BEFORE THE POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD
OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS
IN THE MATTER
OF:
)
)
NATURAL GAS-FIRED,
PEAK-LOAD
)
ROl-lO
ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATING
)
FACILITIES (PEAKER PLANTS)
)
TESTIMONY OF DEREK WINSTANLEY~D. PHIL.
Good afternoon. I am Derek Winstanley, Chief ofthe Illinois State Water Survey. The Illinois
State Water Survey, is a division ofthe Office of Scientific Research and Analysis ofthe Illinois
Department of Natural Resources and is affiliated with the University of Illinois at
Urbana/Champaign. The Water Survey was established in 1895 and is the primary agency in Illinois
concerned with water and atmospheric resources. Research activities at the Survey are organized
under five majorscientificsections: AtmosphericEnvironment, Analytical Chemistry & Technology,
National Atmospheric Deposition Program. Watershed Science, and Ground Water.
Today, I will be speaking about ground-water resource issues as they relate to peaker power
plants in Illinois, Peaker power plants place flew demands on water resources in Illinois. The
emergence ofpeaker plants is closely related to the restructuring ofthe electrical utility industry.
Thereis little doubt that Illinois is attractive for peakerplant construction because the infrastructure
and natural resources are all here. We have the natural gas pipelines, the electrical powergrid, and
plentiM water resources to make us attractive forthis type ofendeavor. And, it is quite likely Illinois
I
will be attractive for other high-demand water users in the future as well, So, while peakerplants are
the issue for this hearing today, it is prudent to understand that broader water needs issues are at
stake.
Prior to anydiscussion ofthe potential forimpacts on ground-waterresources from peakerpower
plants, it must be recognized that water demands from such plants vary widelydependingupon plant
design and intended use. First, there is a wide-spread tendency to call all proposed power plants
“peaker” plants when, iii fact, some proposalsare for large, combined cycle plants that would be used
to generate base load power all year round. Water use for peaker plants proposed in illinois varies
from as little as 0.07 million gallons per day (mgd) to about 2 mgd. These plants need only operate
a few days per year to be profitable and most proposals are for20 to 90 days operation per year. On
the other hand, proposed combined cycle (base load) plants want 5 to 20 mgd for at least 10 months
annual operation. Most, if not all, ofthe combined cycle plants have proposed to use surface water
to meet their demands and, therefore, are not the focus ofmy presentation today.
However, a discussion ofpeaker power plants and impacts on ground-water resources muSt be
placed within the context of all other regional water demands, including those for combined cycle
plants as well as Illinois’ growing water needs for domestic, municipal, agricultural, and other
industrial uses. Often, local planners overlook ground-water resources issues in making land use
decisions. Local landowners, on the other hand, use ground-water availability as an issue when it is
actually a land use conflict that is their leading cause for concern. For example, golf courses are
popular land uses and not perceived as a problem even though they may pump larger amounts of
water for irrigation than some peaker plants.
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Ground-water managers often use the term “potential aquiferyield”. Potential yield or practical
sustained yield can be generally definedas, “theamount ofwater that can withdrawn annuallywithout
producing undesirable effects.” Often potential yield is equated to average annual recharge or the
amount ofwaterthat can be withdrawn such that water levelsare not drawnbelow certainsustainable
levels. With the proper information, the effects ofpumpage can be predicted and potential yields can
be estimated. Unfortunately, because ofdata demands and the expense ofcollecting ground-water
data, potential yields have not been determined for many aquifers in the state, Without reasonable
yield estimates, however, it is impossible for planners to know what ground-water resources are
available or to predict what impacts new withdrawals might have.
Further, where regional aquifer systems transcend political boundaries, limiting ground-water
withdrawals in one community or area will not solve the problem if adjacent communities are not
limiting withdrawalsalso, This is especially true in northeastern Illinois where many proposed peaker
plants are planning on using wells drilled into the Canibrian-Ordovician aquifer, the deep bedrock
aquifer system ofnorthernIllinois. However, total regional withdrawals from this deep aquifer system-
are currently close to or slightly over the aquifer’s estimated practical sustained yield. In this case,
increased demands from all users on this regional aquifer system need to be addressed on a regional
scale, not on a town-by-town basis.
Alternative water sources in some areasmay be limited. Innortheastern illinois, diversion ofwater
from LakeMichigan is fixed by Supreme Court decree and future allocations are constrained by that
limit and by international agreement. Diversion of other surface waters may be restricted by
requirements to maintain minimum base flows in those waterways defined as “waters ofthe State”
(forexample, the illinois, Rock, Kankakee, and Fox Rivers). Water withdrawal restrictions on these
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major waterways has been recognized as a rare event and, in at least one case, a plant proposer has
agreed to shut down the plant during low-flaw periods. While the state has the power to restrict
surface diversions to maintain minimum streamfiow on these large rivers, the state has no such
powers forother moderately-sized streams and it is here that diversions may posethe greatest threat
to instream flowneeds for aquatic habitat, wastewater assimilation, and recreation/aesthetics.
Excessive ground-water withdrawals may also have subsequent impacts on the quantity and
quality ofsurface waters, Over-pumpage ofshallow ground water can decrease waterlevels in lakes
and potentially dry up wetlands, fens, and springs. Reductions in the discharge from natural springs
may threaten species such as the endangered Hines Emerald Dragonfly, which relies on water from
undisturbed dolomite springs along the Lower DesPlaines River. Over-pumpage ofshallow ground
water can decrease the baseflow in streams below desirable levels, affecting water quality and water
supply needs downstream, Ground water dischargedfrom power plants to surface streams will be
warmer and contain higher concentrations of dissolved solids than when originally withdrawn,
Discharge of this water to surface waters can impact surface water quality and potentially the
biodiversity of receiving wetlands and streams.
To meet these concerns, comprehensive ground-water quantity law in Illinois is needed. The
current law of
reasonable
use
does not impose quantitative restrictions, potentially leading to
litigation when conflicts arise. The proliferation ofproposals for peaking power plants has shown
that regional “aquifer-wide” planning and management is needed to keep the growing demand for
ground water from all users within practical sustainable yields. Comprehensive, regional water
resources planning and management shou’d consider linkages betweensurface and groundwater, and
water quantity and waterquality. Such new management plans ought to also consider thedifferences-
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in aquifers in different regions ofthe stateand how management schemes may be configured to meet
those differences. By doing so, management schemes can be employed to reduce conflicts and avoid
costly litigation.
IWill be presentinga more detailed report to the Water Resources Advisory Committee on these
issues next week, I thank you for your time and consideration.
This ends my prepared material and I am willing to answer any questions you may have.
Illinois State Water Surve
By: ~2~C~J&
Derek Winstanley
DATED: AugustZ~,2000
2204 Ciriflith Drive
Champaign, IL 61820-7495
217/244-5459
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