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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 01171984 - WC.2 TO BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: WATER COMMITTEE Contra DATE: January 17,1984 Costa County SUBJECT: Approval of Contra Costa County Water Agency Statement for Joint Legislative Hearing Concerning the Delta and State-Wide Water Resources Development Specific Requests or Recommendations & Background & Justification RECOMMENDATION 1. Approve the statement concerning the County's position on various water issues for presentation at the Joint Legislative Hearing concerning the Delta and State-wide water resources development on January 18, 1984. 2. Authorize Supervisor McPeak to present the statement at the hearing. BACKGROUND The hearing is sponsored by the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife and Senate Agriculture and Water Resources Committees of the State Legislature. The hearing in Sacramento is the last hearing in a series of joint committee hearings held in various locations throughout the State. The subject matter for the Sacramento hearing is the Delta and State-wide water resources development. The statement for the Board as governing board of the Contra Costa County Water Agency, has been reviewed -by the Water Committee. The statement is consistent with the Water Agency's "New Water Ethics of the 1980's," and the Delta Water Transport Policy Statement. Continued on attachment: X yes Signature: Recommendation of County Administrator X Recommendation of Board Committee Approve Other: Signature(s): Sunne Wright McPeak Tom Torlakson Action of Board on: January 17 , 1984 Approved as Recommended X - Other_ Vote of Supervisors I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN X Unanimous (Absent ) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE Ayes: Noes: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON DATE SHOWN. Absent: Abstain: Attested January 17 , 1984 Orig. Div.: Public Works - EC J.R. OLSSON, COUNTY CLERK AND cc: County Administrator EX OFFICIO CLERK OF THE BOARD Director of Planning DEPUTY .elly' R. Uaihoun DBO:BdOr.WA.stmnt.13.t1 384 r , Statement by the Contra Costa County Mater Agency Before the Senate- Agriculture and Water Resources Committee and the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee Concerning the Delta and Statewide Water Resources Development January 18, 1984 The Contra Costa County Water Agency is governed by the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County. The Delta and further development of Statewide water resources is of great importance to Contra Costa County. Our County includes both the Bay and the Delta and essentially all the water for all uses in the County either comes from the Delta or goes through the Delta. We are also concerned about the fish and wildlife and recreation resources which are a Statewide resource and are an economic resource for Bay/Delta counties. It appears that 1984 will be- a year of action for water issues. We have seen many efforts to reconcile past differences and work together toward common goals. An example of this is the Committee for Water Policy Consensus made up from representatives from Bay and Delta counties and the Delta Emergency Task Force which addressed the levee rehabilitation issue. There is also a new administration in both the Department of Water Resources and the Bureau of Reclamation. All these efforts hopefully will result in development of policies which will assure that the water needs of the entire State are met while preserving the environmental resources of the State. Presented by Supervisor Sunne Wright McPeak on behalf of the Board of Supervisors, Contra Costa County, Ex Officio Governing Board of the Contra Costa County Water Agency. t 385. General Water Policy We believe that there is enough water in the State of California to meet all water needs, if the water is used efficiently and facilities are developed to transport and store the water when surplus water is available. We encourage use of the water banking concept. Surplus water in wet years should be stored in both off-stream surface and groundwater storage facilities. The water banking concept is critical in order to increase the yield of the water projects, while protecting water related resources. Groundwater management is a major part of the water banking concept. We believe that the California agricultural community is practicing groundwater management. Long-term groundwater management plans should be adopted by local agencies. If local agencies do not take the initiative to do so, it may be appropriate for the State to step in. Water conservation should be an integral part of local and Statewide water policy planning. We are pleased that Legislation was passed during the 1983 session concerning urban water conservation plans. We feel there is a need for similar measures for conservation in all sectors. We acknowledge that California agriculture, for the most part, practices state-of-the-art water conservation where it is practical to do so. The requirement for agricultural water conservation plans should not be perceived as a threat to agriculture, but as a means to shoe: and demonstrate the efforts that they are undertaking to conserve water and their practice of conjunctive use of ground- water and surface water. Conservation plans should be developed and imple :ented locally. 3'8s The Coordinated Operations Agreement between the State Water Project and the Central Valley Project is a very significant step towards resolving the State's water problems. If' the agreement is the vehicle whereby the Federal Government acknowledges their responsibility to abide by the regulations of the State and provide for salinity control, water quality, and fish and wildlife responsibilities, the agreement should be supported. However, the current draft of the agreement contains Decision 1485 water quality standards. Contra Costa County and others do not feel that these standards are adequate to protect the Bay and Delta. We will not be able to support the Coordinated Operations Agreement if the upgrading of standards is not included and anticipated. Water pricing reforms must include the objective that the users should pay the full cost of the water. If subsidies are to be provided, they should be explicitly identified and justified. It is important to differentiate the financial participation in projects by the State and Federal Government for general state and federal public project benefits from direct subsidies benefiting a select group. We also support the concept of a water market system which allows for transfers of water. We encourage exchanges like that proposed between Imperial Irrigation District and Metropolitan Water District. Fish and wildlife resources should be restored to historical levels. The selected transfer alternative must provide mitigation at the highest level possible and there must be a commitment from the State and Federal Government for additional mitigation measures to restore the fisheries to historical levels. Other instream uses , such as for recreation must also be protected. It is the obligation of the State and Federal Government to 'provide for this protection. 387 Bay/Delta Issues The Bay/Delta system is a Statewide resource, and must be considered as a Statewide resource in water policy decisions. Further, management of California's water resources must put "policy before plumbing." It is critical that water quality standards for the Bay be established and the Delta standards be upgraded. Several studies underway to determine what are the water needs of the Bay and Delta. There is enough information available now to establish interim standards until the detailed studies are completed. The interim standards should provide protection for the Bay and Delta greater than the protections in Decision 1485, whicr: "h=_s. not stopped the decline of Bay/Delta resources. Bay/Delta standards must- be esi.okli !.shed with enabling legislation for any type of export project construction. The standards must guarantee water quality and be enforceable. The exist-:;: situation in the Delta is not acceptable and we. will continue to oppose isolated systems such as the Peripheral Canal. Our support for a non-isolated Delta Water transfer project will be based on meeting all of the following criteria outline below. We will not cooperate with any of the negotiations regarding Delta transfer until there is clear evidence and concrete action on the part of the State to adopt improved "policy" before once again dwelling upon "plumbing. " Below are essential components of improved water management policy - a needed "New Water Ethic" for California which must precede construction of additional plumbing. 1. Establishment of Bay/Delta standards as discussed above with appropriate protection in the Constitution, a Coordinated Operations Agreement, and contracts. 388 2. A commitment" to restoration of the fishery resources to historical levels. This should be done by maintaining the entrapment zone at an optimal location during critical fish periods, curtailing pumping at the Delta pumping plants during critical fishery periods, natural habitat restoration, improvements in fish screens, and continuing studies. 3. Establishment of a comprehensive levee restoration program. 4. A, Federalcommitment towards water quality control, probably through the Coordinated Operations Agreement. The Federal Government should participate in funding the Delta Water Transfer project because it benefits from the improved water quality. _ 5. Authorization of projects to implement the water banking concept and provide storage south of the Delta. 6. The project must be paid by thebeneficiaries of the water. If subsidies are provided, they must be identified and justified. 7. Enhanced protections for areas and counties of origin. It appears that that Delta Water Transfer Project will be packaged with legislation concerning a comprehensive levee rehabilitation program. We are encouraged that the State has offered to be the local sponsor for a Federal levee program. We also support the State's efforts toward funding a levee maintenance program ►,pith the Tidelands oil revenues. We feel that it is vital that all of the islands in the Delta are included in the levee program. Bradford Island which failed in December of last 389 year, was not included in the recommended plan by the Corps of Engineers. There is obviously a need to look at the Delta from a systems point of view. We believe that this concept of the inter-dependency of Delta islands will be shown in a report soon to be issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's levee failure study. We encourage the Department of Water Resources to actively work with local agencies in the Delta to proceed with the levee restoration program as soon as possible. We will continue to monitor the Suisun Marsh protection issues in order to ensure that this great resource is fully protected. We are also monitoring the San Luis Drain proposal. The Drain is proposed to discharge off-shore in Contra Costa County. We -are opposed to the Drain, but we are open toward works-ng with the Bureau of Reclamation and other agencies to develop alternatives. We hope that this statement familiarizes you with the posture of the Contra Costa County Water Agency on these very important issues. We look forward to working with your Committees on water issues during the upcoming legislative session. We encourage you to hold hearings similar to this in the San Francisco Bay area as a means of providing convenient and full opportunity for public input and comments. o ` ` 390