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Westwater model shows CAP most reliable and cost‑competitive; local banking and Central Valley options have limits
Summary
Westwater Research told the board its 50‑year water‑budget modeling finds the CAP project most reliable for the district and shows unit costs comparable to local groundwater banking when portfolio effects and potential surplus sales are included. Model assumptions and conveyance constraints limit the viability of Central Valley banking, the firm said.
Oliver Brown, California regional director at Westwater Research, presented a 50‑year water‑budget model and cost comparison of three strategies: the Advanced Purification Project (CAP), a local groundwater bank and participation in Central Valley groundwater banking.
Model assumptions included current demand at about 3,600 acre‑feet per year (growing ~0.25%/year), a Kachuma allocation of about 2,813 AF with an assumed ~25% reduction in reliability, and a state‑water allocation nominally of ~2,200 AF with average deliveries modeled at roughly 45% (about 990 AF/year). Westwater modeled hydrologic variability and climate effects and…
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