ITEM:		CONSENT CALENDAR
6.	CONSIDER AUTHORIZATION OF MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR WATER LOAN FOR AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY TESTING FROM MARINA COAST WATER DISTRICT
Meeting Date:			November 21, 2011	Budgeted:	N/A
From:			David J. Stoldt,	Program/	N/A
			General Manager	Line Item No.:
Prepared By:			Joe Oliver	Cost Estimate:	N/A
General Counsel Review: N/A
Committee Recommendation: The Administrative Committee reviewed this item on November 14, 2011 and recommended approval.
CEQA Compliance: N/A

SUMMARY: In January 2009, the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD) conducted a dual-well injection test at its Phase 1 Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) site on General Jim Moore Boulevard in Seaside (i.e., Water Project 1 site). The quantity of water used for this testing, 68.8 acre-feet (AF), was provided from the Marina Coast Water District (MCWD) system, as adequate instantaneous rate of water delivery for the testing was not available from the California American Water system at that time. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the MPWMD, MCWD, the City of Seaside (Seaside), and the Seaside Basin Watermaster (Watermaster) has been developed (Exhibit 6-A) as a means for this loaned water to be returned and accounted for as an offset to native Seaside Basin water pumped by the City of Seaside for golf course irrigation. Once the MOU is approved by MPWMD, MCWD and Seaside, it will then be sent to the Seaside Basin Watermaster for final approval.

RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the Board authorize that the MOU in Exhibit 6-A be executed by the General Manager and sent to the Watermaster for final approval. Approval of this MOU would satisfy MPWMD’s obligation regarding return of the loaned water used for ASR testing.

DISCUSSION: This MOU (Exhibit 6-A) builds on several other related existing agreements. The first agreement (Coordination Agreement) was between MPWMD, MCWD and Monterey County Water Resources Agency, and allowed for the use of MCWD water for injection testing. That agreement called for the return of the ASR testing water to MCWD within 12 months upon demand. The second agreement (Transfer Agreement) was between Seaside and MCWD, and allowed provision of 2,500 AF of water from MCWD for use on the Seaside golf courses in exchange for approximately 21 acres of former Fort Ord land to MCWD. This water could be from MCWD’s Salinas Basin wells or from treated recycled water; in either case the water supplied would have the effect of reducing the production of native Seaside Basin water. The third agreement (In-Lieu Agreement) was between Seaside and the Watermaster, and formalized the mechanism by which the water provided to Seaside from MCWD would offset Seaside’s Replenishment Assessment liability to the Watermaster.

The plan under the MOU in Exhibit 6-A is for the return of the 68.8 AF of loaned water through credits assigned by the Watermaster with respect to Seaside’s In-Lieu replenishment program. This would occur by the Watermaster allowing 68.8 AF of groundwater pumped for the Seaside golf courses in Water Year 2010 to be treated as imported water delivered by MCWD. In this regard, the MOU allows for the indirect return of the loaned water via the Seaside golf course irrigation, versus the direct return of this water from MPWMD to the MCWD system, which would entail additional logistical and cost considerations.

IMPACT ON STAFF/RESOURCES: N/A

EXHIBIT

6-A Memorandum of Understanding Between the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, the Marina Coast Water District, the City of Seaside, and the Seaside Basin Watermaster Regarding Water Used for Irrigation of Golf Courses

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