ITEM:

PUBLIC HEARING

 

14.

RECEIVE AND CONFIRM WATER SUPPLY FORECAST FOR PERIOD OF MAY 1, 2023 -- SEPTEMBER 30, 2024 AND CONSIDER ADOPTING DRAFT RESOLUTION 2023 – 06 TO AMEND RATIONING TABLE XV-4

 

Meeting Date:

May 15, 2023

Budgeted: 

N/A

 

From:

David J. Stoldt,

Program/

N/A

 

General Manager

Line Item No.:

 

 

Prepared By:

Jonathan Lear

 Cost Estimate: 

N/A

 

General Counsel Review:  N/A

Committee Recommendation:  N/A

CEQA Compliance:  Notice of Exemption, CEQA, Article 19, Section 15301 (Class 1) ESA

Compliance: Consistent with the September 2001 and February 2009 Conservation Agreements between the National Marine Fisheries Service and California American Water

to minimize take of listed steelhead in the Carmel River and Consistent with SWRCB WR

Order Nos. 95-10, 98-04, 2002-0002, and 2016-0016.

 

SUMMARY:  Regulation X of the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (District) Rules and Regulations requires that a water supply summary forecast report be compiled annually to analyze the status of water supply and demand on the resource system within the District.  This report quantifies rainfall, runoff, and storage conditions within the District as of May 1, 2023, and forecasts the amount of water that will be available for use during the upcoming water year from the Monterey Peninsula Water Resource System (MPWRS).  The MPWRS supplies water to meet both Cal-Am and non Cal-Am demand on the Peninsula.  As Cal-Am constructs water projects to comply with the Cease and Desist order, the company will rely less on water from the MPWRS to meet customer demand and more on the water produces from water projects.  Regulation X tests the drought resilience of the of the MPWRS to supply the legal component of water to Cal-Am and non Cal-Am users on the Peninsula for the next 16 months.

 

Physical Water Availability:  As of May 1, 2023, usable water storage within MPWRS totaled 30,090 acre-feet (AF) or 91% of maximum storage capacity.  A map of the MPWRS is included as Exhibit 14-A.  A breakdown of total storage by reservoir and aquifers is shown in Exhibit 14-B.  As shown, usable reservoir storage totals 1,670 AF and usable aquifer storage totals 28,420 AF.  For the Seaside Groundwater Basin, the annual Natural Safe Yield is 3,000 Acre Feet and 2,140 Acre Feet remain for WY 2023.   In addition, a summary of other water-supply related conditions within the MPWRS – rainfall and runoff recorded at San Clemente Dam and California American Water (Cal-Am) monthly diversions from the Carmel River and Seaside Groundwater Basins relative to limits set by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and Court -- are shown in Exhibit 14-C and 14-D.

 

The amount of carryover storage that is needed to meet the projected water needs within the District for the remainder of Water Year (WY) 2023 and all of WY 2024 is shown in  Exhibit 14-E.  These projections include the water needs of both Cal-Am customers and non Cal-Am water users within the District who rely on water from the MPWRS.  As shown, the projected water demand on the MPWRS for the remainder of WY 2023 on the MPWRS is 4,193 AF.  Similarly, the projected demand for WY 2024 is 7,097 AF. These projections are based on the maximum annual production amount for the Cal-Am main system from the Carmel River Basin directed by the SWRCB in Order WR 2016-0016 (3,376 AF in WY 2023 and 3,376 in WY 20243), the maximum annual production amount for Cal-Am from the Seaside Groundwater  Basin specified by the Court as a result of the Seaside Basin adjudication (1,474 AF in WY 2023 and 1,474 AF in WY 2024), and the maximum production amount for non Cal-Am users in the MPWRS specified in the District’s Water Allocation Program (3,046 AF).  As shown in Exhibit 14-E, the total amount of water needed on May 1 to meet the projected water demand for the remainder of WY 2023 and all of WY 20243 is 12,089 AF.  Given the current usable storage estimate of 32,090 AF, there is sufficient stored water in the MPWRS to meet the projected water needs from the MPWRS for the remainder of WY 2023 and begin WY 2024 with a full year’s supply in reserve.  This is consistent with the District drought protection goal approved by the Board in August 1993.

 

It should also be noted that this approach is conservative in that it is based entirely on storage and does not include any allowance for surface and subsurface inflows that are expected to occur.  Therefore, based on the physical availability of water, no mandatory water demand reductions, i.e., rationing actions, are required at this time.  It should be noted, however, that this analysis does not incorporate environmental considerations such as effects on riparian and aquatic resources or regulatory restrictions. 

 

Note that all water users within the District are presently under Stage 1 Water Conservation which prohibits water waste and all non-essential uses of water.

 

Community Water Demand:   For WY 2023, as of May 1, 2024, Cal-Am had produced 1,705 AF of water from its sources in the MPWRS.  This amount of production is 1,696 AF under the year-to-date at month-end production target that had been set for Cal-Am based on SWRCB Order WR 2016-0016 and the Seaside Groundwater Basin adjudication decision. 

 

RECOMMENDATION:   The Board should receive the water supply forecast for the May 1, 2023 through September 30, 2024 period and adopt Resolution 2023-06 to amend Rationing Table (XV-4).

 

IMPACTS ON STAFF/RESOURCES:  District staff currently tracks and reports on water production and water supply conditions on a monthly basis; no additional impacts are anticipated related to this item.

 

EXHIBITS

14-A    Map of the Monterey Peninsula Water Resources System (MPWRS)

14-B    Water Storage Conditions, MPWRS

14-C    MPWMD Water Supply Status -- May 1, 2023

14-D    California American Water Production vs. CDO and Adjudication to Date: Water Year 2023

14-E    Derivation of Water Rationing Triggers for the MPWRS for the Remainder of 2023 Water Year and all of 2024 Water Year

14-F    Draft Resolution 2023-06

 

U:\staff\Boardpacket\2023\20230515\Public Hearing\14\Item-14.docx