Natural Pipeline Water Conveyance System and Method

Abstract

A method of supplying water using a natural water pipeline includes withdrawing impaired water from an impaired water body connected to a waterway and treating the impaired water from the impaired water body to produce treated water. The method also includes discharging the treated water into the waterway and conveying the treated water via the waterway to one or more locations proximate to one or more remote operational facilities that withdraws water from the waterway at the one or more locations. The method further includes receiving a monetary value from one or more operational entities operating the one or more remote operational facilities and providing at least a portion of one or more water access rights to the one or more operational entities in exchange for the monetary value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of supplying water using a natural water pipeline, comprising:
 withdrawing impaired water from an impaired water body connected to a waterway;   treating the impaired water from the impaired water body to produce treated water;   discharging the treated water into the waterway;   conveying the treated water via the waterway to one or more locations proximate to one or more remote operational facilities that withdraws water from the waterway at the one or more locations;   receiving a monetary value from one or more operational entities operating the one or more remote operational facilities; and   providing at least a portion of one or more water access rights to the one or more operational entities in exchange for the monetary value.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein withdrawing impaired water further comprises withdrawing impaired water from an acid mined drainage water body. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein withdrawing impaired water further comprises withdrawing impaired water from a mine pool water body. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing at least a portion of the one or more water access rights further comprises providing a right to withdraw the water at the one or more locations of the waterway when a flow level of the water is less than or equal to a predetermined pass-by water level threshold. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein providing at least a portion of the one or more water access rights further comprises providing a right to withdraw the water at the one or more locations of the waterway until the flow level of the water is less than or equal to a predetermined relief water level threshold that is lower than the predetermined pass-by water level threshold. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a monetary value further comprises receiving a monetary value based on an amount of the water to be withdrawn at the one or more locations of the waterway for a predetermined amount of time when a flow level of the water is less than or equal to a predetermined pass-by water level threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising providing a plurality of selectable water access rights options to withdraw the water at the one or more locations of the waterway, wherein each of the plurality of selectable water access rights options has a respective monetary value based on a corresponding amount of the water to be withdrawn at the one or more locations of the waterway for a corresponding predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing at least a portion of one or more water access rights further comprises providing a right to withdraw the water at the one or more locations of the waterway with one of: (i) a reduced consumptive use fee; and (ii) a waived consumptive use fee. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing at least a portion of one or more water access rights further comprises providing one or more credits to the one or more operational entities, wherein each of the one or more credits correlates to an amount of the water to be withdrawn at the one or more locations of the waterway. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving the one or more water access rights from a water rights granting entity; and   providing at least a portion of the one or more water access rights received from the rights granting entity to the one or more remote operational facilities.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising causing the one or more water access rights to be provided to the one or more remote operational facilities from a water rights granting entity by treating the impaired water and discharging the treated water into the waterway. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the withdrawing of the impaired water from the impaired water body further comprises withdrawing free flowing water from the impaired water body. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the withdrawing of the impaired water from the impaired water body further comprises withdrawing stored water from the impaired water body. 
     
     
         14 . A method for managing water rights, the method comprising:
 introducing a treated water flow into a waterway from which one or more operational facilities withdraw water;   receiving, from a water access rights granting entity, one or more water access rights to withdraw the water from the waterway in exchange for introducing the treated water flow into the waterway; and   providing at least a portion of the one or more water access rights to the one or more operational facilities in exchange for a monetary value.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein receiving one or more water access rights includes receiving rights to withdraw the water when a flow level of the water is less than or equal to a predetermined pass-by water level threshold. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein receiving one or more water access rights includes receiving access to the water until the flow level of the water is less than or equal to a predetermined relief water level threshold that is lower than the predetermined pass-by water level threshold. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein providing at least a portion of the one or more water access rights further comprises providing one or more water access rights credits to the one or more operational facilities, and
 further comprising permitting the one or more operational facilities to exchange the one or more water rights credits to withdraw an amount of the water when such withdrawal would otherwise not be permitted.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein receiving the one or more water access rights further comprises receiving rights to withdraw an amount of the water downstream from a location where the treated water flow is introduced to the waterway based on an amount of the treated water introduced upstream. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein receiving the one or more water access rights further comprises receiving rights to withdraw an amount of the water upstream from a location where the treated water flow is introduced to the waterway based on an amount of the treated water introduced to the waterway. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein providing at least a portion of the one or more water access rights further comprises providing one or more rights to withdraw the water with one of: (i) a reduced consumptive use fee; and (ii) a waived consumptive use fee. 
     
     
         21 . A water treatment and conveyance system comprising:
 a water withdrawing system configured to withdraw impaired water from an acid mined drainage water body;   a treatment system configured to treat the impaired water from the acid mined drainage water body to produce treated water;   a waterway connected to the acid mined drainage water body for conveying the treated water to one or more remote locations of the waterway;   a discharge system configured to discharging the treated water into the waterway; and   one or more remote operational facilities configured to withdraw water from the waterway at the one or more remote locations of the waterway.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the treatment system is a passive treatment system.