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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04.09.20 Email from Paul Gosslin - Water Resources Report - April 2020 From:Gosselin, Paul To:Alpert, Bruce;Bennett, Robin;Clerk of the Board;Connelly, Bill;Cook, Holly;Lambert, Steve;Lucero, Debra; McCracken, Shari;Pickett, Andy;Ring, Brian;Ritter, Tami;Rodas, Amalia;Sweeney, Kathleen;Teeter, Doug Cc:Buck, Christina Subject:Water Resources Report - April 2020 Date:Thursday, April 9, 2020 10:52:06 AM Attachments:Water Resources Report April 2020.pdf Board Members I attached the Water Resources Report for April 2020. If you have any questions please contact me or Christina. Thank you. Paul , Director Butte County Department of Water and Resource Conservation 308 Nelson Avenue Oroville, CA 95965 Office: (530) 552-3590 Cell: (530) 574-7443 Water andResource Conservation Paul Gosselin, Director buttecounty.net/waterresourceconservation 308 Nelson Avenue T: 530.552.3595 Oroville, California 95965 F: 530.538.3807 bcwater@buttecounty.net MEMORANDUM DATE: April 9, 2020 TO: Butte County Board of Supervisors FROM: Paul Gosselin, Director RE: Water Resources Update April 2020 The following is the update of significant water resource issues from the Department of Water and Resource Conservation. PG&E and the Miocene Canal - PG&E announced that it will plead guilty to 84 felony counts of involuntary manslaughter and causing the 2018 Camp Fire. As part of the plea to find a long- term plan to replace water previously provided by the Miocene Canal and work with the community to implement a plan to provide water to the affected residents. PG&E committed to spend up to $15 million in implementing the plan over the next 5 years. The Department, in cooperation with the Butte County begin discussions with PG&E and stakeholders on short and long term options for restoring water supplies along the Miocene Canal in accordance with the settlement. The discussions will build upon the work conducted through the Miocene Canal Work Group. Drought Conditions - The 2020 Water Year, which began on October 1, 2019, has produced significantly less precipitation and snowpack through March, 2020. If conditions do not improve, there may be drought related impacts that could affect residents, businesses and the environment. The State Water Project allocation is currently 15%. In 2004, the Butte County Board of Supervisors adopted the Drought Preparedness and Mitigation Plan through Resolution 04-200. A major element of the Drought Preparedness and Mitigation Plan was the creation of the Drought Task Force. Through the Drought Task Force, the Board of Supervisors receives recommendations on current conditions and actions that the county should take. Information on drought conditions and actions of the Drought Task Force is available at http://www.buttecounty.net/waterresourceconservation/buttecountydroughtinformation. If drought conditions occur, the Department will convene a meeting of the Drought Task Force to evaluate drought conditions in Butte County. Paradise Irrigation District (PID) Consolidation Study The study to evaluate future will begin in April and is expected to take 6-18 months. As a condition of receiving two years of operating funds from the State of California, PID was required to participate in a consolidation study. The California Department of Finance required PID participation in the study that will be administered by Sacramento State University under the direction of the State Water Resources Control Board. The study will cover not only potential consolidation options but a full range of options for PID to remain viable. The study is being referred to as the PID Options Study. Initial options proposed by PID include local transfers of treated and raw water (including the PID-Chico Intertie), out-of- basin transfer of raw water, rate increases, new business operations and taking no action. PID will continue to pursue potential claims they have with PG&E, Federal Emergency Management Agency and through their insurance carrier. The potential new business operations could include operating the sewer systems, a water bottling plant and/or hydroelectric power through the acquisition of the PG&E DeSalba/Miocene Canal system. The acquisition of the PG&E DeSalba/Miocene Canal system would also present an opportunity for PID to add customers along the Miocene Canal corridor and increase their water right assets. The increase in water right assets could be marketed within and outside the County. An extensive public participation process will occur to solicit and receive input and feedback on the existing options or other options raised by the public. As part of the study, the State Water Resources Control Board established a technical advisory group and invited Department staff to participate. To date, there are few details on the study. As information on the PID Options Study becomes available, I will inform the Board of Supervisors. Sustainable Groundwater Management Act Implementation The activities related to the development of the groundwater sustainability plans (GSP) for the Butte, Vina and Wyandotte Creek subbasins are continuing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Public presentations on draft basin setting information were originally scheduled for March. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meetings were cancelled. The Department in cooperation with the other GSAs are rescheduling the meetings for April and May. The meetings will be held online. Public announcements of the meetings will be made in advance. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.