HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05221984 - W.2 4' -
Contra
Costa
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS County
FROM: WATER COMMITTEE
DATE: May 22, 1984
SUBJECT: Water Committee Report on Proposed Legislation
Specific Requests or Recommendations & Background & Justification
RECOMMENDATION
1. The Board of Supervisors, as Governing Board of the Contra Costa County Water Agency,
take the following positions on the legislation listed below:
AB 2807 - Water Hyacinth Control (5/15/84) - Support
AB 3542 - State Water Projects: Non-Reimbursable Costs (4/4/84) - Support
AB 3626 - Groundwater Recharge Facilities Financing (4/5/84) - Support
AB 3631 - San Francisco Bay: Protection (2/17/84) - Support
AB 3758 - Water Studies: Sacramento River (4/4/84) - Support
AB 3907 - California Water Fund: Appropriation (4/4/84) - Support
SB 1369 - Water Facilities (4/11/84) - Oppose, unless substantially amended to include
better water quality protection and fish and wildlife protection guarantees
(reiteration of previous position)
SB 2196 - Flood Control : Delta Levees (3/26/84) - Support
2. The Board endorse the efforts of the Committee for Water Policy Consensus to negotiate
environmental protections for the Bay and Delta into pending legislation.
BACKGROUND
The Water Committee, at its meeting of May 21, 1984, considered each of the proposed legis-
lative bills and examined the rationale that justified the above-stated position for consis-
tepcy with the County' s established water policy. The Committee noted that the bills
in the Governor's Water Legislation Program (AB 3542, AB 3626, AB 3631, AB 3758, AB 3907,
SB 1369, and SB 2196) may be double-joined, meaning all the bills must pass or none will
become effective.
At the May 16, 1984 meeting of the Committee for Water Policy Consensus, the Committee
appointed a subcommittee to develop environmental protections that may be included into
pending water legislation to assure protection of the Bay and Delta. The Committee for
Water Policy Consensus intends to negotiate protections with the appropriate parties.
The attached report summarizes the position of the Water Agency on the specific bills
in more detail. _
Continued on attachment: yes Signature:
Recommendation of County Administrator X Recommendation of Board Committee
ApproveOther:
1--r-21 _R0
Signature(s): Sunne Wright McPeak Tom Torlaks.on
Action of Board on: Approved as Recommended_ Other_
Vote' of Supervisors I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
X Unanimous (Absent 7T ) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE
Ayes: Noes: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON DATE SHOWN.
Absent: Abstain:
Attested ��l a a� 9 8
Orig. Div.: Public Works (EC) J.R. M-SSON, OOKrY CLERK AND
cc: County Administrator EX OFFICIO aiff OFI I=
County Legis. Delegation(via EC) tet' 7
wc.bo.legis.rpt-22may.t5 ,
By. DEPUTY
r
Contra Costa Public Works
Environmental Control
_ 5-21
Summary Report #6
POSITIONS OF THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY WATER AGENCY
ON SELECTED 1983-1984 WATER LEGISLATION
Approved May 22, 1984
AB 2807 - CAMPBELL - WATER HYACINTH CONTROL - 5/15/84
Summary
This bill would would appropriate $80,000 through the Department of Boating
and Waterways to Contra Costa County for a mechanical harvesting water
hyacinth control project during 1984-85.
Recommended Position
Support.
Rationale
The funds appropriated by this bill will be used by Contra Costa County
to mechanically harvest water hyacinths in the Rock Slough and Old River
area that will not be sprayed in the overall water hyacinth control program.
The Public Works Department prefers that the State Department of Boating
and Waterways perform the mechanical harvesting, but the Department of
Boating and Waterways has refused. Contra Costa County is the next logical
agency to conduct mechanical harvesting. Staff has indicated to the Legislature
that the Public Works Department is willing to administer the project.
This bill is consistent with County policy on water hyacinth control.
AB 3542 - KATZ - STATE WATER PROJECTS: NON-REIMBURSABLE COSTS - 4/4/84
Summar
This bill would declare legislative intent that certain Tideland funds
are to be expended to mitigate impacts in the Delta caused by diverters
other than the State Water Project or the Federal Central Valley Project.
AB 3907 appropriates $3 million of Tideland Oil revenues for funding this
bill.
Recommended Position
Support.
Rationale
This bill recognizes that the State Water Project and the Central Valley
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Project are not the only diverters of water from the Delta, ' therefore,
they should not necessarily be required to mitigate all impacts in the
Delta from water diversions.
AB 3626 - AREIAS - GROUNDWATER RECHARGE FACILITIES FINANCING - 4/5/84
Summary
This bill establishes a groundwater recharge facilities financing program
which disburses grants and loans to qualifying agencies to plan and construct
groundwater recharge facilities. AB 3907 appropriates $7 million from
Tideland Oil Funds for the first year of this program.
Recommended Position
Support.
Rationale
This bill is consistent with the County's Policy on encouraging groundwater
management and conjunctive use of surface and groundwater. The bill does
not go as far as to require groundwater management plans for overdrafted
areas. A comprehensive groundwater management plan requirement is still
needed for overdrafted areas, but this bill is a positive step forward.
AB 3631 - BROWN - SAN FRANCISCO BAY: PROTECTION - 2/17/84
Summary
This bill provides for coordination of studies and investigations related
to water quality of the Bay and requires the State Water Resources Control
Board to set standards to protect the Bay. The bill requires the State
Board to report to the Legislature by July 1, 1985 with a comprehensive
review of all existing data on water quality standards for the protection
of the Bay. The bill would also require the State Board to establish a
monitoring program to evaluate the effectiveness of the standards to be
adopted under the bill . The bill requires the State Board, by January
1, 1987, to adopt standards for the protection of the Bay.
Recommended Position
Support.
Rationale
This bill is consistent with the County policy that protections for San
Francisco Bay are necessary. The bill does not go as far as to require
immediate interim standards for the Bay, but outlines an adequate time
line for development of permanent standards.
AB 3758 - NERGER - WATER STUDIES: SACRAMENTO RIVER - 4/4/84
Summary
This bill requires the Department of Water Resources to conduct studies
of the Sacramento River and its tributaries north of Sacramento. The studies
are to include watershed hydrologic inventories and studies of water sources
and supplies to meet local needs, flood control , water quality, seepage
and erosion control, fishery restoration, and preservation of riparian
habitat. AB 3907 would appropriate $1.3 million from Tideland Oil Funds
for this bill.
Recommended Position
Support.
Rationale
It appears that this bill was introduced to gain support of Northern Sacramento
Valley interests for the Governor's Water Program. This bill is not incon-
sistent with County policy supporting rights of areas of origin.
AB 35107 - COSTA - CALIFORNIA WATER FUND: APPROPRIATION - 4/4/84
Summary
This bill appropriates from Tideland Oil Funds $25 million for the following
programs:
1. A Delta Levee Subventions Program as outlined in SB 2196 - $10 million.
2. A Groundwater Recharge Financing Program as outlined in AB 3626 -
$7 million.
3. A program for local protection and planning assistance for the Sacramento
River and its tributaries north of Sacramento as outlined in
AB 3758 - $1.9 million.
4. Funding for riparian vegetation site acquisition for flood control
and channel clearing and de-snagging - $500,000.
5. Funding for operation and maintenance of the Los Banos De-salting
Facility - $2.6 million.
b. Funding for mitigation for historic upstream depletions affecting
the San Francisco/San Joaquin Delta Estuary as outlined in AB
3542 - $3 million.
Recommended Position
Support.
Rational
This bill funds programs consistent with County policy. Staff has recommended
support for the bills to be funded in this bill.
SB 1369 - AYALA i WATER FACILITIES - 4/11/84
Summary
This bill authorizes the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to construct a
number of facilities for storage and transportation of water.
The bill authorizes DWR to construct north and south Delta water transfer facil-
ities. The north Delta facilities are to be constructed in two stages. The
first stage is to widen and deepen the south fork of the Mokelumne River. The
second stage is construction of the New Hope Cross Channel . The second stage
will be constructed when DWR determines, through operational experience, that
the new channel is necessary. The south Delta facilities consist of widening
and deepening channels near Victoria Island and the enlargement of Clifton Court
Forebay. The bill states that either or both south Delta facilities can be
constructed. The north and south Delta facilities in this bill allow the full
range of combinations of water transfer facilities outlined in DWR's report
entitled "Alternatives for Delta Water Transfer". No specific alternative is
identified as preferred.
The bill states that the objectives of the north and south Delta facilities
are as follows:
1. Reducing channel and levee erosion.
2. Reducing or eliminating reverse flows in the lower San Joaquin River (this
is a benefit to striped bass especially).
3— Improving water quality.
4. Facilitating water conservation (water conservation used this way means
making more water available for use rather than reducing the demand
for water).
5. Improving the efficiency of transferring water across the Delta for export
purposes, including a greater diversion of surplus flows.
6. Reducing pump drawdown.
7. Preserving and increasing fish and wildlife resources.
Concerning the fish and wildlife impacts, the bill states that the Department
shall "use its best efforts to offset project fish and wildlife impacts in the
Delta pursuant to an agreement or agreements between the DWR and the Department
of Fish and Game". An agreement must precede each stage of project construction.
The bill states priority shall be given to natural means of fishery preservation.
The bill also authorizes the following other facilities:
I. Kellogg and Los Vaqueros Reservoirs in Contra Costa County.
2. The Los Banos Grandes Reservoir.
3. Other offstream storage facilities as determined necessary by DWR.
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4. Relocation of the intake of the Contra Costa Canal.
5. Non-specified groundwater storage facilities.
6. Improvement in circulation and water quality in the south Delta.
7. Delivering water from the Central Valley Project to. the service area of
the proposed Mid-Valley Canal (east side of San Joaquin Valley).
Recommended Position
Oppose, unless substantially amended to include better water quality protection
and fish and wildlife protection guarantees.
Rational
This bill is a "plumbing bill". Statewide water policy has not been estab-
lished, therefore, the bill violates the County's position that "policy
must precede plumbing". ' The impact on fish (especially salmon) has not
been well defined by fishery agencies. There is no commitment to restore
fisheries to historical levels.
SB 2196 - BOATWRIGHT - FLOOD CONTROL: DELTA LEVEES - 3/26/84
Summary
This bill contains an interim levee improvement program to upgrade levees
in the Delta until a long-term comprehensive program is established. The
bill requires the Department of Water Resources to develop a program to
maintain and improve levees consistent with the short-term mitigation plan
set forth in the "Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan for the Sacrament-San Joaquin
Delta". The bill changes the existing levee maintenance subsidy program.
Currently, the State funds 50 percent of the costs of levee maintenance
above $1,000 per levee mile. A total of $2 million per year is available
from the State. This bill funds 75 percent of the cost above $2,000 per
levee mile. The bill sets no specific limit on the dollar amount, but
AB. 3907 includes $10 mil)ion for the first year of funding.
Recommended Position
Support.
Rational
This bill is consistent with County policy on a comprehensive levee improvement
program. The bill also establishes an interim program until the comprehensive
long-term program is established.
DBO:cl - 5/22/84
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