Dams and hydropower

The Governator signed a major water bill and not surprisingly, opinions were decidedly mixed. Described as the most significant water bill in 25 years the bill is hugely complex.

The bills moved by the Legislature are nothing if not complex, but they would essentially accomplish five key goals. The package would:

• Do away with the long-troubled CalFed program and the Bay Delta Authority to establish a seven-member governing council to oversee both restoration of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, which supplies water to 23 million Californians, and future construction of levees, dams, canals or other water projects.
  
• Mandate a 20 percent reduction in urban per capita water use by Dec. 31, 2020.
  
• Begin the first-ever groundwater monitoring program in the state, wresting control of the process from local authorities.
  
• Prevent illegal diversions and increase fines for those found stealing water.
  
• Pursue funding for all of the above.
  

Many have pointed to unaddressed issues such as metering and measuring all uses (ag interests strongly oppose this as they get a flat rate for using 80% of California's water) and strong criticism for insufficient conservation measures, especially for southern California.

One of the winners are the dam builders and hydropower. Relatedly, the Hydropower Association has released a study on growth potential job demand in hydro.

Munro says job growth would come through projects that improve efficiency by allowing the industry to produce more electricity with the same amount of water.

More growth would come from adding generation capacity to dams and irrigation systems that currently don’t generate, expanding “pumped storage,” projects, and developing new types of generation, including tidal and wave energy.

According to the study, 3 percent of the country’s 80,000 dams generate electricity.

Most aren’t suited for power generation, but by harnessing those that are and exploiting only 15 percent of the potential new sources, the industry could add 60,000 new megawatts to the current installed capacity of 100,000 megawatts, the study says.

Rafael @www.climateatbay.net