HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - BC Dept of Water & Resource Conservation e� WATER AND RESOURCE CONSERVATION
308 Nelson Avenue,Oroville, CA 95965
Telephone:(530) 538-4343
Fax:(530) 538-3807
www.buttecogM.net/waterandresource
Butte Countybcwaterpbuttecountv.net
IWAM&RESOLRa Paul Gosselin,Director
BMCOUNTY
NOV 2 6 201
November 26, 2014 090vILLE,CALIFORNIA
TO: Butte County Water Commission
FROM: Butte County Department of Water and Resource Conservation
SUBJECT: Meeting Agenda
Date: December 3, 2014 80MOF Mf
SM
Time: 1:30 p.m. NOV 2 61014
Place: 25 County Center Drive QVW"MFMK
Oroville, CA 95965
AGENDA ITEMS
1) Roll call.
2) *Approval of minutes for the November 5, 2014 meeting. (Chair Barber)
3) Public members wishing to address the Commission on items not listed on the agenda. (The Water
Commission is prohibited by State law from taking action on any item presented if it is not listed on
the agenda. Comments will be limited to five minutes per person)
4) Presentation on regional groundwater levels through October 2014. (Kelly Stanton, DWR Northern
Region)
5) Update on the activities of the Northern Sacramento Valley Integrated Regional Water Management
Plan Board (NSV Board) comprised of representatives of the Counties of Butte, Colusa, Glenn,
Tehama, Sutter and Shasta. (Vickie Newlin, Water and Resource Conservation.
6) Discussion and possible recommendation to the Board of Supervisors associated with activities related
to drought conditions. (Water and Resource Conservation staff and Water Commission members)
7) Reports from Water Commissioners and staff on issues of interest.
a. Report on Water Advisory Committee, Technical Advisory Committee and
general groundwater issues. (Paul Gosselin, Water and Resource Conservation)
b. Report on California Water Plan 2013 activities. (Vickie Newlin, Water and
Resource Conservation)
c. Report on Delta Issues. (Paul Gosselin, Water and Resource Conservation)
d. *Report on water related activities of the Board of Supervisors. (Paul Gosselin,
Water and Resource Conservation)
e. Other issues.
8) Future meeting dates and locations: January 7, 2015
Board of Supervisors Chambers
25 County Center Drive
Oroville, CA 96965
9) Commissioners wishing to address items not listed on the agenda. (The Water
Commission is prohibited by state law from taking action on any item presented if it is
not listed on the agenda).
10) *Communications received and referred. (Copies of all communications are
available in the Butte County Department of Water and Resource Conservation, 308
Nelson Avenue, Oroville, California).
11) Adjournment.
*Materials attached
cc: Water Commission Mailing List Window Posting
2
AGENDA ITEM
#
MINUTES OF THE
BUTTE COUNTY WATER COMMISSION
November 5,2014
Board of Supervisors Chambers
25 County Center Drive
Oroville, CA 95955
1. Roll call.
Commissioners present: Chair Barber, Commissioners Jones, Lane, Schahr,
Scott, Skinner, and Washington
Commissioners absent: Commissioners Grundmann and Mattson
2. Approval of minutes for the September 3,2014 meeting.
Motion by Commissioner Scott, second by Commissioner Lane to approve the
minutes as presented. Motion carried 4-0-3. Commissioners Skinner, Lane and
Washington abstained.
3. Public members wishing to address the Commission on items not listed on the
agenda-
None.
gendaNone.
4. Update from the subcommittee investigating Sites Reservoir and possible
recommendation to forward the subcommittee report to the Board of Supervisors
as an information item.
Motion by Chair Barber, seconded by Commissioner Schorr to send the Sites
Reservoir information to the Board of Supervisors as an informational item only.
Motion carried 7-0-0.
5. Overview of the U.S.B.R. Long-Term Water Transfer Program and associated
environmental review process.
Information only, no action.
b. Update on the activities of the Northern Sacramento Valley Integrated Regional
Water Management Plan Board (NSV Board) comprised of representatives of the
Counties of Butte, Colusa, Glenn,Tehama, Sutter and Shasta.
Information only, no action.
1
i Our Mission;
'76 manageand
c�inserve mater and
at &resources,for
y
the citizens,cq,f Butte
Butte County
Depart ant alb
Walter#ud Resource
ouservation
Nelson Auenii�
December 214
308
Oroville, CA 95965
Ph+ane(530)5354343 1 1'
Fax(530)535-3507
EmaiLbcwatef@ ;,
buttec6uty net
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www.btitte,county.net/
waterandr source/
The Sustainz,bility Mangy ementA8- our triernbershilp,on graterani engi- �
Water and kesource
sociatjoh (SNIA) recently gnpounced tiering sit s,"' gays A'rigela Caller,
C ronservnth n taff through a press release that it'kias SMS LXOCUOuu Ilirectnr,W6 sf
Paul rosselin, uppnunted urge Barber, Chair of cerely appreeiate vi's willingness to
"the Butte County Water Commission, serge as a director and will certainly
Director v. to their Board of Directors,effective benefit from his judgmont, xperi-
Viekie'l' ewl rr, :i ,�
Assistant Director I'
ixirned" ely. The SMA is a nonprofit enice, and guidance.
01c6 organization whose mission is
hr stitta uw k, to provide prof ssionil4ls with the "Mr. Barber's rnAnagernent e peri-
Water Resources knoWledge,skills,and abilities to once as the General Manager of the
scientist manage for ecoAdmicl environmen- Paradise Irrigation District for the
Autunx dirk, tl;�and societal performance. past ten years is highly respected.
Administrative throughout California.Ris expertise
;Assistant, Senor "GeQrige's experferice in waiter has immediate,ly enhanced,S A's,
ty,storage;waste w tee°treatment,- strategic direction starting our third-
Rutt,6 cl oun-ty, ter
delivery,and hirs engzneering`back- year of operations;"' says Amanda
grounid will,be an Ix' ediatn:asset to Fairley, President, Paar&of�irec-
a wntrnissinra l�'lA to cotitribute;current and fu- tars Sustainability Management As-
C'reorgo l arl er,Ch4it turetrends nnvw 4ter ixianageinent saciation. "We uw lcorne George Bar-
LSC Jones;'dice®Chauand strafe'di mono�pement of ecos s ber tojoin our passionate rofes-
Larry artun rr a n texris,.As,a seasoned mie her of the sioirals,in making a po itiwe differ-
John Lane, water ' 0
Brad M, t'dard of Director 'f6r the Associa-
Ryan Schohr tion of GAilifiirnia Fater Agencies, The Departnien"Lwould like to join in,
John Scott Region"2,as well as his,service ascongratulating Georgeon thiis,ap-
David Skinner chaeta the Butte'Gounty Water pointment and thank him foryears
Errtiie Was,
hington Cornmission swill ensure SMA has the of community service td water acid
right leadership needed td educate 6therx6source related endeavors.
2.04 a ° City,Cekbratli,on
deeds o VT"der lad "
For the last 34 years the Farm City Celebratinmih deli 1, d citi- to th'Colusa Cott.tty 1?arm�laovv i.n I'�6�i Where he quickly received
dens of butte County and khe surrounding area;and this year is no orders for 2,5 machines;and a theysay,the rest is history Now,;48
exception, Be inning as a"tasting"ofloc4l products prat on bythe `ars and'two company merges later,they manufacture sweepers„
California Women for Agriculture,in 1979,it has since grown into a harvesters,and blowers,pxportrng them worldwide.
full monthof educational and celebratory events including,the Vin- Cyn,tlaeway ,aur ne estop;Jqo Couuell expl ned how the ground
Hush Aware s hiece{�tii?.n,,T"id`s flay at the,Chico niv„rsity,Far�tm,. comptvsitidn qnd�sagl chamge'throughout the galley,making certain
th nnual Imfarvest,Festival,axad the Agri7)1usinesgBus Tour. All areas,l et' eq'i pedfior certain cr6, s. fie poipted outthat the or-
of Which,help strengthen the bond between the>.grban d agticrmltmrr- c;h4rds abruptly stop and,tice fields begitk'notth*d Wesf of Chico
al,communities.
bce;ausc;the iuore permeable soils'stop aod,the clay soils begin,al-
v,
lowing the water to pool on top of the land,making it a bett-er area
farrice:
The next stop was Western Canal Water District!wvhete we were
entnriaincd by'board member,Bryce'Landberg,and Special'Pro'pect
and.,Office Manager,Anjanette,Shadley- artiri.'Bryee-explained
the hisibry of Western Canal Water District,how:they obtained their
senior Water rights,and what that meads to their operation. "The
water district currently encompasses approximately 61,5100 acres''
58,167 of which are irr gable An*cttc explaine'd that their fields
are all rneteted Arid use,ah,average,of 4.2'acre-feet of Waterppr acre.
She went onto plain-that for every aero of rice-planted;rotaghly
half an acre-fopct tmf water,is recharged to the,aquifer,which is Why
the aquifers Are,full in their area. Bryce ent,mani to explain that the
fields are not only used to f+rodraee rice, Cpthnally,after harvest the
fields Would be filled with water to help decompose the race strawi
f his'year'l.waR lactunaQe nough to be one-of250people in attend- and provide resting habitat and food,for migratibg birds. 'However,
ance at the;Farm City Celebration Agri-Business Taus rout, flaying due,to'the drought fhcy`are not able to flood the f gilds as they nor-
rtpver attended the tour previously I was unsure oaf what to;expeet.
madly would,which leaves the birds with fewver rest and ftieding
With the assurance that the tour sells out fast,I antivipated greatness
areas,and the farmers with the question of what to do With the rice
and was riot disappointed.
straw.s
There,were five stops on the tour .dams year. Weiss McNair,a nut
rs tl 1S }tri)lit r�,!111 r / t., r r '``"s r f}tt 11tr f r j r�r j` rr.s frk r 5 i Y fl rh
harvesting maelllrke mamlta»tlkCer 3tll ChIleoa:'The Worm I?artn an
r( rJ r Dlr rr 11 y // r ''f t j Erf F�{ lz rt t/r tff{i4s a i} t,
Durham;Western Canal Water I.)IlStr1Ct in Nelson;Crain Orchards,a } t J s i r f(r,1Etr G�r}s1r D ttitfr f�fF�r t y k�r 4
waalnut ptocessing company in Chico;and Heitkam Honey Bees in
Orland,joined by The[lee Informed Partnership.
ti) rD rsts�t r 3 r ��n'kr isle}FSI$uu ffi l�r,f s"1' i first r ur rDr
The day started iib hot coffee and doughnuts,at the Chico State
University Fafm.at'7.00 aha, Greeted"by friendly smiles and a few
. , '� ✓�,zi7a�fz v'i�JY'!nf'�d �ti�� rC'��r� � ' { ,
f*iliac faces,1,was happyrlo;sec rny.bus tour captain was going to,
be Jo
e Cpnnel1,recently retired-Batte,County Farre advisor and
member of the Butte Coun ty Walter Commission's Technical Advi-
sory Committee. '
Joe started the tour with a short trip aroundthe,farm where he ex-
plai led the different types'of experiments being conducted,some of:
thern"lastiog 15,years or more, 'He pointed out field's full of animals,
row crops;walnuts,and almonds. Explaining the differencd'be-
twrecn self fertile and Belt pollinating and, in turn,why we are:not
.able to pollinate almond'trees without bees:
Back on the bud and headed to our next destination,'Joe pointed out
Chir fist'stop was Weiss line l'sair,manufacturer of vast array of the dairy and C1id Durham Wolod Company in Durham. He ex-
nut harvesting machinery.;Gary Weiss beglan by inventing.,a;ma- plainell that the griaund in that area is perfect for'their,operation'
chine that would sweep nuts into a-rcaw to allow easier pickup in his
orchards. After his neighbor showed interest,he tools his invention FARM CITY—page 3
Page 2
Groundwater
By Vickie Newlin
In cooperation With the Butte County Farm Bureau,we-recently be an expanding the groundwater level monitoring grid begin-
met wvith niembers of the agricultural community regarding the uitig in 1997. The current grid includes over 120 wells,of which
2014 groundwater legislatio n'paekage. About thirty fartriers at- 65 areAedicated mrtonitoring wells. This network"of wells have
tended"a working group at the CSUC University Farm to,reccive Teen strategically placed throughout the basin area offhe county
information about this groundbreaking set of bills assoclated with with input from the Technical Advisory Committee(TAC)"and
the sustainable management of groundwater basins. DWA. Data from this program is used fie produce,an annual
groundwatpk report assessing the health of the basin. I addi-
Basically,phis legislation requires local management of erotical, (ion,C Kristina buck,our �JVater&esrrura s cieratist is uprd_ ing
high and nxediur priority grouzadv Ater basins as prioritized by the`groimd ater model to help us construct a valid'water balance,
the Department of Water kesources(PW .). The alternative which shows the,inputs and outputs within the basinareas of the
looming in the:bacl'rground to non-compliance brings the threat county,
of Stag Water Board intervention. The goal is,to produce a plan
to sustainably manage-the groundwater, basins at'he local level Although Butte,County is in the forefront of,the data collection
through t?ra 'development of:a G'roondwatef'Sustainability Fla=n and analysis component required to deveflop,a C,SP,po�vcrsa-
(GSP). Paul Gosselin walked the group through the'requirements tions like the one described here arOMW'to getting buy-in from
and associated timeline for Completion ofa GSR, folks that 14rm and live in the basin area rrf the county. This
group plans to get together again soon to respond to regulations
We also discussed'the management'tools that Butte County has currently being developed by DW R,that will determine the essen-
already been utilizing through the implementation oaf Chapter 33 tial components'ofa GSP. Stay tuned for further infortnation to
atrcl'athet +agtaatits [lte"Cttittrity 1n ceased'heir' rr'tattd ate= be"res'll'ed r t`t kutitre'ta'e sl'et t"°a�tacles as'socrated'°withfihts
'level monitoring schedule from tw o fo four times a year in 1997_ groundwater legislation: Documents provided at this meeting
During these draught conditions, we have ramped this up even have been,posted to oaar website at au, niwtt ;irnt "rreFor
more to produce rnonthly data sets. further information about this process,please feel free tea contact
Through a cooperative effort with the OWR'Northern Region,we ieither Paul or me.,
FARAf CITY—Front pake 2 panies around the'wvorld.
The last,stop q"
because it was once a lava. ow,so;it's almost like'concrete, on the-farm
allowing the heavy trucks to drive aver the,ground without sink- City Celebra-
ing,into the'dirt. tion bus(our
Froin there we was a visit it
headed to The with pat
Wenn Farm in Ileitkam of
100' 'RI
Durham where Hpitkam ffon-
the owner,Marc ey,Bees and
Pursuer,walked den Saltman
us through his and.Rob.
passion for Snyder of The Bee Informed;PaAnershlp. Pat e plained1bflre
warms and;com- group that his main focus is breeding and;faising decile,l%ygien-
post. Marc explained that worms eat anything organic,as long ic,"queen bees to suppert'a healthyhoney bee ndiaC stry., The
as it's broken doW4. .His worms eat cove manure from local aggressiveness ofthe queen bee,g�nerally`dictate-&the aggires-
cattle ranches. He went on to explain the anatomy of a Worm sign of the rest ofthe hive. Ben and Rab explained that the
and howit,processes out 611 impurities and tox=ins,Ieaving,its snore bygi' is hives have lessproblems With mites arid,diseases,,
excrement,or"castings"completely pdorfree. They mix the To keep,production high,queen bees are changed out every one
worm castings with other soils to form comprast,which is sold tto have queen bops of the higbcst
and shipped worldwide. quality. The Beelnf"ormed Partnership is a collaboration ofre-
Our next slop was at Crain,Orchards facility in Chico. Charles search labs and universities working,witlt beekeepers across the
Grain,Jr.,the founder,walked us through the history of walnuts country to better understand honeybee declines in the United
in the north state.',Walnuts:are currently Butte County's top Mates and to pre mrate healthier bees.
crap,with,l2,773 planted acres in 2p 13,only surpassed bySan We finished our tour baekat the University Farm,with awon-
Joaquin County'witlr 37,074 acres. He explained fhat they have derful lunch and�live entertainment.. I was pleasantly surprised
been in the California walnut andustry,for 53 years,,grooving, by how much l learned in the'shdrt,half day,,,tour,and look,for-
processing,and packing English walnuts for distribution toeom- Ward to attending for rnany years to come.
Page,3
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"f11. Swam r ,
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5 neat rater fir. alb GroIjnid*otu C Oo dRlo jl s"
L��faul:taosseliar
11/7/2045,1,30 p�zxr-. Ttue 2d 14 fall grour dwdter level nrasuremerats in Butte Cvunty:wcr taken by the I7 parttnent o
G atr-
1 oard et ?tsors q esouff es, lartherh Region n#lic lrc rrx( z ti 3-,7;Z{1"t4: 'Fallme rtients were icon etcci in eom-
+ harr b`ers lillanec With'tlae tr"6undWt ttcr Conservation Orcldruancc QCltap��r 33>nt tl�e Butte c6i'Anty C"Odc)and tlse
2 ,Cottxit enter fir: Basin anag nient Ob;ective,�rdiharz¢�(Ch pt r"34A of`th�1 ntte tyurity�nc3e� "�fliCrzspertiv�Ctriii:
maces>requtr "pndn'ri ring of the'basin fouy,,iimes'a °ear and an'gvaluation dithe data based On'basinlmans,
"
BU46Cr linty sward agemrYentab ti^es(Biw✓Os), "Tlie Oputir3wuater level rruor��ta�uang prc�gra triikil��"the re�aiferr�ents yak the.
tr "la iperr rays Callforinia tatewideGraiundwoWt'Elevation"Nlotiitoriogprograrn-(CA Ot, "ltie,,tallmeasuremebts
were rewrieWed by the Technical Advisory Committee ori Nov�niber;2t7;2,t1lit:
12/9/2014,;9:00 at.rn. „ ,*.trendy, l25`wells in'BtAtz Coupt3 are monitored fQr groundwater levels., The wwe'lls consist of amixture
Bet td;tif U t vt5i3t Sof'dnnie19tic"arrd:irrigation wwclls,alcang with;dedicated rkiservat,ibwwells and ten CaM W,,ater municipal npw
;pl oils, ` poto innately;S9 oftho,3,25,; ells iaae sur cl by 1l' 'and kh'e I7� p stn?e at are egwipp d wath
Cha bets, data Mer ers t e y g
t gg," ( .lransduc s,:w}iich continuonasly monitor and,record h ' I chard es'in. r�yiand titer] v-
els, Due,toteseverity afthedroughtian site nrvnitorimg was inducted on a monthlybasis from March
fta dtober. CMuerall ground atcr lcvelsi dcelincz On aucrage of g feet"rrr m March tt�jpctol eq $11n1 rtaries
n#"t1 "change in groundwater levels"fromah to betnber are postedon the Iepartttnent's website•
T11 xneasurernents continued Toshow the e'fet of drier conditions-,characterizing seven ofkhe`past rairie
years. Mostw.elIs"had 90wer"fail groundwater levels in O 4 conapareel,0,2013 measuterrgerat�; Ofthe 12.3
+ t fls#nee used,2 of etu had a lgigh 2t}I4 fall vcl'than the cr,rre ponding?Q.1-3 faftmeasrarement
wit ,ari average,inercase of L feet- Ofthe"66mcasUromenTs that were eg4e(l or to verid'2Q 1,s corapared
to 210, theu*'eragp decrease was 3,"7 beet. Tht,oyerall,average change in fidt gropndwater'level from
j0,13.,10,20:14 was a decrease cif"out,l,?ket. 13MO Alert Mages:are asstgned,,to 77,ofthese wells.The
Biv1C Atert�$tages are>sct for each well based on(heir higtory,of`-record and indi'catewFmern lcvels;are"atur
near;historXc lows. Groundwater lcv�el,data showed-that 0 wells to ched a/BM, Alert Stade it�iicating
levels are nearor below histoticaflows.
,' elf Alert 5tages;l u► k r of eMls inu r fft,,,' p f fnw<#"2
�fS ` ;refit J��J �r''ty'w 1�7q+'✓"-✓" i ✓„"e r"Sk� i3 tti !M BY' CT'1 � 4�,., 4 ri t�lv
z
sA , f
ay 1,6F'-
T
Fall Alert'Mages in 2U C4oceura�d.in thc;Bntte�,'Butte'Slnic,Chetokee,.Esquoxt,:Ttaerroraalito;Angu1 sloi?gh,
Chico l roan area,I7rarharn t y trar�,Llano ccr;Iul t and Uma sub-inve�units. 'For entire i ptor-
matioa on grOdndwaicr level,,data Please visit the,"Groundwater Level vueb fiage:at i�t w;
r 1�'k4 ,s$,7R tc4?94kY t,tp€,'�k,. eQtisflklL.L€.u.7Ct',�4 %imJ3'C$t&t'"tC{w„9,FL't' ,
Page 4