Supply reliability under climate change: forbearance agreements and measurement of water conserved

Abstract

Climate change brings about hydrologic changes that include higher seasonal inter-annual and decadal variability in precipitation, streamflow and water in storage. This increased variability poses challenges for those responsible for providing reliable water supplies for urban and environmental needs. A new generation of risk sharing arrangements are being negotiated between owners of high reliability water supplies, often agricultural districts, and urban and environmental water providers. This chapter outlines the features of such arrangements, provides examples of where they are being implemented, discusses the challenges of measuring and monitoring reduced consumptive use on farms and implemented, and elucidates policy recommendations to help support more cost effective arrangements responsive to climate change needs.