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Water Commission Agenda Packet for June 2018
Menchaca, Clarissa corn: Butte County Department of Water& Resource Conservation c bcwater@buttecounty.net> Sent Thursday, May 31, 2018 10:42 AM To: Menchaca, Clarissa Subject, Water Commission Agenda Packet for June 2018 B �.4 t t cn wu RNIA �1 ,f , , f r , v, Hi Clarissa, The dune 2018 Water Commission documents are now available. You can access the documents by clicking on the button or vising the Department website. t mom 11MIZICI= WaterSolutions "To rrrrrr age and conserve rccrter-and other resorrrces Jbi,the citizens:of Butte cwun q," I 1 r ustaina le Groundwater Manago. s, nont Act SGMA Governance UpdIate The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) places the responsibility for sustainably managing groundwater at the local) level. Groundwater sustainabillity agencies (GSAs) in each of the four subbasins will decide how they will organize, or "govern", themselves in order to develop the groundwater sustainability plan (GSP) for their area. GSPs developed by local GSAs evaluate the sustainability of the basin and identify actions that will be implemented to achieve sustainability over a 20 year period. The GSAs in all of the subbasins have committed to work together to prepare one GSP for the entire subbasin. Governance within each subbasin will establish the roles and responsibilities of each GSA to develop and carry out the GSP. Some of the decisions on groundwater sustainability will be difficult and must reflect local values and expectations. Each subbasin is different in many ways.The governance discussions are at different stages and will likely have different outcomes. Your input on the governance structure in your subbasin is important and valued. This is an update to last month's WaterSolutions newsletter which described the status of governance concepts in each subbasin.. 2 What's happening in your subbasin? Read more l t���wjv Proposed Boundary our m eRAWModifications in Butte County D M$Ywr1 Y d;uw,wrrtam 4'tauyxY; WWI.918 Subb-m m r—,oj Our Department is working closely with the IIffl =L °`*'""� L.Md— City of Chico, the City of Oroville,� and f. n� V Thermalito Water and Sewer District to prepare a Basin Boundary Modification (BBM) application for submittal to the WvVu"nt fVlWryN Department of Water Resources (DWR) by the June 30 deadline. A process has been established to allow Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GBAs) an LUSA � opportunity to submit BBM requests that , would enhance effective sustainable �+ ire groundwater management. Our �lJ ° Department's application has three proposed basin boundary modification components. What are those components? Read more Drought Strategiest« , Interested in drought strategies for the a production of alfalfa, almonds and walnuts as well as many other topics? f" J The University of California Division of �,»b ,agriculture and Natural Resources, f�� California Institute for Water Resources has you covered. " Find out more SGMA Data Viewer is now Available 3 'V1 ho rll N6 Baim Clwe Pow LWA J�✓i�/9///%Gi/r/%/r/��� G M: ,1rri(��IH� ��r�/n�/ a 1WM: 10M_5fee Q� a7Koma .,.>azu 10 fiw r//.,�i✓r�or /✓r p r /..rrA�/� / >/,,, /.,.. %r/ �/� ,,., i /:, .nil/, //�. r H//��r r„/o//////. �i/, / f r r��� �, 7 r, J,� //i/r%/,, � / J,r�� r!�D,r f/ ✓/ �� i//,/ /,/ ,=•'r / i / / /_ it .'� / /i// //r�� Pet a: a Oil// r/�r.,�� ✓ //. ��/, ,��r���: �;1 �'% 1 r/ //rr ///, „r//, ,.�..: �� /i l//�� /�/r /�/. /���� ;✓ �i�/ r � ,ill ����: /�''���m/��� �✓!%In t/l� o,9i�r�ir, ,.. r%i �/r/o �r�/////��r„l ✓ .�/// r ,fir/�/ � �G r:�fj���;� r, J� n , //,�//% r- �- /rr� J,” �` ,i�fr„n✓Ii,�� it �0��/� ✓/ ////i,�j/,/J/r //;:��// ,/��////,//�/,�, /r//� 7��G/!,�/ till%/l/ /Ym (” 1,��lll//I,�r�/, r//,i �r /..�� w•-;n '✓lrtl'��r,Hlr �1 ,'/r 4 /(r ///ir.N�//"/ o�,r�G �; r�i/i/r/�r,rr l/, ,//,;,, ;./,,/�///.✓n ,r/.rr�r,r i.../:,/ /lr,....� r//rr,,,.,/1,...� ✓i�//�i r ��/ /� l„/,.,,�%J a ///.1,���%�/,/�r r� ,r �,t'/�%r,,; ��/�r rr;o rr///� i, ri„✓r %i �// r�/,, i,-of/-�/� //%�i/� r,ifl�H ,r' ,nom/rrrrr�,/ %/ / / ,,�// Oil/r�,,�����/ / �/ l////GaN /„�//�� ,r�r/„ r,✓��/�,%r%/i//�//lp�/////r�///�� / // /�i r / 11 'lG/'J/,%/,�l rf/l,�� 1i��1�rl rl/�/ l r��Y%/®®®// ;:P/r���;�i/r///i/rill/,� r„r✓r..// /i //C.r��r�.f �//lrr��r, u, �n,��,m�,�,�w»l d��,�of d /J /�I � f' �/(k; �,e/I�tJiHr/Hrlli/ir/i/l////,r�i /,,, rci�r✓'� rllr�/i r iJ// ;, .� , ,.,r:-, /� � 1 ,l l I n/ r� .r r/ ✓. /Ji%/ /// /l/i/%//i////,ars/%��r //ir,,, /// ;,,,f/, r/„ .� ,,,,,:G� �/////V 1'1�.. �li. /„( li�llll / 011/,�����,�H/-r r,na//J/r/�//„�/i�i�. k////r/io'✓��✓///��i/r/////r////,,,. r nr r r (� i � ''/, /��.,, ✓,iialli ,/ / �, ra /r,a�;. rr i,o-,/�iir i --4H/ /Ir/'y,”r r r � � Ir ✓Il I r/ r/�n f,�,1. ///,// //��1 ✓J r/ r /J �l / ,////%ltd /,,.. iii//�/ /l � rl j 1 1, i, lf`/ r/ � �l///� f//✓/I � /r�rl //ii,r;//,�i,.�/„/i//�uu ll�r/G„-,,: The new SGIVIA data viewer, developed by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is a mapping tool) for viewing and downloading compiled groundwater relateddata sets. This new tool integirates data from various sources to provide Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) and the public the access to query, visualize and download SGIVIA related data. It allows you to interact with and view the data. In a way that has not been as easily accessible in one centralized place before now. Ready to get started' Learn more ma c S MIN00, 4 New hems number Mailing List Sign-up Meeting Schedules On January first, Butte Want to know more about `dater Commission County Department of Water what is happening in the 6/6/2018, 1:30 pm & Resource Conservation world of water? You can now Board of Supervisors changed phone numbers. customize the information Chambers you get from our 25 County Center Drive The mainline phone Department, number is 530.552.3595. 7/4/2018 meeting Do you only want CANCELLED For the time being, the information pertaining to the 530.538.4343 number will be Sustainable Groundwater Berard of Supervisors forwarded, however, we ask. Management Act (SGMA)? 6/12/2018, 9:00 am that you please update your Only the WaterSo/utions Board of Supervisors contact information. newsletter?Would you Chambers rather we send you all we've 25 County Center Drive got? It's all up to you. 6/26/2018, 9:00 am To update your personal Board of Supervisors profile or preferences just Chambers click the "Update Profile°" link 25 County Center Drive on the bottom of the page. GRAC Meeting 6/18/20118, 8:30 am 311 Nicholas C Shouten Larne, Room A009 Chico, CA Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to work with you, We look forward to continuing our dedication to cooperation, collaboration and keeping control of our water in the hands of locals. Blease feel free to contact our office with any questions you may have. Sincerely, Administrative Analyst Butte County Department of Water& Resource Conservation 530,552.3595 bcw tL�@.b�� t co uice.i www utt coutity.iiet/ tgrr s0rLr r ecoa iservatupn. 5 r WATER&RESOURCE CONSERVATION Butte County 'Department of Water & Resource Conservation 308 Nelson Avenue, Oroville, CA 95965 tei. 530.552.3595 Unsub_scribe_cmenel7_aca�t�gttecounty o_et Update-Profile I About our se�r_vice_p: ewvid,er Sent by bcWater@butteceunty.net 6 ` WATER AND RESOURCE CONSERVATION >x 308 Nelson Avenue,Oroville,CA 95965 Telephone:(530)538-4343 Fax:(530)538-3807 www.buttecounty.net/waterandresource Butte County bcwater(@buttecounty.net Paul Gosselin,Director W4YER&RESOURCE COiJSERYIJIOtJ May 22, 2018 TO: Butte County Water Commission FROM: Butte County Department of Water and Resource Conservation SUBJECT: Meeting Agenda Date: June 6,2018 Time: 1:30 p.m. Place: 25 County Center Drive Oroville, CA 95965 AGENDA ITEMS 1) Roll call. 2) *Approval of minutes for the May 2, 2018 meeting. (Chair Skinner) 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 and Discussion of the North of Delta Water Storage Project(Sites Reservoir). (Jim Watson, General Manager, Sites Project Authority) 5) *Update and possible recommendation to the Board of Supervisors on activities associated with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. (SGMA). (Water and Resource Conservation staff) a. Groundwater Sustainability Plan development (Christina Buck, Water and Resource Conservation) b. Basin Boundary Modifications to the Vina and Wyandotte Creek subbasins (Christina Buck, Water and Resource Conservation) c. Draft Governance Structures (Paul Gosselin, Water and Resource Conservation) d. Update regarding the Groundwater Pumpers Advisory Committee (GPAC) (Paul Gosselin, Water and Resource Conservation) I e. Resolution in Support of Butte Environmental Council Involvement in the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Process (Paul Gosselin, Water and Resource Conservation) 6) Discussion of the Basin Management Objective Program (Chapter 33A) and possible formation of an ad hoc committee to evaluate potential changes (Paul Gosselin, Water and Resource Conservation) 7) 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. (Christina Buck, Water and Resource Conservation). 8) *Reports from Water Commissioners and staff on issues of interest. a. Report on Water Advisory Committee, Technical Advisory Committee and general groundwater issues. (Kelly Peterson, Water and Resource Conservation) b. Update on Delta Issues (Paul Gosselin, Water and Resource Conservation). c. Report on water related activities of the Board of Supervisors. (Paul Gosselin, Water and Resource Conservation) d. Other issues. 9) Future meeting dates and locations: August 1, 2018 Board of Supervisors Chambers 25 County Center Drive Oroville, CA 96965 NOTE: There is not a Water Commission Meeting in July 10)Commissioners wishing to address items not listed on the agenda. (The Water Commission ZD is prohibited by state law from taking action on any item presented if it is not listed on the agenda). 11) *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). 12) Adjournment. *Materials attached cc: Water Commission Mailing List Window Posting 2 Agenda Item #2 MINUTES OF THE BUTTE COUNTY WATER COMMISSION May 2, 2018 Board of Supervisors Chambers 25 County Center Drive Oroville, CA 95965 1. Roll call. Commissioners present: Commissioners Chance, Jones, Roethler, Skinner and Washington. Commissioner Tennis arrived 0:01:15 into the meeting. Commissioners absent: Commissioner Grover, Kimmelshue and Schohr. 2. Approval of minutes for the April 4, 2018 meeting. Motion by Commissioner Washington, second by Commissioner Chance to approve the minutes as presented. Motion carried 5-0 with no abstention. (Commissioner Tennis arrived) 3. Public members wishing to address the Commission on items not listed on the agenda. None. 4. Presentation and discussion of the spring 2018 groundwater elevation monitoring program. Information only, no action. 5. Update and possible recommendation to the Board of Supervisors on activities associated with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). a. Update on Groundwater Sustainability Plan development and governance. Information only, no action. b. Basin Boundary Modification to the Vina and Wyandotte Creek subbasin. Motion by Commissioner Washington, Second by Commissioner Chance to take forward an affirmation of support of the Vina and Wyandotte Creek Basin Boundary Modifications to the Butte County Board of Supervisors. Motion passed 6-0 with no abstention. c. Draft Governance Structures. Information only, no action. d. Update regarding the Groundwater Pumpers Advisory Committee. Information only, no action. e. Resolution in Support of Butte Environmental Council Involvement in the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Process. Natalie Carter,John Scott and Colleen Cecil addressed the Commission. Commission asked Staff to rework the resolution and bring back next meeting. Information only, no action. 6. 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. 7. Reports from Water Commissioners and staff on issues of interest. a. Report on Water Advisory Committee, Technical Advisory Committee and general groundwater issues. Information only, no action. b. Update on Delta Issues. Information only, no action. c. Update on the proposed North of Delta Storage Project (Sites Reservoir) Information only, no action. d. Report on water related activities of the Board of Supervisors. Information only, no action. e. Other issues. None. 8. Future meeting dates and locations: June 6, 2018, 1:30 pm Board of Supervisors Chambers 25 County Center Drive Oroville, CA 95965 9. Commissioners wishing to address items not listed on the agenda. Commissioners Washington, Tennis and Skinner addressed the Commission. Information only, no action. 10. *Communications received and referred. Information only, no action. ll. Adjournment. Agenda#5 Item RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE BUTTE ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL INVOLVEMENT IN THE SUSTAINABLE COURNDWATER MANAGEMENT ACT PROCESS WHEREAS,the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014("SGMA") provides local agencies(counties and cities with land-use authority and single and multipurpose special districts with water management authority) with the directive and authority to manage groundwater locally, with State oversight; and WHEREAS, high and medium priority groundwater basins must develop and be managed under a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP), which must be submitted to the California Department of Water Resources by January 31, 2022,for the subbasins within Butte County; and WHEREAS, one of the steps in that process in Butte County is for eligible local agencies in each subbasin to determine the make-up of an inclusive governance structure in their respective groundwater subbasin.The governance agencies, known as Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSRs), can be a single entity managing an entire basin or subbasin or multiple entities; and WHEREAS, in many counties throughout the Central Valley of California, including Butte County, which are subject to SGMA with high and medium priority sub-basins, there are tracts of land known as"white areas," which are areas within counties that are not within the boundaries of an otherwise eligible local agency; and WHEREAS, pursuant to SGMA,these "white areas" may be covered and regulated by a c ounty, or they may elect to annex through a Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) prose ss to an eligible local agency with SGMA authority, or petition LAFCo to form a new eligible local agency under SGMA such as a California Water District (Water Code Sections 34000 et.al.); and WHEREAS, Butte County is located within the Sacramento Valley Basin, and the State has identified four sub-basins within the Sacramento Valley Basin per DWR's Bulletin 118, partially located within Butte County: namely Vina, West Butte, East Butte, and Wyandotte Creek; and WHEREAS, Butte County began a collaborative process in 2015 with all eligible local agencies to reach consensus within the County on principles of GSA formation and future SGMA governance.The goal of this process is to define a set of working principles that are shared among eligible local agencies and that consistently and constructively shape SGMA interaction and decision-making; and WHEREAS,those principles include the following: 1. Maximize value of familiar structures and relationships; 2. Acknowledge all key interests of eligible local agencies; 3. Respect legally recognized rights; 4. Anticipate GSA requirements; 5. Make use of basin boundary adjustments; 6. Comply with SGMA regulations; 7. Identify opportunities to address interests of current non-GSA stakeholders; 8. Distribute costs in an equitable manner as possible; 9. Respect mutual interests in maintaining independent decision-making; and WHEREAS,the "white areas" of Butte County within the four sub-basins are not represented by other eligible local agencies and will therefore be represented by Butte County unless these areas choose to annex to an eligible local agency or form a new one; and WHEREAS, Butte Environmental Council (BEC) as a local non-profit engaged in Butte County water advocacy since 1975 has taken an active role in the collaborative SGMA process since it began in 2015 and continues to engage in all aspects of SGMA implementation and governance. Butte Environmental Council is uniquely positioned to represent key interests in SGMA and supports ins+te-areas" to represe the interests beneficial users of groundwater including-G#domestic groundwater users, and the environmental users as defined in SGM, at afge in the on geing decision making processes; and; WHEREAS,the Butte Environmental Council recognizes and respects the leadership of Butte County and it its efforts to create a workable and cooperative structure to discuss GSP; and WHEREAS,the Butte Environmental Council recognizes and respects the leadership of Butte County to move forward to complete a comprehensive GSP by January 31, 2022; and WHEREAS, inherent in this process and timeframe Butte County will endeavor through the stakeholder process to develop a governance structure,for SGMA oversight of each of the four subbasins within Butte County consistent with the nine principles enumerated above; and WHEREAS, principle number 7 above, recognizes that the interests of non-GSA stakeholders such as domestic pumpers, and the environmental uses at large should be addressed; and WHEREAS, Butte County recognizes the value of input and participation in the SGMA process by the Butte Environmental Council, which has been committed to protecting and defending the land, air and water of Butte County through action, education and advocacy since 1975, and is comprised of more than 500 community members dedicated to our local environment. NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVE©: 1. The County of Butte will continue to work with stakeholders within Butte County utilizing a collaborative process to establish a governance structure and ultimately develop a Groundwater Sustainability Plan, and the Butte Environmental Council will openly and earnestly participate and cooperate in 1 that process as repFesentatiVe5 fOF demestie pumpeFs, and the eWiFEM ment%A 1 fie• AAs a governance structure for implementation of SGMA is discussed among, and ultimately decided by all eligible local agencies within the four subbasins within t" W, the County of Butte and the Butte Environmental Council will work together to advocate for and implement re^r.re sentatien fe F demestie. n Pers and the enviFenment at large within each applicable gaveFnanee stFuetuFe�emtity as app14ed-to earh of the femur c--h haci nc 4:2. PUFtheFFneFe, suppen-governance structures in each subbasin that will recognize and allow for appropriate representation of domestic pumpers, and the environment at large within the governance structure in compliance with SGMA. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Butte County Board of Supervisors this [DAY] day of[MONTH], 2018 by the following vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: NOT VOTING: Steve Lambert, Chair Board of Supervisors ATTEST: Shari McCracken, Chief Administrative Officer And Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: Deputy k Y t , s Resolution No. 18-084 RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF AGRICULTURAL AND DOMESTIC GROUNDWATER USER REPRESENTATION ON GOVERNING BOARDS TO IMPLEMENT THE SUSTAINABLE GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT ACT WHEREAS, on January 1, 2015, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) went into effect, which requires local agencies with land use and or water management or water supply authority to do certain tasks to reach sustainability of medium and high priority groundwater subbasins as designated by the State of California Department of Water Resources; and WHEREAS, there are four high and/or medium priority subbasins with the County of Butte, namely Vina, West Butte, East Butte, and Wyandotte Creek;and WHEREAS, SGMA authorizes local public agencies with land use, water management, or water supply responsibilities to designate themselves as a Groundwater Sustainability Agency(GSA)for the purpose of developing and implementing a Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP); and WHEREAS, Butte County has elected to be a Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) in each subbasin for areas not covered by another GSA; and WHEREAS,Butte County and the other GSAs support developing and implementing one GSP in each subbasin; and WHEREAS, Butte County and the other GSAs are working to develop mutually agreeable governance structures that may include forming a Joint Powers Agency,entering into a memorandum of understand and forming advisory committees; and WHEREAS, the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act requires that GSAs consider the interests of the beneficial users of groundwater including agriculture and domestic groundwater users; and WHEREAS,on October 10,2015,the Butte County Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution No. 15-151 which created the Groundwater Pumpers Advisory Committee; and WHEREAS, the Groundwater Pumpers Advisory Committee is charged with providing the Board of Supervisors with recommendations on the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act; and WHEREAS, on April 17, 2018, the Groundwater Pumpers Advisory Committee passed a motion (5-1) recommending that the Board of Supervisors support two agricultural groundwater pumpers and one domestic well user be part of the governing board in each subbasin. NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED that the Butte County Board of Supervisors hereby supports having two agricultural groundwater pumpers and one domestic well user be part of the governing board in the West Butte and East Butte subbasins. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Butte County Board of Supervisors this 22"a day of May,2018,by the following vote: AYES:Supervisors Connelly, Wahl, Kirk,Teeter, and Chair Lambert NOES: None ABSENT: None NOT VOTING: None Steve Larnbem VChair Butte County Board of Supervisors ATTEST: Shari McCracken,Chief Administrative Officer and Clerk of the Board of upervisors By: _ Deputy,c Agenda Item #8 STATE OF CALIFORNIA-CALIFORNIA NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY EDMUND G.BROWN JR.,Govemor DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES 1416 NINTH STREET,P.O.BOX 942836 SACRAMENTO,CA 94236-0001 (916)653-5791 MAY 10 2016 Honorable Holly J. Mitchell, Chair Joint Legislative Budget Committee State Capitol, Room 5019 Sacramento, California 95814 Dear Senator Mitchell: I The attached packet of information is required for submittal to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee pursuant to Water Code Section 147.5,and relates to the extension of the long-term water supply contracts between the California Department of Water Resources and 29 public water agencies that receive water supplies from the California State Water Project (SWP). As you are aware, more than 26 million Californians and approximately 750,000 acres of farmland receive water through the facilities of the SWP. Since the early 1960s California has entered into contracts with 29 public water agencies that pay for the operation, maintenance, and construction of the SWP facilities that supply them with water. Those original water contracts will begin to expire as early as 2035, shortening the period over which project costs can be financed through long term bonds—with the impact falling on local water ratepayers. As a result, beginning in 2013 the Department of Water Resources began public negotiations conceming extension of these SWP long-term water contracts. This process involved 23 public negotiation sessions. The attached packet is the product of that effort- a contract amendment that would extend the water supply contracts until 2085. In addition to the extension of the long-term water supply contracts, this amendment modernized financial provisions of the contract to address existing conditions rather than those that needed to be addressed by the 1960s-era contracts. Water Code 147.5, very simply, requires the Department to present the details of new or extended long-term water supply contracts to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee at least 60 days prior to executing the contract. Specifically, the Water Code reads: 147.5.At least 60 days prior to the final approval of the renewal or extension of a long-term water supply contract between the department and a state water project contractor, the department shall present at an informational hearing before the Legislature the details of the terms and conditions of the contract and how they serve as a template for the remaining long-term water supply contracts. This presentation shall be made to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee and relevant policy and fiscal committees of both houses, as determined by the Speaker of the Assembly and the Senate Committee on Rules. The department shall submit a copy of one long-term contract to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee no less than 30 days prior to the scheduled hearing. Honorable Holly J. Mitchell, Chair Page 2 The package accompanying this letter includes (1) an executive summary highlighting the primary components of the Contract Extension Amendment, (2) the Agreement in Principle negotiated between DWR and the Contractors, dated June 18, 2014, (3) the proposed Contract Extension Amendment, (4) a model contract, showing how a consolidated original contract and amendments to date would appear if further amended by the Contract Extension Amendment, and (5)the text of Water Code Section 147.5. The Department of Water Resources also stands ready to provide you and your staff with additional information as you may require and I look forward to the opportunity to share this important contract extension with the California Legislature. The certainty it Will provide Californians regarding the continuing supply of clean, affordable water is of interest and importance to us all. As such, I look forward to working with you to ensure a timely review of the contract details. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at (916) 653-7007. Sincerely, 166�a Karla Nemeth Director (916) 653-7007 Attachment(s): cc: (See Attached List) CC: Honorable John Laird Secretary for Natural Resources Califomia Natural Resources Agency 1416 Ninth Street, Room 1311 Sacramento, California 95814 Kim Craig Deputy Cabinet Secretary Governor Edmund G. Brown . State Capitol Building Sacramento, California 95814 Camille Wagner Secretary, Legislative Affairs Governor Edmund G. Brown State Capitol Building Sacramento, California 95814 Tom Dyer Deputy Legislative Affairs Secretary Governor Edmund G. Brown State Capitol Building Sacramento, California 95814 Karen Finn Program Budget Manager California Department of Finance 915 L Street, 9t" Floor Sacramento, CA 95814 Karla Nemeth Director Department of Water Resources 1416 Ninth Street, Room 1115 Sacramento, Califomia 95814 Cindy Messer Chief Deputy Director Department of Water Resources 1416 Ninth Street, Room 1115 Sacramento, California 95814 Gary Lippner Deputy Director, Delta Conveyance Department of Water Resources 1416 Ninth Street, Room 1115 Sacramento, California 95814 Spencer Kenner Chief Counsel Office of the Chief Counsel Department of Water Resources 1416 Ninth Street, Room 1118 Sacramento, California 95$14 Kasey Schimke Assistant Director Legislative Affairs Office Department of Water Resources 1416 Ninth Street, Room 1115 Sacramento, California 95814 , Agenda Item #11 COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED AND REFERRED BUTTE COUNTY WATER COMMISSION MEETING OF JUNE 6,2018 Copies of all communications are available at the Butte County Department of Water and Resource Conservation 308 Nelson Avenue Oroville, CA 95965 1. *California Water Plan eNews Wednesday's Update, April 25,2018 2. *Email from Tony St.Amant,May 2,2018,WC agenda item 5e Mgy 2 2018 3. *California Water Plan eNews Wednesday's Update May 2,2018 4. *Article from Chico Enterprise Record, May 4,2018, Sites OK'd for$1B in Prop._1 funding 5. *Email from Kristin Cooper Carter,May 7,2018,Important GSA Issue 6. *Article from Chico Enterprise Record, May 7,2018, State has `March Miracle' in water conservation 7. *California Water Plan eNews,Wednesday's Update, May 9,2018 8. *California Water Plan eNews,_Wednesday's Update, May 16,2018 9. *Article from Chico Enterprise Record, May 20,2018, Direction sought on groundwater managgment oanization 10. *Article from Chico Enterprise Record, May 22,2018, State Water Project increases deliveries 11. *Correspondence from NCWA 1 ® m e l 1 * April Wednesday Update 25, 208 This weekly electronic newsletter is designed to keep you current on California Water Plan news. We welcome comments,suggestions,and any news tips that may be of interest to water planners. Water commission schedules The California Water Commission will hold a three-day meeting next three-day meeting to review month to determine the final public benefit:ratios for proposed water a storage projects.Commissioners will be looking at 11 r�p__�ao o_sals s water storage projects submitted under the Water Storage Investment Program.The meeting will be May 1-3, in Sacramento. New groundwater resource A new Groundwater Resource Hub has been available to help develop launched by the Nature Conservancy as a resource for developing groundwater sustainability plans. It sustainability plans includes a guidance document on preparing a plan under the Sustainable Groundwater Management 4 Act.A webinar to introduce the hub and its tools, will be held Wednesday, May 2. Report recommends actions The effort to recharge groundwater basins is the subject of a new for improving groundwater report from the Public Policy Institute of California.Replenishing Groundwaterin the San Joaquin Valley looks at the recharge action recharge in California being taken in the state's largest farming region.The report lists several actions, including addressing regulatory barriers,that are needed to capitalize on recharge opportunities. Issue brief explores Another idea for managed aquifer recharge(MAR)is a strategy strategy for encouraging called recharge net metering. It encourages MAR by offsetting the costs incurred by infiltration systems.The idea is examined in an managed aquifer recharge issoP brief released by UC Berkeley. Land use viewer provides Groundwater sustainability agencies can now find statewide and statewide data for groundwater regional land use data on the California DM Land Use Viewer.The information will help agencies meet the requirements for developing sustainability agencies groundwater sustainability plans. DWR has posted a fact sh on the viewer SgctiO>FIS 4f the,Mokelumne:_ A reportfro..m the California_Natural Resqurces Agency is commending RIVE'Cec��lf l'e[Olemelt atl0n tnatsectiohp ofthe Mokelumne River be;, fpl'Wlld 00d scell�c Status; adds,d to the;Cahforn Wild and„Scenic s, Rivers System The recammendahon ,'� ` rt s J z is forfive segments of the neer,covering 37rnI e Springs Dain and paCdee ReserVa�r ThFs is ieirt ttri�ernce 1994 �� � at rtverfias been assessed ford �6on'foieis Ystep f` � �•� >,=� ��` ���'��s �, ? �,? °5, t }' �3.. N;� z”"^'xs'� .v rid y���<�� y1 ' � °� '- r elStal c9�l�t€]�'r� � ��B1A{a�r'd�SS� n�. �•.:- w � u:�� �� �i,. CORRESPONUEENIC"E Thomas, Autum # From: Tony St.Amant <tsainta@hotmail.com> Sent: Monday,April 30, 2018 11:43 AM To: BCWater Subject: WC agenda item 5e, May 2, 2018 Dear Water Commissioners, I urge you to vote yes on the proposed resolution. I would suggest that your decision should not be based on whether or not you agree with BEC's views on environmental issues. It should be based on how the groundwater policy process could best benefit from BEC participation—which will happen no matter how you vote, be it through the relationship proposed in the resolution or through public comment periods and the media. After more than 25 years of participating in and following water policy discussions in Butte County, I think the process would benefit greatly from the relationship proposed in the resolution. Consideration of environmental concerns early in policy development will be much less disruptive than formal public comment after policies have been drafted. BEC has evolved into a broad-based stakeholder organization trying to strengthen the process by integrating environmental considerations early in the policy cycle. It makes sense to give them a seat at the table. Please excuse me for not attending your meeting as I did for so many years. Health issues won't allow it. Sincerely, Tony St. Amant Chico i l � l Wednesday Update : % May2, 208 This weekly electronic newsletter is designed to keep you current on California Water Plan news. We welcome comments,suggestions,and any news tips that may be of interest to water planners. Preparing California for A new reg from Nature.com is among the first to estimate the wild Swings between likelihood of wild drought-to-flood swings in California during the ® coming decades. One of the suggestions for dealing with the droughts and major floods situation is paying landowners to flood their property during wet years as a way to recharge groundwater basins.There is a flee to gain full access to the report. Comment period on State The public review draft of the 2018 California State Hazard Mitigation Plan has been posted and is hazard mitigation plans x available for comment.The plan covers natural and runs through May 16 human-caused disasters. It provides current hazard analysis along with mitigation strategies and goals. The comment deadline is Wednesday,May 16. al,=� ' Collaborative effort Cities and utilities considering potable reuse can find helpful leads to new report on information in the new report, Mainstreaming Potable Water Reuse in the United States.'Strategies for Leveling the Playing- It potable water reuse includes a review of current projects that are effectively reusing wastewater.The collaborative effort involved the U.S. Environmental Protection Aggncv,the Johnson Foundation at Wingsoread,and Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure. Guide helps building There is also a new potable water reuse guide for building planners designers incorporate and designers.The Design Professional's Practical Guide for Integrating Onsite Water Use and Re from the William J.Worthen water reuse in their projects Foundation is designed to help understand and implement water reuse technology in building projects. Webinar will explore Addressing societal needs by integrating coastal and ocean- monitodrig programs will be discussed during a webinar on May 16. improving.coostal data to The Nafional Water Quality Monitoring Council's webinar will provide help address societdl.needsan overview of the benefits of using a sound data-management; program,The webinar is a free event,but r iS 'i n is required., T W6j6 toga befb:' ' The Calrtornia WaterAssoriat�on s S rp <ng Conference"is two weeks away.It begins May 16, wap of water , in Sacramento This year's theme ls.Making the assoeiatlOn'S coltferelrice Choice Between easy and Fttght"Tfe agenda ij r aihcludes seminars and presentations on several - < k.z' » g '`is ftQpiCS iricludmg dnnlcEng water,Small S�ISt2rC11 <� 4 1 �-� ��� �� ohs consolEdaflons�and�he 2018 Legis�inte sesslon ��� ,E e n��� a •r16�� e=A .e: � �. ,roc. f�zn��s i, ,e CORRESPONDENCE ChicoEH.com # Sites OK'd for $1B in Prop. 1 funding By:Steve Schoonover,May 4,2018 Sites Reservoir is in line for a billion bucks. Two other projects were deemed ineligible for the funding:a reser- The State Water Commission,meeting this week in Sacramento to voir in San Diego and a groundwater bank in Kings County. decide the public benefits of projects seeking the water storage bond The action this week is not the final step.It's just the determination money included in Proposition 1,declared the off stream reservoir of the public benefit of the projects. west of Maxwell to be eligible for$2.008 billion dollars of the roughly They are now being reviewed by commission staff for three other $2.6 billion that is available. components:relative environmental value,resiliency and implemen- That doesn't mean the Colusa County reservoir will actually get that talion risk. much money,as the commission OK'd a bit over$2.8 billion for nine Those rankings will be released May 25. projects.Three others proposals were deemed ineligible for funding. There is also another level of review before final allocations are The Commission will make final decisions on those scores at its June made. 27-29 meeting,and preliminary award decisions will be made at the July meeting. The money approved by voters in November 2014 can't be used Reach City Editor Steve Schoonover at 896-7750. simply for increasing water storage,under the language included in the ballot measure. Instead it has to pay for five public benefits:ecosystem benefits,wa- ter quality,flood control,emergency response and recreation. The money also has to achieve measurable improvements to the ecosystem of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Sites would be a 1.8 million acre-foot lake,and would cost$5.2 bil- lion to build in total.Proponents say they have secured enough fi- nancial backing to complete the project with or without the state funds. They had been seeking$1.388 billion,but Water Commission staff Initially put the public benefit at$662.3 million.After an appeals pro- cess,that recommendation increased to$933.3 million,and the commission raised the amount further this week. The other big reservoir project that many voters thought they were approving money for in Proposition 1,didn't fare as well.Temper- ance Flat was only approved for$171.3 million,though$1.055 billion had been sought. Proponents said the small amount might kill the$2.7 billion plan to build a new 319-foot high dam with a 1.33 million acre-foot reservoir on the San Joaquin River,upstream from the existing Friant Dam. The rest of the projects,and the amount approved were: •Pacheco Reservoir expansion In Santa Clara County:$484.5 million • Los Vaqueros Reservoir expansion in Contra Costa County:$459 million. •A groundwater bank in southern Sacramento County:$280.5 mil- lion. •A groundwater bank in the Chino Basin in Riverside County:$206.9 million. •A groundwater rank In southeastern Kern County,$123.3 million. •A groundwater bank in western Kern County:$85.7 million. The only other project north of the delta---the Centennial Dam on the Bear River--was originally deemed to have no public benefit, and proponents did not appeal. Thomas, Autum y From: kcooper@northstatewatertreatment.com Sent: Monday, May 7, 2018 4:54 PM To: BCWater Cc: LDechter@actionnewsnow.com; BOS District 4; Kirk, Maureen; Connelly, Bill;Wahl, Larry; Teeter, Doug; Lambert, Steve;Clerk of the Board Subject: Important GSA Issue Paul and BOS Members, It is my understanding that tomorrow the Butte County Board of Supervisors will consider their advisory committee recommendations. I am likely to be unable to attend this meeting given that it is held during working hours. I know I have expressed to Paul my concerns about these appointments. I have also expressed them to Steve Lambert, my Supervisor at a Durham Town Hall Meeting. From what I understand the BOS is likely to appoint two groundwater dependent farmers but only one private domestic well owner to the governing board for the new groundwater management program. I have met with several of our neighbors and other concerned homeowners. We would like to see more PRIVATE DOMESTIC WELL DEPENDENT PEOPLE at the decision-making table. There needs to be equal representation. The shallow, domestic wells will be the first to feel impacts. Many of us have not only homes, but businesses that rely on our water resources. The County needs to ensure that we have representation on the governine board and in each District. Residential well owners do not have the significant financial considerations and resources that agricultural interests have when considering use. Their unique perspective and voice should be valued equally to those with distinctly different interest. You have the power to configure this governing board and these districts however they need to be in order to best serve the County. Other Counties throughout the State are looking at similar configurations. Embrace stakeholder involvement now to avoid problems down the line. Support the outreach networks that we have developed by allowing us to keep people informed. The best way to do this is with a seat at the table and an ability to actively share information as it is being developed and contemplated. Thank you, Kristin Cooper Carter North State Water Treatment Services Kristin Cooper Carter/Kevin McGrath www.northstatewatertreatment.com Office-530-228-9235 Operator—530-514-6123 ChiCOEH.com CORRESPONDENCE # LP State has `March Miracle' in water conservation By:Steve Schoonover, May 7,2018 Sacramento>>There may not have been a"March Miracle"when it came to the snowpack in the state,but there was sure one when it came to water conservation. The State Water Resources Control reported that in March urban Californians used 24.8 percent less water than in March 2013,the benchmark year considered to be before the drought. That's a dramatic turnaround from conservation numbers that have been dropping fairly steadily since June 2016,culminating in Febru- ary with the state using more water than during the same month in 2013. The conservation rate hasn't topped 20 percent since April 2017. The state dropped mandatory conservation targets in May 2016, instead letting water agencies set their own goals. Almost all the agencies set the bar at zero savings,and in February, 176 of the 381 agencies reporting hit that target,using more water than in February 2013. But in March,only 10 of the 366 agencies reporting said they used more water than in 2013.Savings of greater than 20 percent were reported by 242 agencies. It was a month with a lot of rainfall,which probably made much of the difference as landscape watering needs were minimal. Locally,Chico led the way with a 38.9 percent conservation rate com- pared to 2013.Oroville saved 36.3 percent,Paradise 33.8 percent, Del Oro 7.3 percent and Willows,31.3 percent. Elsewhere in the north valley,Yuba City had savings of 29.9 percent, Marysville was 26.7 percent,Red Bluff had 19.5 percent and Redding saved 28.5 percent. Savings weren't limited to any one region.While the Sacramento River watershed led with 33.1 percent savings,the South Coast saved 24.2 percent and the Bay Area saved 21.3 percent. Per capita water use per day averaged 64.8 gallons statewide.Local- ly,Chicoans used 73 gallons,Oroville residents used 55 gallons and Paradise residents used 72 gallons. The full data set is available at http://tinyuri,com/marlgwateruse. Reach City Editor Steve Schoonover at 896-7750. May , 2018 Wednesday Update This weekly Electronic newsletter is designed to keep you current on California Water Plan news. We welcome comments,suggestions,and any news tips that may be of interest to water planners. e , . Summit for groundwater The Groundwater Resources Association will sustainability agencies set for hold its inaugural groundwater sustainability_ agency(GSA)summit on June 6 and 7, ° next month in Sacramento in Sacramento. It will give GSA members } an opportunity to discuss technical and policy issues related to complying with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.A preliminary agenda has been posted. Working lands workshop A workshop to discuss the development of the Natural and will explore ways to reduce Working Lands Implementation Plan will be held Friday, May 18,in Sacramento.The implementation plan will be used to incorporate emissions in California lands, including forests,farmlands,and wetlands, into the State's climate strategy.The goal would be to use the lands to achieve net zero,or negative,total emissions.A webcast will be available. Groundwater Resource Hub California's Groundwater Resource Hub has added a database of adds database for groundwater indicator of roundwa er de enden ecos tem (GDEs).This new data and mapping tool provides a starting point to identify GDEs, dependent ecosystems which is a required element in groundwater sustainability plans.The database was developed by DWR,the California Department of Fish and Wildlife,and The Nature Conservancy. There is still time to register,for The Sierra Meadows Partnership has set its 2018 workshop for Sierra Meadows Partnership's May 29—June 1, in Tahoe City. It will include a review of efforts to quantify meadow greenhouse gas storage,and discussion of current three-day workshop meadow conservation efforts. Registration is required. Headwaters in peril? A symposium hosted by the Mountain Auburn syrposiuln Valli Counties Water Resources Association will look at the developments that have look at"the question put Callfornia headwaters in peril.The syrnpos�um`wdl be`11Vednesda",May 30,ir1. A"lountarn C aunties, Auburn is ra"on closeson May 26 s hEs year's rna v l s Ac ib wdl run Cad ,o"j1 Invasfve Specllft: ' June 2 June 10 It ss an opportttn�ty to learn about the Problems Fra r aCtxO W6ekactiwh'es causedby invasive species and how their progress can be stopped "' iso ;fh � Ttret incfudesacv�6esfiftrughouf�thestae :Y lino'�:'l w� •.r� � �' `�a.��?s'y .�'�';=`fir �` ,,d, '�k" C' CE 0.9� f v an Y E Wednesday Update May 2018 , This weekly electronic newsletter is designed to keep you current on California Water Plan news. We welcome comments,suggestions,and any news tips that may be of interest to water planners. v Paleoclimatology will be the This year's California Extreme Precipitation focus of this extreme Symposium will look at the way paleocfimatology 4�, % year'sstudies can help improve flood risk management .r'•'X a precipitation symposium planning.There will be presentations on how the latest science applies to the hydrology of California, including the management of water and forests. The symposium will be Monday, July 9, in Davis. Discussing the lessons Some of the lessons learned from last year's Califomia wildfires will learned from last year's be discussed during a web inar tomorrow, May 17. It will include a panel discussion on the effects of the fires on public health and water California wildfires supplies.The webinar is being hosted by Carpe Diem West. OEHHA report examines A report on Indicators of Climate Change in dozens of climate change Califomia has been released by the Office of u Environmental Health Hazard Assessment indicators in California (OEHHA).The 36 indicators are divided into t= { categories including physical and biological h systems.The report is intended to promote scientific analysis to help with decisions on mitigating and adapfing to climate change. Remote attendance is still The CaliforniaWater Boards Science S m o ium has sold out the an option for those interested allotment of in-person attendance. But,it is still apce2l g registration from those who would like to attend remotely.The annual event in science symposium promotes the use of water quality monitoring to generate data that can be used to make water quality management decisions. It will be June 20 and 21, in West Sacramento. Grant applications being:. Grant applications for ecosystem restoration`projects are being accepted by the California.Department of Fish and Wildlife. aaeted far large-Stale;. The;fundin is for large-scale projects includin restoration of g. r9 P 1. � 9 lestortltion projectse: watersheds damaged by recentwildfires An appErcation inarwill _ be heltl May'30 he,application deadline is Wedrie;sday,'June aSt`Y5.West webanar How.lessons learned back east may apply to western states will be csL discussed dunn�a e i r on Wednesday,June4�3 The Arrcan � v>rallnexailnme�aa�ousy ;,"�<; �����.-.L c������'I�.saurces A�soci�tionwill present infort�a�on on tfle way� ; .;vim y���� `Za �m�flairlr�:polataesfl•��easte�stafe�martage avers for successfuitnstream�loi�r policies $-,� rj '�' "• °. t"` ;z'`rte '.:;` tea`''"'a„� t,- 3� 4 ¢ S - ' ��'S'�� � '"" ,a � ,� a '��> •,CIBC 8 0,� a '` CORRESPONDENCE ChicoER-com # a Direction sought on groundwater management organization By.Staff Reports, May 26,2018 Oroville>>The process of managing the groundwater beneath Butte To build the new bridge the county will have to buy$133,000 worth County may take another step forward Tuesday,as the Board of Su- of beetle mitigation credits,and$99,000 worth for the snake.It will pervisors are being asked to provide direction on how to set up the also have to spend$15,200 to move an elderberry bush at the site agency that would actually do the managing. into a conservation bank. The"groundwater sustainability agency"in question is for the Vina The federal government is paying almost 89 percent of the$16.4 Sub-Basin,which covers the valley floor from Big Chico Creek north million cost to replace the bridge. to the Tehama County line. The full agenda is available at http://tinyuri.com/bosbutteOS22. The official boundaries currently extend farther north to Deer Creek, but Tehama County has applied to the Department of Water Re- sources to have its territory detached.Similarly,Butte County has applied to extend the boundary southward to encompass all the Chi- co city limits. The new sub-basin will include three elected authorities---Butte County,Chico,and the Rock Creek Reclamation District--all of which have indicated an interest in having a voice in the manage- ment of the groundwater. County staff is recommending a joint powers authority be set up, which would be governed by a five-member board.There would be a representative from each of the three agencies,plus one independ- ent agricultural groundwater pumper and one domestic well user. The JPA will be charged with developing a plan by Jan.30,2022,that will assure the aquifer Is not used to a degree that depletes it. The meeting begins at 9 a.m.in the Supervisors Chambers in the county Administration Building,25 County Center Drive In Oroville. Automatic disaster relief The supervisors are also being asked to finalize the ordinance that allows the Assessor's Office to automatically reduce the taxes on property that has been damaged by wildfire,if the governor has Is- sued a disaster proclamation. In the past,someone suffering a fire loss had to apply for the tax relief,and not everyone did. The tax will return to its previous level once burned structures have been rebuilt. Although it is called a"second reading"of the ordinance,the item is on the consent agenda,a list of actions deemed non-controversial and approved on a single vote,without discussion. In a separate consent item,supervisors will be asked to extend the state of emergency relating to the La Porte and Cherokee fires last October. Bridge impacts The board is also being asked to purchase required environmental impact credits to allow the project to replace the Midway bridge over Butte Creek to move forward. The new bridge will remove habit used by the giant garter snake and the valley elderberry longhorn beetle,both of which are classified as threatened species. CORRESPONDENCE ChicOER.com010 State Water Project increases deliveries By.Staff Reports,May 22,2018 Sacramento>>Allocations to State Water Project water contractors were increased Monday to 35 percent of what they would like. The Department of Water Resources announced the slight increase from the 30 percent allocation announced in April. An initial 15 percent allocation was announced in December,and It was raised to 20 percent in January. "Late-season rain and snow in March and April salvaged what would have been a severely dry year,which allows us to make this slight increase in allocation,"said DWR Director Karla Nemeth in a press release. The statewide snow water content,however,has dropped to 15 per- cent of average over the past month. In addition Lake Oroville,the main supply for the State Water Pro- ject,has just 69 percent of the amount of water that would be nor- mal for this time of year. The lake was kept lower than usual this winter to avoid having to use the main spillway,which had been partially repaired last summer. As of Tuesday afternoon,the lake surface level was at 821.5 feet above sea level,which is above the gates on the spillway,where this year's repair work has already begun. There were 2.44 million acre-feet of water in storage at the lake.The 35 percent allocation amounts to about 1.48 million acre-feet. 7 f C 3 JAY cr E LTA aJ The various Bay-Delta processes continue with the all the various efforts in the Sacramento River Basin State Water Board moving forward with the Water surrounding the Delta and to bring our team of Quality Control Plan (WQCP) update; the state directors, water resources managers, attorneys, administration is advancing Cal WaterFix(tunnels);and biologists, and engineers together to strategize and the federal agencies are consulting on new biological take action to protect Northern California water rights opinions for the operation of the Central Valley Project and supplies and to help manage the water resources and the State Water Project.These processes are all in our region for n-..0 tole 'n _ c I trses.The following looking in some fashion to redirect water from the is an update on these various processes and the Sacramento River Basin to serve various water needs actions that NCWA and the Sacramento Valley Water in the Bay-Delta. For context, these processes appear Users are taking as part of this unified and concerted to be looking to redirect 500,000 acre-feet (af) to strategy. 1,000,000 of away from the region. SWRCB -Water Quality Control Plan In Northern California, we all know 1j''r ;'s._ai_.Stake in these various processes. The NCWA Bay-Delta 1) Regulatory Process Task Force continues to meet monthly to coordinate The State Water Board continues to move forward with the phased review and update of the 2006 Water rt,.•s:R>'�,� s:.„n„, ;,ot•t„ - Quality Control Plan for the Bay-Delta (2006 -11�v ) and flow objectives for priority tributaries to O>,.",'.,'., f' the Delta to protect beneficial uses in the Bay-Delta r watershed_ The update to this plan continues to be the primary focus for Northern California water right holders and suppliers, as many people want to use �:1:1 this process to redirect water rights and supplies away from the Sacramento Valley to the Delta. The Bay- Delta Plan identifies beneficial uses of water in the ` '."...., Bay-Delta, water quality objectives for the reasonable protection of those beneficial uses, and a program of implementation for achieving the water quality \ r" objectives. -- ° Phase I of this work involves updating San Joaquin River flow and southern Delta water quality requirements included in the Bay-Delta `-� :. Plan. The Phase l plan has relied upon additional unimpaired flows from the San Joaquin River — *Please note that the electronic version of this document contains various links,where you can click on either the link or the documents shown to see more detailed information. approximately 40% of unimpaired flows from and special studies program, and (8) other potential February through June as the preferred alternative changes to the program of implementation. The (a range of 30-50%). The State Water Board is State Water Board will also consider other potential currently reviewing the comments it received on its changes to the Bay-Delta Plan during this phase, Substitute Environmental Document (SED) for the including issues identified through the scoping San Joaquin River (Phase 1) and will likely issue a process, and information that is produced as part of final SED soon. NCWA and the Sacramento Valley the Cal WaterFix. Water Users are concerned about the approach ` Phase 111 involves changes to water rights and other in this process and commented on the SED on measures to implement changes to the Bay-Delta March 17, 2017. The comments provided that: the uPlan from Phases I and Il. Importantly, the State unimpaired flow approach is not supported by the bWater Board staff are now preparing curtailment est available science; by proposing to amend regulations rather than a water rights proceeding as the wrong water quality control plan, the State Water Board fails to undertake the statutorily an option to avoid a full Phase III process. mandated balancing of the public interest on a Phase IV involves developing and implementing the affected streams; complex delta systems flow objectives for priority Delta tributaries outside require a coordinated approach to management; of the Bay-Delta Plan updates, i.e. smaller tributaries and the unimpaired flow approach would impose in the Central Valley, see r_t` significant costs, without evidence of significant benefits. In July 2015, a broad group of water The State Water Board in October 2017 issued its suppliers from throughout the state sent a letter scientific basis reportfor Phase Il,essentially proposing that it will consider a range of 35 to 70 percent to the State Water �r o iiiiia unimpaired flows.NCWA and many others commented Board encouraging .0 1YW 4 on the document on December 16, 2016 (see below), it to abandon the unimpaired flow basically saying the unimpaired flow approach does approach, which also :__ not work for California and instead the SWRCB should raises concerns that - _.. .__ focus on a functional flow approach for the Sacramento a similar approach will __ -- - -- -- River Basin. As part of these comments, MBK take place in Phase -- _- - Engineers has estimated that a 40% unimpaired flow II with respect to the - - "".._- - for Delta outflow would redirect 480,000 of of water Sacramento River and _ _.•. and a 50% unimpaired flow 1.1 maf away from storage its tributaries. ............... - -- and beneficial uses in the Sacramento River Basin. Phase 11 involves other comprehensive changes to The State Water Board had its scientific basis report the Bay-Delta Plan to protect beneficial uses not peer reviewed and on October 4, 2017 issued its addressed in Phase I,which includes the Sacramento final scientific basis report. It also posted several River Basin. Phase II focuses on the following documents with respect to Phase Il: issues: (1) Delta outflow objectives, (2)export/inflow objectives, (3) Delta Cross Channel Gate closure ` a act on the current status of the Phase 11 objectives, (4) Suisun Marsh objectives; (5) potential process, including a description of the proposed new reverse flow objectives for Old and Middle changes to the Bay-Delta Plan's water quality Rivers; (6) potential new floodplain habitat flow objectives and implementation approach; objectives; (7) potential changes to the monitoring t NCS "i ,i • a no-ice- informing interested persons how to stay flow" approach. This updated on the Phase 11 process (this notice was outdated approach is at NCWA also mailed to water users and others); the core of the Final --- ... -- Scientific Base Report e the final c:a"-iiic: 13asiu ;eppri supporting potentia] _---->- and is reflected in the Phase Il changes to the Bay-Delta Plan and premature questions in information on peer review of the report, including the October4,2017notice. responses to peer review comments; and The unimpaired flow" i?yc�rolo�:ic modeling infoc rnatior (the Sacramento approach,if implemented, - m_ Water Allocation Model or SacWAM) in support of would negatively affect ;___ry__ Phase II, including an updated model and model numerous beneficial uses ---- ~-~ -- - output and responses to peer review comments on of water to the detriment of the state's environment and „ the model. economy. NCWA and its Task Force have reviewed the documents On November 13, 2017 water suppliers in every part and have engaged with the State Water Board in various of the state made the following statement: "California ways. On November 9, 2017, NCWA and the SVWU needs new and modern approaches to supply water submitted comments to the SWRCB on its scientific for cities and rural communities, farms, fish, birds basis report. The comments summarized that we and recreation in the 21st century" "Water suppliers "remain opposed to the State Water Board staff's efforts in every part of California call on the Governor and to pursue a rigid and scientifically outdated "unimpaired both the state and _ °1'!��`:aa ACWAI��tiC1111 federal administrations toa�w , n : oQ) : --_ NCWA embrace a coordinated6 and modem 21st century _7-as approach to water A, management for the Bay- Delta by protecting all w.,_�._,.-_ �,'y;"..._......_..... beneficial uses of water." _- - Importantly, since the -. ----- -_ - -—=_- State Water Board's last major WQCP update in NCWA/SVWU Counties 2000, there has been a serious and concerted effort to implement the following types of programs and - projects in the Sacramento River Basin: ,.:,... • flow arrangements; e habitat enhancements; • fish passage improvements; W- -- -- -w - - fish-food production projects; and • studies to advance the science that informs management decisions. Growers Ducks Unlimited NCW1� These actions are described in comprehensive detail Sacramento, and Yuba Rivers. in the following document. The water resources NCWA managers involved in the process sent a letter to Secretary Babbitt initially _— outlining their perspectives on a successful voluntary agreement process. In sum, instead of a proposal that focuses on unimpaired flows, as proposed by the State Water Board,we believRows for ffic, Sacromento e Va an alternative approach fil...i with modern functional and w targeted flows will work better for all beneficial purposes. The parties are working to have initial agreements by May 31, 2018 with final 2) Voluntary Agreement Process agreements by the end of The Governor in his California WaterAction Plan calls for 2018. "state entities to encourage negotiated agreements J Multibenefit Management among interested parties to implement flow and non-flow actions to meet regulatory standards and In addition to the Water Action Plan, the California support all beneficial uses of water,' Budget that was passed in 2017 contained the following chapter to encourage the voluntary The Governorhas called upon former Secretary of Interior agreement process. Bruce Babbitt to convene parties and to help facilitate these voluntary agreements. "The Bay Delta Water Quality Control Plan The Governor's office has establishes water quality control measures needed worked with the Resources to protect municipal, industrial, agricultural, and Agency to encourage the _ - _ __ - environmental uses of water in the watershed of the This = - ____ _ Sacramento San Joaquin Delta and San Francisco document summarizes the -= - --- Bay. This watershed, comprising millions of acres voluntary agreement process. -V--= of farmland, is a source of drinking water for two - thirds of the state's population. The waterways This process provides a of the Bay Delta estuary and its tributaries also good opportunity for the - :.: .. ....... provide critical habitat for numerous threatened Sacramento River Basin to and endangered species and recreationally and shape its future water management in a way that commercially important species.The Water Board serves water for multiple beneficial uses. Discussions is currently in the process of updating the Plan. are underway on five rivers in the Sacramento River The Water Board relies on a regulatory approach Basin, including the American, Feather, Mokelumne, NCW 0. 1 to balance competing demands for water in the habitat,salmon,steelhead, Delta. As directed by the Governor, the Natural and fishery benefits, " " Resources Agency is leading negotiations with improve and restore river water districts and environmental groups to health, modemize stream K, . ---- •=.•- develop voluntary agreements to achieve similar crossings, culverts, and goals.These agreements would improve ecological bridges, connect historical flows and habitat for species, create water supply flood plains, install or and regulatory certainty for water users, and improve fish screens, facilitate a collaborative approach to the Water provide fish passages, Board's update to the Plan. If sufficient, voluntary restore river channels, restore or enhance agreements could be accepted by the Water Board riparian, aquatic, and terrestrial habitat, improve in lieu of a regulatory proceeding to amend water ecological functions, acquire from willing sellers right permits and licenses.' conservation easements for riparian buffer strips, improve local watershed management, The budget also contained "an increase of$40 million predation management, hatchery management, Proposition 1 to support Central Valley multi benefit and remove sediment or trash. flood management projects that include, but are not limited to, actions identified by voluntary agreements. (2) For purposes of this section, funds may State funding would incentivize and complement be used for projects that measurably enhance additional contributions from local public agencies, stream flows at a time and location necessary federal agencies, and others:' to provide fisheries or ecosystem benefits or improvements that improve upon existing flow Additionally, the Legislature on September 15 conditions. Project types that may be eligible passed SB 5, which will be on the June 2018 ballot include, but are not limited to,water transactions as Proposition 68. This proposition has the following such as lease, purchase, or exchange, change of provisions in Public Resources Code §80114 to use petitions to benefit fish and wildlife, surface encourage and fund voluntary agreements: storage to be used to enhance streamflow, "(a) Of the amount made available pursuant forbearance of water rights, changes in water to Section 80110, two hundred million dollars management, groundwater storage and ($200,000,000) shall be available to the Natural conjunctive use, habitat restoration projects Resources Agency for implementation of voluntary that reshape the stream hydrograph, water agreements that provide multi-benefit water efficiency generally, irrigation efficiency and quality, water supply, and watershed protection water infrastructure improvements that save and restoration for the watersheds of the state to water and enable reshaping of the stream achieve the objectives of integrating regulatory and hydrograph, reconnecting flood flows with voluntary efforts, implementing an updated State restored flood plains, and reservoir reoperations Water Resources Control Boards' San Francisco both at existing and new storage sites. Bay/Sacrannento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary Water Quality Control Plan, and ensuring ecological (bl The funds authorized by this section shall benefits. Expenditure of funds provided in this be available for direct expenditures and local section shall be in accordance with the following: assistance grants by the Natural Resources Agency, in consultation with the Department of Fish and (1) For the purposes of this section, watershed Wildlife, that satisfy all of the following: restoration includes activities to fund wetland /44 NCWA (1) Implement voluntary agreements executed by a voluntary agreement that satisfies paragraph (2) the Department of Fish and Wildlife with federal of subdivision (b), unencumbered funds available and state agencies, local government, water pursuant to this section to implement that districts and agencies, and nongovernmental voluntary agreement shall no longer be available organizations that improve ecological flows 15 years after the date the State Water Resources and habitat for species, create water supply Control Board approves the submitted agreement, and regulatory certainty for water users, and at which point funds remaining available pursuant foster a collaborative approach to facilitate to this section shall become available to the Natural implementation of the State Water Resources Resources Agency for the purposes of Sections Control Board's Bay-Delta Water Quality Control 79732 and 79736 of the Water Code. If no voluntary Plan. agreements are submitted on or before June 1, 2018, any remaining funds shall be available to (2) Implement a voluntary agreement submitted the Natural Resources Agency for the purposes of by the Department of Fish and Wildlife to the Sections 79732 and 79736 of the Water Code.The State Water Resources Control Board on or Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency shall before June 1, 2018, for consideration. ensure an annual reporting of the funds pursuant (3) Implement a voluntary agreement that is of to Section 80012." statewide significance, restores natural aquatic The NCWA Board of Directors supports Proposition or riparian functions or wetlands habitat for birds 68 and aquatic species, protects or promotes the restoration of endangered or threatened species, 4) Delta Dynamic enhances the reliability of water supplies on With respect to functional flows in the Delta,NCWA has a regional or interregional basis, and provides joined water suppliers in other significant regional or statewide economic °?! >v�p.� ""' pars of the state to offer a =o P Ana benefits. different approach to the Delta (c) Funds provided by this section shall not that fully integrates flows with be expended to pay the costs of the design, habitat.The current approach construction, operation, mitigation, or maintenance that focuses on outflow has of Delta conveyance facilities. not worked for either co-equal goal—ecosystem health or (d) If the Department of Fish and Wildlife submits water supply reliability.A new approach to flows in the Delta is clearly needed to meet the co-equal goals. On November 13, 2017, water suppliers in every part of the state offered a new vision for the Delta with the following statement that "California needs new and modern approaches to supply water for cities and rural communities, farms, fish, birds and recreation in the 21st century"The statement adds that "we share the current interest to improve fisheries and our agencies have made substantial investments and advanced 44 �` 'NCWA i 4 i; �';� .. programs for the benefit of fish. Furthermore, water suppliers acknowledge flow as an important component °~ °'� °" m vw.,v.y frwmm.r e..rxr, wr�.+s r.•eas+r.....,�wo.a. of habitat and encourage a new approach where every drop of water serves a specific and targeted beneficial use or multiple uses. However,a flow only approach that s fails to take steps to incorporate flow with habitat and n ; other important species functions, such as proposed by the State Water Board in the Water Quality Control x � L Planning process will not improve secies. Continuing ' --w•_- �" _... ... on the path set by the State Water Board will not help the environment, it will not help water supplies throughout the State, and it will not help California successfully implement groundwater management. It could lead to an adjudication of the entire Bay- �� Delta watershed, which would threaten progress on f ecosystem restoration and other priority water issues in the California Water Action Plan. We offer this statement to set a new path.We support California's co-equal goals of protecting, restoring and enhancing the Delta ecosystem and providing more reliable water supplies for California.We believe California WaterFix (DeltaTunnels) these goals can be achieved by holistically planning for 1 Agency App.rovals ecosystem functions to ensure the most efficient use On July 21, 2017 the of water for all beneficial uses, by using the interaction Department of Water of flow with other habitat aspects to create the type Resources (DWR) approved of conditions that allow us to meet our objectives.This and certified the environmental requires us to take into account the altered physical documents for California landscape in in California and our highly managed water WaterFix, which is the Delta system, which must be addressed in combination tunnel proposal. "the Notice with appropriate hydrology to protect and balance all of Determination and decision beneficial uses of water:' documents signed by the The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) in early DWR Acting Director approve --- --=_ ---_ 2018 prepared a four-part blog series fashioned as WaterFix as the proposed 'Advice on Voluntary Agreements for California's Bay project under the California Environmental Quality Act Delta Water Quality Control Plan" This blog series (CEQA). together has posed a new approach for the Bay-Delta For more information on the DWR approval, see here. over the next several decades. On June 26, 2017 the National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) released their biological opinions for q4- 10l l� EV A the proposed construction challenging the environmental review process. For and operation of California the past five years, NCWA working with the North WaterFix.These agencies are w- State Water Alliance assembled a team of experts to responsible for the protection �;: ;�� w� �- provide detailed comments on the proposed California of species listed under the WaterFix. These comments were largely ignored by U.S. Endangered Species == DWR and the proponents. These statements and Act (ESA). These biological - correspondence are available The parties that opinions seem to rely upon a _ filed suit in the Sacramento River Basin include: significant increase of spring outflow of approximately Anderson-Cottonwood Irrigation District 44,500cfs. e City of Folsom, City of Roseville, Sacramento Additionally,on July 28,2017 the California Department Suburban Water District, San Juan Water District of Fish and Wildlife issued an incidental take permit for o City of Sacramento the construction and operation of California WaterFix in compliance with Section 2081(b) of the California ° County of Butte Endangered Species Act. This permit authorizes the e County of Sacramento, incidental take of state-listed species associated with Sacramento County Water Agency future operation of the State Water Project(SWP)with the addition of the California WaterFix, which includes ° Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District, Reclamation construction of the proposed water conveyance District No. 108, Carter Mutual Water Company, EI facilities within the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Dorado Irrigation District, EI Dorado Water & Power Delta.A copy of the permit and more details are "e,o. Authority, Maxwell Irrigation District, Natomas Central Mutual Water Company, Meridian Farms Various conservation groups on September 22, 2017 Water Company, Oji Brothers Farm, Inc., Oji filed suit in Sacramento Superior Court challenging Family Partnership, Pelger Mutual Water Company, the California Fish and Wildlife's (CDFW) July 2017 Pleasant-Grove Verona Mutual Water Company, issuance of a "take" permit for the tunnel operations. Princeton-Codore-Glenn irrigation District, Provident The suit claims that CDFW improperly authorized the Irrigation District, Henry D. Richter, et al., Richter California Department Water Resources to kill and Bros., Inc., River Garden Farms Company, South harm state-protected fish species, including winter- Sutter Water District, Sutter Extension Water run and spring-run chinook salmon, longfin smelt and District, Sutter Mutual Water Company,Tisdale Delta smelt. The groups include the: Bay Institute, Irrigation & Drainage Company,Windswept Lands Center for Biological Diversity, Natural Resources & Livestock Company, Biggs-West Gridley Irrigation Defense Council and San Francisco Baykeeper; all District represented by Earthjustice. e North Delta Water Agency, California Central The details for the California WaterFix and California Valley Flood Control Association, Brannan Andrus EcoRestore are available LL-re. Levee Maintenance District, Reclamation District No, 3, Reclamation District No. 150, Reclamation 2l_ Legal Actions District No. 349, Reclamation District No. 551, With DWR approving the Cal WaterFix and the related Reclamation District No. 554, Reclamation District environmental documents described above, various No. 563, Reclamation District No. 800 (Byron parties in the Sacramento River Basin filed legal action 1. Tract), Reclamation District No. 999, Reclamation action contends that "DWR's bond validation must District No. 1002, Reclamation District No. 2060, be dismissed as premature since essential details Reclamation District No. 2067, Reclamation District of the project and its financing remain undefined, No. 2068 unapproved, or both, and the procedure for bond Placer County Water Agency repayment is vague and confusing at best" They also claim that DWR is seeking to illegally shift a substantial Sacramento Municipal Utility District share of the cost of the tunnels to state taxpayers, Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District rather than ensuring that the recipients of the water On August 21, 2017 NCWA be responsible for all costs, as state law requires and offered this statement NQVA as Governor Jerry Brown promised. _._....� summarizing the legal action .. 3 State Water Board Proceedings and the importance of an In addition to the Resources Agency processes, the operations plan surrounding Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the U.S. the tunnels to determine Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) filed a petition whether there will be an _ — — with the State Water Board in 2015 for a change in their impact to water rights and respective water rights to move water via new facilities supplies in the Sacramento ,-M� '` on the Sacramento River. In addition to other federal, River Basin. State and local approvals, DWR and Reclamation must The various legalt° request changes to the actions are coordinated <� �•; water right permits and with all the parties in license of the State Y 4 _... ..... . Sacramento Count ; Water Project (SWP) Superior Court. \ and federal Central i.. Valley Project (CVP) Also, on September } to authorize the new 15, 2017 several Delta points of diversion. counties were joined J : The State Water Board .� . by Butte and Plumas is responsible for Counties in legal ~�' = approving changes in action challenging the _ water right permits proposed bonds that will and licenses, and be used to pay for the - ... (-� the Board's review construction of the Cal ; —c44tt of this project is also WaterFix. The parties �` " .r - = required by provisions are seeking a court order �' of the Sacramento-San declaring the bonds �_ �. .. ~`~ti Joaquin Delta Reform invalid, which could Act of 2009 (Delta prevent the Department Reform Act). of Water Resources .:. The proposed facilities, from securing required w funding for the project part of the California to go forward.The legal - "i WaterFix, would divert NCWA .. ° water near Courtland and route it around the Delta WaterFix project. The MWD news release is shown through two tunnels to the existing State and federal below: pumping facilities in Tracy. The State Water Board finished Part 1 (water rights and supplies)and is now on Part 2 (fish and wildlife). Part 1, focused on impacts to water rights and supplies.Nearly �— `--""� - - every water right holder upstream of the Delta filed a _- protest with the State Water Board claiming injury to their water rights and supplies. Under the Water Code, the agencies (DWR, Reclamation) must"demonstrate a reasonable likelihood that the proposed change will not injure any other legal user of water" and provide "a statement of any measures proposed to be taken The Governor also made a statement and sent a letter for the protection of fish and wildlife in connection to the MWD Board of Directors urging them to support with the change" The issue before the State Water the project. Board is primarily focused upon the operations of the For more information on MWD's interest in California projects in conjunction with the conveyance through WaterFix, see herit, the Delta. DWR on September 8, 2017 provided a Santa Clara Valley Water District has also voted to invest letter to the State Water Board with a summary and in the project. It is not clear at this time whether the tables of operating criteria for the project approved by Bureau of Reclamation or other Central Valley Project DWR (see section 1). contractors will participate in the California WaterFix. NCWA and the Sacramento Valley Water Users Biological Opinions (BiOps) presented a detailed case in Part 1, with various With the decade-long legal wrangling over the expert witnesses, questioning the lack of a meaningful Biological Opinions for the CVP and SWP (BiOps) operations plan to show that the project will not barely resolved, on August 2, 2016, Reclamation impact water rights and supplies. This testimony requested re-initiation of Endangered Species Act(ESA) builds upon the work the past several years by the Section 7 consultation with the United States Fish North State Water Alliance to assemble a team of and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and National Marine experts to provide detailed analysis and comments Fisheries Service (NMFS) on the Coordinated Long- on the proposed California Water Fix. More details Term Operation (LTO) of the Central Valley Project on these recent statements and correspondence are (CVP) and State Water Project (SWP). Reclamation available I, re• requested re-initiation of consultation under the ESA Part 2, which focuses on fish and wildlife, is now based on the apparent decline in the status of several underway. More detailed information is posted on the listed species 0.e. smelt, salmon), new information State Water Board's website ;.ere. related to recent multiple years of drought, and the 4) Project Proponents evolution of best available science.The overall goal of the re-initiation of consultation (ROC) on the LTO is to The primary proponent for Cal WaterFix is Metropolitan achieve a durable and sustainable Biological Opinion(s) Water District. On April 10, 2018, the Metropolitan issued by the USFWS and NMFS that accounts Water District's Board of Directors voted 61 percent to for the updated status of the species and species' 39 percent to provide additional financing necessary needs as developed through ongoing collaborative to allow for the construction of the full California A l CWA science processes, operation of CVP and SWP contractors. Reclamation responded to the NMFS facilities, existing operations of the CVP and SWP proposal on both January 25 and March 22, 2017 and and operation of potentially new components of the the Sacramento River Settlement Contractors sent a CVP and SWP. On December 30, 2016, an MOU was letter on January 11, 2017 providing concerns with the signed by all these parties and the state Department proposed RPA and recommendations on a better RPA of Water Resources and Department of Fish and process. Wildlife outlining the tasks, processes and schedules t ]n early 2018, NMFS, Reclamation, and the State o complete the BiOps over the next three years. Water Board have exchanged letters revealing some Reclamation is proceeding on three parallel tracks for difference of opinion on the Sacramento River and the ROC: its operations. The focus is largely on temperature 1) evaluate a modification to restrictions management of Lake Shasta and the river below the on Delta exports to increase water supply; dam. 2) prepare a programmatic environmental On March 14, 2018, the State Water Board, at the impact statement (EIS) for analyzing potential behest of the Natural Resources Defense Council, modifications to the continued long-term operation sent a letter to Reclamation requesting a Sacramento of the federal CVP for its authorized purposes, in a River Temperature Plan for its approval this spring. coordinated manner with the SWP for its authorized Reclamation responded on April 2, 2018 and April purposes. Reclamation proposes to evaluate 16, 2018 describing the process to better analyze alternatives that maximize water deliveries and temperature based on current hydrology. The link optimize marketable power generation consistent to this information is The State Water Board's with applicable laws, contractual obligations, website has the various letters �-)e e. and agreements; and to augment operational On April 20, 2018 Reclamation announced updated flexibility by addressing the status of listed species; allocations as follows: 3) tier one or more additional projects-specific NEPA and ESA efforts off the Track 2 programmatic "Thanks to fate March and April precipitation and the EIS. positive results of the California Department of Water Resources April snow survey, Reclamation is pleased For more information, see herr_ to announce this increased allocation for CVP water contractors," said Mid-Pacific Regional Director David Specifically, with respect to Sacramento River Murillo. "Even with the recent gains in water supply, operations, Reclamation has a seperate process the year as a whole has still been relatively dry.We will underway to amend the RPAs for short-term continue to monitor our ability to manage temperature operations. On January 19, 2016 (the last day of the in the Sacramento River and meet other regulatory previous federal administration), NMFS proposed requirements throughout the system and may need an amendment to the Reasonable and Prudent to adjust our plans as the year evolves. We urge our Alternative(RPA)of the 2009 NMFS Biological Opinion contractors to continue to exercise conservative use for the long-term operation of the Central Valley and of the resource." State Water Projects related to Shasta Reservoir operations. The proposal would have major impacts For agricultural water service contractors and municipal on the operations of Lake Shasta and the Settlement and industrial service contractors north of the Delta, Contractors, wildlife refuges and water service in-Delta and on the American River, Reclamation 4NC increased the allocation to 100 percent.This includes Delta Reform Act to further the state's cc-equal goals contractors throughout theTrinity, Shasta, Sacramento for the Delta. River, American River and Delta divisions of the CVP' In the legal arena, the Sacramento Superior Court last For more information see ?Fere. year issued a ruling on the seven suits filed challenging With the past three years having good storage levels in the 2013 Delta Plan approved by the DSC. According Lake Shasta, Reclamation has developed temperature to the DSC's news release, "The Sacramento Superior management plans that have been concurred to Court...ruled in favor of the Delta Stewardship Council by NMFS. The process to address temperature on on the vast majority of issues regarding the adequacy the Sacramento River appears to be folding into the of its master plan for the Delta. The court ruled that larger process for revising the BiOps for the CVP and the Council did have the authority to develop a legally SWP The Sacramento River Settlement Contractors enforceable management plan for the Delta-one that are working with Reclamation and NMFS to improve requires reduced reliance on the Delta as a source modeling, monitoring and to develop a rationale of water, sets aside zones to help restore the Delta temperature plan, potentially through a charter. ecosystem and preserves and enhances the unique character of the largely agricultural collection of islands NCWA and the SVWU continue to encourage agencies and waterways east of the San Francisco Bay. The to focus on recovery planning efforts for salmon and Court did cite two instances in which it concluded smelt under section 4 of that the Council's Delta Plan fell short of requirements the Endangered Species ,NCXNA � , _ included in the 2009 Delta Reform Act that created Act (ESA) rather than the the Council and directed it to develop the plan. The acrimony-laden section Court said the Delta Plan did not contain sufficiently process under the ESA. As -" -- the following document _ -_ ---- = quantifiable performance measures and also did not adequately "promote options" to improve the way shows, section 4 focuses water projects move water across the Delta" The directly on the objective of Council and other parties have appealed the Court's the ESA(recovery), it fosters =.__.__-_�_— ruling, which means the invalidation of the Plan has collaboration rather than been stayed (placed on hold) pending further action acrimony and it advances the by the Appellate Court.Thus, the Delta Plan remains fix it rather than fight mindset that is and will continue in force and project proponents with covered actions to improve conditions for fish in the Sacramento remain legally required to file consistency certifications Valley. The Natural Resources Agency's Delta Smelt with the Council. Resiliency Strategy and the Sacramento Valley Salmon Resiliency Strategy embody this approach and are To address the legal deficiencies cited by the court,the being implemented. DSC on April 26,2018 adopted Delta Plan amendments Delta Stewardship Council and certified the Programmatic EIR. This included amendments to three components of the Delta Plan: The Delta Stewardship Council (DSC) continues to provide a forum and integrating policy venue for the ° Delta Levee Investment and Risk Reduction various actions in the Delta.The DSC on May 16, 2013 Strategy (DLIS) - The proposed DLIS Amendment adopted the Qe�7- Plan as required by the 2009 Delta identifies State interests in the Sacramento-San Reform Act.The Delta Plan is a comprehensive, long- Joaquin Delta (Delta) that are vulnerable to flooding; term management plan for the Delta designed per the defines principles to guide the development and A 1 V C Y T p .... ..... .....w... refinement of potential Delta Plan policies and An important part of the DSC, the Delta Independent recommendations; and evaluates risks to State Science Board continues to perform valuable work interests due to potential levee failure, all for the regarding the science surrounding the Delta. The purposes of attempting to reduce risks to people, various reports are available ;--e. The Council property, and State interests in the Delta; and to appointed Dr. John Callaway astl�e l_�acj Scirr ,is for recommend priorities for State investment in levee f._v :I. r ;cc r.,r;,__ 5 � ^c. : c�,ri, replacing Cliff operation, maintenance, and improvements in the Dahm. Delta. As part of this process, the Science Action Agenda o Delta Conveyance, Storage Systems, and the (SAA) is a four-year science agenda for the Sacramento- Operation of Both (CSO) - The CSO Amendment San Joaquin Delta that prioritizes and aligns science promotes options for design, implementation and actions to inform management decisions, fill gaps in operation of the following to achieve the coequal knowledge, promote collaborative science, build the goals: (i) new and improved Delta water conveyance, science infrastructure, and achieve the objectives of (ii) new and improved Delta water storage, and (iii) the D� [', {? 'iPi C:?_' Ic3:"• A -_e'% ?i '_ca_+G[ W6" y"ehr'�Iae improved operations of both. provides more information on this program. o Performance Measures (PM) - The proposed PM Amendment would amend Appendix E of the Delta Plan to include revised output and outcome performance measures.The proposed performance _ measures contain quantified or otherwise measurable targets to be used as indicators of ° whether the Delta Plan is meeting 2 its objectives. Three synthesis papers to inform the amendment Enh ,r-,.e 'L�ie have been released and are now online. E :} d'lr E..'...___t o D :{ a F,`cLLV-Jam. and =u�:;r These papers are intended to provide context and information. The synthesis papers (also referred to as white papers) are produced by Council staff or consultants for the Council's use as it explores the various issues facing the intersection of science and policy. Each synthesis paper concludes with implications and considerations for recommendations, policies, and performance measures for the amendment of Chapter 4. NCWA •.V Agenda Item #11 COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED AND REFERRED BUTTE COUNTY WATER COMMISSION MEETING OF JUNE 6,2018 Copies of all communications are available at the Butte County Department of Water and Resource Conservation 308 Nelson Avenue Oroville, CA 95965 1. *California Water Plan eNews,WednesdUs Update, April 25,2018 2. *Email from Tony St.Amant,May 2,2018,WC agenda item 5e Mgy 2 2018 3. *California Water Plan eNews,Wednesday's Update, May 2,2018 4. *Article from Chico Enterprise Record, May 4,2018, Sites OK'd for$1B in Prop._1 funding 5. *Email from Kristin Cooper Carter,May 7,2018,Important GSA Issue 6. *Article from Chico Enterprise Record, May 7,2018, State has `March Miracle' in water conservation 7. *California Water Plan eNews, Wednesday's Update May 9,2018 8. *California Water Plan eNews.Wednesday's Update, May 16,2018 9. *Article from Chico Enterprise Record, May 20,2018,Direction sought on undwater mgUnement or am. ation 10. *Article from Chico Enterprise Record, May 22,2018, State Water Project increases deliveries 11. *Correspondence from NCWA 1 1 ® ® d Wednesday Update a April 25, 208 This weekly electronic newsletter is designed to keep you current on California Water Plan news. We welcome comments,suggestions,and any news tips that may be of interest to water planners. Water commission schedules The California Water Commission will hold a three-day_meeting next three-day meeting to review month to determine the final public benefit ratios for proposed water ® storage projects.Commissioners will be looking at 11 rho os_als water storage projects submitted under the Water Storage Investment Program.The meeting will be May 1-3, in Sacramento. New groundwater resource A new Groundwater Resource Flub has been available to helpdevelop launched by the Nature Conservancy as a resource p for developing groundwater sustainability plans. It sustainability plans includes a guidance document on preparing a plan under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.A webinar to introduce the hub and its tools, Till be held Wednesday, May 2. Report recommends actions The effort to recharge groundwater basins is the subject of a new for improving groundwater report from the Public Policy Institute of California.Replenishing r i dwater in the San Joeguia Valle looks at the recharge action recharge in California being taken in the state's largest farming region.The report lists several actions, including addressing regulatory barriers,that are needed to capitalize on recharge opportunities. Issue brief explores Another idea for managed aquifer recharge(MAR)is a strategy strategy for encouraging called recharge net metering. It encourages MAR by offsetting the costs incurred by infiltration systems.The idea is examined in an managed aquifer recharge issue brief released by UC Berkeley. Land use viewer provides Groundwater sustainability agencies can now find statewide and statewide data for groundwater regional land use data on the Califarnia DWR I-and Use Viewer.The information will help agencies meet the requirements for developing sastabiability agencies groundwater sustainability plans. DWR has posted a fact sheet on the:viewer. Sections of the iMol<elurnne A report'from the California Natural River re[e1tYe�`ecOnlmendatl0n Resources Agencyis recorimendirig that sebtEonsQf the lVlokelumri River be fir wild and scenic status` added to the California WiEd and Seec II r Rovers System The�ecornmendabon r� ;,'� 3 ,,a , Es forfive segments of the neer,covr�ng 37 m� s,f een , � a �Spnngs�Dam�and PardeeReservoit I his 2s theirs�time since 199� tl�a mer has�een assessed fat addWO tome systema, •c � pec , .,y� �rY , s �'s2` & �' s�.r7�� - �u�����'La - su COR RESPONDEENC,E Thomas, Autum # From: Tony St.Arrant <tsainta@hotmail.com> Sent: Monday,April 30, 2018 11:43 AM To: BCWater Subject: WC agenda item 5e, May 2, 2418 Dear Water Commissioners, I urge you to vote yes on the proposed resolution. I would suggest that your decision should not be based on whether or not you agree with BEC's views on environmental issues. It should be based on how the groundwater policy process could best benefit from BEC participation--which will happen no matter how you vote, be it through the relationship proposed in the resolution or through public comment periods and the media. After more than 25 years of participating in and following water policy discussions in Butte County, I think the process would benefit greatly from the relationship proposed in the resolution. Consideration of environmental concerns early in policy development will be much less disruptive than formal public comment after policies have been drafted. BEC has evolved into a broad-based stakeholder organization trying to strengthen the process by integrating environmental considerations early in the policy cycle. It makes sense to give them a seat at the table. Please excuse me for not attending your meeting as I did for so many years. Health issues won't allow it. Sincerely, Tony St. Amant Chico i l 1 Wednesday Update May 2, 208 This weekly electronic newsletter is designed to keep you current on California Water Plan news. We welcome comments,suggestions,and any news tips that may be of interest to water planners. Preparing California for A new report from Nature.com is among the first to estimate the wild swings between likelihood of wild drought-to-flood swings in California during the ® coming decades. One of the suggestions for dealing with the ® droughts and major floods situation is paying landowners to flood their property during wet years as a way to recharge groundwater basins.There is a fee to gain full access to the report. Comment period on State The public review draft of the 2018 Cglffiomia State hazard mitigation plans Hazard Mitigation Plan has been posted and is available for comment.The plan covers natural and rims through May 16 human-caused disasters. It provides current hazard analysis along with mitigation strategies and goals. The comment deadline is Wednesday, May 16. dal�E5 Collaborative effort Cities and utilities considering potable reuse can find helpful leads to new report on information in the new report, Mainstreaming Potable Water Reuse in the United States:Strategies for Leveling the Playinc Field.ield. It potable water reuse includes a review of current projects that are effectively reusing wastewater.The collaborative effort involved the U.S. Environmental_ Protection Agency,the Johnson Foundation at Wingspread,and Reinventing the Nation's Urban Water Infrastructure. Guide helps building There is also a new potable water reuse guide for building planners designers incorporate and designers.The Design Professional's Practical Guide for Intagr ti_a_Onsite Water Use and Reuse from the William J.Worthen water reuse in their projects Foundation is designed to help understand and implement water reuse technology in building projects. Webinar will explore Addressing societal needs by integrating coastal and oceal monitoring programs will be discussed during a webinar on May 16. impi'olimg coastal data to . The:National Water Quality Monitoring Council's webinar will provide help'Address societal nl. an overview of the benefits of using a sound data-management program.The webinar is a free event, but reaistratiQn is required. TW0 weeks to ga before, The,da&Lnigi inmter Associations 5 nn the opni�lg of water Conferdnce,is twbiweeks.'awal It begins May 16, in Sacramento This year's theme is"Making the Y' aSSOclll 10i1>e'S IIAII#f@tante` Choice Between Easy and Right The:d ata-'s%r { -i7 ��"��y ! ItZCIUdBS SeminaE'S ai'iC�presnt�tion5 On sellEdl �, �' ' rG�•�v� ,�,;po�i�oltdaf�dns��nd tie�0'18��Le�tsjahVe�'sessiop u�•.. e CORRESPONDENCE ChicoEH.com # A Sites OK'd for $1B in Prop. 1 funding 8y:Steve Schoonover,May 4,2016 Sites Reservoir is in line for a billion bucks. Two other projects were deemed ineligible for the funding:a reser- The State Water Commission,meeting this week in Sacramento to voir in San Diego and a groundwater bank in Kings County. decide the public benefits of projects seeking the water storage bond The action this week is not the final step.It's just the determination money included in Proposition 1,declared the off-stream reservoir of the public benefit of the projects. west of Maxwell to be eligible for$1.008 billion dollars of the roughly They are now being reviewed by commission staff for three other $2.6 billion that is available. components:relative environmental value,resiliency and implemen- That doesn't mean the Colusa County reservoir will actually get that tation risk. much money,as the commission OK'd a bit over$2.8 billion for nine Those rankings will be released May 25. projects.Three others proposals were deemed ineligible for funding. There is also another level of review before final allocations are The Commission will make final decisions on those scores at its June made. 27-29 meeting,and preliminary award decisions will be made at the July meeting. The money approved by voters in November 2014 can't be used Reach City Editor Steve Schoonover at 896-7750. simply for Increasing water storage,under the language included in the ballot measure. Instead it has to pay for five public benefits:ecosystem benefits,wa- ter quality,flood control,emergency response and recreation. The money also has to achieve measurable improvements to the ecosystem of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Sites would be a 1.8 million acre-foot lake,and would cost$5.2 bil- lion to build in total.Proponents say they have secured enough fi- nancial backing to complete the project with or without the state funds. They had been seeking$1.388 billion,but Water Commission staff Initially put the public benefit at$662.3 million.After an appeals pro- cess,that recommendation increased to$933.3 million,and the commission raised the amount further this week. The other big reservoir project that many voters thought they were approving money for in Proposition 1,didn't fare as well.Temper- ance Flat was only approved for$171.3 million,though$1.055 billion had been sought. Proponents said the small amount might kill the$2.7 billion plan to build a new 319-foot high dam with a 1.33 million acre-foot reservoir on the San Joaquin River,upstream from the existing Frlant Dam. The rest of the projects,and the amount approved were: •Pacheco Reservoir expansion in Santa Clara County:$484.5 million •Los Vaqueros Reservoir expansion in Contra Costa County:$459 million. •A groundwater bank in southern Sacramento County:$280.5 mil- lion. •A groundwater bank in the Chino Basin in Riverside County:$206.9 million. •A groundwater bank in southeastern Kern County,$123.3 million. •A groundwater bank in western Kern County:$85.7 million. The only other project north of the delta—the Centennial Dam on the Bear River--was originally deemed to have no public benefit, and proponents did not appeal. Thomas, Autum From: kcooper@northstatewatertreatment.corn Sent: Monday, May 7, 2018 4:54 PM To: BCWater Cc: LDechter@actionnewsnow.com; BOS District 4; Kirk, Maureen;Connelly, Sill;Wahl, Larry; Teeter, Doug; Lambert, Steve;Clerk of the Board Subject: Important GSA Issue Paul and BOS Members, It is my understanding that tomorrow the Butte County Board of Supervisors will consider their advisory committee recommendations. I am likely to be unable to attend this meeting given that it is held during working hours. 1 know have expressed to Paul my concerns about these appointments. I have also expressed them to Steve Lambert, my Supervisor at a Durham Town Hall Meeting. From what I understand the BOS is likely to appoint two groundwater dependent farmers but only one private domestic well owner to the governing board for the new groundwater management program. I have met with several of our neighbors and other concerned homeowners. We would like to see more PRIVATE DOMESTIC WELL DEPENDENT PEOPLE at the decision-making table. There needs to be equal representation. The shallow,domestic wells will be the first to feel impacts. Many of us have not only homes, but businesses that rely on our water resources. The County needs to ensure that we have representation on the governing_board and in each District. Residential well owners do not have the significant financial considerations and resources that agricultural interests have when considering use. Their unique perspective and voice should be valued equally to those with distinctly different interest. You have the power to configure this governing board and these districts however they need to be in order to best serve the County. Other Counties throughout the State are looking at similar configurations. Embrace stakeholder involvement now to avoid problems down the line. Support the outreach networks that we have developed by allowing us to keep people informed. The best way to do this is with a seat at the table and an ability to actively share information as it is being developed and contemplated. Thank you, Kristin Cooper Carter North State Water Treatment Services Kristin Cooper Carter/Kevin McGrath www.northstatewater,treatment.com Office-530-228-9235 Operator—530-514-5123 z CORRESPONDENCE ChicoEH.com # (P State has `March Miracle' in water conservation By:Steve Schoonover, May 7,2018 Sacramento»There may not have been a"March Miracle"when it came to the snowpack in the state,but there was sure one when it came to water conservation. The State Water Resources Control reported that in March urban Californians used 24.8 percent less water than in March 2013,the benchmark year considered to be before the drought. That's a dramatic turnaround from conservation numbers that have been dropping fairly steadily since June 2016,culminating in Febru- ary with the state using more water than during the same month in 2013. The conservation rate hasn't topped 20 percent since April 2017. The state dropped mandatary conservation targets in May 2016, instead letting water agencies set their own goals. Almost all the agencies set the bar at zero savings,and in February, 176 of the 381 agencies reporting hit that target,using more water than In February 2013. But in March,only 10 of the 366 agencies reporting said they used more water than in 2013.Savings of greater than 20 percent were reported by 242 agencies_ It was a month with a lot of rainfall,which probably made much of the difference as landscape watering needs were minimal. Locally,Chico led the way with a 38.9 percent conservation rate com- pared to 2013.Oroville saved 36.3 percent,Paradise 33.8 percent, Del Oro 7.3 percent and Willows,31.3 percent. Elsewhere in the north valley,Yuba City had savings of 29.9 percent, Marysville was 26.7 percent,Red Bluff had 19.5 percent and Redding saved 28.5 percent. Savings weren't limited to any one region.While the Sacramento River watershed led with 33.1 percent savings,the South Coast saved 24.2 percent and the Bay Area saved 21.3 percent. Per capita water use per day averaged 64.8 gallons statewide.Local- ly,Chicoans used 73 gallons,Oroville residents used 55 gallons and Paradise residents used 72 gallons. The full data set is available at http://tinyuri.com/marlgwateruse. Reach City Editor Steve Schoonover at 896-7750. A � Wednesday UpdateA. May 9, 2018 This weekly electronic newsletter is designed to keep you current on California Water Plan news. We welcome comments,suggestions,and any news tips that may be of interest to water planners. Summit for groundwater The Groundwater Resources Association will sustainability agencies set for hold its inaugural groundwater sustainability aaency,(GSA)summit on June 6 and 7, ° next month in Sacramento in Sacramento. It will give GSA members ° an opportunity to discuss technical and policy issues related to complying with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.A preliminary agenda has been posted Working lands workshop A workshop to discuss the development of the Natural and will explore ways to reduce Working Lands Implementation Plan will be held Friday, May 18, in Sacramento.The implementation plan will be used to incorporate emissions in California lands, including forests,farmlands,and wetlands, into the State's climate strategy.The goal would be to use the lands to achieve net zero,or negative,total emissions.A webcas#will be available. Groundwater Resource Hub California's Groundwater Resource Hub has added a database of adds database for groundwater in i attics o roundwater dependent ecosystems,(GDEs).This new and mapping tool provides a starting point to identify GDEs, dependent ecosystems which is a required element in groundwater sustainability plans.The database was developed by DWR,the California Department of Fish and Wildlife,and The Nature Conservancy. There is still time to register..for The Sierra Meadows Partnership has set its 2018 workshop for Sierra Meadows Partnership's May 29—June 1, in Tahoe City. It will include a review of efforts to quantify meadow greenhouse gas storage,and discussion of current three-day workshop meadow conservation efforts. Realistration is required. Headwaters in peril? A Omposium hosted by the Mountain. Auburn rn ium wtjl Counties Water Resources Association will look at the developments that have lank of the tlueAb put California headwaters in peril.The symposlumwill be WedriesdayWaIlL3Q it �'tourarn C.t�unrtc5..; Auburn Eggistwtion closes,oh May 25 Calfom�°Ilnvaslirre SpeaeS This year's Callfornra lnvasfve Specres Actron Week will run ` June rturnty#o Team about the problems u Act ult Wee[dfilfmt�es, caused b invasive species and how their progres s can be stopped ar a w .ac" a ^� actmfres egg roll houta, sut. A ® ® a Wednesday UpdatesM2018 a y 16,Via£ ' This weekly electronic newsletter is designed to keep you current on California Water Plan news. We welcome comments,suggestions,and any news tips that may be of interest to water planners. a - Paleoclimatology will be the This year's California Extreme Precipitation `n�„aPRr� rrj focus of thisear's extreme Symposium will look at the way paleoclimatology � y studies can help improve flood risk management precipitation symposium planning.There will be presentations on how the latest science applies to the hydrology of California, including the management of water and forests. The symposium will be Monday,July 9, in Davis. Discussing the lessons Some of the lessons learned from last year's California wildfires will learned from last year's be discussed during a webinar tomorrow, May 17. It will include a panel discussion on the effects of the fires on public health and water California wildfires supplies.The webinar is being hosted by Carpe Diem West. OEHHA report examines A report on Indicators of Climate Change in dozens of climate change California has been released by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment z indicators in California (OEHHA).The 36 indicators are divided into categories including physical and biological systems.The report is intended to promote F scientific analysis to help with decisions on mitigating and adapting to climate change. Remote attendance is still The California Water Boards Science Symposium has sold out the an option for those interested allotment of in-person attendance. But, it is still accepting_registration from those who would like to attend remotely.The annual event in science symposium promotes the use of water quality monitoring to generate data that can be used to make water quality management decisions.It will.be June 20 and 21,in West Sacramento. Grant applications being Grant applications for ecosystem restorationrag_;;leets are being accepted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. auepted for Ia'go, stale; The#undrng,is for large scaleprojects, including restoration of fesllol'i<tttQn prO�eCFS:, wateisheds;damaged by recentuwldfires An application we, bEnarwrll be heltl Ma 30 TFie a Ircatron deadline is Wednesda ,June 13 Y: .:...: : pp; y last�s West•webinar �aw.iessons learned back east may apply#o western states wilE be h< w[II examine.,nanous tlrscussed dunng a on Jane'13 The�lr�an f rrf r will present rnformatran on the way; .h � �i1 n X10 Al pfJl�[Cres ''ea t n sfafes manage mrers for successfut�ns""am fifoyu policies Chi CORSPONDENCEco .com # Direction sought on groundwater management organization By.Staff Reports, May 20,2018 Oroville>>The process of managing the groundwater beneath Butte To build the new bridge the county will have to buy$133,000 worth County may take another step forward Tuesday,as the Board of Su- of beetle mitigation credits,and$99,000 worth for the snake.It will pervisors are being asked to provide direction on how to set up the also have to spend$15,200 to move an elderberry bush at the site agency that would actually do the managing. into a conservation bank. The"groundwater sustainability agency"in question is for the Vina The federal government is paying almost 89 percent of the$16.4 Sub-Basin,which covers the valley floor from Big Chico Creek north million cost to replace the bridge. to the Tehama County line. The full agenda is available at http://tinyuri.com/bosbutteOS22. The official boundaries currently extend farther north to Deer Greek, but Tehama County has applied to the Department of Water Re- sources to have its territory detached.Similarly,Butte County has applied to extend the boundary southward to encompass all the Chi- co city limits. The new sub-basin will include three elected authorities--Butte County,Chico,and the Rock Creek Reclamation District—all of which have indicated an interest in having a voice in the manage- ment of the groundwater. County staff is recommending a joint powers authority be set up, which would be governed by a five-member board.There would be a representative from each of the three agencies,plus one independ- ent agricultural groundwater pumper and one domestic well user. The JPA will be charged with developing a plan by Jan.30,2022,that will assure the aquifer is not used to a degree that depletes it. The meeting begins at 9 a.m.in the Supervisors Chambers in the county Administration Building,25 County Center Drive In Orovllle. Automatic disaster relief The supervisors are also being asked to finalize the ordinance that allows the Assessor's Office to automatically reduce the taxes on property that has been damaged by wildfire,if the governor has Is- sued a disaster proclamation. In the past,someone suffering a fire loss had to apply for the tax relief,and not every'one did. The tax will return to its previous level once burned structures have been rebuilt. Although it is called a"second reading"of the ordinance,the item is on the consent agenda,a list of actions deemed non-controversial and approved on a single vote,without discussion. In a separate consent item,supervisors will be asked to extend the state of emergency relating to the La Porte and Cherokee fires last October. Bridge impacts The board is also being asked to purchase required environmental impact credits to allow the project to replace the Midway bridge over Butte Creek to move forward. The new bridge will remove habit used by the giant garter snake and the valley elderberry longhorn beetle,both of which are classified as threatened species. ChicoEH-com CORRESPONDENCE # ID State Water Project increases deliveries By:Staff Reports,May 22,2018 Sacramento»Allocations to State Water Project water contractors were increased Monday to 35 percent of what they would like. The Department of Water Resources announced the slight increase from the 30 percent allocation announced in April. An initial 15 percent allocation was announced in December,and it was raised to 20 percent in January. "Late-season rain and snow in March and April salvaged what would have been a severely dry year,which allows us to make this slight increase in allocation,"said DWR Director Karla Nemeth in a press release. The statewide snow water content,however,has dropped to 15 per- cent of average over the past month. in addition Lake Oroville,the main supply for the State Water Pro- ject,has just 69 percent of the amount of water that would be nor- mal for this time of year. The lake was kept lower than usual this winter to avoid having to use the main spillway,which had been partially repaired last summer. As of Tuesday afternoon,the lake surface level was at 821.5 feet above sea level,which is above the gates on the spillway,where this year's repair work has already begun. There were 2.44 million acre-feet of water in storage at the lake.The 35 percent allocation amounts to about 1.48 million acre-feet. Mx ar CO r b`AY D E LTA ' .M., 'M The various Bay-Delta processes continue with the all the various efforts in the Sacramento River Basin State Water Board moving forward with the Water surrounding the Delta and to bring our team of Quality Control Plan (WQCP) update; the state directors, water resources managers, attorneys, administration is advancing Cal WaterFix(tunnels);and biologists, and engineers together to strategize and the federal agencies are consulting on new biological take action to protect Northern California water rights opinions for the operation of the Central Valley Project and supplies and to help manage the water resources and the State Water Project.These processes are all in our region for-i-.- I Die nE _ r..i ; i,se .The following looking in some fashion to redirect water from the is an update on these various processes and the Sacramento River Basin to serve various water needs actions that NCWA and the Sacramento Valley Water in the Bay-Delta. For context, these processes appear Users are taking as part of this unified and concerted to be looking to redirect 500,000 acre-feet (af) to strategy. 1,000,000 of away from the region. SWRCB —Water Quality Control Plan In Northern California, we all know at in these various processes. The NCWA Bay-Delta J-R�ulatory Process Task Force continues to meet monthly to coordinate The State Water Board continues to move forward with the phased review and update of the 7-006 Water The Sacramento-San jUaquin Della z • f'` Quality Control Plan for the Bay-Delta 'i, n) and flow objectives for priority tributaries to ® Iii I�j�.�..�.��C�.•I, = `r , !' the Delta to protect beneficial uses in the Bay-Delta u watershed. The update to this plan continues to be Fr, the primary focus for Northern California water right holders and suppliers, as many people want to use '� - - this process to redirect water rights and supplies away 4 p g p Y from the Sacramento Valley to the Delta. The Bay- s Delta Plan identifies beneficial uses of water in the Bay-Delta, water quality objectives for the reasonable _ `^ � protection of those beneficial uses, and a program ' L Il of implementation for achieving the water quality • ..f objectives. Phase I of this work involves updating San "- Joaquin River flow and southern Delta water quality requirements included in the Bay-Delta Plan. The Phase I plan has relied upon additional unimpaired flows from the San Joaquin River-- `Please note that the electronic version of this document contains various links,where you can click on either the link or the documents shown to see more detailed information. approximately 40% of unimpaired flows from and special studies program, and (8) other potential February through June as the preferred alternative changes to the program of implementation. The (a range of 30-50%). The State Water Board is State Water Board will also consider other potential currently reviewing the comments it received on its changes to the Bay-Delta Plan during this phase, Substitute Environmental Document (SED) for the including issues identified through the scoping San Joaquin Diver (Phase 1) and will likely issue a process, and information that is produced as part of final SED soon. NCWA and the Sacramento Valley the Cal WaterFix. Water Users are concerned about the approach ° Phase III involves changes to water rights and other in this process and commented on the SED an March 17, 2017 The comments provided that: the measures to implement changes to the Bay-Delta unimpaired flow approach is not supported by the Plan from Phases I and ii. Importantly, the State best available science; by proposing to amend Water Board staff are now preparing curtailment the wrong water quality control plan, the State regulations rather than a water rights proceeding as an option to avoid a full Phase III process. Water Board fails to undertake the statutorily mandated balancing of the public interest on Phase IV involves developing and implementing the affected streams; complex delta systems flow objectives for priority Delta tributaries outside require a coordinated approach to management; of the Bay-Delta Plan updates, i.e. smaller tributaries and the unimpaired flow approach would impose in the Central Valley, see here. significant costs, without evidence of significant benefits. In July 2015, a broad group of water The State Water Board in October 2017 issued its suppliers from throughout the state sent a letter scientific basis reportforPhase 11,essentially proposing to the State Waterthat it will consider a range of 35 to 70 percent �;+'_`....••�.` _ '"-=`='® unimpaired flows.NCWA and many others commented Board encouraging r r imaW o on the document on December 16, 2016 (see below), it to abandon the unimpaired flow _ basically saying the unimpaired flow approach does approach, which also ..... not work for California and instead the SWRCB should raises concerns that - _ _.__.-__.__ focus on a functional flow approach for the Sacramento a similar approach will =-_ = _ - "=-- River Basin. As part of these comments, MBK take place in Phase --- - - _ - " — Engineers has estimated that a 40% unimpaired flow II with respect to the --- - "_""W""" for Delta outflow would redirect 480,000 of of water Sacramento River and - _ ..:_.__�_...•-. and a 50% unimpaired flow 1.1 maf away from storage : :: = its tributaries. - - - -- and beneficial uses in the Sacramento River Basin. Phase 11 involves other comprehensive changes to The State Water Board had its scientific basis report the Bay-Delta Plan to protect beneficial uses not peer reviewed and on October 4, 2017 issued its addressed in Phase 1,which includes the Sacramento final scientific basis report. It also posted several River Basin. Phase 11 focuses on the following documents with respect to Phase II: issues: (1) Delta outflow objectives, (2)export inflow o a FEx,": on the current status of the Phase II objectives, (3) Delta Cross Channel Gate closure objectives, (4) Suisun Marsh objectives; (5) potential process, including a description of the proposed new reverse flow objectives for Old and Middle changes to the Bay-Delta Plan's water quality Rivers; (6) potential new floodplain habitat flow objectives and implementation approach; objectives; (7) potential changes to the monitoring • a voice informing interested persons how to stay flow" approach. This updated on the Phase II process (this notice was outdated approach is at tNCWA also mailed to water users and others); the core of the Final - Scientific Base Report • i3a , — the final Sc e r ti ��_ �;: r. r ori supporting potential and is reflected in the Phase 11 changes to the Bay-Delta Plan and premature questions in information on peer review of the report, including the October4,2017 notice. - responses to peer review comments; and The unimpaired #low' • hydrolocric (the Sacramento approach, if implemented, Water Allocation Model or SacWAM) in support of would negatively affect Phase 11, including an updated model and model numerous beneficial uses --~— -- -- -- output and responses to peer review comments on of water to the detriment of the state's environment and the model. economy. NCWA and its Task Force have reviewed the documents On November 13, 2017, water suppliers in every part and have engaged with the State Water Board in various of the state made the following statement: "California ways. On November 9, 2017, NCWA and the SVWIJ needs new and modern approaches to supply water submitted comments to the SWRCB on its scientific for cities and rural communities, farms, fish, birds basis report. The comments summarized that we and recreation in the 21st century." "Water suppliers "remain opposed to the State Water Board staff's efforts in every part of California call on the Governor and to pursue a rigid and scientifically outdated "unimpaired both the state and ., - federal administrations to 9LMV� .: . r NCWA embrace a coordinated �� - ;� ZE _ and modern 21st century �"„�; -., 2�1 nut. approach to water management for the Bay- Delta by protecting all beneficial uses of water” Importantly, since the State Water Board's last major WQCP update in NCWA/SVWU Counties 2000, there has been a serious and concerted effort to implement the following types of programs and -� projects in the Sacramento River Basin: R,- �.. \.11;i FFi -`--__ flow arrangements; habitat enhancements; - -- - __ -- - w= • fish passage improvements; fish-food production projects; and studies to advance the science that informs management decisions. Growers Ducks Unlimited NCWA These actions are described in comprehensive detail Sacramento, and Yuba Rivers. in the following document. The water resources NCwn managers involved in the - - process sent a letter to :-._. Secretary Babbitt initially outlining their perspectives on a successful voluntary a agreement process. In sum, instead of a proposal •5. that focuses on unimpaired < flows, as proposed by the State Water Board,we believe an alternative approach with modern functional and targeted flows will work better for all beneficial purposes. The parties are working - to have initial agreements by May 31, 2018 with final 21- Volu_ntary_A-greement Process agreements by the end of The Governor in his California WaterAction Plan calls for 2018" "state entities to encourage negotiated agreements 3) Multibenefit Management among interested parties to implement flow and non-flow actions to meet regulatory standards and In addition to the Water Action Plan, the California support all beneficial uses of water.' Budget that was passed in 2017 contained the following chapter to encourage the voluntary The Governor has called upon former Secretary of Interior agreement process. Bruce Babbitt to convene parties and to help facilitate these voluntary agreements. "The Bay Delta Water Quality Control Plan The Governor's office has establishes water quality control measures needed worked with the Resources to protect municipal, industrial, agricultural, and Agency to encourage the _=-__ _ :- -- environmental uses of water in the watershed of the This -- -- Sacramento San Joaquin Delta and San Francisco document summarizes the - Bay. This watershed, comprising millions of acres voluntary agreement process. - - of farmland, is a source of drinking water for two thirds of the state's population. The waterways This process provides a --------------- __ of the Bay Delta estuary and its tributaries also good opportunity for the provide critical habitat for numerous threatened Sacramento River Basin to and endangered species and recreationally and shape its future water management in a way that commercially important species.The Water Board serves water for multiple beneficial uses. Discussions is currently in the process of updating the Plan. are underway on five rivers in the Sacramento River The Water Board relies on a regulatory approach Basin, including the American, Feather, Mokelumne, to balance competing demands for water in the habitat,salmon,steelhead, Delta. As directed by the Governor, the Natural and fishery benefits, Resources Agency is leading negotiations with improve and restore river water districts and environmental groups to health, modernize stream :`;„ --- _•-- - develop voluntary agreements to achieve similar crossings, culverts, and ---._. - goals.These agreements would improve ecological bridges, connect historical .W..� flows and habitat for species, create water supply flood plains, install or _ and regulatory certainty for water users, and improve fish screens, facilitate a collaborative approach to the Water provide fish passages, Board's update to the Plan. If sufficient, voluntary restore river channels, restore or enhance agreements could be accepted by the Water Board riparian, aquatic, and terrestrial habitat, improve in lieu of a regulatory proceeding to amend water ecological functions, acquire from willing sellers right permits and licenses" conservation easements for riparian buffer strips, improve local watershed management, The budget also contained "an increase of $40 million predation management, hatchery management, Proposition 1 to support Central Valley multi benefit and remove sediment or trash. flood management projects that include, but are not limited to, actions identified by voluntary agreements. (2) For purposes of this section, funds may State funding would incentivize and complement be used for projects that measurably enhance additional contributions from local public agencies, stream flows at a time and location necessary federal agencies, and others" to provide fisheries or ecosystem benefits or improvements that improve upon existing flow Additionally, the Legislature on September 15 conditions. Project types that may be eligible passed SB 5, which will be on the June 2018 ballot include, but are not limited to,water transactions as Proposition 68. This proposition has the following such as lease, purchase, or exchange, change of provisions in Public Resources Code §80114 to use petitions to benefit fish and wildlife, surface encourage and fund voluntary agreements: storage to be used to enhance streamflow, "(a) Of the amount made available pursuant forbearance of water rights, changes in water to Section 80110, two hundred million dollars management, groundwater storage and ($200,000,000) shall be available to the Natural conjunctive use, habitat restoration projects Resources Agency for implementation of voluntary that reshape the stream hydrograph, water agreements that provide multi-benefit water efficiency generally, irrigation efficiency and quality, water supply, and watershed protection water infrastructure improvements that save and restoration for the watersheds of the state to water and enable reshaping of the stream achieve the objectives of integrating regulatory and hydrograph, reconnecting flood flows with voluntary efforts, implementing an updated State restored flood plains, and reservoir reoperations Water Resources Control Boards' San Francisco both at existing and new storage sites. Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary Water Quality Control Plan, and ensuring ecological {b} The funds authorized by this section shall benefits. Expenditure of funds provided in this be available for direct expenditures and local section shall be in accordance with the following: assistance grants by the Natural Resources Agency. in consultation with the Department of Fish and (1) For the purposes of this section, watershed Wildlife, that satisfy all of the following: restoration includes activities to fund wetland �. .��. �, (1) Implement voluntary agreements executed by a voluntary agreement that satisfies paragraph (2) the Department of Fish and Wildlife with federal of subdivision (b), unencumbered funds available and state agencies, local government, water pursuant to this section to implement that districts and agencies, and nongovernmental voluntary agreement shall no longer be available organizations that improve ecological flows 15 years after the date the State Water Resources and habitat for species, create water supply Control Board approves the submitted agreement, and regulatory certainty for water users, and at which point funds remaining available pursuant foster a collaborative approach to facilitate to this section shall become available to the Natural implementation of the State Water Resources Resources Agency for the purposes of Sections Control Board's Bay-Delta Water Quality Control 79732 and 79736 of the Water Code. If no voluntary Plan. agreements are submitted on or before June 1, 2018, any remaining funds shall be available to (2) Implement a voluntary agreement submitted the Natural Resources Agency for the purposes of by the Department of Fish and Wildlife to the Sections 79732 and 79736 of the Water Code.The State Water Resources Control Board on or Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency shall before June 1, 2018, for consideration. ensure an annual reporting of the funds pursuant (3) Implement a voluntary agreement that is of to Section 80012:' statewide significance, restores natural aquatic The NCWA Board of Directors supports Proposition or riparian functions or wetlands habitat for birds 68 and aquatic species, protects or promotes the restoration of endangered or threatened species, 4) Delta Dynamic enhances the reliability of water supplies on With respect to functional flows in the Delta, NCWA has a regional or interregional basis, and provides joined water suppliers in other significant regional or statewide economic r' «'�.._pACMA_ W parts of the state to offer a s �vv 4Z.- VA =- benefits. different approach to the Delta ® fully that uintegrates (c) Funds provided by this section shall not ty flows with be expended to pay the costs of the design, habitat.The current approach .• construction, operation, mitigation, or maintenance that focuses on outflow has w_.,,•. �W. of Delta conveyance facilities. not worked for either co-equal goal—ecosystem health or (d) If the Department of Fish and Wildlife submits water supply reliability.A new - approach to flows in the Deltais clearly needed to meet the co-equal goals. On November 13, 2017 water suppliers in every part of the state offered a new vision for the Delta with the following statement that "California needs new and modern approaches to supply water for cities and rural communities, farms, fish, birds and recreation in the 21st century"The statement adds that "we share the current interest to improve fisheries and our agencies have made substantial i73nv7est�[m'$e(nts and advanced NCWA CWj�H p i d ���� Irv. ........i.. programs for the benefit of fish. Furthermore, water suppliers acknowledge flow as an important component vM.nury i.cw»no MGMt!ft pry.0�a [e.syyY.w.Mn»w dV NnPtR.f�ovl�yn l.-1atl..a»ya.un.MYa ...e^-'....•:of habitat habitat and encourage a new approach where every - drop of water serves a specific and targeted beneficial use or multiple uses. However,a flow only approach that ; s fails to take steps to incorporate flow with habitat and other important species functions, such as proposed i by the State Water Board in the Water Quality Control `�-� • '"='�. ,` Planning process, will not improve species. Continuing -- - --- �" on the path set by the State Water Board will not help the environment, it will not help water supplies throughout the State, and it will not help California successfully implement groundwater management. x.�.» ,r ,^� It could lead to an adjudication of the entire Bay- Delta watershed, which would threaten progress on ecosystem restoration and other priority water issues in the California Water Action Plan. We offer this statement to set a new path.We support - - California's co-equal goals of protecting, restoring and enhancing the Delta ecosystem and providing more reliable water supplies for California.We believe California WaterFix (Delta Tunnels) these goals can be achieved by holistically planning for 1 Agency Approvals ecosystem functions to ensure the most efficient use On July 21, 2017 the of water for all beneficial uses, by using the interaction Department of Water of flow with other habitat aspects to create the type Resources (DWR) approved a _ of conditions that allow us to meet our objectives.This and certified the environmental requires us to take into account the altered physical documents for California T =_ landscape in California and our highly managed water WaterFix, which is the Delta system, which must be addressed in combination tunnel proposal. "The Noticer- -�. -.-�.- with appropriate hydrology to protect and balance all of Determination and decision beneficial uses of water" documents signed by the =— The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) in early DWR Acting Director approve --_-~ --W-_ 2018 prepared a four-part blog series fashioned as WaterFix as the proposed 'Advice on Voluntary Agreements for California's Bay- project under the California Environmental Quality Act Delta Water Quality Control Plan." This blog series (CEQA), together has posed a new approach for the Bay-Delta For more information on the DWR approval, see here. over the next several decades. On June 26, 2017 the Nations! Marine Fisheries Service (NOAH Fisheries) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) released their biological opinions for NCWA -. the proposed construction challenging the environmental review process. For and operation of California the past five years, NCWA working with the North WaterFix.These agencies area « State Water Alliance assembled a team of experts to responsible for the protection � , .y, w provide detailed comments on the proposed California of species listed under the WaterFix. These comments were largely ignored by U.S. Endangered Species DWR and the proponents. These statements and Act (ESA). These biological = = correspondence are available _._ . The parties that opinions seem to rely upon a filed suit in the Sacramento River Basin include: significant increase of spring ,�;_Y'�,-,�,�„�,W� ° Anderson-Cottonwood Irrigation District outflow of approximately 44,500cfs. ° City of Folsom, City of Roseville, Sacramento Additionally,on July 28,2017 the California Department Suburban Water District, San Juan Water District of Fish and Wildlife issued an incidental take permit for ° City of Sacramento the construction and operation of California WaterFix in compliance with Section 2081(b) of the California ° County of Butte Endangered Species Act. This permit authorizes the ° County of Sacramento, incidental take of state-listed species associated with Sacramento County Water Agency future operation of the SlateWater Project(SWP)with the addition of the California WaterFix, which includes ° Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District, Reclamation construction of the proposed water conveyance District No, 108, Carter Mutual Water Company, EI facilities within the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Dorado Irrigation District, EI Dorado Water & Power Delta.A copy of the permit and more details are ;-.,-,,1 Authority, Maxwell Irrigation District, Natomas Central Mutual Water Company, Meridian Farms Various conservation groups on September 22, 2017 Water Company, Oji Brothers Farm, Inc., Oji filed suit in Sacramento Superior Court challenging Family Partnership, Pelger Mutual Water Company, the California Fish and Wildlife's (CDFW) July 2017 Pleasant-Grove Verona Mutual Water Company, issuance of a "take" permit for the tunnel operations. Princeton-Codora-Glenn Irrigation District, Provident The suit claims that CDFW improperly authorized the Irrigation District, Henry D. Richter, et al., Richter California Department Water Resources to kill and Bros., Inc., River Garden Farms Company, South harm state-protected fish species, including winter- Sutter Water District, Sutter Extension Water run and spring-run chinook salmon, longfin smelt and District, Sutter Mutual Water Company,Tisdale Delta smelt. The groups include the: Bay Institute, Irrigation & Drainage Company,Windswept Lands Center for Biological Diversity, Natural Resources & Livestock Company, Biggs-West Gridley Irrigation Defense Council and San Francisco Baykeeper; all District represented by Earthjustice. ° North Delta Water Agency, California Central The details for the California WaterFix and California Valley Flood Control Association, Brannan Andrus EcoRestore are available erre. Levee Maintenance District, Reclamation District No. 3, Reclamation District No. 150, Reclamation 2 Le al Actions District No. 349, Reclamation District No. 551, With DWR approving the Cal WaterFix and the related Reclamation District No. 554, Reclamation District environmental documents described above, various No. 563, Reclamation District No. 800 (Byron parties in the Sacramento River Basin filed legal action �� NC'WA. Tract), Reclamation District No. 999, Reclamation action contends that "DWR's bond validation must District No. 1002, Reclamation District No. 2060, be dismissed as premature since essential details Reclamation District No. 2067 Reclamation District of the project and its financing remain undefined, No. 2068 unapproved, or both, and the procedure for bond e Placer County Water Agency repayment is vague and confusing at best" They also • claim that DWR is seeking to illegally shift a substantial Sacramento Municipal Utility District share of the cost of the tunnels to state taxpayers, • Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District rather than ensuring that the recipients of the water On August 21, 2017 NCWA be responsible for all costs, as state law requires and *NCWA as Governor Jerry Brown promised. offered this statement sem_.___ summarizing the legal action _ State Water Board Proceedings and the importance of an In addition to the Resources Agency processes, the operations plan surrounding Department of Water Resources QWR) and the U.S. the tunnels to determine water near Courtland and route it around the Delta WaterFix project. The MWD news release is shown through two tunnels to the existing State and federal below: pumping facilities in Tracy. The State Water Board finished Part 1 (water rights and supplies)and is now on Part 2 (fish and wildlife). Part 1, - focused onimpacts towater rights and supplies,Nearly - - - every water right holder upstream of the Delta filed a protest with the State Water Board claiming injury to their water rights and supplies. Under the Water Code, the agencies (DWR, Reclamation) must"demonstrate a reasonable likelihood that the proposed change will not injure any other legal user of water" and provide "a statement of any measures proposed to be taken The Governor also made a statement and sent a letter for the protection of fish and wildlife in connection to the MWD Board of Directors urging them to support with the change" The issue before the State Water the project. Board is primarily focused upon the operations of the For more information on MWD's interest in California projects in conjunction with the conveyance through WaterFix, see 'r7e.G, the Delta. DWR on September 8, 2017 provided a Santa Clara Valley Water District has also voted to invest letter to the State Water Board with a summary and in the project. It is not clear at this time whether the tables of operating criteria for the project approved by Bureau of Reclamation or other Central Valley Project DWR (see section 1). contractors will participate in the California WaterFix. NCWA and the Sacramento Valley Water Users Biological Opinions (BiOps) presented a detailed case in Part 1, with various With the decade-long legal wrangling over the expert witnesses,questioning the lack of a meaningful Biological Opinions for the CVP and SWP (BiOps) operations plan to show that the project will not barely resolved, on August 2, 2016, Reclamation impact water rights and supplies. This testimony requested re-initiation of Endangered Species Act(ESA) builds upon the work the past several years by the Section 7 consultation with the United States Fish North State Water Alliance to assemble a team of and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and National Marine experts to provide detailed analysis and comments Fisheries Service (NMFS) on the Coordinated Long- on the proposed California Water Fix. More details Term Operation (LTO) of the Central Valley Project on these recent statements and correspondence are (CVP) and State Water Project (SWP), Reclamation available I.cr e. requested re-initiation of consultation under the ESA Part 2, which focuses on fish and wildlife, is now based on the apparent decline in the status of several underway. More detailed information is posted on the listed species (i.e. smelt, salmon), new information State Water Board's website 7 rs. related to recent multiple years of drought, and the W evolution of best available science.The overall goal of Project Proponents the re-initiation of consultation (ROC) on the LTO is to The primary proponent for Cal WaterFix is Metropolitan achieve a durable and sustainable Biological Opinion(s) Water District, On April 10, 2018, the Metropolitan issued by the USFWS and NMFS that accounts Water District's Board of Directors voted 61 percent to for the updated status of the species and species' 39 percent to provide additional financing necessary needs as developed through ongoing collaborative to allow for the construction of the full California NCWA science processes, operation of CVP and SWP contractors. Reclamation responded to the NMFS facilities, existing operations of the CVP and SWP proposal on both January 25 and March 22, 2017 and and operation of potentially new components of the the Sacramento River Settlement Contractors sent a CVP and SWP. On December 30, 2016, an MOU was letter on January 11, 2017 providing concerns with the signed by all these parties and the state Department proposed RPA and recommendations on a better RPA of Water Resources and Department of Fish and process. Wildlife outlining the tasks, processes and schedules In early 2018, NMFS, Reclamation, and the State to complete the 8i0ps over the next three years. Water Board have exchanged letters revealing some Reclamation is proceeding on three parallel tracks for difference of opinion on the Sacramento River and the ROC: its operations. The focus is largely on temperature 1) evaluate a modification to restrictions management of Lake Shasta and the river below the on Delta exports to increase water supply; dam. 2) prepare a programmatic environmental On March 14, 2018, the State Water Board, at the impact statement (EIS) for analyzing potential behest of the Natural Resources Defense Council, modifications to the continued long-term operation sent a letter to Reclamation requesting a Sacramento of the federal CVP for its authorized purposes, in a River Temperature Plan for its approval this spring. coordinated manner with the SWP,for its authorized Reclamation responded on April 2, 2018 and April purposes. Reclamation proposes to evaluate 16, 2018 describing the process to better analyze alternatives that maximize water deliveries and temperature based on current hydrology. The link optimize marketable power generation consistent to this information is . The State Water Board's with applicable laws, contractual obligations, website has the various letters hQr� . and agreements; and to augment operational flexibility by addressing the status of listed species; On April 20, 2018 Reclamation announced updated allocations as follows: 3) tier one or more additional projects-specific NEPA and ESA efforts off the Track 2 programmatic "Thanks to late March and April precipitation and the EIS positive results of the California Department of Water Resources April snow survey, Reclamation is pleased For more information, see 'tom m. to announce this increased allocation for CVP water contractors;' said Mid-Pacific Regional Director David Specifically, with respect to Sacramento River Murillo. "Even with the recent gains in water supply, operations, Reclamation has a seperate process the year as a whole has still been relatively dry.We will underway to amend the RPAs for short-term continue to monitor our ability to manage temperature operations. On January 19, 2016 (the last day of the in the Sacramento River and meet other regulatory previous federal administration), NMFS proposed requirements throughout the system and may need an amendment to the Reasonable and Prudent to adjust our plans as the year evolves. We urge our Alternative (RPA)of the 2009 NMFS Biological Opinion contractors to continue to exercise conservative use for the long-term operation of the Central Valley and of the resource:' State Water Projects related to Shasta Reservoir operations. The proposal would have major impacts For agricultural water service contractors and municipal on the operations of Lake Shasta and the Settlement and industrial service contractors north of the Delta, Contractors, wildlife refuges and water service in-Delta and on the American River, Reclamation has NC W� -. ,: ... m.w...� increased the allocation to 100 percent.This includes Delta Reform Act to further the state's co-equal goals contractors throughout theTrinity,Shasta, Sacramento for the Delta. River, American River and Delta divisions of the CVP." In the legal arena, the Sacramento Superior Court last For more information see ere. year issued a ruling on the seven suits filed challenging With the past three years having good storage levels in the 2013 Delta Plan approved by the DSC. According Lake Shasta, Reclamation has developed temperature to the DSC's news release, "The Sacramento Superior management plans that have been concurred to Court...ruled in favor of the Delta Stewardship Council by NMFS. The process to address temperature on on the vast majority of issues regarding the adequacy the Sacramento River appears to be folding into the of its master plan for the Delta. The court ruled that larger process for revising the BiOps for the CVP and the Council did have the authority to develop a legally SWR. The Sacramento River Settlement Contractors enforceable management plan for the Delta—one that are working with Reclamation and NMFS to improve requires reduced reliance on the Delta as a source modeling, monitoring and to develop a rationale of water, sets aside zones to help restore the Delta temperature plan, potentially through a charter. ecosystem and preserves and enhances the unique character of the largely agricultural collection of islands NCWA and the SVWU continue to encourage agencies and waterways east of the San Francisco Bay. The to focus on recovery planning efforts for salmon and Court did cite two instances in which it concluded smelt under section 4 of � that the Council's Delta Plan fell short of requirements the Endangered Species NcwA included in the 2009 Delta Reform Act that created Act (ESA) rather than the the Council and directed it to develop the plan. The acrimony-laden section Court said the Delta Plan did not contain sufficiently process under the ESA. As quantifiable performance measures and also did not the following document adequately "promote options" to improve the way shows, section 4 focuses �__- _•—•--_= water projects move water across the Delta." The directly on the objective of — - - -- Council and other parties have appealed the Court's the ESA (recovery), it fosters ruling, which means the invalidation of the Plan has collaboration rather than been stayed (placed on hold) pending further action acrimony and it advances the by the Appellate Court.Thus, the Delta Plan remains fix it rather than fight mindset that is and will continue in force and project proponents with covered actions to improve conditions for fish in the Sacramento remain legally required to file consistency certifications Valley. The Natural Resources Agency's Delta Smelt with the Council. Resiliency Strategy and the Sacramento Valley Salmon Resiliency Strategy embody this approach and are To address the legal deficiencies cited by the court,the being implemented. DSC on April 26,2018 adopted Delta Plan amendments Delta Stewardship Council and certified the Programmatic EIR. This included amendments to three components of the Delta Plan: The Delta Stewardship Council (DSC) continues to provide a forum and integrating policy venue for the " Delta Levee Investment and Risk Reduction various actions in the Delta.The DSC on May 16, 2013 Strategy (DLIS) - The proposed DLIS Amendment adopted the De!_t-a r lar.. as required by the 2009 Delta identifies State interests in the Sacramento-San Reform Act.The Delta Plan is a comprehensive, long- Joaquin Delta (Delta) that are vulnerable to flooding; term management plan for the Delta designed per the defines principles to guide the development and , w .. refinement of potential Delta Plan policies and An important part of the DSC, the Delta Independent recommendations; and evaluates risks to State Science Board continues to perform valuable work interests due to potential levee failure, all for the regarding the science surrounding the Delta. The purposes of attempting to reduce risks to people, various reports are available here. The Council property, and State interests in the Delta; and to appointed Dr. John Callaway as thead SCfor recommend priorities for State investment in leveen It c:i ._s-,de-.r='_ ScienLf; t3ocCci, replacing Cliff operation, maintenance, and improvements in the Dahm. Delta. As part of this process, the Science Action Agenda • Delta Conveyance, Storage Systems, and the (SAA)is a four-year science agenda for the Sacramento- Operation of Both (CSO) - The CSO Amendment San Joaquin Delta that phoritizes and aligns science promotes options for design, implementation and actions to inform management decisions, fill gaps in operation of the following to achieve the coequal knowledge, promote collaborative science, build the goals: 0)new and improved Delta water conveyance, science infrastructure, and achieve the objectives of (ii) new and improved Delta water storage, and (iii) the Delta Scier,'c,�_F�I2 . A _f i r�aC-, improved operations of both. provides more information on this program, • Performance Measures (PM) - The proposed PM Amendment would amend Appendix E of the Delta Plan to include revised output and outcome performance measures.The proposed performance - measures contain quantified or otherwise measurable targets to be used as indicators of ------------ whether the Delta Plan is meeting 2 its objectives. Three synthesis papers to inform the amendment of ,• 7r� 4 of (I-a aliy have been released and are now online. 17 rel tri GCC±:%vs5 e!-1- I m ,..,,,ID va!-is >�c pro-E;Cil_C�!_-t.r-'.__.:0l ilio 'a and FI,•.7 rr r+1` F Del-,F ii::. Ci 'y/c-_�_i' and These papers are intended to provide context and information. The synthesis papers (also referred to as white papers) are produced by Council staff or consultants for the Council's use as it explores the various issues facing the intersection of science and policy. Each synthesis paper concludes with implications and considerations for recommendations, policies, and performance measures for the amendment of Chapter 4. NC'W1� Butte County Water&Resource Conservation June,201$ '1' Volume'19,Issue 6 s WaterSolutions "To manage and conserve water and other resources for the citizens of Butte County" r SGMA Governance Update ..........''K. By Paul Gosselin The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) places the responsibility for r �4 sustainably managing groundwater at the local level. Groundwater sustainability , agencies (GSAs) in each of the four subbasins will decide how they will organize, or "govern", themselves in order to develop the groundwater sustainability plan (GSP) -Y for their area. GSPs developed by local GSAs evaluate the sustainability of the basin and identify actions that will be implemented to achieve sustainability over a 20 year period. The GSAs in all of the subbasins have committed to work together to prepare one GSP for the entire subbasin. Governance within each subbasin will establish the t. roles and responsibilities of each GSA to develop and carry out the GSP. Some of they;..a decisions on groundwater sustainability will be difficult and must reflect local values _;" and expectations. Each subbasin is different in many ways. The governance discussions are at different stages and will likely have different outcomes. Your input on the governance structure in your subbasin is important and valued. This is an update to last month's WaterSolutions newsletter which described the status of governance concepts in each subbasin. Vina and Wyandotte Creek Subbasins Both governance concepts propose creating a new Joint Powers Authority (JPA) through the Joint Powers Act. The JPA in each subbasin would cover the entire subbasin and assume all of the SGMA authorities. A JPA affords an opportunity for non-public agency beneficial users (e.g, agricultural groundwater pumpers and domestic well users) to participate in the JPA. The Vina and Wyandotte Creek JPA Inside this issue Boards would each have an agricultural groundwater and a domestic groundwater Proposed Basin stakeholder seat on the governing board. Both governance concepts rely heavily on Boundary Mods............. 2 public involvement in the drafting of the GSP through a Stakeholder Advisory SGMA Data Viewer........ 4 Committee. Public meetings were held in Vina and Wyandotte Creek to solicit public input. Both meetings were well attended and the participants gave excellent input Lake orovilie Storage.... 6 and thoughts. The Wyandotte Creek GSA managers are reviewing the comments from Snow water content...... 6 the May 3rd public meeting and are revising the governance concept for public review. Stay tuned. SGMA GOVERNANCE,page 5»> :nye r-. ➢y-.� :���t�' c<��,_ ��yy z :�?:el"'y.-,<. �. ✓.,..UssceS:i2w`bfGid�L' ... s . IIS Proposed Basin Boundary Modifications in Butte County By Christina Buck Our Department is working closely with the City of Chico, the City of Oroville, and 3 Thermalito Water and Sewer District to prepare a Basin Boundary Modification (BBM) application for submittal to the Department of Water Resources (DWR) by the June 30 deadline. A process has been established to allow Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) an opportunity to submit BBM requests that would enhance effective sustainable groundwater management. Our Department's application has three proposed 1 components: 1.Modified Vina BBM:This BBM incorporates portions of West Butte and East Butte subbasins into the Vina subbasin. Big Chico Creek is currently the southern boundary between the Vina and West Butte subbasins,placing the majority of the City of Chico's jurisdiction within the Vina subbasin. Modifications to the southern boundary of the Vina subbasin would move portions of the City of Chico from the West Butte subbasin into the Vina subbasin so that the City is contained within a single subbasin. This BBM proposal Y also includes moving non-agricultural portions of Butte County GSA areas in the West Butte and East Butte subbasins to the Vina subbasin(see map). The proposed modified boundary would follow the Skyway just south of Butte Creek,a portion of Butte Creek, Highway 99,and the Chico Greenline until it intersects Big Chico Creek. 2. Modified Wyandotte Creek BBM: This BBM Incorporates portions of East Butte subbasin into the Wyandotte Creek subbasin. The current boundary between the East Butte and Wyandotte Creek subbasins is the Feather River which divides the City of Oroville and places it in the two subbasins. The proposed modification would move a portion of the Wyandotte Creek and East Butte subbasin boundary further to the northwest. As a result, the City of Oroville GSA would be entirely within the Wyandotte Creek subbasin (see map). Currently,the majority of the City of Oroville's jurisdiction lies within the existing Wyandotte Creek subbasin. In addition, Thermalito Water and Sewer District (TWSD) serves a portion of the City of Oroville and is currently a GSA in the East Butte subbasin. This BBM results in moving TWSD and portions of Butte County GSA areas " in the East Butte subbasin into the Wyandotte Creek subbasin. The proposed modified +, boundary would follow the TWSD boundary, the east side of the Afterbay and then w: intersect the Feather River just south of the Afterbay. 3. Modified West Butte BBM: This BBM cleans up the boundary along the Sacramento River. Our Department is coordinating with neighboring GSAs in subbasins bounded by the Drought Strategies Sacramento River where the River also serves as a county boundary between Tehama and Interested in drought s#rate- Butte Counties and Butte and Glenn Counties. Affected subbasins include the Corning, gies for the production of Colusa, Vina, and West Butte subbasins. In these areas, the subbasin boundary will be alfalfa,almonds and walnuts slightly modified to align with existing County boundaries, rather than the Sacramento as well as many other topics? River where they differ. This addresses inconsistencies in the current mapping, but does The University of California not result in a material change to the current basin boundary along the Sacramento River. Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources,California We have sent outreach letters via email explaining these proposed BBMs to our interested Institute for Water Resources parties list. We have also contacted GSAs in the affected subbasins directly and requested has you covered.Please visit: letters of support from them. We have received a number of letters of support including a httn://ciwr.ucanr.eduJ letter from the City of Chico, Colusa Groundwater Authority, Tehama County Flood and califor nia drought expertise/ Water Conservation District and Reclamation District 2106 regarding the Vina proposal and droughttins/ from Thermalito Water and Sewer District and Yuba County Water Agency regarding the r,,,:ay:« }T, 7rg4s ON Wyandotte Creek proposal. A few other agencies have indicated their intent to provide Op letters as well. This will strengthen the BBM application. Butte County welcomes feedback from local agencies and landowners in the Vina, West Butte, East Butte, and Wyandotte Creek subbasins concerning these proposed subbasin Mobile Irrigation Lab modifications. County staff will bring the BBM proposal before the Butte County Board of A Water&Energy Efficiency Tool Supervisors for consideration on June 12, 2018. County Board of Supervisors meetings begin at 9:00 am at 25 County Center Drive, OroviIIe,CA 95965. For free irrigation evalua- tions to achieve water and Additionally, comments can be sent via email to Christina Buck at cbuck@buttecounty.net energy efficiency call Kevin or mailed to 808 Nelson Avenue, Oroville, CA 95965 (attn.: Christina Buck). Please contact Greer at(530)537-3013 x Christina with questions or for more information. More details regarding these BBMs can 102 or email at be found on our website: https://www,buttecounty.net/waterresourceconservation/ kevin@tehamacountyrcd.org SustainableGroundwaterManatemAs a service provided by RCDentAct/ButteCountyBasinBoundaryModifications.aspx of Tehama County to Butte County growers,the Mobile Irrigation Lab provides: Distribution Uniformity " Modified Vina rating(How evenly water Modified West Butte is applied to the crop Emitter/sprinkler flow Modified Wyandotte Creek uniformity County Line Catch-can uniformity Bulletin 118 Subbasins (pattern of water applica Colusa tion) Determination of water Coming applied during an irriga- .N� East Butte tion event(application ` Los Molinos rate) System map of pressure North Yuba and flow measurements "^ 0 Red Bluff Recommendations for Sutter system improvements and maintenance ^ 0 Una Irritation scheduling as- West Butte sistance Wyandotte Creek Estimated system run times Flow meter readings At your request and conven- ience an irrigation technician crew will conduct a custom- ized system analysis of your agricultural irrigation sys- COLUSAp ? tem.From the pump,to the �I I flush-outs and everything in- between.Data gathered from pressure and flow tests are recorded and mapped across TE the block being evaluated.All data is then analyzed by technicians who use irriga- tion specific software pro- grams to determine areas that may need attention. Each evaluation results in a confidential report that sum- marizes the systems irriga- tion performance.After com- pletion,a technician is availa- o z.s 5 10 I]le to thoroughly discuss Miles !' -r�"'{xC!d f,':,_.x •�„=Y',:T 1y 1_v..-..,.y...::.r_ti[vi:a:x`v;':::a..-;c:.. c"S,:s.x..`\ ' '';!.`n": .F'.r+ti:.CY.W`."..'^Y ........... :a+P� _.�.;. :v! ,,.C} >P ,.� =':fi,.-e:: v.''�F n£� +✓�.a,. .r, -:[. �. vf2=u ._x."�'�:�i's�'.::/,x,..,,....,...:,:�sC^.�.s., �,� =�. v Nis ::�..a., .Sra' �.a:•!•..��,-- ,�.. �,a�,..3. � n'�;;� i'Sr��.;�7};�c--�. .�r.p:.:.r - v, a�": -i -;y'�<t=,t., v„=,. � .'- ,tg•.•w is.,-.1;;. .�^:;=�r^� -r;,,. �:r:..€u .k..,.,'L- .` �., '�?:.0 !:• rTr �'N' a ?F N=_ Yk�pn � M, 'Jm' vn-. OW P^ s } ., ..... ,,. w�" v - tv3) Cat RM Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) Data Viewer is now Available of a r By Kelly Peterson � E / Z r y What is the SGMA Data Viewer? The new SGMA data viewer, developed by the California Department of Water go r Resources (DWR) is a mapping tool for viewing and downloading compiled y groundwater related datasets. This new tool integrates data from various sources to provide Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) and the public the access to ' query, visualize and download SGMA related data. It allows you to interact with and '� xT view the data in a way that has not been as easily accessible in one centralized place , E before now. The datasets available to view include information about groundwater t r, storage, water quality, land subsidence and surface water data,just to name a few. It y 1 is organized by the six sustainability indicators of SGMA and Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) regulations. The best part of the tool in my opinion is the "xkti }' ability of the information to be layered on a map, which for me, makes it easier to understand the availability or lack of data in certain locations in relation to a variety of 0 3 boundaries. For example, in addition to looking at a map of groundwater monitoring wells,you can add boundaries to your map to depict county lines,groundwater basins, E GSAs and / or water agencies to list just a few. As a Geographic Information System s5 y (GIS) tool, some of the datasets are also searchable so you can better define what 5 information you want to see and how you want to see it i.e. data from a specific date range can be viewed on topo maps or maps with satellite imagery. The most recently r collected spring 2018 groundwater level data and the newest statewide land subsidence data are not yet available on this viewer; however updates with new data are expected during future phases of development. —V=�, l Ni 3 .r Why was it Developed? ; � Zs Data access is and will continue to be an important component of successful GSP ar development and SGMA implementation. Currently, SGMA related data are managed ,ns , and stored by a variety of local, state and federal agencies making it difficult to find. This SGMA data viewer is a technical assistance tool provided by DWR to support GSAs implementing SGMA. The purpose of the data viewer is to compile and display '$ regional and statewide groundwater information so that GSAs and related ;Fs stakeholders can efficiently access this information while they are developing and a implement'ingGSPs. Flow to Get Started Using the SGMA Data Viewer To use the SGMA Data Viewer visit htts: s ma.water.ca. ov s madataviewer ;mss Once there,consider taking the short tour of the viewer to become familiar with some r T of the main features offered. You can take the tour by clicking "Next" on the welcome pop up screen. It's worthwhile to take the tour so you don't miss out on any features s ' that could be useful. i�• `!�'s� +:`ia a� �„� ��=`�`az"t:, ..r ;�.:'i n.`' ...}y,., Ws�'i ,`:�'�?r:.- ;,?a:..}:rl� u+�.��nT•'.3::i.�'',���i .,,'�.�:n”. aA Svc ,.2' �'.w r4�•;�tL� x�i,•rt =sEwfii"f_. ,�,�, ,„u'�>� �3 �.y_ �'"F.` �� y.:. ,.,�, ,..�. �;s,, a?;� �v;hti�..-s .�•r.".:x :��,'g' � '`,�:; .r •z„n.f � ,a>.�, ,r,� � ,.J'-�A�,,,...Ma),,'n`Y: =^::d`'.',� -.•�v.,r..'nt ac�_ia^L�..4. ':� 5"2.... .r�„v >:7^.. � ,c,..�• ..:a:�:z. , �,�� .�<.��-s�-�:,�. )r,�:�<��� s%,.,��,r,�?-�:�<M�.�..:�.rn:��',�.. ..:,�,���;:'._.�.�.�;?�,rts:�,:.:,r� :�.�•`��v,�u.� �r.v:'R�.r „r >>>SGMA Governance (Continued) a Based on the input from the April 26th public meeting, the Vina GSA managers have drafted changes to the governance concept for the Vina subbasin. Two of the major clarifications to the Vina governance concept were made to the Stakeholder Adviso Wg Committee and Management Areas. The GSA managers propose the Stakeholder � '� �� Advisory Committee include 9 members: • Cal Water(1) ai � • At-large agricultural water users (3) � r • At-large domestic well users (2) • At-large environmental (1) • At-large business (1) ; • Tribal representative (1) Additionally, the GSP regulations allow for the creation of Management Areas as part of the GSP. Within a designated Management Areas local considerations can be given to setting: • Different minimum thresholds • Measurable objectives We want to • Monitoring • Projects and management actions make it The GSA managers propose two Management Areas for the Vina subbasin. One will be for the Chico Urban Area and the other would be for the agricultural/rural area. easy... Approval of the Management Area criteria for the Chico Urban Area would be made by the Chico City Council. The Rock Creek Reclamation District would approve the Management Area criteria for their portion of the Agricultural/Rural Area. For the Butte County area, a committee led by the Butte County JPA Board member would approve the Management Area criteria for the remaining area of Vina. The Butte Text County Management Area Committee would include the agricultural, domestic and environmental representatives from the Stakeholder Advisory Committee. The BCWATER updated Vina governance concept was presented to the respective Boards and Councils in May and at the Vina Workgroup (public meeting) on May 31st. Based on direction from the Boards and City Council,the drafting of the JPA will begin. e East and West Butte Subbasins Additional information on the governance concepts and public meetings for the East to get Butte and West Butte subbasins will be released soon. As mentioned, each of the four subbasins consist of a different number and type of local agencies, land uses and water started . supplies. The uniqueness of each subbasin has led to different governance approaches, developed at a different pace. Each subbasin will follow the same pattern of public participation as seen in the Vina and Wyandotte Creek subbasins. It is not important how fast these efforts are completed but that they are done well. Your participation in the implementation of SGMA is critical for the future of local communities, economy and environment. If you need more information please visit our SGMA web page at http://www.buttecounty.net/waterresourceconservation/ Message and data SustainableGroundwaterManagementAct rates may apply. r 0 L HOME Meeting Schedules Water Commission 6/6/2018,1:30 p.m. A g Board of Supervisors Chambers 2S County Center Drive Water Commission 7/4/2018,CANCELLED Board of Supervisors 6/12/2018,9:00 a.m. Board of Supervisors Chambers 25 County Center Drive 6/26/2418,9:00 a.m. Board of Supervisors Chambers ° 25 County Center Drive ti V} GPACMeeting ...,,:z, _ f_u: ....... ., . . . Lake Oroville Storage Levels 6/1.8/2418,8:30 a.m. 3,750,000 311 Nicolas C.Shouten Lane Chico,Room A009 3,500,000 Total Reservoir Capai:I .3,537,577 AF 3,2s0,t)00 Department of Water& 3,000,000 Resource Conservation2,750,000 . 308 Nelson Avenue Oroville,CA 95965 C 2.500,000- S 2,421,375.3 AF Phone:530.552.3595 a Fax:530.538.3807 2,250,000 E-mail:bewater@buttecounty.net 'z 2,000,000. Website:www.buttecounty.net/ waterandresource d 1,750,000'+- Water&Resource o 1,500,000- Conservation ,500,000 Conservation Staff Y 1,250,000, • Paul Gosselin,Director ]L,000,000 • Christina Buck, Assistant Director, 750,000 • Kelly Peterson,Water Resource Scientist 500,000 • AuLum Thomas, Administrative Analyst 250,000.: 0 — - - -- — - Water comnlission Oa 1 Nov 1 Dec 1 Jan 1 Feb 1 Mar 1 Apr 1 May 1 Jun 1 Jul 1 Aug 1 Sep 1 California Snow Water Content, May 29,2018, Percent of April 1 Average • Kathy Chance 250 • bark Grover North Percent of Avempe far this Dote:11% • DC]ones,Vice-Chair 200 1982-1983 fmax) • Tod Kiminelshue 2016-2017 • MaunyRuethier iso • Ryan Schohr 100 • David Skinner,Chair • Matthew Teti uis 50 197 Ernie Washington - • 3 0 -z 250 . _ _ .. .. ... ... ....... .. Central 13--tmArm.ro,udeDoW11% 200 1982-1983 (max) 150 2016-201 loo ■ t County so :rugtr s7s-1 WATER&RESOURCE CONS ERVATION 0_ 014-2015 imin 4 Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May June July