Final Report: Evaluation of sustainable water availability in drought prone watersheds in Southeast Oklahoma
Dates
Publication Date
2020-06-30
Citation
Wayne Kellogg, 2020-06-30, Final Report: Evaluation of sustainable water availability in drought prone watersheds in Southeast Oklahoma: .
Summary
During the severe drought of 2010-2015, several communities in southeast Oklahoma nearly ran out of water. Some of these communities rely on streams and rivers as their sole source of water, and when these sources almost ran dry, it left them searching for alternatives and wondering how to manage future water uncertainty. To address these challenges this study used historical and climate projections through the end of the century to model potential impacts to individual water permits, and to estimate projected supply-demand curves for the most water vulnerable communities. This study focused on local communities within the Red River Basin in both the Chickasaw Nation and Choctaw Nation territories. Additionally, this study examined [...]
Summary
During the severe drought of 2010-2015, several communities in southeast Oklahoma nearly ran out of water. Some of these communities rely on streams and rivers as their sole source of water, and when these sources almost ran dry, it left them searching for alternatives and wondering how to manage future water uncertainty. To address these challenges this study used historical and climate projections through the end of the century to model potential impacts to individual water permits, and to estimate projected supply-demand curves for the most water vulnerable communities. This study focused on local communities within the Red River Basin in both the Chickasaw Nation and Choctaw Nation territories.
Additionally, this study examined relationships between occupancy of stream fishes and flow metrics during both wet and dry climactic periods between 1961-2010. Results indicated significant occurrence relationships for 77 stream fishes, but there were only two seasonal differences in relationships with flow timing metrics (date of annual maximum, date of annual minimum). Although simple relationships were found between stream fish occurrence and other factors of the flow regime (duration, magnitude, rate of change), the timing metrics of high and low flows were context dependent.
Results show that approximately half of the municipal water permits have decreased projected reliability when compared to historical reliability, and that these permit reliabilities are projected to decrease over the coming century. Most of the permits with significant decreases in reliability are located within the Chickasaw Nation territory.
Both the Chickasaw Nation and Choctaw Nation are expected to provide support, or are already providing support, to the entities identified as having future water needs. With a better understanding of these projected water needs and when they may occur, investigating alternative water sources or water conservation efforts for these entities can now begin.
