Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 01162007 - C.45 Contra Costa TO: TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS County sTq'cou K` FROM: TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE Supervisor Federal Glover, Chair �— Supervisor Mary N. Piepho DATE: January 16, 2007 SUBJECT: Report on Delta Levee and Water Issues SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION ACCEPT Report on delta levee and water issues, as recommended by the Transportation, Water & Infrastructure Committee. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact to the County from the abovementioned action. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR x RECOMMENDATION'0F BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): S ervisor Federal Glover, Chair ervi or Ma N. Pie ho ACTION OF BOARD 6N APPRO AS RECOMMENDED OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE UNANIMOUS (ABSENT c _) 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. Contact: Roberta Goulart (925) 335-1226) ATTESTED cc: Community Development Department (CDD) JOHN CULLEN, CLERK OF County Administrator's Office (CAO) THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BY , DEPUTY Report on Delta Levee and Water Issues January 16, 2007 Page 2 of 5 REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION/BACKGROUND On December 11, 2006 the Transportation, Water & Infrastructure Committee met and discussed the following report, requesting that it be forwarded to the Board. Proposition 1 E —the Disaster Preparedness and Flood Prevention Bond Act of 2006 The recently-passed levee bond (1 E) has $3 billion slated for levee repair in the delta, among other items. These funds are to be expended for the following; a) evaluation, repair, rehabilitation, reconstruction, or replacement of levees, weirs, bypasses and facilities of the State Plan of Flood Control. b) improving or adding facilities to the State Plan of Flood Control to increase levels of flood protection for urban areas, and c) reducing the risk of levee failure in the delta. Reference is made to the delta levee maintenance subventions program and special flood protection projects, (programs encompassing all levees in the delta). Where there is general language in the bond referring to "reducing the risk of levee failure in the delta", there is no specific language that assures funding forthe western and central delta levees outside the state plan of flood control. Western and central delta island levees protect the Delta from salinity intrusion, protecting water supply for most of the state, as well as critical infrastructure, agriculture and other, populated areas. The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has prepared an Expenditure Plan, which would provide some detail on how funds would be spent. DWR is not releasing details on the Expenditure Plan; it will be released as part of the state budget, by January 10th. DWR is also preparing a framework document that considers goals and guiding principals addressing flood management statewide. DWR recognizes that urban areas need higher levels of protection. The legislature will be providing bills which provide policy guidance related to these funds, and the legislature will review the expenditure plan as part of the budget process. Levee and flood control legislation introduced and not dealt with last year is being re-introduced, some of which will be tied to bond funding. A Levee Coalition Supervisor Piepho addressed the Delta Protection Commission regarding their participation in a Coalition to advocate for Proposition 1 E funding specifically for western and central delta levees. County staff has been following up with initial outreach to other agencies and organizations: to date there has been interest from the Contra Costa Council, the Bay Planning Coalition, the Delta Protection Commission, EBMUD, CCWD, the Central Delta Water Agency, Solano County and the California Waterfowl Association. Report on Delta Levee and Water Issues January 16, 2007 Page 3 of 5 The agency coalition will lobby for up to $1 Billion in funding as well as legislative language specifically adding all levees in the Delta (including those levees outside the state plan of flood control). It is anticipated that a letter campaign, involvement by our lobbyists and visits to bay and delta legislators would be primary goals for early 2007. The Levee Coalition is open to all agencies and organizations who would like to participate. Proposition 84 Levee Funding The Department of Water Resources is providing an expenditure plan to be included in the budget for this bond as well. Proposition 84 funding is more explicitly laid out in the ballot language. DWR indicates this is a five year bond, with funding directed to flood control projects, but also a total of $275 million directed to the larger delta. Of that $275 million, DWR is considering dividing funds per year ($55 million/year). Of that 3.5% goes to bond financing, $8 million/year goes to state operations, $12 million/year goes to the delta levee subventions program (which they feel would pretty well tap out the ability of the reclamation districts to come up with their 25% funding match) and $33 million/year for special projects (these funds have generally been used for the 8 western delta islands, but now will be broadened to encompass the entire delta). Delta Long Term Management Strategy (LTMS) The Delta LTMS process is essentially a sediment management plan for the delta, and is intended to help set the stage for large scale levee rehabilitation, dredging and disposal (including beneficial reuse of dredged materials on levees). A critical component of the process is consideration of methods to streamline the permitting process, solving conflicts among agencies with differing mandates to protect the delta. Another key component is an agency- driven collaborative process whereby all relevant stakeholders and agencies convene, prepare a plan and implement the plan, as was done quite successfully in the Bay area in the 1990's to address dredging, disposal and beneficial reuse of dredged materials. Finally, scientific study of delta sediments,water quality and other relevant aspects of the delta will allow more certainty in decision-making by permitting agencies. This process has been steadily moving ahead, (led by the Army Corps of Engineers), with the state and federal agencies meeting since July 2005 to organize the structure and provide a framework document. Stakeholders became involved in September 2006, with a formal kick-off meeting of the (agency) Executive Committee convening at the CALFED Science Conference October 24, 2006. A key short-term component of this process will be the establishment of a Sediment Management Office (or dredged material management office) a restructuring of the multi-agency permit process expected to be implemented in 2007. A Work Plan is to be released soon which will provide more detail on the process, priorities, timelines and other relevant information. Report on Delta Levee and Water Issues January 16, 2007 Page 4 of 5 The Delta LTMS has a website www.deltaltms.com which details the history of the process, the committee structure, meeting calendar, relevant documents and most recently, the scope of various technical committees. Delta Risk Management Study (DRMS) The Delta Risk Management Strategy (DRMS), led by the Department of Water Resources, is the first comprehensive study of its kind, which will look at major risks to Delta resources from floods, seepage, subsidence, and earthquakes. The DRMS will also evaluate effects and develop recommendations to mitigate these risks. Initial Technical Framework (ITF) papers, initial frameworks to guide work on topics such as earthquakes, subsidence, and climate change can be found on the DRMS website; http://www.drms.water.ca.govl The schedule calls for a final report to be prepared by November 2007 (the public will be allowed to review and comment on these reports). The DRMS report is planned to provide some level of scientific basis for decisions on sustainability of the delta as part of the Delta Vision. Delta Vision Established through legislation and Governor's Executive Order in 2006, the Delta Vision is intended to identify a strategy for managing the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta as a sustainable ecosystem that would continue to support environmental and economic functions that are critical to the people of California. The process structure calls for a Delta Vision Committee comprised of the Governor's Secretaries of Resources, Business Housing and Transportation, Food and Agriculture, and the CA Environmental Protection Agency. A Blue Ribbon Task Force will be appointed by the Governor, and a stakeholder group is being selected. The Delta Vision Committee had an initial meeting November 27, 2006. No committee selections were announced at that time. Additional information can be found at the website www.deltavision.ca.gov Other related programs The University of the Pacific has a natural resources program that is considering some of the tougher questions that the Delta Vision process will be grappling with, and hoping to provide some perspective, perhaps even bringing problem-solving abilities to bear on thorny issues such as land use and flood control, financing (and governance), and liability issues in the Delta. This program has opportunities for interested agencies/organizations to participate. Report on Delta Levee and Water Issues January 16, 2007 Page 5 of 5 Peripheral Canal and other legislation Senator Simitian has re-introduced his bill (SB 27) calling for a bond to finance a peripheral canal. Senator Torlakson has introduced (SB 34) a "beneficiaries pay" bill for continuing levee improvements. In this bill the levee bond 1 E priorities will be tied to the beneficiary pays system. Most of the flood control legislation that was not dealt with by the legislature in its last session is in the process of being re-introduced. Included is AB 70 (Jones)which imposes joint liability on a county where development is approved behind a "project" levee (primarily central valley levees). SB 5 (Machado) would institute a comprehensive flood policy and flood management program, integrating flood funding from the bonds with the management program. AB 5 (Wolk) would create central valley (local) flood protection plans, grants to develop plans, and the prohibition of new development approvals in high-risk, flood-prone areas, unless (unspecified as yet) conditions are met.