1 EVIDENCE THAT ACWD HAS OPERATED the NILES CONE SUB-BASIN 2-09.01 WITHIN ITS SUSTAINABLE YIELD the Alameda County Water Distri
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DRAFT EVIDENCE THAT ACWD HAS OPERATED THE NILES CONE SUB-BASIN 2-09.01 WITHIN ITS SUSTAINABLE YIELD The Alameda County Water District (ACWD) manages the Niles Cone Sub-basin 2-09.01 (Niles Cone) in the Cities of Fremont, Newark, Union City, and southern Hayward (map in Figure 1A and east-west cross-section in Figure 1B). Groundwater comprises approximately 40% of the supply to ACWD’s distribution system. ACWD operates production wells and artificial recharge facilities (also commonly referred to as managed-aquifer-recharge) in the Niles Cone. By integrating recharge and pumping operations, and implementing other vital programs, ACWD has operated the Niles Cone within its sustainable yield over the last five decades, including the most recent 10-year period from 2005 to 2015. To support this analysis, the following is provided: A description of the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin and its sustainable yield. A summary of ACWD programs that ensure that total pumping does not exceed the sustainable yield. Data on basin conditions over the last 10 years. Introduction – Sources of Information ACWD would like to emphasize that this document is based on existing and publically available information, including the Survey Report on Groundwater Conditions (published annually), the Groundwater Monitoring Report (published annually), Bulletins published by the California Department of Water Resources, reports of hydrogeologic investigations conducted by ACWD and financially supported by DWR, ACWD integrated planning and operations reports, and other studies. The Niles Cone Groundwater Basin and its Sustainable Yield The long-term average sustainable pumping yield of the Niles Cone, like any other groundwater basin, is determined by the amount of recharge to productive aquifers less natural (non-pumping) sinks from the aquifers. In the calculation of sustainable yield, recharge may include both natural sources and artificial recharge. ACWD’s artificial recharge operation has significantly augmented the sustainable yield of the Niles Cone. With artificial recharge included, the sustainable pumping yield of the Niles Cone over the last 10 years has ranged from 19,000 acre-feet per year to 32,000 acre-feet per year, with an average of 25,000 acre-feet per year. As indicated in Table 4 (see “Comparison of Recharge and Pumping” under “Data Indicating Sustainable Operations and Meeting of Sustainable Yield), this is equivalent to the amount pumped in the Niles Cone over the last 10 years. This pumping average is a reasonable analogue for sustainable yield because recharge exceeded pumping in that period, and thus replenished both pumping and natural outflows. Moreover, groundwater levels at the end of this period (and as they are now in 2016) were substantially higher than thresholds for avoiding undesirable results. For purposes of medium-term future planning, based on 2020 demands and expected supplies for artificial recharge, ACWD is using a value of 23,100 acre-feet per year as the sustainable yield. 1 DRAFT DRAFT BHF AHF FIGURE 1A DRAFT DRAFT INTRUSION OF SALT WATER INTO THE FREMONT STUDY AREA BELOW HAYWARD BELOW HAYWARD FAULT 100 CONE NILES OF APEX ABOVE HAYWARD FAULT HAYWARD ABOVE HAYWARD FAULT HAYWARD SAN FRANCISCO BAY SALT PONDS Sea Level NEWARK AQUIFER -100 -200 CENTERVILLE AQUIFER -300 FREMONT AQUIFER USC & GS DATUM USC -400 DEPTH IN FEET DEEP AQUIFERS -500 LEGEND -600 PIEZOMETRIC LEVELS (shown for the Newark Aquifer and Centerville Aquifer) AQUIFERS -700 PATH OF SALT WATER INTRUSION OF -800 Source: State of California Dept. of Water Resources. 1968. Bulletin No. 118-1 Evaluation of Groundwater Resources, South Bay, Volume 1: Fremont Study Area. August, 1968. Sacramento, Calif. FIGURE 1B DRAFT DRAFT Sustainable yield is generally discussed in terms of a long-term average. On a short-term basis, such as a dry year, withdrawal from storage may compensate for reduced availability of recharge water, provided such withdrawal does not lower groundwater levels below critical minimums for a prolonged period, such that undesirable results could ensue. Potential undesirable results applicable to the Niles Cone are summarized in Table 1 below, and associated sustainability indicators and thresholds are listed in Table 2. The rationale for the values in Tables 1 and 2 are further explained under “Physical Setting”. Table 1. Applicability of Potential Undesirable Results to Niles Cone Potential Management Area Undesirable Result Below Hayward Fault (BHF) Above Hayward Fault (AHF) (west of Hayward Fault) (east of Hayward Fault) Undesirable Reason Undesirable Reason Result Result Applicable? Applicable? Seawater Intrusion Yes Newark Aquifer in contact with San Francisco No Hayward Fault Bay provides barrier Reduction of No Maintaining sufficient storage so that Yes Some private wells Groundwater Storage groundwater levels are high enough to are relatively prevent new seawater intrusion precludes shallow other potential undesirable results. Land Subsidence No Niles Cone not very prone to inelastic No Same reason as for subsidence. Only minor subsidence was the Below Hayward recorded during years of historic lows in Fault Management water levels from 1920s to 1969, and ACWD Area is not operating at such levels now, and is not planning to do so in future. Effects on Surface No Fishery needs in Alameda Creek Flood Control No Same reason as for Water Ecosystems Channel met by surface water flows from Below Hayward upstream watershed; channel is not a gaining Fault Management stream except when groundwater levels at Area maximum end of range. Impacts on No Artificial recharge operations to prevent new No Hayward Fault Neighboring saltwater in the Niles Cone will also preclude provides barrier Groundwater Basins potential impacts to neighboring groundwater basins. Degraded Water No Known plumes from chemical spills are being No Same as for Below Quality managed through water quality programs so Hayward Fault that they do not cause shutdown of existing Management Area water wells. See “Water Quality Programs” under “ACWD Actions that Sustain the Niles Cone”. As can be seen from Table 1, all potential undesirable results are expected to be addressed in the Niles Cone provided that new saltwater intrusion is prevented in the Below Hayward Fault Management Area, and sufficient water is provided to enable operation of shallow private wells in the Above Hayward Fault Management Area. Therefore, Sustainability Indicators and Thresholds have been established as listed in Table 2. 4 DRAFT DRAFT Table 2: Sustainability Indicators and Thresholds for Applicable Potential Undesirable Results Applicable Undesirable Result Sustainability Indicator Threshold Below Hayward Fault Management Area Saltwater intrusion Level in indicator well 4S/1W-29A06 +1.5 ft. (1929 NGVD) is default minimum value, but -5 ft. OK if rare and infrequent (e.g., no more than 3 consecutive years in a 20-year period). Chloride concentration 250 ppm maximum in fresh water area Above Hayward Fault Management Area Reduction of Groundwater Storage Level in indicator well 4S/1W-28D02 +10 ft. (1929 NGVD) presently May be lower in future The long-term critical minimum operating levels, as measured in ACWD’s two primary indicator monitoring wells, are 10 feet Mean Sea Level (1929 NGVD) for the portion of the Niles Cone above (east of) the Hayward Fault, and 1 foot for the portion of the basin below (west of) the Hayward Fault. A short-term level of -5 feet could be sustained for up to 3 to 5 years in the part of the basin west of the Hayward Fault. To ensure that realization of such low levels would be extremely rare, ACWD replenishes the basin and controls operation of ACWD production wells so that actual levels are usually well above of critical minimums. This is accomplished through: 1) procurement of sufficient water supplies, 2) water supply planning, and 3) adjustment of artificial recharge and pumping operations per current basin levels in relation to rule curves illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B. In addition, ACWD requires metering of private wells and requests owners and operators for their anticipated use for the following year. ACWD includes this information in its annual water supply planning. 5 DRAFT DRAFT FIGURE 2A: BELOW (WEST OF) HAYWARD FAULT GROUNDWATER LEVEL TRIGGERS FOR ACWD OPERATIONS 20 15 10 1996-2005 Average Groundwater Elevations 5 Level 1 Operating Conditions Level 2 Operating Conditions 0 Level 3 Operating Conditions BHF GroundwaterBHF Elevation (msl) Minimum Groundwater Elevation -5 -10 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Month Notes: 1. 1996-2005 Average Groundwater Conditions represents current average, end of month levels. This 10-year period is characterized by normal to wet local conditions. 2. Level 1 Operating Conditions represent lower extent of ACWD’s annual put/take operation for conjunctive use. Operation below this line begins to draw on dry year groundwater reserves. The following operating assumptions are assumed if BHF groundwater elevations drop below these levels: . No non-desalination ARP pumping (i.e., all ARP pumping is routed to the Desalination Facility, no direct discharge of ARP water to the Bay); and . Increase recharge imports to sustain groundwater production capacity and remain above the Level 1 Conditions. 3. Level 2 Operating Conditions reflect continued lowering of the groundwater basin, representing below normal year conditions. The following operating assumptions are assumed if groundwater elevations drop below these levels: .