ITEM:		CONSENT CALENDAR
5.	Consider Approval for Retaining Consultant Services to Prepare a Proposal to the Department of Water Resources for Proposition 1 Integrated Regional Water Management Implementation Grant Funds
Meeting Date:			April 15, 2019	Budgeted:	Yes
From:			Dave Stoldt, General Manager	Program/	Protect Environmental Quality
				Line Item No.: Acct. No.	Program 2-6-1-A 24-03-785505
Prepared By:			Larry Hampson	Cost Estimate:	$100,000 (partly reimbursable)
General Counsel Approval: N/A
Committee Recommendation: N/A
CEQA Compliance: This action does not constitute a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines section 15378.

SUMMARY: Under a negotiated agreement with other Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Central Coast planning regions, the Monterey Peninsula planning region is eligible to receive a total of up to $4.33 million in Proposition 1 grant funds. The Department of Water Resources (DWR) awarded a grant of $466,000 in 2018 to the region for Disadvantaged Community planning. Approximately $1.7 million is available to the region in the first round of project implementation grant funds to be administered by DWR, with the remaining balance of $2.2 million to be awarded in 2020. The region must prepare a comprehensive proposal to DWR for each round of funding. Staff estimates the proposal for the current round of funding will be due in the fall of 2019.

At this time, staff believes there would be four projects eligible for the current round of grant funds. Preparation of a comprehensive grant proposal for these projects and the follow up work with DWR necessary to complete the proposal requires experience and resources that the District does not have. Attached as Exhibit 5-A is an excerpt from a proposal by Dudek, a firm with offices in Santa Cruz that has extensive experience in completing complex funding applications for various clients throughout Southern, Central, and Northern California.

One of the proposed projects, the Coe Avenue Recycled Water Distribution Pipeline sponsored by the Marina Coast Water District (MCWD), would benefit both the Monterey Peninsula region and the Greater Monterey County planning region; however, the water resources benefit would accrue to the Greater Monterey County region. For this reason, staff have requested that MCWD reimburse the District for costs associated with obtaining a grant.

RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the General Manager be authorized to:

1) Enter into an agreement with Dudek to provide services to prepare and submit a comprehensive grant proposal to the Department of Water Resources for a Not-to-Exceed cost of $95,600 with a contingency of $4,400 for unforeseen expenses.

2) Obtain a reimbursement agreement with Marina Coast Water District for expenses associated with including the Coe Avenue Recycled Water Distribution Pipeline project in a grant application.

DISCUSSION: As shown in Exhibit 5-A, there are four projects proposed for grant funding:

· Del Monte Manor Park Low Impact Development (LID) Improvements Project (City of Seaside – A stormwater-focused project located within a severely disadvantaged community low income rental housing complex in the upper portion of Seaside that will reconstruct part of an existing drainage basin with stormwater capture and treatment facilities. The project aims to mitigate flooding impacts to the playground and open space, treat and infiltrate an average of 14 acre-feet per year of runoff from the surrounding area, and improve the flora and aesthetics of the drainage detention basin.

· Ramona Avenue Stormwater Runoff Infiltration Project (City of Monterey) – A stormwater-focused project that would implement infiltration features at multiple locations within the Casanova-Oak knoll neighborhood (just west of Work Memorial Park in Seaside) to capture and treat stormwater runoff that currently flows into Laguna Grande Lake. This project drainage area is approximately 21 acres that flows along Ramona Avenue 1,000 feet to North Fremont Street. Local drainage has caused flooding of multiple lanes along North Fremont Street and some residential flooding at Ramona Avenue at Dundee Avenue. Three storm water infiltration systems would be installed with each installation consisting of five 4-foot diameter by 15-feet deep dry wells, one high flow rate tree box filter, distribution piping and valves, and reconstruction of curb, gutter, sidewalk, and street pavement. The systems would infiltrate on average 2.3 acre-feet of stormwater per year, which is 18% of the watershed’s annual runoff.

· West End Stormwater Management Improvements (Sand City) – A stormwater-focused project that includes retrofit of two existing streets to integrate LID features that will address multiple city needs, including flood control, water quality, receiving water protection, and regulatory compliance. Two existing streets, Catalina and Contra Costa Streets, would be retrofitted to integrate LID features such as bioretention. Benefits would include stormwater volume reduction and infiltration, annual pollutant load reductions (e.g., TSS, metals), increased number of native drought-tolerant plants and trees, a modified street length to provide community urban greening benefits, and the project would serve as a catalyst for the City to further implement LID/Green Infrastructure practices.

· Coe Avenue Recycled Water Distribution Pipeline (Marina Coast Water District) – A recycled water project that involves construction of a new recycled water distribution main to bring water to athletic fields, parks, and common landscape areas where potable water is currently used for irrigation. Along the Coe Avenue corridor in the City of Seaside, MCWD plans to construct a new recycled water distribution main that extends approximately 3,000 linear feet from an existing turnout to the west of General Jim Moore Boulevard westward toward Seaside Highlands, a newer neighborhood that is already plumbed to irrigate residential front yards and HOA common landscape areas with advanced- treated recycled water. The completion of the Coe Avenue distribution line would also extend recycled water service to Seaside Middle and High Schools, Central Coast High School, the City of Seaside’s Soper Park, and Monterey Bay Military Housing’s Hayes Park neighborhood. In total, it is estimated that switching irrigation in the above areas from potable to recycled water would offset approximately 200 AFY of potable water use.

The latter project has the unique characteristic of potentially benefitting both the Monterey Peninsula and Greater Monterey County IRWM planning regions. Staff notes that DWR strongly encourages inter-regional cooperation on IRWM projects. However, because MCWD serves this area, the source of supply is from the Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin (SVGB). Therefore, the water resource benefit of substituting potable water with recycled water would accrue to the SVGB and the Greater Monterey County IRWM planning region. Staff at the City of Seaside have indicated that the project could result in freeing up potable water for use in development of housing in areas of Fort Ord that are to be conveyed to Seaside.

Dudek has extensive experience assisting water agencies with IRWM planning, project solicitation, grant proposals and grant administration.

IMPACT TO STAFF/RESOURCES: Funds ($100,000) were included in the mid-year budget adjustment approved by the Board in March 2019 under Project Expenditures Line Item 2-6-1-A “Prop 1 Coordination.” Some staff resources would also be needed to administer the consultant agreement.

The estimated cost of including the Coe Avenue Recycled Water Pipeline project is approximately $23,900, which the District would seek reimbursement for from MCWD.

EXHIBIT

5-A Excerpt from March 15, 2019 Dudek proposal

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