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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10.8.19 Miocene Canal Status Wau h, Melanie From: Gosselin, Pauli Sent: Tuesday, October 8, 2019 1:46 PM To: BOS Cc: Clerk of the Board; McCracken, Shari Subject: Miocene Canal Sttus Attachments: Miocene Cana|_[ampFire Update1OO819.pdf Board Members— I attached a memo summarizing the status of the damage to the Miocene Canal. If you have any questions please let me know. Thank you. Paul Pau Director Butte County Department of Water and Resource Conservation 308 Nelson Avenue Oroville,CA 9e9$5 Office: (5a0) ss2'osow Cell: (530) 574-7443 1 mp,m1Repi 1) Water and Resource Conservation Paul Gosselin, Director L'141,21ir AVO#ke, 4 Eft, 308 Nelson Avenue T: 530.552.3595 buttecounty.net/waterresourceconservation Orovlile California 95965 F: 530.538.3807 bcwater@buttecounty.net Butte County WATER 8.RESOURCE CONSERVATION MEMORANDUM DATE: October 8, 2019 TO: Butte County Board of Supervisors FROM: Paul Gosselin, Director RE: Camp Fire impacts to the Miocene Canal Update Background The Camp Fire destroyed portions of the Upper Miocene Canal which prevents water delivery for numerous commercial agricultural operations, residential wells, CalFire and critical wetland habitat. On March 29, 2019, the Board of Supervisors received public comment from a group of affected landowners, who staff were already working with to define issues and options. On April 23, 2019, the Board of Supervisors received a report on the status of the impacts from the loss of water in the Miocene Canal and potential remediation options. The Board of Supervisors directed staff to continue working with PG&E, California Water Service (CWS) and stakeholders on possible solutions as presented by staff. Butte County are continuing to facilitate discussions to assist the parties in addressing the impacts of the loss of the Miocene Canal with a goal that those responsible parties restore water supplies to affected beneficial users and improve the longterm water supply resiliency. County staff held five public meetings with PG&E, CWS, Paradise Irrigation District, Del Oro Water Company and affected landowners. The most recent meeting was held on September 27, 2019. At the previous meeting on August 5, 2019, the workgroup agreed on a set of actions and recommendations as follows: ALost 5, 2019 Recommendations Restoring Water Supplies After analysis of various options, there are two viable projects that would provide a sufficient amount of water to Kunkle Reservoir and the Middle Miocene. PG&E should support the two projects to restore water. Both projects could be operational in 2020 if decisions are made soon. Butte County can facilitate discussions on an equitable cost recovery structure between PG&E and landowners. 1. New Outtake Facility at Lime Saddle A new dedicated outtake facility at Lime Saddle would supply water into the Middle Miocene. Del Oro Water Company (DOWC) provided an estimate cost for an outtake facility based on their system ($1.3 million capital/$1.2 million operation). Final engineering specifications would need to be designed to deliver a sufficient amount of water. Early decisions could have the outtake facility operational by the summer of 2020. 2. Water Delivery to Kunkle Reservoir Paradise Irrigation District (PID) and DOWC have an intertie that provides an opportunity for a water exchange. Under the project, PID would supply water to the DOWC customers (approx. 200) near Lime Saddle. In turn, DOWC would delivery up to 8 acre-feet/day into Kunkle Reservoir. To overcome the uncertainty of delivering 8 acre-feet/day into Kunkle, a pilot project should be pursued for 2020. The cost of the project is estimated at $250,000. Resiliency 1. Extend Del Oro Water Company (DOWC) Service Residential water including the Spring Valley School could be served by extending the DOWC service connection down Pentz Road and Highway 70. The area is within the DOWC service area. The project would cost $2.5-3.0 million. The County and DOWC will seek state and federal assistance to offset the capital costs. The project would take 4-5 years to complete. 2. Technical Assistance Butte County will utilize a grant from USDA to identify specific water supply resource programs and provide direct technical assistance to landowners. Through federal, state and local programs, individual landowners could improve the resiliency of their water supply needs. Some projects may include creating stock ponds, storage tanks, deepinglinstalling wells. The project will begin in September and be completed by July 2020. PG&E's Long-term Plan PG&E's interests in the future of the Miocene Project (May 2019) includes: • Timely and prudently decide the future of the Project • Achieve a smooth transition to that future Butte County partners and stakeholders have explored numerous short and long term options including cost recovery for future operations. Many of the partners have expended resources investigating options. PG&E and Toll House should provide clear framework of their future plans for the Miocene system as soon as possible. Planning and Analysis PG&E has verbally offered $60,000 to the County for planning. To date, no formal offer by PG&E has been provided. If PG&E provides funds to the County and the County accepts it, potential tasks for the grant include: • Identifying all affected parcels (non-PG&E/CWS customers) • Characterizing ecologically habitat along Miocene corridor • Evaluating potential options to restore water supplies • Restoration of portions of the Miocene Canal • Alternative points of diversion • Alternative water supplies Timeline for Actions Project Lead Cost Estimates Completion Restore Water to Middle Miocene Lime Saddle Outtake PG&E $1.3 million 2020 Kunkle Pilot Project PG&E $250,000 2020 Resiliency DOWC Service Extension DOWC/Butte $3.0 million 2023 County Technical Assistance Butte $ 25,000 2020 County/UCCE . .................. PG&E's Long-Term Plan PG&E TBD Planning Analysis Butte County $ 60,000 TBD PG&E representatives announced that they would bring the recommendations to their management for a decision. Summary of the September 27, 2019 Meeting PG&E has not provided any response to the recommendations that were made on August 5th. PG&E did not attend or provide a response to any of the recommendations. The failure of PG&E to respond to the recommendations was a clear indication that they were not going to participate in any solution for the affected parties along the Miocene Canal. I send a letter to PG&E on October 7, 2019 stating that it was apparent that they were unwilling to participate in solutions. Supervisor Connelly attended the meeting and offered to send a letter under his signature to state agencies and other regarding the impacts. The workgroup would like to meet in January. A meeting summary was distributed. If you have any questions, please let me know.