ITEM: CONSENT ITEM

8. STATUS REPORT ON ASSESSMENT OF FEASIBILITY OF BRINE DISCHARGE VIA MONTEREY REGIONAL WATER POLLUTION CONTROL AGENCY OUTFALL

Meeting Date: May 19, 2003 Budgeted: not budgeted

Program/Line Item No.: 1-5-2

Staff Contact: Andrew Bell Cost Estimate: no new cost at present

General Counsel Approval: Staff note not reviewed

Committee Recommendation: No committee action; status report only.

CEQA Compliance: EIR in progress; none needed for this action

SUMMARY: At its April 2, 2003 meeting, the Board approved the Phase 2 scope of work for the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on a proposed desalination project in Sand City and other alternatives. The EIR scope includes computer modeling of the potential effects of brine discharge on the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency (MRWPCA) outfall if the outfall were to be used as part of the desalination project. On April 2, 2003, the Board also directed staff to meet with MRWPCA to determine whether additional studies beyond the approved EIR scope are needed, and to bring proposed scope changes to the MPWMD Board for consideration on May 19, 2003.

District staff and two Board members met with MRWPCA on April 4, 2003 to discuss initial concepts. In addition, District staff and consultants met with MRWPCA on April 21. Both meetings were productive and identified specific MRWPCA concerns and types of studies that would best address the concerns.

Based on the meetings and engineering documents provided by MRWPCA, a draft scope of work was developed by MPWMD staff in April 2003 (Exhibit 8-A) for review by MRWPCA and District consultants. District consultants believe it is premature to augment the scope at this time (Exhibit 8-B) for two primary reasons: (1) the existing scope already includes some of the work described in the scope, and (2) much of the effort and associated costs required to carry out the draft scope cannot be anticipated until current brine studies already included in the Phase 2 scope are completed. For example, several scope changes must await initial results of brine dispersion modeling (predicts salinity of waters emanating from the outfall into the ocean) and other engineering information. It is notable that Task 3, assess potential for growth of marine organisms within the outfall pipe, would require retention of a specialized marine biology firm.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: This item is for informational purposes only. No Board action is needed at this time.

BACKGROUND: At its April 2, 2003 meeting, the Board authorized the General Manager to amend the Jones & Stokes Associates (JSA) contract by adding $885,200 for the Water Supply Project EIR Phase 2 scope of work Tasks 2-1 through 2-6, prepare Draft EIR, as amended for Optional Task 2-C (project level evaluation only of Sand City desalination producing 8,409 acre-feet per year) as well as portions of Optional Task 2-D (geotechnical and geophysical testing, and numerical modeling to assess feasibility of HDD “slant well” technology at the Sand City site). On May 2, 2003, the Board approved the carryover of remaining funds from Phase 1 to Phase 2 efforts, and authorized up to $61,500 for JSA to identify and obtain permits for the HDD well testing.

IMPACT ON RESOURCES: There is no impact on MPWMD resources for additional brine discharge studies at this time. Depending on the initial study results, there is the possibility of additional study requirements in the future at costs that are unknown at this time.

U:\staff\word\boardpacket\2003\2003boardpacket\20030519\ConsentCalendar\8\item8.doc

HS draft #2, based on A. Bell review 5/5/03 at noon, 2 pp