63 Multi-Benefit Resources

Agricultural Water Conservation and Efficiency Potential in California

Author: NRDC, Pacific Institute (2014)
Geography: Western U.S.
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Water Management Strategies: Agricultural efficiency, Water Conservation and Efficiency

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Agriculture, Demand reduction, Energy, Energy for water extraction, Habitat and biodiversity, In stream flows, Land and environment, Local economy, People and Community, Risk and Resilience, Soil health, Supply augmentation, Water quality, Water Supply, Water supply reliability

Agricultural Water Conservation and Efficiency Potential in California outlines the benefits of improving agricultural efficiency in California. The benefits cited include reduced consumptive use, improved water quality and instream flow, energy savings, increased yields, improved crop quality, reduced fertilizer, water, and energy costs, improved reliability of existing supplies, management flexibility, improved downstream water quality, and enhanced recreation.

Integrated Urban Water Model (IUWM)

Author: One Water Solutions Institute, Colorado State University (N/A)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Decision support tool

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: On site nonpotable reuse, Urban and industrial nonpotable reuse, Urban indoor efficiency, Urban outdoor efficiency, Water Conservation and Efficiency, Water Reuse

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Demand reduction, Water Supply

Integrated Urban Water Model (IUWM) is a planning tool for urban planners and water managers considering water savings from indoor and outdoor conservation through utilization of alternative water sources including greywater, stormwater, and reclaimed water. The tool utilizes lot size, land use designations, climate information, and soil characteristics to evaluate the impact of land use configurations, climate changes, conservation programs, and alternative water sources on water demands.

Greenhouse Gas and Energy Co-Benefits of Water Conservation

Author: Maas, Polis Project (2009)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Decision support tool, Quantitative benefits

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Urban indoor efficiency, Urban outdoor efficiency, Water Conservation and Efficiency

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Demand reduction, End use energy, Energy, Energy for wastewater, Energy for water extraction, Energy for water treatment, GHG emissions, Water Supply

Greenhouse Gas and Energy Co-Benefits of Water Conservation examines the multiple benefits that are produced from the “water-energy nexus”. The benefits include indirect energy savings from municipal water and wastewater provision, indirect and direct energy use, and embedded energy for chemical manufacturing. The report includes example case studies conducted on various scales (program, municipal, provincial, and community levels), as well as provides methodologies for the quantification of the cited energy benefits.

Waste Less, Pollute Less: Using Urban Water Conservation to Advance Clean Water Act Compliance

Author: Levine, NRDC (2014)
Geography: U.S.
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Urban indoor efficiency, Water Conservation and Efficiency

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Demand reduction, Drinking water quality, Regulatory compliance, Risk and Resilience, System resilience, Water quality, Water Supply, Water supply reliability

Waste Less, Pollute Less: Using Urban Water Conservation to Advance Clean Water Act Compliance (blog and issue brief) presents the case for water conservation and efficiency measures to help municipalities and wastewater treatment facilities improve compliance with the federal Clean Water Act. The authors call on the U.S. EPA and the States to implement measures to support increased water conservation and efficiency measures with the goal of improving CWA compliance.

Quantifying Watershed Restoration Benefits in Community Water Partnership Projects

Author: LimnoTech, Global Environment & Technology Foundation (GETF) (2015)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Decision support tool, Quantitative benefits

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Agricultural land management, Delivery system efficiency, Floodplain connectivity and rehabilitation, Land Management, On site nonpotable reuse, Reforestation and forest conservation, Riparian buffers, Stream protection and restoration, Urban and industrial nonpotable reuse, Water Conservation and Efficiency, Water Reuse, Wetland protection and restoration

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Ambient water quality, Carbon sequestration, Drinking water quality, Habitat and biodiversity, Land and environment, Supply augmentation, Water quality, Water Supply

Quantifying Watershed Restoration Benefits in Community Water Partnership Projects is a report that aims to quantify water-related benefits of Coca-Cola Company watershed protection, water for productive use, and water access projects. The report identifies nine categories of watershed restoration actions, including agricultural land practice changes, stormwater management, land use/land cover alterations, hydraulic/hydrologic waterbody alterations, recaptured leakage from water systems, wastewater treatment, biologic management, water reuse, and rainwater harvesting and aquifer recharge. The benefits quantified within this report include water quantity and water quality (i.e., sediment reduction), and the benefits not quantified include habitat improvement, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration.

Water-use efficiency and productivity: rethinking the basin approach

Author: Gleick, Smith, & Cooley, (2011)
Geography: Global
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Paywall

Water Management Strategies: Agricultural efficiency, Delivery system efficiency, Urban indoor efficiency, Urban outdoor efficiency, Water Conservation and Efficiency

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Ambient water quality, Demand reduction, Drinking water quality, End use energy, Energy, Risk and Resilience, Water quality, Water Supply, Water supply reliability

Water-use efficiency and productivity: rethinking the basin approach is a response to a paper in Water International. The paper highlights major components of inefficient water use that were ignored, examines water productivity rather than just water efficiency, and discusses co-benefits. The co-benefits of water-use efficiency examined are improved water quality, increased production, improved water supply reliability, decreased energy demands, and reduced or delayed infrastructure investments.

Implications of Future Water Supply Sources for Energy Demands

Author: Cooley & Wilkinson, Pacific Institute, WateReuse Research Foundation (2012)
Geography: Western U.S.
Level of Detail: Decision support tool, Quantitative benefits

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Centralized wastewater treatment, Delivery system efficiency, Groundwater extraction, Groundwater Management, Groundwater recharge, Groundwater storage, Indirect potable reuse, On site nonpotable reuse, Wastewater Treatment, Water Conservation and Efficiency, Water Reuse, Water Transfer

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: End use energy, Energy, Energy for wastewater, Energy for water extraction, Energy for water treatment, GHG emissions

Implications of Future Water Supply Sources for Energy Demands describes the Water-Energy Simulator (WESim), an easy-to-use analytical tool for evaluating the energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) implications of water management decisions. In this report, energy is considered for (1) source water extraction, (2) water conveyance, (3) water treatment, (4) water distribution, (5) wastewater collection, and (6) wastewater treatment. WESim can include commercial and residential end uses of water and energy requirements for end uses. The report includes case studies utilizing WESim by the Santa Clara Valley Water District and Denver Water.

Putting Green to Work: Economic Recovery Investments for Clean and Reliable Water

Author: American Rivers (2010)
Geography: U.S.
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Centralized Stormwater Infrastructure, Centralized wastewater treatment, Delivery system efficiency, Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Flood Control, Infiltration or filtration, Land Management, On site nonpotable reuse, Retention basin, Riparian buffers, Runoff conveyance, Runoff storage, Storm drains and pipes, Stream protection and restoration, Urban indoor efficiency, Urban outdoor efficiency, Wastewater Treatment, Water Conservation and Efficiency, Water Reuse, Water Transfer, Wetland protection and restoration

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Aesthetics, Ambient water quality, Demand reduction, Drinking water quality, Energy, Flooding, Habitat and biodiversity, In stream flows, Land and environment, People and Community, Risk and Resilience, Supply augmentation, System resilience, Urban heat island, Water quality, Water Supply, Water supply reliability

Putting Green to Work: Economic Recovery Investments for Clean and Reliable Water categorizes “green” and “bright green” projects that provide multiple environmental and economic benefits, including improved water quality and quantity, reduced runoff and flooding, groundwater recharge, improved habitats, reduced energy use, and overall water supply reliability. The report focuses primarily on green infrastructure and demand management projects, as well as leveraging natural capital for water management, including examples from specific states and cities with a focus on funding projects. The report provides a qualitative discussion of the multiple benefits.

Adapting to Change: Utility Systems and Declining Flows

Author: California Urban Water Agencies (2017)
Geography: Western U.S.
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Centralized Stormwater Infrastructure, Centralized wastewater treatment, Direct potable reuse, Flood Control, Groundwater Management, Groundwater recharge, On site nonpotable reuse, Storm drains and pipes, Urban and industrial nonpotable reuse, Urban indoor efficiency, Urban outdoor efficiency, Wastewater Treatment, Water Conservation and Efficiency, Water Reuse

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Ambient water quality, Demand reduction, Drinking water quality, Energy, Energy for wastewater, Extreme events, In stream flows, Land and environment, Regulatory compliance, Resource recovery, Risk and Resilience, System resilience, Water Supply, Water supply reliability

Adapting to Change: Utility Systems and Declining Flows explores the consequences of reduced indoor flows related to conservation on urban water supply systems in California. The report illustrates that demand management through water use efficiency can have many co-benefits including improved drought resilience, improved in-stream flows, reduced or deferred cost of infrastructure, and reduced energy costs; declining flows, however, can negatively impact water distribution, conveyance, wastewater treatment, and recycled water policy. Specific examples and details are presented within the report, including survey and interview data.

California Water Plan, Update 2009, Volume 2: Resource Management Strategies

Author: California Department of Water Resources (2009)
Geography: Western U.S.
Level of Detail: Decision support tool, Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Agricultural efficiency, Agricultural land management, Brackish desalination, Centralized Stormwater Infrastructure, Centralized wastewater treatment, Delivery system efficiency, Desalination, Direct potable reuse, Drywells, Groundwater extraction, Groundwater Management, Groundwater recharge, Groundwater storage, Indirect potable reuse, Land Management, Recharge area protection, Reforestation and forest conservation, Riparian buffers, Seawater desalination, Spreading basins, Storm drains and pipes, Stream protection and restoration, Surface Water Storage, Urban indoor efficiency, Urban outdoor efficiency, Wastewater Treatment, Water Conservation and Efficiency, Water Reuse, Water Transfer, Wetland protection and restoration

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Demand reduction, Extreme events, Flooding, Habitat and biodiversity, Land and environment, People and Community, Recreation, Risk and Resilience, Supply augmentation, System resilience, Water quality, Water Supply, Water supply reliability

The California Water Plan presents a guide on water management strategies that can provide multiple benefits both regionally and statewide in California. The management strategies are organized by goals, such as reducing water demand, improving operational efficiency, or improving water quality, and the benefits are categorized under water supply, drought preparedness, water quality, operational flexibility, flood impacts, environmental benefits, energy benefits, recreation, and groundwater overdraft risk. The report also includes guidance on the quantitative analysis of multiple benefits for policymakers and water resource managers.

Water Efficiency for Instream Flow: Making the Link in Practice

Author: Alliance for Water Efficiency, American Rivers, Environmental Law Institute (2011)
Geography: Western U.S.
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Agricultural efficiency, Delivery system efficiency, Urban indoor efficiency, Urban outdoor efficiency, Water Conservation and Efficiency

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Demand reduction, In stream flows, Land and environment, Reputation, Risk and Resilience, Water Supply, Water supply reliability

Water Efficiency for Instream Flow: Making the Link in Practice examines the potential for linking water efficiency efforts to improving instream flows within the Colorado River Basin. The report concludes that improving water efficiency can allow for population and economic growth without requiring a large investment in new or expanded water supplies or wastewater. It also concludes that environment and state regulatory requirements can drive water efficiency efforts. The report includes a qualitative discussion on the following benefits: reduced surface or groundwater withdrawals, operational flexibility for water utility, and instream flows.

Berkeley Resilience Strategy

Author: City of Berkeley, 100 Resilient Cities, AECOM (2016)
Geography: Western U.S.
Level of Detail: Case study, Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Water Conservation and Efficiency, Water Reuse

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Aesthetics, Demand reduction, Extreme events, Flooding, Habitat and biodiversity, Land and environment, People and Community, Risk and Resilience, Supply augmentation, System resilience, Water Supply, Water supply reliability

100 Resilient Cities is an organization working across the globe to help plan for more resilient and successful cities. The Resilience Framework guides users towards projects that provide overall system and infrastructure resilience, often including water systems and infrastructure. The report includes a case study on Berkeley, California’s goal of adapting to climate change through green infrastructure, diversifying their water supply, and sustainable landscapes. The Resilience Framework yields a qualitative measure of ‘city resilience’, defined as “the ability of the individuals, institutions, businesses, and systems within the community to survive, adapt, and grow no matter what chronic stress or acute shock it experiences.”

Review of IRWM Planning and Implementation in California

Author: California Department of Water Resources (2015)
Geography: Western U.S.
Level of Detail: Qualitative description

Availability: Publicly Available

Water Management Strategies: Centralized Stormwater Infrastructure, Desalination, Distributed Stormwater Infrastructure, Environmental Remediation, Groundwater Management, Land Management, Wastewater Treatment, Water Conservation and Efficiency, Water Reuse, Water Transfer

Specific Benefits or Trade-offs: Ambient water quality, Community resilience, Drinking water quality, Educational opportunity, Flood Control, Habitat and biodiversity, Land and environment, People and Community, Recreation, Risk and Resilience, Supply augmentation, System resilience, Water quality, Water Supply, Water supply reliability

Review of IRWM Planning and Implementation in California presents an assessment of Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) planning and implementation practices that supports California’s Department of Water Resources (DWR) Strategic Plan. DWR aims to work with regions in California to develop Integrated Regional Water Management Plans (IRWMPs) and prioritize proposals for funding that include multiple benefit projects.