Water as Ecosystem Base Handout - Melinda Kass

• Title: Water as Ecosystem Base
• Date: 7/25/2006
• Author: Melinda Kassen
• Interbasin CC - Doc Type: Presentations

A – E F O F
PPENDIX XCERPTS FROM ACING UR UTURE

Smart Water Development Principles

Not all smart principles apply to every new water project. However, a pr oject that does
not incorporate all relevant smart principles is unlikely to be smart overall . An
indisputably smart water supply or storage project will satisfy each of the following
principles that is relevant:
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Make full, efficient use of existing in - bas in and imported water supplies, and reusable
return flows, before increasing transbasin diversions.
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Invest in the most cost - effective and least environmentally damaging water supply
options first. All costs should be considered in this analysis, including those borne by
people or landscapes not served by the project (“externalities”).
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Fully integrate conservation, water reuse, and demand management into the water
supply planning process.
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Ensure that new and refurbished water projects do not increase the r isk of extinction
of native species nor adversely modify designated critical habitat for species
protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).
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Before taking more water out of rivers, adopt interruptible supply agreements (where
feasible) between agricu ltural water users and other water users, including those
seeking to conserve, protect, or restore instream flows, and minimize any undesirable
consequences of the reallocation of water from agricultural to municipal use.
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Improve use of existing water supp ly infrastructure and sharing of resources between
water users to avoid unnecessary new diversions and duplication of facilities.
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Ensure public involvement — especially for non - traditional stakeholders directly
affected by new water projects — in the planning process to ensure that project
developers minimize environmental and socioeconomic impacts.
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Use incremental approaches to providing new water supplies, to facilitate adding,
changing, ending, accelerating, or delaying new supply strategies as demands chan ge.
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Consider expanding or enhancing existing storage and delivery infrastructure before
building new facilities in presently undeveloped sites.
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Ensure that new projects provide multiple benefits, satisfy the greatest possible range
of needs (including thos e for instream recreation and the environment), and use the
most effective methods for minimizing environmental damage during
construction/maintenance
.