Fredericktown, Missouri Prepares for Climate Change Drought Risk
Fredericktown, Missouri’s drinking water utility services the town of just over 4,000 residents with an average demand of 500,000 gallons per day. Fredericktown had concerns about the resiliency of its water system, specifically regarding the amount of sediment deposition and contaminate influx from heavy rain events that affected source water storage capacity. To complicate its concerns, the region suffered a drought in 2012 which left much of the system’s lake-bed exposed and reduced storage capacity. The utility would have been critically low on available source water if not for a release from an upstream lake.
Recognizing the severity of other droughts at the time in Texas and California and understanding that drought risk may increase in the future, utility officials realized they needed to prepare for the future. Using the EPA’s resource materials to conduct a vulnerability assessment, the utility was able to project potential climate impacts to their system out to beyond the year 2035.
Initial results of this assessment showed that the utility not only had to be concerned about future drought but may also need to prepare for flooding caused by more extreme precipitation events.
Several potential adaptation strategies were identified. Among those considered were:
- Implementation of a water conservation strategy.
- Entering into a water-rights agreement.
- Lake dredging.
- Development of a water reclamation system.
Fredericktown pursued the short-term strategy of developing a contract to use water from a nearby lake during dry periods. The utility operators, recognizing that upstream water releases and short-term contract may not be sufficient under future conditions, also identified a potential long-term adaptation action to dredge the lake.
How Did They Do It?
- Identified current risks - Fredericktown's existing source water vulnerabilities from levels of erosion, sedimentation, and contaminate influx from heavy but sporadic rain events not only increased the turbidity of the water but reduced the volume of lake storage. These factors, when combined with the increased risk of drought, could have played a role in contributing to greater treatment costs. Therefore, the city decided to better understand its climate vulnerabilities.
- Assessed future risks and climate vulnerabilities - Potential climate impacts to their system were project out to 2035 and beyond using both traditional risk assessment and scenario-based methods. Fredericktown identified vulnerability to increased precipitation events (storms) and changing precipitation patterns including a vulnerability to drought — and the corresponding vulnerabilities to water quality and sedimentation.
- Established resiliency and adaptation strategies - After identifying several vulnerabilities that may be exacerbated by climate change, the city of Fredericktown pursued a short-term resiliency action and identified a long-term climate adaptation strategy.
- Near term resiliency action: Adopted short-term resiliency by contracting with an upstream organization to release water during shortages.
- Long-term adaptation strategy: Planned for long term adaptation by exploring the idea of increasing water storage capacity by dredging the lake.
Similar Cases and More Information
To see how another Midwestern community acted to reduce future vulnerability, see Iowa City. To see how another utility rebuilt in a vulnerable location but took steps to prepare their facility and adapt to concerns over flooding and sedimentation, see Anacortes, WA. For an example on how a wastewater utility identified projected climate impacts and adaptation strategies, and then partnered with relevant entities to adopt these strategies and reduce stormwater impacts and combined sewer overflows, view Camden, NJ.
- Iowa City, Iowa Closes Vulnerable Wastewater Facility
- Anacortes, Washington Rebuilds Water Treatment Plant for Climate Change
- Camden, New Jersey Uses Green Infrastructure to Manage Stormwater