Current Work to Protect Long-Term Water Resource Needs
The Capital Area Groundwater Conservation Commission (CAGWCC) is working with The Water Institute, Louisiana State University, the U.S. Geological Survey, and Freese and Nichols to identify and evaluate feasible, realistic, and cost-effective science-based alternatives which meet long-term water resources needs for the Greater Baton Rouge Area.
These alternatives include strategies to address saltwater intrusion, such as installing scavenger wells to withdraw salt water from the aquifer, closure or movement of individual wells or well fields, and creation of injection wells to alter pressure dynamics along the fault zone. In addition, the alternatives include potential actions designed to reduce demand for water such as promoting awareness of the need for conservation among groundwater users and the considerations of actions designed to increase the supply of water such as the treatment and use of river or surface water, treatment and reuse of water, and other water supply strategies. Actions designed to limit the withdrawal of groundwater such as permitting, conservation-oriented fee schedules, and production caps are also being considered.
The work is being conducted in a multi-phased approach. Phase 1 began in 2018, and was conducted by CAGWCC in partnership with The Water Institute, in which a structured decision making process was adopted to create a Framework for the Development of a Strategic Plan for CAGWCC. Phase 2 began in 2020 with CAGWCC and the Water Institute working in collaboration with experts from USGS, LSU, and Freese and Nichols.
The work of CAGWCC and its partners looks to address two overarching problems. First, how to manage groundwater resources for the Greater Baton Rouge Area and ensure the long-term availability of freshwater resources in the face of saltwater intrusion. Secondly, the work addresses the issue of how to make informed decisions regarding these issues using the best available science.
STRUCTURED DECISION-MAKING
Throughout all phases of the work, the Water Institute is employing a structured decision-making approach. Structured decision-making uses a broad set of tools to help decision-makers formulate a plan of action, drawing from fields such as decision analysis, operations research, economics, human dimensions, management science, behavioral psychology, and expert judgment. This process in turn supports the facilitation of structured conversations about the complex range of issues involved in ensuring the long-term future of freshwater resources.
A PrOACT cycle is being used as a foundational guide for the project. This PrOACT cycle consists of:
Defining the Problem
Determining the Objectives
Identifying Alternatives
Evaluating alternatives and forecasting the Consequences
Evaluating the Trade-offs
Making the decision and taking action
Phase 1 of the work was conducted by CAGWCC with the Water Institute, and focused on Defining the Problem and Determining the Objectives. In this, there were three key aims: 1. Work with the CAGWCC to identify and evaluate feasible, realistic, and cost-effective science-based alternatives; 2. Evaluate the state of the science on groundwater use and aquifer conservation to evaluate alternatives; 3. Work with the CAGWCC to identify management alternatives that are economically feasible and acceptable to lead towards the future development of a strategic plan.
Work was conducted over a series of meetings and workshops with stakeholders and decision-makers, at the end of which the Water Institute provided a report, "Framework for a Long-term Strategic Plan for the Capital Area Groundwater Conservation Commission." In addition, the Water Institute also authored a "State of the Science" report to provide a complementary assessment which identified knowledge gaps, and provided proposals for evaluation of alternatives and filling of gaps in future phases of work.
FUNDAMENTAL OBJECTIVES
As a product of Phase 1's facilitated workshops, CAGWCC identified five fundamental objectives and accompanying performance metrics for the Commission and their future work:
OBJECTIVE 1.
Achieve and maintain sustainable and resilient groundwater withdrawal rates from the Southern Hills Aquifer within the District boundaries.
OBJECTIVE 2.
Manage the aquifer to maximize availability of healthy, high-quality drinking water equitably to all residents of the District indefinitely.
OBJECTIVE 3.
Manage the aquifer to maximize availability of clean and inexpensive water to commercial and industrial users in the District indefinitely.
OBJECTIVE 4.
Reduce the movement of saltwater into the Southern Hills Aquifer and slow or halt the advance of the existing saltwater plume.
OBJECTIVE 5.
Minimize the risk of subsidence.
ALTERNATIVES
Three broad alternative approaches were identified for future management of the Southern Hills Aquifer System:
A. Business as Usual
- Voluntary production caps on select sands, as needed
- No new permits issued for sands that have exceeded cap
- Scavenger wells in select sands
- Partners promote awareness
- Market-driven development of supply
B. Manage Demand via Regulation
- Non-voluntary zone- and sand-based production caps Renegotiate production limits by permit
- Scavenger wells in select sands, expanded as needed
- Joint awareness programming with partners
- Market-driven development of supply
C. Manage Demand via Partnerships
- Set permit-based production caps for industrial producers, with phased reductions Conservation-oriented fee schedules
- Existing scavenger wells
- Joint educational campaigns; incentive packages
- Market-driven development of supply
Overview
In 2020, the CAGWCC approved the Statement of Work for Phase 2, with work beginning in February 2021. In Phase 2, the Water Institute is continuing their work for CAGWCC in collaboration with experts from USGS, Louisiana State University, and Freese and Nichols. This multifaceted phase aims to identify and evaluate feasible, realistic, and cost-effective science-based alternatives which meet long-term water resource needs, identify economically feasible management alternatives, and develop a strategic plan for the long-term water supply for the CAGWCC.
Phase 2 is expected to take three to four years, and is composed of a number of tasks conducted either by individual partners or by partners working in collaboration.
The partners are currently working to finalize the alternative strategies drafted in Phase 1, and are evaluating each of these alternatives to determine how well each strategy would meet the CAGWCC’s identified fundamental objectives.
As part of Phase 2, tools are being developed to support a consequence analysis. This consequence analysis will forecast the consequences of each alternative based on sound data and science, and will provide CAGWCC with the information they need to evaluate the tradeoffs of each potential action.
Groundwater Availability Model
An important tool being developed in Phase 2 is a Groundwater Availability Model (GAM). The GAM will estimate the available fresh water and cone of depression for each sand in the Southern Hills Aquifer System. This groundwater “budget,” with additions and withdrawals, will support an evaluation of how much groundwater can be withdrawn from each sand in a sustainable way.
In addition, the outputs from the GAM will support understanding of many aspects of the Southern Hills Aquifer System, including: Scavenger well efficacy, areas of particular sensitivity, future placement of well(s), and the potential impacts of future management options.
Development of the GAM is led by Frank Tsai at LSU. Learn more about LSU's work.
Evaluation of Public Understanding
In Phase 2, there are a number of ongoing outreach and engagement activities designed to help leadership better understand how people use water, how people perceive the issues surrounding groundwater usage, and attitudes towards potential or proposed strategies for management of groundwater resources.
Phase 3 will consist of a Trade Off Analysis and the development of a final strategic plan for CAGWCC.
PHASE 2 TASKS
View and download PDFs of reports and documents produced so far during Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Water Institute's work with CAGWCC.