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ITEM: |
CONSENT
CALENDAR |
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6. |
Consider
Authorization of Consultant Contract and Sub-Grantee Agreement for Projects
to Update the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan for the Monterey
Peninsula, Carmel Bay and Southern Monterey Bay |
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Meeting
Date: |
December 12, 2011 |
Budgeted: |
Yes |
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From: |
David J.
Stoldt, General
Manager |
Program/ |
Protect Environmental Quality |
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Line Item
No.: |
Program
2-6 |
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Prepared
By: |
Larry Hampson |
Cost
Estimate: |
$ 60,200 ($ 60,200 is reimbursable) |
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General Counsel Approval: N/A |
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Committee Recommendation: The Administrative Committee reviewed this item on December 5, 2011 and recommended approval. |
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CEQA Compliance:
N/A |
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SUMMARY: The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD or District) received a grant from the California Department of Water Resources of $995,000 from Proposition 84 funds to update the Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWM Plan or Plan) for the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel Bay, and Southern Monterey Bay Region.
The current request is to approve
funds to move forward with two of the nine projects in the IRWM Plan
update: Project 3 - Assessment of
Steelhead Passage Barriers in the Carmel River Watershed; and Project 9 -
Carmel River Lagoon Ecosystem Protective Barrier Planning and Feasibility. Exhibit 6-A,
Project 3 Implementation Plan
and Exhibit 6-B, Project 9 Implementation
Plan contain the Work Plan, Budget, and Schedule for these projects. Expenditure of funds for these two projects
is fully reimbursable from the DWR grant.
Currently, MPWMD has signed and returned a grant agreement with
DWR. A copy of the fully executed
agreement is expected by December 15, 2011.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the General Manager be authorized to: 1) enter into a consultant agreement with Scott Hennessy for assistance with a portion of Task 1 in Project 3 for a not-to-exceed amount of $6,000; 2) enter into a sub-grantee agreement with the County of Monterey for a not-to-exceed amount of $54,200 to complete Project 9.
The Administrative Committee considered this item at its December 5, 2011 meeting and recommended approval. If adopted with the Consent Calendar, the General Manager would be authorized to enter into agreements with the described entities, subject to receiving a fully executed grant agreement from the State of California for Proposition 84 funds.
BACKGROUND:
On April 12, 2011, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) notified MPWMD that the District’s proposal to update the IRWM Plan had been selected for possible funding from bond funds approved with the passage of Proposition 84 for the Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Grant Program
The update includes tasks to bring the plan into conformance with Proposition 84 standards and includes nine projects related to the update. The total cost to update the plan is estimated to be $1,634,010 million. About 61% ($995,000) of this cost will be reimbursed with grant funds. The balance of the project costs ($639,000) will be from cash and in-kind services provided from the stakeholders in the planning region. Local match can include expenditures beginning in September 2008 for staff, consultants, and other expenses directly related to projects in the IRWM Plan update proposal.
The full Work Plan, Budget, and Schedule can be viewed or downloaded at the District’s IRWM web site at:
http://www.mpwmd.dst.ca.us/Mbay_IRWM/Mbay_IRWM.htm
The grant agreement specifies payment in arrears for expenses associated with the IRWM Plan update. DWR normally requires that all local match requirements be met before reimbursement of expenses begins. However, because of the relatively large local match that is required, the District requested “concurrent drawdown” for reimbursement of grant funds. This will allow each sub-grantee and the District to be reimbursed for each project according to the local match contribution for the respective project. For example, for a project with a 25% local match requirement, the project sponsor would be reimbursed $0.75 for each dollar expended on the project until the local match is met. The District will review and forward invoice requests for reimbursement to DWR. Reimbursement of work will occur after the District receives funds from DWR.
Proposed expenditures to be approved with this Consent Calendar item would be as follows:
Project 3 – Assessment
of Steelhead Passage Barriers in the Carmel River Watershed
Project Summary:
The decline of steelhead in the Carmel River Basin between the 1960s and 1990s prompted its listing as a threatened species under the protection of the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). In normal and above water years, adult steelhead can spawn in a total of 60.5 miles of stream, including 24.5 miles of the Carmel River main stem, 30 miles of primary tributaries, and miles of secondary tributaries. A thorough, detailed survey needs to be completed of all potential barriers to steelhead migration. This scope of work includes an analysis of barriers in tributary streams that are judged to be the most important in terms of potential steelhead habitat (Figure 1). The District selected four major tributaries for this assessment: Potrero Creek, Cachagua Creek, Pine Creek and San Clemente Creek, and added one potential barrier known as Flavin’s Ford. Forty-four reconnaissance sites and a maximum of 40 sites with detailed measurements are proposed for this barrier assessment. Of the total reconnaissance sites, 31 are on private property and 13 are on public property.
The priorities for this assessment will be to 1) provide a description of existing passage barriers; 2) document and confirm the amount of stream channel accessible to steelhead in selected tributaries under natural conditions; 3) locate, delineate, survey and rank manmade barriers; 4) develop a prioritized list of actions/modifications at each barrier that will ultimately maximize production of juvenile steelhead from each tributary; and 5) recommend modifications to eliminate temporal migration delays and any partial blockages in selected tributaries
Project 3 Funding Request - up to $6,000 for an agreement for services with Scott Hennessy at $75 per hour (100% reimbursable) for Subtask 1.2 and Subtask 1.3
Project 9 - Carmel
River Lagoon Ecosystem Protective Barrier Planning and Feasibility
Project Summary:
The purpose of this project is to carry out a planning and feasibility study for protection and preservation of Scenic Road as it pertains to the installation of the proposed Carmel River Lagoon Ecosystem Protective Barrier (EPB), near the California State Parks Carmel River Lagoon and Wetlands Natural Reserve in Monterey County. The Carmel River Lagoon (Lagoon) forms a seasonally brackish lagoon environment above sea level at the mouth of the Carmel River, and tidal forces frequently build the barrier beach up across the mouth to a level that is higher than some of the surrounding homes and infrastructure.
When the Lagoon rises from wave overwash or Carmel River inflow, the beach must be breached mechanically in order to lower the water level. These actions result in a loss of aquatic habitat and undesirable consequences to fish and wildlife. Installation of an EPB along the northern portion of the lagoon could allow the Lagoon to rise to a higher level on more frequent occasions while reducing the potential for flooding of low-lying structures. Research of the barrier beach by the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District indicates that without mechanical breaches to control the location of the lagoon outlet, the river tends to meander across the beach in response to the changing river flows, tides and swell environment.
When the river flows out to the north, the combination of river flow and ocean waves can erode the sand dune material supporting Scenic Road. Scenic Road provides local access for homeowners and is an important link in maintaining public access to coastal resources. An EPB could reduce the potential for flooding due to high Carmel River flows, and would allow the Lagoon to double in volume and could result in an overall increase in water quantity and quality throughout the dry season. The rest of the EPB analysis is being completed with funds from California American Water customers in the Monterey Peninsula region and with in-kind services from local agencies and non-profit groups, with funds administered through the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB). The WCB grant funds and local in-kind services do not include an investigation of methods to protect Scenic Road from erosion and tie in to the barrier project proposed for the north side of the lagoon. Funds from the Department of Water Resources provided through the Prop. 84 Integrated Regional Water Management grant program will allow the EPB feasibility analysis to be expanded to investigate the feasibility of tying the EPB into a project that will preserve the bluff underlying Scenic Road and prevent further damage from high ocean swells and/or river flows adjacent to Scenic Road.
Project 9 Funding Request - up to $54,200 (100% reimbursable)
IMPACT TO STAFF/RESOURCES: Funds for these project expenditures are included in Project Expenditures Line Item 2-6 “Integrated Regional Water Management” in the Fiscal Year 2010-11 budget adopted by the Board of Directors on June 20, 2011.
EXHIBITS
U:\staff\word\boardpacket\2011\20111212\ConsentCal\06\item6.docx