ITEM:

PUBLIC HEARING

 

26.

CONSIDER ADOPTION OF JULY THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2024 QUARTERLY SUPPLY STRATEGY AND BUDGET

 

Meeting Date:

June 17, 2024

Budgeted: 

N/A

 

From:

David J. Stoldt,

Program/

N/A

 

General Manager

Line Item No.:

N/A

 

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: The Board will accept public comment and take action on the July through September 2024 Quarterly Water Supply Strategy and Budget for California American Water’s (CalAm’s) Main and Satellite Water Distribution Systems (WDS), which are within the Monterey Peninsula Water Resources System (MPWRS). The proposed budget, which is included as Exhibit 26-A, outline monthly production by source of supply that will be required to meet projected customer demand in CalAm’s Main and Laguna Seca Subarea systems, i.e., Ryan Ranch, Bishop, and Hidden Hills, during the July through September 2024 period. The proposed strategy and budget is designed to maximize the long-term production potential and protect the environmental quality of the Seaside Groundwater and Carmel River Basins.

 

Exhibit 26-A shows the anticipated production by CalAm’s Main system for each production source and the actual production values for the water year to date through the end of May 2024. Cal-Am’s annual Main system production for Water Year (WY) 2024 will not exceed 4,850 acre-feet (AF). Sources available to meet customer demand are 1,474 AF from the Coastal Subareas of the Seaside Groundwater Basin as set by the Seaside Basin Adjudication Decision and 3,376 AF from the Carmel River as set by WRO 2016-16.  Additional water projects and water rights available are an estimated 710 AF of Pure Water Monterey Injection over this quarter, an estimated 3,677 AF from ASR Phase 1 and 2 storage, and an estimated 150 AF from the Sand City Desalination Plant.  This water budget proposes to produce 710 AF of Pure Water Monterey, so about 0 AF will be added to the Operational Yield for this quarter. The schedule of production from the Carmel Valley Alluvial Aquifer is consistent with State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Order Nos. 95-10, 98-04, 2002-0002, and 2016-0016. In compliance with WRO 2016-0016, any water diverted under these rights must be used to reduce unlawful diversion from the Carmel River Basin.


According to the Seaside Basin Adjudication Decision, CalAm’s production has been reduced to 0 AF.  It is recognized that CalAm will need to produce water to serve its customers in the Hidden Hills Distribution System and production in Laguna Seca will be tracked as a ministerial component of tracking production against the Adjudication Decision.  CalAm has completed an intertie between the Monterey Main System and the Bishop and Ryan Ranch Systems that allows for transfer of water between the systems.

 

RECOMMENDATION: The Board should receive public input, close the Public Hearing, and discuss the proposed quarterly water supply budget. District staff recommends adoption of the proposed budget. The budget is described in greater detail in Exhibit 26-B, Quarterly Water Supply Strategy Report: July September 2024.

 

BACKGROUND: The Water Supply Strategy and Budget prescribes production within CalAm’s Main and Laguna Seca Subarea systems and is developed on a quarterly schedule.  Staff from the District, CalAm, the National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS), State Water Resources Control Board’s Division of Water Rights (SWRCB-DWR), and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) cooperatively develop this strategy to comply with regulatory requirements and maximize the environmental health of the resource system while meeting customer demand.  To the greatest extent pumping in the Carmel Valley is minimized in the summer months and the Seaside wells are used to meet demand by recovering native water, banked Carmel River water, and Pure Water Monterey water.  Also, it was agreed that CalAm will operate its wells in the Lower Carmel Valley in a downstream to upstream order.

 

As long as flows exceed 20 cfs at the District’s Don Juan Gage, CalAm is allowed to produce from its Upper Carmel Valley Wells, which are proposed to be used to supply water for system demand over this quarter. This schedule is estimated with WY 2017 streamflow conditions and daily demand for Carmel Valley.  CalAm will schedule the recovery of Pure Water Monterey water stored in the Seaside Basin with the goal of removing all water injected over the operational reserve for WY 2024.  There is also a projected goal of producing 25 AF of treated brackish groundwater from the Sand City Desalination Plant in each of these three months.

 

Rule 101, Section B of the District Rules and Regulations requires that a Public Hearing be held at the time of determination of the District water supply management strategy. Adoption of the quarterly water supply strategy and budget is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements as per Article 19, Section 15301 (Class 1). A Notice of Exemption will be filed with the Monterey County Clerk's office, pending Board action on this item.

 

EXHIBITS

26-A    Quarterly Water Supply Strategy and Budget for Cal-Am Main System: July-September 2024

26-B    Quarterly Water Supply Strategy and Budget Report: July - September 2024

 

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