal Water Leader magazine highlights long-term water supply efforts in Utah and successful flood control work in California. Additionally, in this issue we speak with key individuals who have been highly effective through their collaboration efforts. Gene Shawcroft, general manager of the Central Utah Water Conservancy District, discusses the district area’s growth, the challenges the district is facing, and how Utah water districts are preparing to meet goals set out by Utah Governor Gary Herbert for projected water needs in 2060. Congresswoman Doris Matsui shares her insight on building flood control systems for the 21st century and highlights the challenges and successes of the Folsom Dam in Sacramento, California. Todd H. Votteler, PhD, president of Collaborative Water Resolution, describes the benefits of alternative dispute resolution in resolving complex water disputes. His unique dispute resolution training is timely and will be helpful to many. Rick Johnson, executive
By Kris Polly
director of the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, speaks about the agency’s mission, its involvement with the Folsom Dam Auxiliary Spillway Project, and its efforts to better prepare for future flood events. Laura Briefer, director for Salt Lake City Public Utilities, describes the water supply, wastewater, and growth challenges of Utah’s oldest utility. Finally, Brent Rhees, director for the Bureau of Reclamation’s Upper Colorado Region, shares his insights on the region’s water supply future, current challenges, and potential outcomes for western water users. We hope that you find this issue of Municipal Water Leader informative and helpful in your efforts to supply water to the American people. M Kris Polly is editor-in-chief of Municipal Water Leader magazine and president of Water Strategies LLC, a government relations firm he began in February 2009 for the purpose of representing and guiding water, power, and agricultural entities in their dealings with Congress, the Bureau of Reclamation, and other federal government agencies. He may be contacted at Kris.Polly@waterstrategies.com.
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Implementing Prepare 2060 for Utah's Water Supply: Gene Shawcroft of Central Utah Water Conservancy District Development in the western United States can largely be traced to the presence of a reliable water source to allow for individuals and industries to flourish. The drive to ensure the reliable delivery of water to growing population centers in the West still exists today. In Utah, the Central Utah Water Conservancy District (CUWCD) is faced with serving a population expected to increase by 150 percent over the next 45 years. Recognizing the need to ensure reliable water delivery, Governor Gene Shawcroft, General Manager Gary Herbert tasked six water of CUWCD. conservancy districts with developing a plan to meet Utah’s projected needs in 2060. In an interview with Municipal Water Leader’s editor-inchief, Kris Polly, Gene Shawcroft, general manager for CUWCD, discusses the CUWCD area’s growth, the challenges CUWCD is facing, and how the six water conservancy districts are preparing for 2060. Kris Polly: How many years have you been with CUWCD? Gene Shawcroft: I started with CUWCD in 1991. I was with the state of Utah’s Division of Water Resources for 6 years prior to that. I grew up on a cattle farm in LaJara, Colorado, so I have played in water my entire life and have loved every minute. Given the elevation of my family farm, the growing season was quite short, so we got two crops of alfalfa hay and raised a little wheat, barley, and oats. We flood irrigated and generally got only two irrigations per year. On average, we get about 7 inches of precipitation a year, and two-thirds of that would be snow during the winter. MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
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Kris Polly: What are the biggest challenges facing CUWCD? Gene Shawcroft: Addressing the anticipated growth in the region. Within our district boundaries, we will double in population within the next 45 years. For Utah County, that is over 1.5 million people—and we are only about 600,000 today. The other issue we are really focused on is aging infrastructure. The Bureau of Reclamation provided 100 percent of the initial funding for the construction of the project through 1992. From then onward, it has been 65 percent. We have been reimbursing Reclamation for its contributions. We don’t see the federal government having another $3 billion to throw at us in the next 50 years to replace it all. We anticipate that one of the challenges will be developing a strategy that will allow us to provide a culinary water supply without interruption to well over 1 million people and eventually to 2.5 million people in our service area over the next 40 years. Kris Polly: Please tell us a little bit about the Prepare 60 program. Gene Shawcroft: Prepare 60 was the brainchild of the four large water conservancy districts in Utah. They are Weber Basin Water Conservancy District, Jordan Valley Water Conservancy District, Washington County Water Conservancy District, and CUWCD. CUWCD serves about 62 percent of the state’s population, and the four Prepare 60 districts account for about 85 percent of the state’s population. It seemed obvious to us that there was a void in the state of Utah in terms of a general water message, and it has probably been 5 years ago that we met with Governor Gary Herbert. During the meeting, Governor Herbert requested a roadmap of how we are going to be able to supply water to the municipal and industrial interests across the state over the next 50 years so that future growth is not restricted. As a result, we created Prepare 60—its full name is Prepare 2060. We have tried to have a consistent message across the state about conservation, which is critical, but conservation is not the only way we are going to meet our future water demands in Utah. We also want to have a combined effort with our legislative team and the governor’s office on the
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Inside the Orem Water Treatment Plant in Orem, Utah.
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
Orem Water Treatment Plant.
need for additional water financing. In the mid-1980s, there was a dedicated sales tax divided between water and transportation. Over time, more money was allocated to transportation, but the amount allocated to water remained constant. We put our heads together and devised another revenue stream just for water, which will put us in a much better position than we are today. By working together, the legislature passed a dedicated sales tax for water. The full amount of the revenue will be phased in over a 5-year period, with a 20 percent increase each year. Once it is fully implemented, we will have an ongoing revenue stream, which can be used to assist in acquiring bonds to help finance large water development projects. When the four water conservancy districts began collaborating, there were two main areas of focus of our Statewide Water Infrastructure. The first focus area was rehabilitating and or replacing aging infrastructure. We have large facilities that will have to be replaced over the next 40 to 50 years, so we are naturally looking at ways to provide funding locally to address those future costs. We set out to determine what it would take for us to deliver the same amount of water that we are currently delivering today for the future citizens and businesses of Utah in the year 2060. This cost was approximately $18 billion. The second focus area was to explore what it would cost to develop new water supplies for the new people we anticipate being here by 2060. That number was slightly less—$15 billion. We used this analysis when approaching the legislature and water community at large to discuss our water financing needs. As a result, the state legislature acted to provide an additional revenue stream for water, which will help to finance these long-term needs. CUWCD meets every 5 to 6 weeks with the other conservancy districts to compile information for municipalities and newly elected officials so that they have information on water. This helps us expand our message across the state. Kris Polly: Would you tell us a bit more about the meetings of the four partners?
Jordanelle Dam.
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
Gene Shawcroft: Before each meeting, we each add items to a shared agenda. Everyone can see what we are going to accomplish before the meeting begins. Early on, our agendas
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included messaging meetings scheduled, what our focus was with that particular group, and which conservancy district was in the best position to present the message. Reflecting on our meetings, they were initially more of an organization event. More recently, we are talking more about strategy. We frequently look at pending or needed legislation, project financing, and long-term efforts for larger infrastructure projects. Logistically, we get the four water conservancy districts together with a consultant who helps coordinate our meetings, messages, and concepts so that we have more of an awareness than just the water districts’ perceptions. For the most part, we are focused on managing our districts, so the outside perspective helps our relationships with the broader business and development communities. We have a fairly vocal group in Utah that is concerned with growth. There are efforts to use our limited water resources as a reason to restrict growth. As a result, efforts are underway to restrict funding for water, which will decrease the development of water and thus limit growth. Our strategy as managers is to provide water based on the growth decisions made by the broad community and not narrow the growth discussion simply to the availability of water. Recently, we’ve been focusing on strengthening our relationship with the Utah League of Cities and Towns. There are 400-plus towns and communities in the state, many of which are our customers. Our efforts have been to coordinate lobbying and ensure that our messages are consistent. Kris Polly: What are some of the critical infrastructure projects that CUWCD needs to address in the near term? Gene Shawcroft: We are in the design process for the North Fork Siphon. This mile-long siphon drops 700 feet across a canyon. It was built with prestressed concrete cylinder pipe, which has been catastrophically failing across the country. When the wire wraps in the concrete begin to corrode, the thin, steel interior can rupture. It almost explodes. We have been monitoring our siphon closely and determined that it doesn’t have a long life left. Rather than wait, we are in the process of replacement. We aim to start construction this fall. This project is located at an elevation of
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8,000 feet. We will build a parallel pipe to it, and then during the offseason, we can make the connection. We’ll leave the old pipe in place; the canyon walls are very steep, and there would be environmental damage if we tried to repair or replace it. That is a $25–30 million job. Kris Polly: How do prepare your customer base for the cost of these upcoming large-scale, capital-intensive projects? Gene Shawcroft: A number of years ago when the Water Conservancy District Act was passed in Utah, it gave each of our four districts property tax authority, and that property tax was leveraged to pay back the federal government for the reimbursable costs of projects like the Central Utah Project. We are fortunate in that we are a public entity with taxing authority. We currently employ that authority to repay the federal government for the debt we have incurred up to this point. As we get that paid off, our strategy is twofold: (1) we will continue to assess that property tax, which is 4 mils, and begin to apply it to rehabilitation projects and (2) through our long-term asset management program, we have determined our ultimate need to maintain our operations per acre-foot of water and developed an appropriate rate structure. We have an operation and maintenance reserve and a replacement reserve. We have started to assess $5 per acre-foot; that rate increases $10 a year for 5 years. At the end of the 5-year period, we will evaluate the increases with the board of trustees—where we are, what projects we have built, and what we need to replace. We ultimately will need somewhere around $300 per acre-foot. Half of that would come from property tax and half would come from rates. You can see that we have a challenge ahead. When you deal with projects with a 50- to 75-year life, the important thing is to start somewhere, as opposed to waiting until you need $50 million or more in a single year. With a consistent rate structure, you can bond against that revenue stream if needed. What we can’t do is go to the bond market and bond against a revenue stream that does not exist. That is key as we look to the future, because as we pay off the debt for the facilities, it will be time to rebuild them due to their age. We would be elated if federal dollars became available, but realistically, we see this burden
ABOVE: Strawberry Reservoir.
"It may sound overly simple, but the trust that is necessary in the complex water world is key to being successful." —GENE SHAWCROFT
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
as being on our shoulders, so we are working to secure local funds for projects for future generations. With stable property tax revenue, we have higher bond ratings, which allows us to go to the bond market and borrow at the lowest rate to keep the cost of debt as low as possible.
complex water world is key to being successful. Establishing relationships along the way in a career is not only valuable from a business perspective; getting to know people and developing friendships is what really makes the water world enjoyable.
Kris Polly: What is your advice to other water agencies in other parts of the country?
Kris Polly: What is your advice to anyone who is beginning their career in municipal water?
Gene Shawcroft: First of all, we live in a global community. With our thought process, as we look to the future we are not just looking at one particular area. Instead, we are trying to form a cooperative game plan for our region that allows us to conjunctively use our import water, our surface water, our groundwater, and our treatment plants, so that we can afford it and to ensure it delivers water into the future. We have learned that for the most part, municipalities are designed to plan 10 years into the future and to plan locally. When you look at water, 10 years is too short of a planning horizon. Long-term plans that cover large areas provide efficiencies that are not possible in short-term or local plans. Kris Polly: Based on your many years of experience working in municipal water, what is the most important and helpful thing you have learned?
Gene Shawcroft: I’d have three suggestions. The first relates to the above statement regarding relationships. Look for ways to get to know people and make friends. The second is to understand that the knowledge and skills you bring to the table as you begin your career will expand quickly. You should work to learn as much as you can. The technology and information currently available is phenomenal. Never stop striving to learn as much as you can, and generally, the best information available is from your coworkers and peers in the industry. Third, as your career progresses, stop to appreciate the great value and service you provide to the community you serve. I can’t think of a more critical resource to the quality of life than water. You will play a key role in making sure the people you serve have this most precious resource. M
Gene Shawcroft: The simple answer is relationships. It may sound overly simple, but the trust that is necessary in the
Gene Shawcoft is the general manager of Central Utah Water Conservancy District. He can be reached at gene@cucwd.com.
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
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The Importance of Water Dispute Mediation in Successful Water Management: Dr. Todd Votteler of Collaborative Water Resolution Todd H. Votteler, PhD, is president of Collaborative Water Resolution (waterdisputes.org). He is also the editor-inchief and a cofounder of both the Texas Water Journal and Texas+Water. Dr. Votteler is a fellow of the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University. He is also a partner of Four Worlds Partners (fourworlds.org), which is affiliated with the Oregon State University Program in Water Conflict Management and Transformation and the university’s Institute for Water and Watersheds. Dr. Votteler has 30 years of experience in land and rare species management, all in the context of surface and groundwater management. Kris Polly, editor-in chief of Municipal Water Leader magazine, spoke with Dr. Votteler about his career, the services that Collaborative Water Resolution offers, and water dispute resolution.
Dr. Votteler: I served as a special master for the Federal District Court in West Texas that was handling the Endangered Species Act litigation for the Edwards Aquifer. After that, I participated in several water-related stakeholder processes. I worked with the Texas Legislature to create the Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program in 2007. In 2016, I worked with the attorney for the organization that filed the whooping crane litigation in Texas to craft an agreement to address the issues at the heart of that litigation. Prior to the experiences I mentioned above, I took courses on analyzing and mediating environmental disputes in graduate school, and more recently, I have participated in a number of trainings. Training and education enhance one’s knowledge about water disputes, but they are not an adequate substitute. Practical experience with water disputes is irreplaceable.
Dr. Votteler: I chose dispute resolution because when I looked back on my career, I realized that what I actually spent most of my time doing was working through disputes. Whether it was the water planning process, endangered species litigation, or working with competing water interests, managing conflict was the centerpiece. When you look at the future, increasing populations and drought mean that there will be more and more water disputes.
Kris Polly: What type of services do you offer?
Kris Polly: Which of your experiences with water disputes do you draw from the most?
Kris Polly: How is your training conducted, and who should consider taking this kind of training?
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Dr. Votteler: I offer assistance with water and environmental policy issues and endangered species issues, as well as mediation, facilitation, and training through workshops. With my partners at Four Worlds, we offer training in mediation and facilitation as well as more advanced training on topics such as the ins and outs of stakeholder processes.
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF TODD VOTTELER AND BY FLICKR/LARS PLOUGMANN.
Kris Polly: After a 30-year career in the water sector during which you worked with courts, a Texas river authority, the Texas Legislature, and Congress, you have started a new business focusing on water and environmental dispute resolution. Why dispute resolution?
Dr. Todd Votteler, President of Collaborative Water Resolution.
View of Bouldin Creek in Austin, Texas, where Collaborative Water Resolution is located.
Dr. Votteler: We conduct training for mediation and other forms of collaborative decisionmaking through periodic workshops in different parts of the country. We can also come to clients and provide custom-tailored workshops to meet their specific needs. Dispute resolution has become nothing less than a basic skill that is required for successful water management. It is difficult to see a future in which navigating disputes is not a primary component of any water manager’s responsibilities. Kris Polly: What should every municipal water manager know about dispute resolution? Dr. Votteler: Overall, the advantages of the collaborative mediation model over the adversarial litigation model can be summarized as follows: • Flexibility—The mediation process can be adapted to meet the needs of the parties in formulating a solution. Most importantly, mediation is not conducted under a fixed set of rules, as is a case in a court of law. • Informality—Mediation is an informal process that allows the parties to present their arguments without being bound by the procedures of the legal system. • Confidentiality—Mediation is confidential and off the record. Mediators can meet with each party in separate MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
and private caucus to assist them in understanding their own underlying interests and those of the other party. • Nonbinding—Mediators assist the parties to reach a negotiated settlement. If the parties are not happy with the process or the outcome, they have not relinquished the right to use another dispute resolution mechanism or to go to court. • Time saving—Mediation is faster than the judicial process. • Money saving—Mediation is less costly than the judicial process. • Relationship saving—One of the main reasons for using mediation as an alternative to litigation is to preserve and potentially improve relationships between the parties, particularly in cases where there is a need for a long-term relationship. This final point is a key point for water entities that might be in a dispute today over a current issue but know that they will need to work with the people on the other side to create the next water supply project or accomplish some other mutual goal. Mediation creates a foundation for resuming a positive relationship after a particular issue has been resolved. M Dr. Todd Votteler is the president of Collaborative Water Resolution. He can be reached at votteler@waterdisputes.org.
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Building a Flood Control System for the 21st Century
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By Congresswoman Doris Matsui
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Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA).
"The JFP and the new water control manual are forward-thinking projects that will allow water managers the flexibility they want while providing residents of the floodplain below with the safety they require." —CONGRESSWOMAN DORIS MATSUI
increasing the size of our flood byways and weirs. Levee improvement projects in Sacramento and West Sacramento that were authorized by the Water Infrastructure Improvements Act in 2016 will not only increase our level of flood protection but will also be more sustainable and benefit the ecosystem they serve. With California’s boom-or-bust water cycles, it is imperative that we prepare for both eventualities. Our nation has been tested over the last few decades with superstorms of all kinds, and California has certainly had its share. The imperative to plan for the future has never been more urgent, and I look forward to continuing to build a flood control system to serve the Sacramento region in the 21st century. M For more information, please contact Congresswoman Matsui's office at matsui.house.gov/contact. MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF CONGRESSWOMAN MATSUI.
anaging water in the West is a balancing act. It requires great coordination between our water resources managers and our flood control managers. While the water resources managers must carefully maximize water allocations each year, flood control managers must prepare for worst-case flood scenarios. In California’s Sacramento Valley, we are blessed with rivers and tributaries that provide a multitude of benefits to our agricultural, municipal, and industrial users. Those same rivers, though, can deliver a torrent of flood water in a very short time frame. That is why our region has had and will continue to have a laser-like focus on raising the level of the Sacramento region’s flood protection. The linchpin to Sacramento’s flood control system is Folsom Dam. As a result of our changing hydrology, the dam and the downstream levees were found to no longer provide the level of protection that they once did, so upgrades and additions were needed. Together, the region decided that the best solution was an almost $1 billion auxiliary spillway, known as the Joint Federal Project ( JFP), to be constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The new spillway became operational in fall of last year and now provides a way for water managers to release more water from the reservoir earlier in the storm cycle, creating more flexibility and a higher level of flood protection for the Sacramento region. Combining this new infrastructure with an updated water control manual that incorporates forecast-based decisionmaking for reservoir operations will give water engineers operating the dam the ability to stay ahead of the curve when a storm is still several days away or, conversely, to retain water if forecasting shows that a storm system is weakening. The effort to build the JFP and update the dam’s water control manual has been nothing short of exemplary. The project was built ahead of schedule and under budget. I know I speak not only for myself but for all the federal, state, and local partners involved when I say that the JFP is a project that will serve future generations well. The JFP and the new water control manual are forward-thinking projects that will allow water managers the flexibility they want while providing residents of the floodplain below with the safety they require. More projects with this kind of balanced approach are needed in my region and across the West. Our river city depends on its levees and always will, so we have taken a holistic approach to our flood basin and are pursuing projects that decrease the pressure on our levees by
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Aerial photo of Folsom Dam Auxiliary Spillway Testing.
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DEVELOPING FLOOD PROTECTION IN CALIFORNIA'S CAPITAL: Rick Johnson of Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency
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PHOTO BY TODD QUAM AND COURTESY OF SAFCA.
Since its founding in 1989, the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA) has been a catalyst for the development of flood protection projects in the Sacramento, California, area. As the local cost-sharing partner, SAFCA continuously looks for ways to support the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the state of California, and the Bureau of Reclamation to implement new solutions and modernize existing infrastructure. Given its size and the fact that Sacramento is the most at-risk city in America for riverine flooding, SAFCA’s efforts are critical to public safety. Kris Polly, Municipal Water Leader’s editor-in-chief, spoke with Rick Johnson, executive director of SAFCA, about the role the organization plays in flood protection projects. Throughout the interview, Mr. Johnson speaks about SAFCA’s mission, its involvement with the Folsom Dam Auxiliary Spillway Project, and its efforts to better prepare for future flood events.
Kris Polly: Please give us some background about yourself and your career. Rick Johnson: I worked with the Bureau of Reclamation for 20 years and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for 10. In 1979, I started work with Reclamation on the Central Arizona Project and then moved to the regional office in Sacramento in 1984. I stayed with Reclamation until 1991, and then I went to the Corps until 2000. I went back to Reclamation in 2000 to work at Folsom Dam. I retired from federal service in 2010 and have been at SAFCA ever since. Kris Polly: Can you tell us a little about the history of SAFCA, and why it was formed? Rick Johnson: In 1986, two major events led to SAFCA's formation. We had a huge flood of record in the Central Valley of California where Sacramento is located. We had a lot of flooding and failing levees in the region, but we were able to flood fight and narrowly avoided levee failures in the high population urban areas. That same year, President Ronald Reagan and Congress passed legislation requiring nonfederal cost sharing for federal flood control projects. Prior to 1986, the Army Corps’ flood control projects were 100 percent federally funded. By state law, the nonfederal cost-sharing partners for projects in the Central Valley of California would be the state of California and a local government. Since the watershed does not really follow any city or county boundaries, SAFCA was created in 1989 as a joint powers authority to serve as the local cost-share agency. Kris Polly: How does SAFCA work with the federal and state partners? Rick Johnson: Currently, the normal cost share for a flood control project is 65 percent from the federal government, 24.5 percent from the state, and 10.5 percent from SAFCA (local). With Army Corps projects, the nonfederal partners are also responsible for land easements and rightsof-way, which often result in a higher cost share for the nonfederal sponsors. Basically, the way it works is that the nonfederal partners obtain all the land and rights-of-way needed to construct an Army Corps project. We, in coordination with the state, fill that role and also provide planning and engineering support as needed. Kris Polly: How have the standards for building the levees changed?
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PHOTO COURTESY PHOTO BY OFTODD CAPITOL QUAM REGION AND COURTESY WATERSHEDOF DISTRICT. SAFCA.
Rick Johnson: In 1997, we had another major flood event in the Central Valley. There were over 30 levee breaches in the system. As a result of those breaches and what happened after Hurricane Katrina, there were a number of studies completed that analyzed levee performance and failure mechanisms. One study, completed in 2007, looked at the last 100 levee breaches around the country and found that 80 percent of them were from geotechnical failures, primarily from seepage through and under the levees, as well as from erosion. As a result of the studies conducted, new federal and state standards for levees in urban areas were imposed. The biggest one is addressing seepage under the levees. Past industry thinking was that if a hydraulic path was long enough, seepage under the levees would not cause problems. The studies determined that this was not the case. Instead, it found that underseepage caused material to be displaced, creating
Natomas New Adjacent Levee.
MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
voids under the levee. The primary method currently used to address this is the installation of cutoff walls within the existing levees, which involves digging a 3- to 4-foot-wide trench up to 120-feet deep and filling it with a bentonite or cement-type slurry mix. This creates a less permeable yet somewhat flexible wall that prevents water from creating a path underneath or through the levee during flood events. The other major item is addressing the problem caused by the California Gold Rush— erosion. There was a substantial amount of hydraulic mining that took place in the canyons upstream of Sacramento, and for decades, the material from that activity would come down the river. When the levees were originally built, they were placed close together to create higher water velocities so that the material would keep moving. We have since built a couple of dams upstream, which have cut off new material from coming down. Now, the rivers are still trying to feed themselves and move material. They have already worked down to bedrock and are now working sideways toward the levees. To prevent erosion of the river banks that ultimately erode into the levees, we are attempting to harden our river channels, but we have to do it in a way that is environmentally friendly because there are a lot of endangered species that exist in the waterways. Kris Polly: What kind of role does SAFCA play in the Folsom Dam spillway project? Rick Johnson: Number 1, we are cost-share partners. We have been actively participating in that role from the beginning by providing about 10.5 percent of the project funding. In addition, we have at critical times provided additional engineering and design support, including contracting with outside consulting firms to support Army Corps design efforts. A good example of this is when the project required a complete redesign right before construction was anticipated to begin. The dam was built in the 1950s with eight river outlets located in the lower portion of the dam and larger spillway gates located at the top of the dam. The dam was originally designed using rainfall records that existed at the time, which only went back to 1906. We have learned since then that the rainfall records used at that time reflected a drought period. Since Folsom Dam was built, we’ve had eight storms that were larger than the dam was designed to support. MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
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We quickly learned that the dam was undersize. water temperature is so low during our storm season. The dam’s lower eight outlets were capable of releasing When Hurricane Katrina hit, the water temperature 30,000 cubic feet of water per second. However, the was near 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but here it is closer to river channel downstream was capable of safely carrying 40 degrees Fahrenheit. People will not last very long due 115,000 cubic feet of water per second. To match the to hypothermia if they are up to their chest in water at that downstream capacity, dam operators had to wait until the temperature. We have to keep the water off them. reservoir filled to the top of the dam to release more water We are pushing hard to get our projects through quickly through the spillway gates, thus using up all the crucial to better protect Sacramento. Looking at the plans we have flood control space behind the dam. in place, we are essentially rebuilding an entire To address this, the Army Corps originally "We are pushing system. We have had six federal authorizations proposed enlarging the lower eight outlets hard to get addressing most of the components of the so they could release more water during the our projects system; this represents $4.4 billion in authorized early part of a storm event and make better through quickly projects, with $2 billion already constructed and use of the available flood space. At the same to better protect in the ground. Our biggest challenge is trying to time, Reclamation was completing designs on Sacramento. maintain funding to keep these projects moving. a shallow, wide auxiliary spillway with a fuse Once the projects that are currently authorized Looking at the plug to prevent the dam from overtopping and and under construction are completed, they will plans we have failing during large flood events. After receiving provide us around a 300-year level of protection. in place, we federal authorization and completing its design But we are not stopping at this level; we are are essentially work, the Army Corps went out to bid. The bids looking at what else is needed to protect us rebuilding an came in three times higher than government against a 500-year flood event. Over the last entire system." estimates, which essentially stalled the project. couple of decades, the weather patterns have At this point, the Army Corps, Reclamation, —RICK JOHNSON changed and are not represented by the earlier the state, and SAFCA quickly began working period of record. We just went through 5 years on a new design approach. The concept was to take the of extreme drought and then had one of the wettest years auxiliary spillway being designed by Reclamation and make on record year. We are seeing the extremes on both ends it narrower and deeper and gate it. This way, it could still and trying to stay ahead of them. address Reclamation’s requirement to prevent dam failure a well as the Army Corps’ requirement to provide higher Kris Polly: What is your message to Congress based on your flood releases before the reservoir was full. Because the experience with SAFCA and other projects? federal contracting process can be lengthy, SAFCA was able to help expedite the effort by funding design consultants for Rick Johnson: Folsom Dam was built in the 1950s, and both the Army Corps and Reclamation to use. The redesigned project, just completed last year, includes it was not until the 1986 flood event that we actually started to modernize our facilities. You look at what a new dam and an auxiliary spillway that addresses the happened with Hurricane Katrina and look at what they needs of flood control and dam safety. are spending to rebuild the system in New Orleans. For just a fraction of the cost, we can prevent a similar event Kris Polly: How is SAFCA funded? from occurring. I think Congress needs to recognize that infrastructure wears out, becomes obsolete, and needs Rick Johnson: SAFCA does not receive any tax dollars, upgrading. We probably have the most active member of so we ask property owners to approve assessments to Congress when it comes to flood control, Congresswoman fund our local cost share. Under California state law and Doris Matsui, who spends hours every week working on guidelines, we ask individual property owners who live in our behalf. Having a member of Congress that is devoted to the floodplain to vote on property assessments that would our cause both here and in Washington, DC, is invaluable. fund projects that benefit them. How much each property I know that the federal government can come under attack owner pays depends on the benefit they receive, which and be subjected to many public complaints, but we find is determined by the potential depth of flooding in their that we are able to work very closely with the Army Corps. location and the value of property damage prevented by the flood control improvements. SAFCA then issues bonds It has been great to work with, and I think sometimes people forget the good things the federal government does. I want against the assessments to fund projects. to recognize the Army Corps' efforts. It has significantly reduced flood risk and implemented infrastructure in our Kris Polly: Are there any top challenges that SAFCA is area that has protected us from many flood events. M addressing? Rick Johnson: Right now we have less flood protection than other river cities. The scary part here is that the
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Rick Johnson is the executive director of SAFCA. He can be reached at JohnsonR@SacCounty.net. MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
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MANAGER PROFILE
Maintaining the West's Oldest Retail Water Provider: Laura Briefer of Salt Lake City Public Utilities Many of our nation’s public utilities face the challenge of adaptability. Aging infrastructure, increases in storm intensity, and the need to ensure a ready workforce are hurdles utility managers have to overcome to provide reliable services. Salt Lake City, Utah, deals with each of these challenges as it provides water, wastewater, and storm water services to its booming population. Tyler Young, writer for Municipal Water Leader, had the opportunity to speak with Laura Briefer, director for Salt Lake City Public Utilities. Appointed by Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski in 2016, Ms. Briefer is the first woman to serve as director of the Department of Public Utilities in its 142-year history. Ms. Briefer discusses Salt Lake City Public Utilities’ challenges and the plan of action it has undertaken to address them. Tyler Young: Please tell us about your background and your time at Salt Lake City Public Utilities.
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After, I became a water resources manager; my role was to manage a portfolio of water resources in terms of water rights administration, water quality, source water protections, and the water treatment and distribution process. I then became the deputy director of the department, which is a position appointed by the mayor, and eventually was appointed director of the department. Prior to being in the water industry, I spent some time as an assistant city manager for a small city in Utah, and before that, I was an environmental consultant working on several regulatory environmental projects across the country. Tyler Young: Can you tell us a bit about Salt Lake City Public Utilities and its founding? Laura Briefer: Salt Lake City Public Utilities is the oldest retail water provider west of the Mississippi. The water department for Salt Lake City began prior to statehood. The water supply operation has been in operation for more than 170 years. We can trace our history to the arrival of Brigham Young and the Mormon pioneers who came to settle in the Salt Lake Valley. Over time, it became part of city government, and we also were given additional municipal utilities to manage, such as sewer, storm water, and street lighting. MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF LAURA BRIEFER.
Laura Briefer: My background in the water industry started 10 years ago when I was hired as a special projects manager at Salt Lake City Public Utilities. I have a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and a master’s degree in public administration. My first role for the department was to manage the initiatives that required extensive stakeholder involvement, such as climate vulnerability assessments or large-scale watershed management planning.
Laura Briefer, Director of Salt Lake City Public Utilities.
MANAGER PROFILE
Lake Mary near Salt Lake City, Utah.
I've been working on a large state water rights adjudication process within our region. One of the most interesting Salt Lake City water rights I found was dated July 24, 1847, which was the day the Mormon pioneers entered the valley. One of our most aggressive initiatives is the protection of our water sources from pollution. The watersheds that provide the drinking water are a part of the Wasatch-Cache National Forest. You can look back at our records for the mid- to late 1800s and see that drive to protect the quality of water for the public. It is a huge testament to the legacy of good policies.
City Department of Public Utilities provides culinary water to the entire population of Salt Lake City as well as some areas outside the city boundaries. The city’s population is about 340,000 people, encompassing growing residential communities, industries, and commercial and institutional customers. Our service area is about 134 square miles. Our wastewater, storm water, and street lighting is just inside of Salt Lake City’s boundaries; in totality, about 200,000 people receive our services.
Tyler Young: Please tell us about your region and the people you serve.
Laura Briefer: We are in the middle of a lot of generational planning regarding our water resources. Some large and exciting initiatives we are pursuing include an initiative to update our water supply and demand plan to account for land use and population growth so that we can integrate climate change effects. These climate change effects include a decreasing snowpack and longer and deeper droughts. Our updated water supply plan will look ahead 50 years, incorporating growth and climate change.
Laura Briefer: Salt Lake City is the largest city in Utah and is also the state’s capital city. It is situated within the Salt Lake Valley in the arid northern region of Utah, where rainfall is sparse. (Utah is the second-driest state in the nation). Like many areas of the intermountain West, our regional hydrology is snowpack dependent. The Salt Lake MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
Tyler Young: What are some of the interesting projects and initiatives you are completing?
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MANAGER PROFILE
Laura Briefer is the director of Salt Lake City Public Utilities. She can be reached at Laura.Briefer@slcgov.com.
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MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF LAURA BRIEFER.
Additionally, we have a watershed management plan that we are is to make sure that we are really engaged with updating to look at emerging vulnerabilities in terms of source water the public and the community in the future protection, the resulting management strategies, and the public policies so that we do not have major conflicts around we have put into place to continue to protect our water resources long water in our region. into the future. Another big planning effort is our storm water management plan, Tyler Young: Where do you see the industry into which we are incorporating climate change. We anticipate storm going in the future? intensification to affect the drainage systems by causing more "Climate intense flash flood events. We are also producing a drought Laura Briefer: I see the industry contingency plan that will align well with our water supply and change is one recognizing the linkages between demand planning process, and we are compiling an integrated of the biggest all the different areas of water water management plan. All our water utilities operate within management and conducting more challenges the same watershed, and I think there is a way for us to look and more case studies related to how we face. It creatively at how we manage water within each of those needs our full integrated water management is being systems in order to better comply with the Clean Water Act attention and implemented. I think the industry is and create more benefits for the public. becoming much more aware of the planning." As far as capital projects, we have more infrastructure projects critical need for public engagement —LAURA than we have ever had in our history. One of the big drivers and accountability. We have seen many BRIEFER is that our infrastructure needs to be replaced, especially on mid-sized to larger municipal public the treatment plant side. The plants were constructed in the utilities create positions within their 1950s and 1960s and now need substantial work. We are rebuilding our utilities to deal with public engagement and wastewater treatment plans to meet the new nutrient requirements under public relations. I see us becoming more and the Clean Water Act and are making sure we have more sustainability in more accountable, transparent, and engaged terms of energy use and renewable energy generation. We also want to with our community. It is so important to have a make the facility more resilient for flooding events. sound foundation of trust with your community, and that means there is a lot of back and forth Tyler Young: What are some of the biggest challenges you are facing as a between the utility and the community that public utility? depends on the services. We are trying to figure out the best way to have that back and forth Laura Briefer: Climate change is one of the biggest challenges we with our community. face. It needs our full attention and planning. Similar to the many municipalities across the country, keeping up with maintenance and Tyler Young: What advice do you have for implementing new infrastructure can be expensive. Tied with the individuals wanting to get into the industry? infrastructure piece are water rates and the growing concern about the affordability of sewer and water for nondiscretionary use. As our Laura Briefer: I think one piece of advice I population grows and water resources are affected by that growth, the have is that people need to make sure they are whole system is becoming more stressed. I think one of our challenges coming into the industry with an open mind. We have a great need for good managers— people who understand what it means to Red Butte Reservoir near Salt Lake City, Utah. manage diversity within the community and in the organization. It is so important to set the stage for accountability. Individuals wanting to get into the industry need to be well rounded in experience and education. If you are an engineer, make sure you understand what the legal frameworks and policy-setting frameworks are. If you have a public administration background, make sure you integrate it with the technical side of the industry. It is critically important that those in our industry are well rounded and open minded. M
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MANAGER PROFILE
Continuing a Legacy in the Upper Colorado Region: Upper Colorado Regional Director Brent Rhees
The western United States has experienced drought for many years. In fact, 2018 has been one of the worst drought years on record. With population levels estimated to double and even triple by 2050 in some western states, water supply issues continue to be a major concern. Reclamation’s Upper Colorado Region has long dealt with drought, providing water through even the worst drought conditions, and it plans to do so for many years to come. Tyler Young, writer for Municipal Water Leader, spoke with Upper Colorado Regional Director Brent Rhees about the region’s water supply future, current challenges, and potential outcomes for western irrigators. Tyler Young: Please tell us about your professional background and how you started with Reclamation.
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I went on to study at Utah State University in Logan, Utah, where I got a degree in civil and environmental engineering. Around the time of my graduation, Reclamation was looking to hire 100 to 150 engineers. I interviewed in Logan and was lucky enough to be selected to work for Reclamation. I started in Denver, under the assistant commissioner of engineering and research. At the time, I was a young engineer, happy to have a job. Denver was a little far away from home, so after about a year I decided to move back to Utah. I moved into a design group in a Reclamation office located in Utah. I spent the first third of my career in design and construction. I then had the opportunity to slide into a position that was based more around resource management, land management, environmental management, and facilities operations. The supervisor took a chance on me and gave me an opportunity that really opened doors for me later in my career. Since then, I have served as deputy area manager, deputy regional director, and now regional director. Most of my career has been in the Upper Colorado Region, which is unique within Reclamation, because typically to become a regional director, you would have moved from office to office. Tyler Young: How would you describe your management style? MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF BRENT RHEES.
Brent Rhees: I grew up in a little town in southeastern Idaho, Rexburg, which is surrounded by the traditional potato farms Idaho is famous for. Growing up, I had the opportunity to work on some of those farms, moving sprinkler pipe in the potato fields and driving trucks during potato harvests. Later, I had a summer job with Utah Power and Light, a public utility company that provided power to the potato farms. It was a great place to grow up; I benefited from an early exposure to agriculture, and I enjoy that type of lifestyle. I remember moving pipe; I earned 5 cents for each pipe length I moved across a potato field, and they were half-mile lines. It was a pretty good job to have. Looking back, it doesn’t seem like much, but having some money in my pocket at the end of the summer felt pretty good. Rexburg is downstream from Teton Dam, which was built in the mid 1970s. On June 5, 1976, the dam failed. I was a college student in Rexburg at the time, and I was there the day the dam failed. That was my first real exposure to Reclamation. I remember standing on the roof of my father’s house, staring out at all the agricultural lands and seeing the water rolling across the countryside with tremendous energy. After that disaster, I saw Reclamation step up and step in to help rebuild the community.
Upper Colorado Regional Director Brent Rhees.
MANAGER PROFILE Brent Rhees: I would like to think that I have a participation-oriented management style. I feel as though I have been successful at hiring good managers, and I put a lot of confidence and trust in them. I believe that management styles shift a bit depending on the situation. I do not feel like I am a micromanager, and I also do not feel that I am a command-and-control type of manager. This region works best with consensus-based management, and the way I try to manage is to try and get to yes as opposed to no. I try to be consistent in that way with my staff as well as with stakeholders and partners.
Tyler Young: Across the country, we have seen the importance of building partnerships with other industry leaders. How do you build and maintain those partnerships within your area?
Brent Rhees: Being in the Upper Colorado Region for as long as I have, I have been fortunate to get to know most of the people in the community. The water community here in the West is actually pretty small. You see the same people at each water conference. Over the last 40 or so years, I have had the opportunity to meet people and develop great relationships, and that really helps build a sense of trust. Tyler Young: What role does Reclamation play in the Upper We all feel that we build trust by doing what we say we are Colorado Region, and how does your role fit into the going to do. overall mission of the bureau? It is also important to meet new people and start building trust with them. Inevitably, there is turnover with Brent Rhees: First, the name Upper Colorado Region is stakeholders, water districts, and community leaders, and a bit of a misnomer. Our region covers large portions of it is just as important to build a trust with them as with Utah and New Mexico, the western part of Colorado, someone who has 30-plus years of experience. Either way, smaller portions of northeastern Arizona and west Texas, it takes time to build those relationships; it takes face-toa little bit of southwestern Wyoming, and small portions face time, over-the-phone time, and good communication. of Idaho and Nevada. Second, if you consider watersheds I think what it boils down to is this: Are you bringing we are responsible for the Upper Colorado River as well value to the relationship? Do you do what you say you are as the Rio Grande drainage from Colorado through New going to do? Can you live up to your commitments? That Mexico and down into El Paso, Texas. We also manage the is what I have tried to do, and I have also tried to instill Pecos River drainage through New Mexico and that behavior in our leadership team. Live up to "We are in the our commitments and focus on the customer. into the upper part of Texas. Finally, we have responsibilities within the Great Basin drainage We work for the public; we are a part of the 19th year of on the western side of the Wasatch Front, really extreme executive branch, and I think everyone here tributaries that run into the Great Salt Lake, recognizes that our master is the taxpayer. drought. and Utah Lake. We place a lot of emphasis on Drought, like Tyler Young: What are some of the biggest the Upper Colorado River basin, but we can’t this, just puts challenges that you face when managing water in forget that we have a lot of other priorities outside that basin. your region? more and Let me touch specifically on the Colorado more pressure River basin. In the Lower Basin, the secretary of Brent Rhees: The biggest challenge on the on the limited the interior has quite a different role than in the Colorado, the Rio Grande, and the Pecos is resources that in the extended drought. We are in the 19th Upper Basin. The secretary is the watermaster we have." in the Lower Basin, so Reclamation has the year of extreme drought. Drought like this puts role of operating the facilities, delivering water —BRENT RHEES increasing pressure on our facilities and the directly to the water users, and receiving the limited resources that we have. calls directly from the facilities. In the Upper Next, there are always funding challenges. Congress has Basin, where I am the director, the secretary does not have been pretty good to us, but our funding needs keep growing. the same role. We work collaboratively with the states, the We have aging infrastructure issues—some of the projects in water users, associations, and commissions to accomplish our region are over 100 years old. We had a real construction our mission. boom in the 1940s and 1950s and into the early 1960s. A Our role in the Upper Basin varies quite a bit. We have lot of our facilities are of that generation. The aging of those 61 large dams that are federal facilities. Our role is to facilities is a big challenge for us. manage those resources by working with water and power Additionally, there are changing dynamics. Some of users to provide the benefits that they were originally the fastest-growing areas in the United States are within promised. This ties directly into Reclamation’s mission: to our region. A lot of folks want to come out west because deliver water and generate power in an environmentally of the lifestyle, which is agriculturally driven. People seem and economically sound manner. Managing those to like that. As more people move westward, however, the facilities and each of the associated pipelines, canals, and agricultural base is shifting to a more municipal services powerplants all fits under the umbrella of the mission. base. These changes place different kinds of demands on MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
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MANAGER PROFILE the resources and create different kinds of challenges. Finally, another challenge that we are seeing, especially in the water management sector, is the aging workforce. A large percentage of our staff is eligible to retire right now, and in the next 5 years, aound 30–40 percent of our staff will be eligible to retire. Tyler Young: What are some of the things you are doing to attract a younger workforce to the water industry? Brent Rhees: That’s a good question. It is a challenge to find young people interested in working for a federal agency in the water industry, but Reclamation is a great place to work, and if I were just starting my career, I would look at Reclamation’s mission and consider the opportunities it offers for a fulfilling career. We have been fortunate to have hired some great young staff through internships and similar programs. We have also had success using presidential fellowships. In Salt Lake, we have a pretty good federal presence with Hill Air Force Base being just north of here, and we have been able to pull a lot of young talent from there. We are also fortunate to be surrounded by several universities and colleges that have provided us some pretty great young people. What we have going for us in the Upper Colorado Region is our mission and our location. People want to come here. Tyler Young: How do you meet your region’s changing demands for improving vital water infrastructure and ensuring public safety?
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continuously working to ensure that the 61 dams we have in the region will be reliable and safe for the next generation and the generation after that. Many of the modifications that we are making are to ensure that the features can sustain the large flood and seismic events that we can expect in our region. Tyler Young: What message do you have for irrigators who rely on the water you supply to grow food and fiber for our nation? Brent Rhees: Looking through the lens of the 19-year drought, we should consider where would we have been without Reclamation facilities. We would not have had the agriculture, and we would not have been able to provide supplemental water to the irrigators who grow food and resources in the West. We are not like California or Arizona, where farmers can grow vegetables, nuts, and fruits year-round; most of our agriculture in the Upper Basin is based on cattle, corn and alfalfa, and dairy, which require a lot of water. MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION.
Brent Rhees: I have a really great team of people who try to instill that culture of let’s get to a yes instead of a no. That doesn’t mean we will always agree, but we always will listen to the experts, who are often the water users themselves. Functionally, we have our safety of dams program, which is important in our region because we are in a high seismic zone. As we learn more about liquefaction and the stresses on structures, we use that information to look at our facilities to ensure that they are safe for the public and able to provide a reliable water supply. As a result of our dam safety program, we have modified a number of our dams in the Upper Colorado to enhance their resilience to seismic activity. We are
Irrigation pivot.
MANAGER PROFILE
The irrigators know the benefits of being near a reservoir, especially during times of drought. I see that as a Reclamation model that can be relied on. Looking forward, I see that we have a number of facilities that are 60, 80, 100 years old; we need those facilities to provide benefits for many years to come. In addition, we need to look for opportunities to become more efficient and enhance storage capacity, which may include providing additional storage, groundwater storage, or reuse technology. I would like to tell irrigators that if they stick with us, we will stick with them. Reclamation has been here for over 100 years, and we hope to be here for the next 100 years, providing benefits to irrigators. There is a huge change in demand in the West. With the projected population growth, it is going to be a real challenge sharing all the resources in the next 50 years. Irrigators will face pressure; they will need to continue to provide food while maximizing water use efficiency. I believe that Reclamation as a whole, and particularly the Upper Colorado Region, is well placed for the future. We inherited a great legacy, and we are always thinking about the kind of legacy that we are MUNICIPAL WATER LEADER
going to leave for the next generation. I think that we are in a great spot. We have terrific facilities. There may be the perception that Reclamation doesn’t build any more, but right now we are building a billion-dollar project to supply water from the San Juan River. It is hard to believe that there are residents in that area that have to haul water in their pickup trucks for daily consumption. By the end of 2020, we will begin delivering water. By 2024, we will have completed the project that will deliver Colorado River water for the region, which is a fantastic thing. M Brent Rhees is the regional director for the Bureau of Reclamation's Upper Colorado Region. He can be reached at brhees@usbr.gov.
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