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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 11061984 - W.2 Contra Costa TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS County FROM: WATER COMMITTEE County DATE: November 6, 1984 SUBJECT: Authorization of Statements for the Contra Costa County Water Agency Specific Requests or Recommendations & Background & Justification RECOMMENDATION 1. Approve statement for submittal to the State Water Resources Control Board concerning the Triennial Review of the Water Quality Control Plan for the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta on November 7, 1984. 2. Request staff to monitor the November 14, 1984 hearing of the Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committee concerning completion of the State Water Project. 3. Approve statement before the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee concerning the San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Drainage and the Kesterson Reservoir on November 16, 1984, to be given by Daniel Pellegrini , Chair, Fish and Wildlife Study Committee. BACKGROUND The State Water Resources Control Board is holding a hearing concerning the Triennial Review of the Water Quality Control Plan for the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Marsh. This is the second triennial review of the Plan and Decision 1485 which was promul- gated in 1978. The attached statement calls for the setting of interim standards for the Delta and Bay to protect the water quality and fish and wildlife resources. The Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committeee has scheduled an interim hearing on the completion of the State Water Project. Based on past experiences, it is possible that this hearing will be canceled. However, if it is not canceled, the Water Agency staff should attend the hearing to monitor testimony presented. The Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife is holding a hearing concerning San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Drainage and the Kesterson Reservoir to determine the roles of various federal, state, and local agencies, and private entities in resolving the critical problem of San Joaquin Valley drainage. The attached statement calls for consideration of in-Valley alternatives and reiterates the County's position in opposition of discharge of the San Luis Drain into the Delta. Continued on attachment: yes Signature: Recommendation of County Administrator Recommendation of Board Committee Approve Other: 1 A !3/ Signature(s): �� � _,J0 �- Action of Board on: 6 1904 Approved as Recommended ✓Other Vote of Supervisors I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN Unanimous (Absent ) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE Ayes: Noes: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON DATE SHOWN. Absent: Abstain: DBO:cl - wc.bo.auth.statemnts.tll Attested N OV 6 19A4 Orig. Div.: Public Works - EC PHIL BATCHE , CLERK cc: County Administrator OF THE BOARD AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR By , DEPUTY ERK u�'n�ZJ J Statement of the Contra Costa County Mater Agency Before the State Water Resources Control Board Concerning the Second Triennial Review of the Water Quality Control Plan for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Marsh November 7, 1984 The Contra Costa County Water Agency has historically fought for adequate water quality standards in the San Francisco Bay/Delta estuary system. The Water Quality Control Plan and Decision 1485 are not adequate to protect the water quality, nor the fish and wildlife values of the Bay/Delta system. This has been evidenced by the decline of fish and wildlife resources and the fact that water quality concerns still remain in the Delta. The Contra Costa County Water Agency feels that the Water Quality Control Plan and Decision 1485 should be revised immediately. New hearings should be opened leading to interim standards for the Delta and the Bay pending completion of various studies in 1986. The interim standards are needed to prevent further decline of fish, wildlife and water quality. Although hearings are planned to start in 1986, the actual revision of the Delta Plan and Decision 1485 may not be completed until several years later. Interim standards are needed now to protect the Bay and Delta until permanent standards can be adopted. We acknowledge that information is lacking to set definitive standards on all water quality parameters. However, we do feel that there is enough new information to create some interim standards for the Bay/Delta system. Although appeals have ,been filed, the Superior Court decision on the Delta Plan and Decision 1485 calls for such a reconsideration. At the minimum, the State Water Resources Control Board should immediately set selected interim standards. Public hearings would provide an opportunity to determine what standards should be adopted by the Board. The State Water Resources Control Board also has existing authority to develop a Water Quality Control Plan fro San Francisco Bay that would include standards for Bay water quality. The Board should open hearings to establish interim standards for the Bay, either together with the reconsideration of the Delta Plan or separately. One interim standard that should be adopted concerns pulse (unregu- lated) flows for San Francisco Bay. Documentation of the needs for these pulse flows are found in the report of the four-agency Delta Outflow Study commissioned by the Board (entitled: "Effects of Freshwater outflow on San Francisco Bay Biological Resources," July 1983) . Interim standards should include minimum pulse flows to stratify Central and South San Francisco Bay. Stratification has been found to be important to biological resources in the Bay/Delta system. Additional standards are needed to protect the fishery in the Delta. Standards should be set to modify Delta export pumping schedules so that they will be more Authorize by the Board of Supervisors, Contra Costa County, Ex Officio Governing Board of the Contra Costa County Water Agency. 000259 • zq 2 sensitive to fish migrations and the need to keep the habitat in the Delta productive for biological life. Improvements also should be made to the fish ! screening and salvaging equipment at Clifton Court Forebay and at the Federal CVP pumping plant. Another factor that should encourage the Board to open hearings is the presence of high levels of selenium in the agricultural drainage effluent from the San Joaquin Valley. The San Joaquin Valley watershed drains into the Delta and Bay and could be one of the causes for the decline of fish and wildlife and water quality over the years. Further investigation is needed to determine what the effects of selenium and other toxics, pesticides, and herbicides are on Delta water quality. If possible, interim standards should also be set for these pollutants. The Contra Costa County Water Agency looks forward to cooperating with the State Water Resources Control Board in developing adequate standards .for the Bay and Delta system. DBO:cl Nov. 1, 1984 WA.statement.swrcb.tll 00020® OA-53F Statement by the Contra Costa County Nater Agency Before the Assembly Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife Concerning San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Drainage and the Kesterson Reservoir November 16, 1984 Contra Costa County has been historically, and continues to be, opposed to discharge of agricultural drainage from the San Joaquin Valley into the San Francisco Bay/Delta estuary. Our main concern is that the Bay/Delta estuary not be degraded any further. There are many misconceptions circulating that the Bay and Delta are much healthier water systems than they were in the past. This statement is not accurate. Although sewage and industrial discharges have been improved over the years, the biological resources of the Bay and Delta have significantly declined. Also, the water quality concerns that Contra Costa County has had over the years still remain. Discharge of agricultural drainage into the San Francisco Bay/Delta estuary is a risk that should not be taken. We are concerned about the effects of toxics, pesticides, heavy metals, and other drainage water constituents on water quality. This concern was realized by the recent discovery of high levels of selenium in the agricultural drainage water. There may be other drainage water constituents, of which we are not currently aware, that could have major detrimental impacts on the Bay/Delta water quality. It is also important to look beyond the immediate topic of the San Luis Drain. Further investigation should be initiated as to whether or not agricultural land in the San Joaquin Valley can be economically farmed. The changes in water pricing due to the 1982 Reclamation Reform Act and the cost of treating/disposing of drainage effluent should be considered into the cost of producing crops in the San Joaquin Valley. Additionally, the need for the crops grown in the San Joaquin Valley, in light of agricultural surpluses and subsidy programs, should also be thoroughly evaluated. We may come to the conclusion that, after taking into consideration all cost factors, both economic and environmental, that it is not to society's Fest interest to farm portions of the San Joaquin Valley. Taking marginal land out of production will reduce the amount of agricultural drainage generated and also reduce the water requirements for the San Joaquin Valley. Desalinization of drainage water in order to recycle water and produce energy from solar brine ponds should be thoroughly investigated. We understand pre- Presented by Daniel Pellegrini, Chair, Contra Costa County Fish and Wildlife Study Committee, on behalf of the Board of Supervisors, Contra Costa County, Ex Officio Governing Board of the Contra Costa County Water Agency. Authorized by the Board of Supervisors on November 6, 1984. 000261 j 2 liminary research has found that this option may be cost-effective compared to discharge into the Bay/Delta estuary. Desalinization also has the benefits of not creating potential problems in the Bay/Delta, system and providing a new source of water and energy for the San Joaquin Valley. In summary, we recommend that the Legislature advocate that the following action take place: 1. That local government (county level ) be included in the study team that will coordinate the various investigations into the San Joaquin Valley agricultural drainage options. 2. A comprehensive look at the economics of farming in the San Joaquin Valley be undertaken to determine the true costs of irrigated crops. 3. A full analysis of in-valley treatment and disposal alternatives be considered before discharge into the San Francisco Bay/Delta estuary be considered. Contra Costa County looks forward to working with the Legislature on this very important issue. DBO:cl WA.statement.16nov.tll 06026