HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 03232010 - C.119RECOMMENDATION(S):
REFER the attached Petition for Temporary Transfer of Water from the Delta Farms/Delta
Wetlands Properties to Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to the
Transportation, Water & Infrastructure Committee, for consideration of a possible Board
position on water transfers.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No Fiscal Impact
BACKGROUND:
Currently, the Board of Supervisors does not have a policy related to temporary water
transfers, and there are a number of questions related to these transfers that should be
considered. Water transfers of this type have historically been allowed by the state to
introduce additional flexibility into the water supply system, particularly during drought
years. However, recent examples of water transfers have exposed egregious examples of
water-transfer-for-profit, such as Kern County’s multi-million dollar sale of water back to
the state (at taxpayers expense) for environmental uses in 2009. In this case, it appears the
state pumped significant amounts of water
APPROVE OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
Action of Board On: 03/23/2010 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
Clerks Notes:
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
AYE:John Gioia, District I
Supervisor
Gayle B. Uilkema, District II
Supervisor
Susan A. Bonilla, District IV
Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V
Supervisor
ABSENT:Mary N. Piepho, District III
Supervisor
Contact: R. Goulart (925)
335-1226
I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the
Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: March 23, 2010
David J. Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors
By: June McHuen, Deputy
cc: Roberta Goulart, Steve Goetz, Sharon Anderson
C.119
To:Board of Supervisors
From:Supervisor Uilkema - District 2
Date:March 23, 2010
Contra
Costa
County
Subject:Refer Issue of Temporary Water Transfers to the Transportation,Water and Infrastructure Committee
BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)
south (to the detriment of the Delta) only to buy much of it back. Should these types of
water transfers continue to be allowed to occur? If so, under what circumstances? Are the
impacts of fallowing agricultural land being considered? What are the laws governing
water rights and water transfers and are they being contemplated for change under the
recently-enacted state water legislative package?
Attached is a Petition for Temporary Water Transfer from Delta Farms/Delta Wetlands
(Webb Tract), to transfer 4,500 acre-feet of water to the Metropolitan Water District of
Southern California for a second year. An examination by the Transportation, Water &
Infrastructure Committee of the impacts to the Delta and taxpayers from ‘temporary’
water transfers is recommended, and the potential to comment as part of this process
should be examined. Consultation with County Counsel on water rights implications is
also contemplated. There are a great number of questions related to a transfer of this kind,
particularly given the changing landscape of water in California.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
ATTACHMENTS
Petition for Transfer for Water/Water Rights