ITEM:
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INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS
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31.
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QUARTERLY WATER SUPPLY PROJECT
STATUS REPORT
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Meeting Date:
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January 24, 2008
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Budgeted:
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N/A
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From:
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David A. Berger
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Program/
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N/A
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General Manager
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Line Item No.:
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Prepared By:
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Henrietta Stern
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Cost Estimate:
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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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This is a quarterly report on Monterey Peninsula Water Management District water supply augmentation projects for the November –December 2007 period. (The period is only two months due to a four-month review previously.) The next quarterly report will be written in April 2008. Limited background information is provided herein. A detailed historical overview of previous action may be found in previous year’s reports. Quarterly updates in year 2007 were prepared for the January, April, July and November 2007 regular Board meetings. This information can be found on the District website at: http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us/asd/board/meetings/meeting.htm.
Updated weekly information is also available in the General Manager’s letter to the Board at:
http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us/gmletters/gmletters.htm.
For the past several years, the MPWMD Board has identified water supply goals and objectives each Fall for the Water Year, defined as October 1 through September 30). At the September 25, 2006 Strategic Planning Workshop, three-year goals were set along with six-month objectives for the September 2006 through March 2007 period. The goals were refined and new six-month objectives through September 30, 2007 were developed at the Board’s April 19, 2007 strategic planning workshop; the strategic plan was formally adopted at the May 21, 2007 meeting. Current water supply goals and objectives are shown below, and will remain in effect until the next Strategic Planning Workshop, scheduled for February 13, 2008. This delay will allow two new Board members elected in November 2007 to take office, receive committee assignments, and become more familiar with District programs. Original due dates (or revised dates) are shown in italics.
Goal: Determine and participate in long-term water supply solution(s)
Ø LS1: Continue participation in California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) Coastal Water Project (CWP) process, including environmental review and Division of Ratepayer Advocates (DRA) processes (ongoing).
Ø
LS2: Provide technical support or
guidance to the Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency (MRWPCA) for
its Groundwater Replenishment Project in the
Ø LS3: Present to the Board for consideration a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for participation in the Monterey Bay Regional Water Solutions Task Force to evaluate regional water supply solutions (6/30/07; completed).
Ø LS4: Present to the Board the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) Report on projects listed in the matrix of water supply alternatives (9/30/07; completed).
Ø LS5: Revise the matrix of water supply alternatives (using the quantified supply target) to incorporate results of the revised Bookman-Edmonston/GEI report evaluating desalination projects (revised to 02/28/08).
Goal: Complete Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Phase 1 and Expanded ASR
Project(s)
Ø ASR1: Secure State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) water rights permit for Phase 1 ASR Project (if not, team will prepare for water rights hearing) (revised to 12/31/07; completed)
Ø ASR2: Complete Well #2 for Phase 1 ASR, including final facilities design and contractor selection (revised to 3/31/08).
Ø ASR3: Determine the feasibility of a dual-well injection test and report results to the General Manager (revised to 12/31/07; feasibility assessment completed).
Ø ASR4: Facilitate determination and schedule for completion of necessary infrastructure improvements to the California American Water (CAW) system to ensure they are in place to support Phase 1 ASR (revised to 1/31/08).
Ø ASR5: Confirm water storage rights with the Watermaster (revised to 01/24/08).
Ø ASR-E1: [Expanded Objective] Complete negotiations with CAW for joint ownership of water rights, to obtain future ASR and other water rights permits (revised to ongoing through September 2008).
Ø ASR-E2: [Expanded Objective] Develop a project description and yield estimate for expanded ASR, and present to the Board (revised to 03/31/08).
The following paragraphs describe action on the 12 water supply objectives identified above in the November 1 through December 31, 2007 period, with discussion about events in early January 2008, if needed. For clarity, background information is provided for certain objectives.
GOAL: DETERMINE AND PARTICIPATE IN LONG-TERM WATER SUPPLY SOLUTION(S)
Objective LS1:
Continue Participation in CPUC Coastal
Water Project Process, including Environmental Review and Department of
Ratepayer Advocates Processes
Action in November-December 2007: MPWMD staff has participated in monthly
CPUC/DRA meetings regarding water supply alternatives, and has assisted CPUC
staff and consultants upon request. This
objective is ongoing.
Discussion/Background: District staff has met with and assisted CPUC
staff and consultants since mid-2006 to help the CPUC better understand
existing and future community needs, and how those needs may relate to the
Coastal Water Project proposed by CAW as well as various potential
alternatives. The CPUC issued a Notice
of Preparation (NOP) of a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the CWP
on September 29, 2006, which will include information on alternative
desalination facilities to the plant proposed at Moss Landing. Beginning in January 2007, the DRA began
monthly meetings with a variety of agencies and public interest groups to review
alternatives to the CWP to serve as a regional water supply project (or
combination of projects) for northern
The primary components of the
CWP are a 10 million-gallon-per-day (mgd) desalination project at Moss Landing,
a conveyance pipeline to the
In December 2007, District staff attended a briefing by the DRA facilitator and consultant regarding the latest version of the draft regional water supply alternative strategy. It consists of multiple components, including: (1) expanding the existing tertiary-treated recycled water project for North County agricultural use; and (2) meeting the Monterey Peninsula's and North County's potable urban water needs through desalination and purified recycled water injection of the lower Salinas River basin shallow brackish-water aquifer, coupled with potential use of water from the Salinas River "rubber dam" project that could be in excess of agricultural user needs. The consultants advised that detailed technical analysis is required to determine the feasibility of these project components, which Marina Coast Water District staff is proposing to partially undertake. This draft strategy was discussed at the DRA "REPOG" meeting on December 18, 2007.
Objective LS2:
Provide Technical Support or Guidance to
MRWPCA for its Groundwater Replenishment Project in the
Action in November-December 2007: MPWMD staff continues to meet and advise MRWPCA staff and consultants, and provides technical review of technical and planning documents prepared by MRWPCA, as requested. This objective is ongoing.
Discussion/Background: The
Groundwater Replenishment Project (GRP) entails potential injection or
percolation of highly purified recycled water in to the
Objective LS3:
Present to the Board for Consideration
an MOU for Participation in the
Action in November-December 2007: The objective for Draft MOU approval by the
Board was met on time in June 2007. MPWMD
staff continues to coordinate with other entities on regional water supply
solution opportunities as part of an inter-agency Task Force of local elected
officials, charged with developing a regional strategy for resolving the water
supply needs of the Monterey Peninsula and North County, including the northern
Discussion/Background: District staff continues to coordinate with
MRWPCA, Monterey County Water Resources Agency (MCWRA), Marina Coast Water
District (MCWD) and other entities on regional water supply solution
opportunities. The District General
Manager continues to participate in Monterey County-led meetings of a Managers
Working Group comprised of water/wastewater districts and cities from the
http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us/asd/board/boardpacket/2007/20070618/25/item25.htm
Objective LS4:
Present to the Board the Community
Advisory Committee Report on Projects Listed in the Matrix of Water Supply Alternatives
Action in November-December 2007: No action.
The CAC final report was received by the Board at its September 17, 2007
meeting, on time as planned.
Discussion/Background: The Community Advisory Committee was envisioned as a means to expand public input on the decision-making process regarding proposed water supply projects. The CAC structure and charge were approved by the Board at its December 11, 2006 meeting. In brief, the 14-member ad hoc CAC was comprised of two representatives appointed by each Board member – one individual and one community group representative. The CAC reviewed the seven water supply projects in the MPWMD Comparative Matrix and provided comments on merits or drawbacks of each. Notably, the Board did not seek CAC consensus on a preferred project. The CAC reviewed projects from February through July 2007, consolidated information, and issued a report, which was accepted by the Board at its September 17, 2007 meeting. The CAC received presentations on the following projects: Aquifer Storage and Recovery (MPWMD); Regional Urban Water Augmentation Project (Marina Coast Water District); Groundwater Replenishment Project (Monterey Regional Water Pollution Control Agency); 8,400 AFY Desalination Project near Sand City (MPWMD); Coastal Water Project (California American Water); North Monterey County Desalination Project (Pajaro/Sunny Mesa Community Service District); and Seawater Desalination Vessels (Water Standard Company). Materials associated with each CAC meeting may be found at the District website at: http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us/asd/board/committees/cac/2007/2007.htm.
For more information on the CAC itself, refer to the District website at:
http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us/asd/board/boardpacket/2006/20061211/16/item16.htm
Because the CAC was an ad hoc
committee, and completed its assigned duties, the committee no longer meets.
Objective LS5:
Revise the Matrix of Water Supply Alternatives
(using the Quantified Supply Target) to Incorporate Results of the Revised
Bookman-Edmonston/GEI Report Evaluating Desalination Projects
Action in November-December 2007: MPWMD
consultant Bookman-Edmonston/GEI Consultants is preparing its final report,
scheduled for receipt at the January 24, 2008 meeting. The revised matrix, which will incorporate
the BE/GEI and CAC information, is scheduled for presentation to the Board at
its February 28, 2008 meeting. This delay enables two new Board members elected
in November 2007 to have time to familiarize themselves with District programs
and water supply projects before receiving the updated matrix.
Discussion/Background: Since Fall 2004, the District has prepared an annual Comparative Matrix of Water Supply Alternatives spreadsheet to compare various projects for subjects such as cost and financing, implementation timeline, water yield, environmental review, and others. The most recent matrix was received by the Board at its October 16, 2006 meeting. The 2006 matrix featured three shore-based desalination projects and included preliminary information on the ship-based Seawater Conversion Vessels (SCV) technology, now known as the “Offshore Desalination Project” (ODP). In addition, the 2006 matrix included information on the MPWMD ASR Project and two projects featuring purified recycled water. For background information on the 2004 and 2005 matrices, please refer to the District website at: http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us/pae/matrix/matrix.htm. To review the October 2006 matrix, visit:
http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us/asd/board/boardpacket/2006/20061016/13/item13.htm.
As part of development of the October 2006 matrix, in February 2006 the District Board approved retaining a team of water supply engineering design experts led by Bookman-Edmonston/GEI Consultants to conduct an independent technical evaluation of three proposed desalination projects previously reviewed in the 2004 and 2005 matrices: (1) Coastal Water Project at Moss Landing proposed by CAW; (2) the Monterey Bay Regional Desalination Project at Moss Landing proposed by Pajaro/Sunny Mesa Community Services District; and (3) MPWMD 8,400 AFY desalination project proposed in the Sand City area. This effort culminated in a report presented to the Board at its June 29, 2006 special workshop. Copies of the full report are available at the District office, and presentation materials may be viewed at the District website at:
http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us/asd/board/boardpacket/2006/20060629/0629agenda.htm.
At the June 2006 workshop, a number of questions and comments were posed by the Board and public. At its July 17, 2006 meeting, the Board determined it would defer action on amending the B-E/GEI contract and preparing a final report until after the September 25, 2006 Board Strategic Planning Workshop. A summary of comments by the Board, the public, and project proponents, including copies of written comments received was provided to the Board in a memorandum from the District Engineer dated September 12, 2006. At its October 16, 2006 meeting, the Board determined that it wished to add review of the ODP technology to the scope of work. The Board approved a B-E/GEI contract amendment at its February 22, 2007 Board meeting to include formal responses to questions and more detailed information about the ODP technology. For more information about the B/E-GEI contract review in January 2007, please refer to the District website at: http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us/asd/board/boardpacket/2007/20070222/17/item17.htm.
B/E-GEI prepared a draft report evaluating four desalination projects in the matrix, which was received by the Board on July 16, 2007. Three sets of comments were received by the August 17, 2007 deadline. The consultant scope of work was amended by the Board on September 17, 2007 to address these comments, which included substantial new data from the ODP proponents. The B/E-GEI final report is slated for receipt at the January 24, 2008 Board meeting.
The 2007 matrix (to be presented on February 28, 2008) will address how well various projects meet the water supply targets adopted by the Board earlier in 2007. The targets were developed over a series of meetings in 2006 and 2007. A staff-recommended value of 12,500 AFY for existing needs was presented to the Board for its consideration at the November 20, 2006 meeting. For more information, refer to the District website at:
http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us/asd/board/boardpacket/2006/20061120/12/item12.htm
A special workshop was held on May 18, 2006 to address future water needs, based primarily on projections made by the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), comprised of jurisdiction planning staff. The TAC evaluated water needs associated with various types of uses anticipated at “build-out,” based on current General Plans. The TAC estimated that 4,545 AFY above existing needs would be required, as described in the District website at:
http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us/asd/board/boardpacket/2006/20060518/01/item1.htm
No changes to the May 2006 estimate were proposed in November 2006.
The staff recommendation of 12,500 AFY for existing needs and 4,545 AFY for future needs was accepted by the Board in November 2006 to submit to the jurisdictions for comment with requested written comment by March 15, 2007. A special workshop of the jurisdictions’ TAC and Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) was held on January 9, 2007, where District staff reviewed the development of its assumptions in detail, with emphasis on existing needs. The TAC at its January 23, 2007 meeting accepted the information on existing needs. The jurisdictions provided feedback in February and March 2007. Jurisdiction comments were reviewed and the Board approved the 12,500 AFY and 4,545 AFY yield targets at its meeting of April 16, 2007. Refer to the District website at:
http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us/asd/board/boardpacket/2007/20070416/14/item14.htm
GOAL: COMPLETE ASR PHASE 1 AND EXPANDED ASR PROJECT(S)
ASR entails diverting excess
water flows (typically in Winter/Spring) from the Carmel Valley Alluvial
Aquifer through existing CAW facilities and injecting the water into the
On March 23, 2006, the District issued the Draft Environmental Impact Report and Environmental Assessment (EIR/EA) on the MPWMD Phase 1 ASR Project, including information on a CAW temporary pipeline associated with the ASR Project. On August 21, 2006, the MPWMD Board certified the Final EIR/EA, including responses to comments, adoption of formal Findings of Approval, and adoption of a Mitigation Monitoring Plan to address project impacts, with emphasis on comments submitted by California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG), and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS, also known as NOAA Fisheries). Notably, both CDFG and NMFS had previously filed water rights protests (see ASR1 below), so the EIR/EA responses and refinements were made with the intent to also resolve water rights concerns. Additional information on the Final EIR/EA is available on the District website at:
http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us/asd/board/boardpacket/2006/20060821/10/item10.htm
In Fall 2006, the certified
EIR/EA was used a primary decision-making tool by several permitting entities.
On September 19, 2006, the U.S. Army transmitted a signed Right-of-Entry
permit, a key approval needed to construct the Phase 1 ASR Project. The City of
Objective ASR1: Secure SWRCB Water Rights Permit for Phase 1 ASR Project (if not, Team Will Prepare for Water Rights Hearing)
Action in November-December 2007: MPWMD staff and General Counsel assisted SWRCB
staff in preparing permit documents by providing accurate information about
required data references and permit conditions.
The SWRCB issued Orders WR 2007-0041-DWR and WR 2007-0042-DWR and
Amended Permits 20808A and 20808B on November 30, 2007. These Orders approve, in part, the District’s
Petitions for Change to allow some of the water rights from the New Los Padres
Project to be applied to the ASR Project. District staff immediately began
addressing Condition #28 of Amended Permit 20808A relating to the need for a
CDFG stream alteration agreement or waiver equivalent. This effort continued into early January
2008.
Discussion/Background: Water rights for Phase 1 ASR are based on two Petitions for Change, originally submitted by the District to the SWRCB in October 2001 and revised in September 2003. The SWRCB noticed the District’s Petitions on April 15, 2005. The District prepared formal responses to NMFS and CDFG protests in mid-June and July 2005, respectively. The District worked extensively with NOAA and CDFG through September 2007 to resolve water rights issues and also address CAW concerns (CAW and MPWMD had previously agreed to share water rights for the Phase 1 ASR Project). These efforts included extensive meetings, telephone conferences, computer modeling and formal correspondence. The SWRCB also hosted several meetings of all water rights participants. A mutually satisfactory resolution of agency and CAW concerns finally occurred in mid-September 2007, just before the scheduled September 24, 2007 SWRCB hearing, which was cancelled when the protests by CDFG and NMFS were withdrawn. This delay did not affect ASR water diversions in Water Year 2007 due to the critically dry streamflow conditions, which presented minimal opportunity to use the water rights permit, had it been issued.
Due to the delay for the long-term Phase 1 ASR permit, the District applied on November 28, 2006 for a temporary urgency permit to facilitate ASR testing with the existing test well (Well #1) in the 2007 winter season. The SWRCB issued the temporary permit on January 11, 2007, which expired on May 31, 2007. Notably, except for a few days, Carmel River flow did not meet minimum flow rates needed to divert water to the existing ASR well; approximately 12 acre-feet were diverted.
In related action, District
staff continues to coordinate with SWRCB staff regarding water rights
associated with the New Los Padres Reservoir Project (issued in 1995). The reservoir water rights are relevant as
they are the basis for the Petitions for Change described in Objective ASR1
above. The District transmitted a July
2006 letter requesting an extension of time for the reservoir permits to
maintain the water rights associated with them.
Five objections were filed from entities including: CAW, CDFG, Carmel
River Steelhead Association, Esselen Tribe of
Objective ASR2: Complete Well #2 for Phase 1 ASR, including Final Facilities Design and Contractor Selection
Action in November-December 2007: District staff and consultants, in
coordination with CAW, continued design of Phase 1 ASR support facilities such
as a new well pump and motor in addition to electrical conduits, percolation
basin, pipes and valving. Completion has
been delayed by an expanded evaluation and remediation challenges at the
existing ASR Well #1. Bids for initial
facilities construction were received on November 13, 2007 to install permanent
underground plumbing and electrical piping for ASR Well #2. The revised
goal date for installation of these ASR well facilities is March 31, 2008, due
in part to delays stemming from ordnance removal requirements and water quality
concerns conveyed in Fall 2007. District
staff coordinated with the Fort Ord Reuse Authority (FORA),
Discussion/Background: The Phase 1 ASR Project is comprised of the existing full-scale test well at the Santa Margarita site in addition to a new, second ASR well immediately adjacent to the site. The two wells would be operated in tandem. The District began construction mobilization for the second well the week of December 4, 2006, as scheduled. A temporary sound wall was constructed and drilling began in early January 2007. The well was completed in early February 2007 and formal production testing subsequently occurred. In early April, while preparations were being made for the final well inspection video, it was discovered that rock formation materials from the aquifer system had entered the well, indicating a continuing problem with the integrity of the well casing, apparently due to failure of pipe threads on the contractor’s drill bit that allowed the well development pump to drop to the bottom of the well. Repair of the casing was completed in early May, and included a new bottom “swage” plate for the well, plus a concrete plug to ensure that the plate remains in place for the life of the well. The District was not charged for the repair, which was conducted by the well drilling contractor, under supervision from the District’s construction management consultant. A final acceptance video of the well construction was conducted in mid-May 2007. The U.S. Army executed a Supplemental Agreement No. 1 to Department of Army Easement for Injection Test Well to enable the long-term Phase 1 ASR Project on September 21, 2007.
In related action, beginning in October 2007, ASR Well #1 underwent planned remediation, and repair of the well components are more extensive than originally anticipated. Also, unforeseen regulatory issues related to water quality and investigation of possible unexploded ordnance in the former Fort Ord Military Reservation have posed challenges that have delayed progress.
Regarding water quality issues, in late November 2007, MPWMD and CAW staff met with RWQCB Executive Officer Roger Briggs to discuss questions about disinfection byproducts in CAW treated potable water, the injection source water for the Phase 1 ASR Project. These questions were raised due to concerns about ASR projects in other regions of the state, which triggered the Central Coast RWQCB’s need for consistent review of such projects in the context of statewide water quality anti-degradation policy. During the meeting District technical staff presented the results of rigorous and detailed ASR water quality testing analysis we have conducted over the past several years. The consensus conclusion among representatives of all three entities present in the meeting was that the District’s ASR project source water conditions, Seaside Basin water use considerations, and aquifer characteristics are significantly different, and in large part not directly comparable, to the other ASR projects that raised the issue. It is anticipated that RWQCB staff will consider the Phase 1 Seaside Basin ASR project separately, and not require additional permit-related requirements that would adversely affect the project’s viability.
During the meeting Mr. Briggs assured us that their written waiver of discharge requirements, which was issued last summer on the MPWMD Phase 1 Project, enables commencement of ASR operations this season. A formal confirmation of the RWQCB’s conclusion is expected in the near future. RWQCB staff also indicated that they would be developing formal criteria and guidelines to ensure that all ASR and similar projects in the Central Coast Region are reviewed for consistency with statewide water quality anti-degradation policy. District staff intends to closely monitor this process to assist the RWQCB, and in order to ensure the long-term nature of RWQCB’s authorization or exemption determination for our Seaside Basin ASR operations.
Regarding
unexploded ordnance, in late 2007, the District was advised by FORA that there
are additional required ordnance investigation activities that affect the Phase
1 ASR Project site that must be completed prior to property transfer to the
City of
Regarding ASR Project financing, on June 18, 2007, the Board adopted the required resolutions for participation in the California Statewide Communities Development Authority (CSCDA) Water/Wastewater pooled bond program to finance the District’s Phase 1 ASR Project. Subsequently, a tax law attorney with the bond counsel firm that represents the CSCDA program determined that the ASR project is not eligible for regular tax-exempt financing, due to the fact that (because it is a private for-profit entity) CAW uses in its distribution system water injected and recovered by the District-owned ASR wells. With the assistance of a financial advisor, District staff has also pursued a financing alternative that would involve issuance of tax-exempt “private activity” bonds. However, due to the recent identification of two additional time-consuming and costly processes the District would have to complete in order to issue this type of debt, other possible alternatives have been re-evaluated. Staff has now determined that due to unanticipated and unavoidable delays in completing the ASR project, a significant portion of the required funding will not required until Fiscal Year 2008-09, and that the project can now be funded on a pay-as-you-go basis. That alternative was approved by the Board at its November 19, 2007 meeting.
Objective ASR3: Determine the Feasibility of a Dual-Well Injection Test and Report Results to General Manager
Action in November-December 2007: MPWMD staff continues to work with MCWD and
MCWRA to facilitate use of water from the MCWD system for roughly two weeks to
test the ASR project, particularly the use of Well #1 and the new Well #2
together, if sources from the
Discussion/Background: Typically, the
Phase 1 ASR well testing would be based on waters from the
The estimated date for testing the combined injection capacity of the District's two ASR wells is late March or early April 2008. If water from MCWD is to be used, prior to initiating the dual-well injection test (assuming 3,000 gallons per minute for up to three weeks), the following tasks must be completed: (1) finalizing the agreement with MCWD and MCWRA, expected in February 2008; (2) making a temporary physical connection between the MCWD system and the ASR site; and (3) waiting for completion of the ASR Well #1 rehabilitation work that is underway and the ASR Well #2 development work that has just begun.
Objective ASR4: Facilitate Determination and Schedule for Completion
of Necessary Infrastructure Improvements to the CAW System to Ensure They Are
in Place to Support Phase 1 ASR
Action in November-December 2007: As part of ongoing coordination and technical
information exchange, District and CAW staff and consultants continue to meet
and/or communicate regarding infrastructure needed to deliver an adequate
volume of treated water to the MPWMD Phase 1 ASR project site as well as
adequate supply for future ASR concepts (see also Objective ASR-E2). CAW submitted a basis-of-design report for
needed facilities to the CPUC on November 30, 2007. Completion of this goal has been delayed
until January 31, 2008 due to unresolved electrical issues, a variety of
emergency actions due to severe storm-related power outages in early January
2008, and recent CAW staff changes, including a new general Manager in
mid-January 2008.
Discussion/Background: In 2006, District staff worked closely with
CAW to help obtain permits and other approvals to construct a temporary
pipeline along the west side of
Objective ASR5: Confirm Water Storage Rights with the Watermaster
Action in November-December 2007: A legal opinion Memorandum on MPWMD and CAW’s right to store water injected into the
Discussion and Background: This
objective relates to the fact that the Seaside Basin Watermaster is the
Court-appointed entity with authority over storage and extraction rights of
water in the
Objective ASR-E1: Complete Negotiations with CAW for Joint Ownership of Water Rights, to Obtain Future ASR and Other Water Rights Permits
Action in November-December 2007: No substantive discussions with CAW have taken
place action due to emphasis on Phase 1
ASR water rights. Completion of this
goal relies, in part, on completion of other objectives first. Efforts are anticipated to be ongoing through
September 2008.
Discussion/Background:
In late March 2006, the District and CAW finalized a Management and
Operations Agreement (MOA) regarding ASR testing, mutual aid, cost-sharing,
water rights and other issues. This
agreement satisfied the State Department of Health Services requirement that
the entities enter into a minimum 10-year agreement to operate the ASR
facilities. It also includes provisions
for sharing rights for the Phase 1 ASR project and to negotiate additional
agreements for acquiring and sharing ownership of water rights for present and
future potable water supplies for the
Objective ASR-E2: Develop a Project Description and Yield Estimate
for Expanded ASR, and Present to the Board
Action in November-December 2007: As noted above, District staff continues to coordinate
with and assist CAW consultants and staff regarding expanded ASR possibilities. Completion of this goal has been delayed
until March 31, 2008.
Discussion/Background: As described above, efforts to date have focused on the Phase 1 ASR Project. However, meetings continue between District and CAW staff/consultants regarding future ASR phases. District staff has provided computer simulations for CAW consultant, ASR Systems, for their investigation of the ASR element of the proposed Coastal Water Project and potential expanded ASR projects. In mid-2007, District staff reviewed a CAW Technical Memorandum on a conceptual plan for expanded ASR. Meetings with CAW and its consultants will continue into Spring 2008 on this subject.
OTHER WATER SUPPLY ACTIVITIES
Though not formally a part of the Strategic Plan Water Supply objectives, the following water supply activities continued in the November-December 2007 period:
Action in November-December 2007: Scheduled rehabilitation work on Well
#1 began in October 2007 and continued through this period as more extensive
work was needed than expected. Rehabilitation
was completed in late December 2007.
Discussion/Background:
Since 1996, the District has evaluated the feasibility of ASR at greater
levels of detail, including obtaining annual temporary water rights to divert
water from the
Extremely limited testing has occurred in 2007 due to
inadequate streamflow in the
Participate in
Action in November-December 2007: Pursuant to the Phase 2 Seaside Basin Monitoring
and Management Program (SBMMP) budgets, which were approved by the Watermaster
on October 17, 2007, the specific budget for MPWMD professional services was
approved by the Watermaster Technical Advisory Committee on November 14, 2007
and by the full Watermaster Board on December 5, 2007. The MPWMD Board approved the agreement on
December 10, 2007, which includes a budget of $83,800 for MPWMD staff and
consultants to provide a variety of technical hydrologic services related to
groundwater monitoring, prevention of seawater intrusion and action plan
development. .
Discussion/Background: The adjudication of the
A nine-member Watermaster Board was created to implement the Decision with continued oversight by the Court. The MPWMD holds one seat on the Watermaster with two out of 13 votes. The MPWMD Board selected Michelle Knight as its representative to the Watermaster Board. The Watermaster has held monthly meetings since its formal commencement on April 5, 2006. District staff have also participated on the Watermaster Technical Committee and contributed significantly to the Seaside Basin Monitoring and Management Program Plan that was submitted to the Court in late May 2006. District staff continued to contribute data and analysis as a Technical Committee member through 2006.
In addition, on November 15, 2006, the Watermaster selected the MPWMD/MCWRA team to carry out the project management function for the Seaside Basin Monitoring and Management Program. The firm of RBF Consulting was selected to implement the program (i.e., data collection, test well drilling, etc.). At its April 18, 2007 special meeting, the Watermaster approved agreements with MPWMD, MCWRA and RBF Consulting Engineers for Phase 1 of technical work needed to complete and implement the SBMMP required by the Basin adjudication court decision. The MPWMD agreement includes various SBMMP program management oversight tasks that are performed on an interim basis. Some of these tasks have been taken over by the Watermaster’s part-time Technical Program Manager, hired in June 2007, to facilitate completion of SBMMP tasks, among other assigned duties. The Watermaster also approved staff recommendations to increase its Administrative Fund Budget due to a higher-than-anticipated level of work in 2007 by its part-time Chief Executive Officer, as well as an adjustment in its SBMMP Budget to cover anticipated Phase 1 work by contract service providers and the Technical Program Manager.
In June 2007, District staff
delivered several database products to the Watermaster and its consultants
under the District’s Phase 1 contract on the Watermaster’s Seaside Basin Monitoring and Management
Program (SBMMP). This work is part of an effort to build a
comprehensive groundwater resources database to support various Watermaster
uses. The next major element of work for the District under this contract
included assistance in preparing analyses, based on data that have been
collected by the District and others, of the current status of seawater
intrusion potential and tracking in the
Beginning in July 2007, District staff worked with the consulting team headed by RBF Consulting to gather various sources of well data to facilitate development of the Watermaster’s groundwater resources database. District staff also assisted with the implementation of the seawater detection and tracking portion of the Seaside Basin Monitoring and Management Plan (SBMMP).
On December 10, 2007, the District Board approved an $83,800 professional agreement with the Watermaster for technical services to be performed by MPWMD during the 2008 calendar year. The work to be performed includes:
Integrated Regional Planning
Action in November-December 2007: District staff continued to work with participating entities to finalize the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP). The Final IRWMP was adopted by the Board at its November 19, 2007 meeting.
Discussion/Background: District staff led the effort to obtain
$497,000 of Proposition 50 grant funds to prepare an Integrated Regional
Water Management Plan (IRWMP) for the
Other Related Action
The following table summarizes other related District efforts relevant to overall water supply:
|
ACTIVITY |
ACTION |
|
Seismic Retrofit and Sediment Removal from |
District staff participated fully in
the EIR/EIS process on the seismic retrofit of San Clemente Dam. Potential
removal of sediment from San Clemente Dam continues to be explored by CAW, |
|
Implement and Refine Water
Distribution System (WDS) Rules and Regulations. |
Ordinance
No. 122 refining the Water Distribution System (WDS) process became effective
on September 14, 2005. The ordinance
created a Pre-Application process for all new wells in the District along
with an impact-based, multi-level permit process, based on the size, location
and water use of affected parcels.
Staff and consultants continued to refine Implementation Guidelines to
accompany the ordinance. A total of 22
Applications and 36 Pre-Applications are currently at various stages in the
permit process. In October 2006, the
Board confirmed the administrative direction in WDS Memo #3, which addresses
environmental review and permit protocol for applications that include wells
located in the Carmel Valley Alluvial Aquifer (CVAA). The memo directs more rigorous review based
on letters received from NMFS and CDFG on the cumulative impacts on water
extractions from the http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us/wrd/wells/general%20info/geninfo_052407.htm
|
|
Review CEQA Documents for Other
Projects |
The
District logs incoming CEQA notices and comments on selected documents
prepared by other agencies for substantive projects within the District
boundary that could potentially affect water supply, water quality or
environmental resources managed by the District. |
EXHIBITS
None
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