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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 08022005 - C47 Contra Costa TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS - County FROM: TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, Chair Supervisor Federal Glover DATE: August 2, 2005 SUBJECT: REPORT ON DELTA LEVEE ISSUES; BETHEL ISLAND LEVEES SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION ACCEPT update on Delta levee studies, and Bethel Island levees, as recommended by the Transportation, Water& Infrastructure (TWI) Committee. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact to the County from the abovementioned action. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT/n /] YES SIGNATURE RECOMMENDATION OF N ADMINISTRATOR x RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE THE SIGNATURES Su soriq'aMfC�Opho,�ir Supervisor Federal Glover ACTION OF BOARD ON Q�-�/off APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED )C OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ro E ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE ABSENT: ABSTAIN: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. 0 Contact: Roberta Goulart (925) 335-1226 ATTESTED o $/o'a" e� cc: Community Development Department (CDD) JOHN SWEETEN, CLERK OF County Administrator Office (CAO) THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR c- B PUTY Board of Supervisors August 2, 2005 Page 2 BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS There are three distinct programs that, if they proceed, will set the stage to allow large scale work in the delta to commence that will strengthen the levee system in a meaningful and scientific manner. The programs are the Delta Long Term Management Strategy (LTMS), The Department of Water Resources' (DWR's) Levee Risk Assessment Study, and Army Corps of Engineers (Corps)studies related to the CALFED Reauthorization Act. If these programs can move forward concurrently, if they can continue to be funded, upon completion (ideally 2 years), the agencies will be able to move ahead with larger scale directed rehabilitation work in the delta. Delta Long Term Management Strategy (LTMS) To date, CALFED has been largely unable to provide resources for large scale rehabilitation of delta levees. CALFED has also elected not to address permitting (streamlining) issues, deciding to focus on more concrete aspects of their mandate, although CALFED has been and will continue to be integral to this process. Contra Costa County has been instrumental in establishment of a Delta LTMS, (essentially a sediment management plan for the delta), intended to set the stage for large scale levee rehabilitation, dredging and disposal (including beneficial reuse) over the long term. A critical component of the process is consideration of methods to streamline the permitting process. If significant funding was found today, significant levee work could not occur, largely due to conflicts among agencies with differing mandates to protect the delta. A key component is the collaborative process whereby all relevant stakeholders and agencies convene, prepare a plan and implement the plan, much as was done in the Bay area in the 1990's to address dredging, disposal and beneficial reuse of dredged materials. This plan was quite successful,with most dredged sediments used for levees, and wetlands re- creation projects in the larger bay area. Because of its broad array of stakeholders, it is hoped that a broad political base will be established to help garner significant future funding for levee work. To date, the County remains the primary proponent of this project in federal lobbying efforts. The County was able to aid the Corps in finding $500,000 in federal seed money for the Corps to start the project in 2005, and this project was 2nd on the County's federal legislativep latform for federal 2006 dollars. Federal 2006 funding for this project has proved to be elusive; the House provided only$250,000 in its Energy&Water Appropriations bill,which the Senate removed. We hope the House-Senate conference will add back in the necessary funds($1 million) for this project. The Delta LTMS process has begun, with a small group of the core agencies meeting to provide-initial planning for the project. The Corps is planning a kick-off meeting for the fall, and is hiring a firm to organize and facilitate this effort. Some initial studies are also being initiated (delta testing protocols, soils & water assessments) to provide necessary information to help the agencies move ahead. The Department of Water Resources (et al) Delta Risk Assessment Strategy The Risk Assessment Strategy is a compilation of a number of ongoing, concurrent studies that, over the next two years will provide necessary information to provide evaluation of risk associated with levee failure over the next 50 years. An outgrowth of CALFED's 2000 Record of Decision,the study is being undertaken by several agencies working in concert; DWR (as lead) the Corps, and the Department of Fish and Game, in conjunction with CALFED. Hazard and risk associated with continuing subsidence, sea level rise, earthquake potential, etc. will be addressed, to name a few factors. Identification of probable consequences of several levee failure scenarios, identification of highest risk areas, specific levee information, priorities for maintenance, land use changes that could reduce risk, evaluation of alternatives to levee maintenance (ecosystem enhancement), ecos , short and long term actions, and a number of other items will be included. s Board of Supervisors August 2, 2005 Page 3 The CALFED Bay-Delta Reauthorization Act The CALFED Bay Delta Reauthorization Act, passed in January 2004, among other things, requires the Corps to complete three studies before$90,000,000 may be appropriated and spent on levee rehabilitation activities. The first study is the collaborative risk assessment study described above; the second is a Levee Stability Reconstruction Projects and Priorities Report, and the third, and Delta Levee Emergency and Response Plan. Despite the fact that the legislation called for these reports to be completed within 180 days, the Corps did not receive funding to do these studies, and subsequently did not initiate these studies. After strong urging and discussion regarding the importance of these studies by the County, the Corps has agreed to begin this work, and funding has been forthcoming (so far)as part of the federal 2006 Energy and Water Appropriation Bill,due to Senator Feinstein. This is particularly important, as DWR cannot complete the Risk Assessment Study without federal funding support. Bethel Island Levee Issues Bethel Island is one of the eight western delta islands, which if flooded, has disastrous implications not just to its residents, but to water quality in the delta, and subsequently to 2l3rds of California (five of the eight western delta islands are located within Contra Costa County). Primary problems encountered at Bethel Island include the inability to obtain FEMA disaster assistance funding for emergency work, and the eventual need to bring the remainder of the levees up to PL 84-99 standards, or better. It appears that the FEMA issue is in the process of being resolved, due to levees now meeting FEMA standards, and due to significant work on this issue from Congresswoman Tauscher's office. BIMID (Bethel Island Municipal Improvement District) is struggling with the same issues as man of the Reclamation Districts; how to obtain funding for much-needed levee rehab work. State funding is minimal, and we are years away from a significant level of federal funding, as described above. Currently, DWR is using funds from its Subventions Program for the Risk Assessment Study, resulting in availability of even less assistance from the state. The provision of needed federal.funds to DWR from the Corps in 2006 will subsequently allow more funding from Subventions to Reclamation Districts, providing some relief.