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ITEM: |
PUBLIC
HEARINGS |
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16. |
CONSIDER ADOPTION OF JANUARY
THROUGH MARCH 2005 QUARTERLY WATER SUPPLY STRATEGY AND BUDGET |
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Meeting
Date: |
December 13, 2004 |
Budgeted: |
N/A |
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From: |
David A.
Berger, General
Manager |
Program/ Line Item No: |
Aquatic Resources and
Hydrologic Monitoring 2.4-7 and 2.6-3B |
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Prepared
By: |
David Dettman |
Cost Estimate: |
N/A |
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General Counsel Approval: N/A |
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Committee Recommendation: N/A |
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CEQA Compliance: N/A |
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SUMMARY: The Board will accept public comment and take action on the January through March 2005 Water Supply Strategy and Budget for the California American Water (Cal-Am) Water Distribution System (WDS). The proposed budget, Exhibit 16-A, assumes normal inflow conditions. Specifically, the budget utilizes monthly inflows that are expected to be equaled or exceeded 50% of the time at San Clemente Dam. The proposed strategy and budget is designed to maximize the long-term production potential, protect the environmental quality of the Carmel River and Seaside Ground Water Basins, and allow injection of surplus water from the Carmel River Basin into the coastal subareas of the Seaside Basin.
Exhibit 16-A shows the anticipated production by Cal-Am for each production source. Exhibit 16-A also shows actual production values for the water year to date. Please note that the anticipated production values shown assume an annual Cal-Am production of 15,285 acre-feet (AF), with no more than 11,285 AF from the Carmel River Basin and no more than 4,000 AF from the Seaside Basin. The production from the Carmel River Basin is consistent with SWRCB Order Nos. 95-10, 98-04 and 2002-0002.
For the first two months of Water Year 2005 (October-November 2004), Cal-Am’s production from the Carmel River was less than the SWRCB-based production target by 40 AF or 2.7 %. The adoption of temporary emergency rates in July 2004, a continuation of Cal-Am conservation rates adopted in 2000, and wetter than average weather conditions have reduced community water use and helped the community to comply with the annual SWRCB production limit.
RECOMMENDATION: The Board should receive public input, close the Public Hearing, and discuss the proposed water supply budget. District staff recommends adoption of the proposed budget. The budget is described in greater detail in Exhibit 16-B, Quarterly Water Supply Strategy Report: January - March 2005.
BACKGROUND: The Quarterly Water Supply Strategy and Budget pertains to production within the Cal-Am Water Distribution System for the three-month period of January, February and March 2005. This strategy was developed cooperatively with staff from the District, Cal-Am, and the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries). Based on the relatively high rainfall and runoff amounts in the upper watershed for the year to date (39% and 46% of average, respectively), it was decided to assume that normal inflow conditions would continue through the upcoming January-March 2005 period.
Assuming normal inflow, Cal-Am will limit production from its sources in the Upper Carmel Valley to no more than 0.93 cubic feet per second (cfs) from Russell Wells No. 2 and 4 during the January-March 2005 period. In addition, Cal-Am will continue to pump from its sources in the coastal subareas of the Seaside Ground Water Basin in December, but at a lower than budgeted rate of 350 AF due to lower than expected municipal demands and latent effects of high rainfall and lower outside watering from the October and November storms. During January through March 2005, Cal-Am will shift its production from the Seaside Basin to wells in Carmel Valley, associated with anticipated normal rainfall and runoff in the Carmel Basin. During this period, it is assumed that Cal-Am will not divert surface water from San Clemente Reservoir to the Carmel Valley Filter Plant because of water quality and the physical inability to divert water at San Clemente Dam. Accordingly, most of the water needed to serve Cal-Am customers and provide water to the District’s Injection/Recovery Project in the Seaside Basin during this quarter will be produced from the Lower Carmel Valley.
It is assumed that there will be sufficient flow in the Carmel River in January, February and March to allow diversions to be made for the Seaside Injection/Recovery Project. The projected production values are based on the assumption that daily inflows in the upper watershed will average 93 cfs in January, 171 cfs in February and 187 cfs in March. If actual inflows are more or less than projected, the group will reconvene, if needed and adjust the diversion and release rates accordingly. These adjustments will take into account flows needed for steelhead migration, spawning and egg incubation, and Cal-Am’s operational needs.
Rule 101, Section B of the District Rules and Regulations requires that a Public Hearing be held at the time of determination of the District water supply management strategy. Notice of this Public Hearing has been published in The Herald. Adoption of the quarterly water supply strategy and budget is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements as per Article 19, Section 15301 (Class 1). A Notice of Exemption will be filed with the Monterey County Clerk's office, pending Board Action on this item.
16-A Cal-Am Water Distribution System: Quarterly Water Supply Strategy and Budget January-March 2005
16-B Quarterly Water Supply Strategy Report:
January - March 2005
U:\staff\word\boardpacket\2004\2004boardpacket\20041213\PublicHearings\16\item16.doc