ACWA News for June 7, 2013

NEWS

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(From left) Mark Cowin, director of the Department of Water Resources; John Laird, secretary of the Natural Resources Agency; and Beau Goldie, chief executive officer of the Santa Clara Valley Water District, discuss the importance of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan at a news conference in Milpitas where the plan’s draft fiscal analysis and other draft chapters were released. Photo credit: Carl Costas, DWR

State Officials Release Draft of BDCP Fiscal Analysis – $5 Billion Benefit Estimated for Water Users State officials released a draft fiscal analysis of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) in a press conference May 29 in Silicon Valley, revealing estimates that new conveyance facilities in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta could bring a $5 billion net benefit to the agricultural and urban water districts expected to pay for most of the project.

Brown Administration officials have been releasing chapters of an administrative draft of the plan in stages over the past few months.

The plan’s final chapters 8 through 12 were

released Wednesday at a press conference where leaders from business, labor and agricultural sectors joined water officials in stressing the importance of a reliable water supply to California’s economy.

Several speakers at the press conference stressed that doing nothing to improve water conveyance and the ecosystem of the Delta would leave the state vulnerable to natural disasters and unreliable flows that could threaten California’s water supply and economy. Many of BDCP Continued on page 12

ACWA Board Discusses Water Bond and Need for Statewide Water Action Plan at May 31 Meeting Discussions surrounding the 2014 water bond and the need for a comprehensive statewide water action plan were topics at the May 31 meeting of the ACWA Board of Directors in Sacramento.

Executive Director Timothy Quinn recapped recent outreach activities to members regarding the ACWA Board’s decision in March to support a smaller water bond in 2014 that focuses on key statewide priority areas.

Quinn detailed how ACWA’s proposal contains significant funding for areas of importance to ACWA members, including local resources development, Delta ecosystem resto-

ration, storage and assistance for disadvantaged communities. (See box on page 4.)

ACWA’s proposal takes the size of the bond back to the level it was approximately one month before the end of the 2009 state legislative session, according to Quinn.

“The board came to a very commonsense place after a long process,” Quinn said.

ACWA Vice President John Coleman, chair of the association’s California Water Finance Task Force that provided recommendations to the Board regarding a downsized bond, said the association is taking a strong stand opposing statewide fees and is against earmarks as part of ACWA Board Continued on page 4

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Brown Issues Executive Order to Streamline Approval of Water Transfer

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Senate Holds One Delta-Related Bill, Sends Another to Assembly

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Spring Conference & Exhibition Offered Array of Water Programs

10 DSC Adopts

Final Delta Plan, Implementation Begins

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Citing “near-record low precipitation in California this year,” Gov. Jerry Brown on May 20 issued an executive order to streamline approvals for voluntary water transfers in an effort to assist the state’s agricultural industry.

“Agriculture is vital to the health of California’s economy, and this order ensures we’re doing what’s necessary to cope with a very dry year,” Brown wrote in a press release.

Executive Director Timothy Quinn Deputy Executive Director for External Affairs and Operations Jennifer Persike Director of Communications Lisa Lien-Mager Communications Specialist Pamela Martineau Communications Specialist Matt Williams Graphic Designer Katherine Causland Outreach & Social Media Specialist Ellen Martin Copyright 2013. All Rights Reserved.

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2 • ACWA NEWS

Brown Issues Executive Order to Streamline Approval of Water Transfers in Dry Year

Vol. 41 | Digital

Water transfers in dry years allow those who potentially have excess water supplies to sell to those who are short of supplies, providing a valuable economic incentive to both buyer and seller.

The governor’s Executive Order directs the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and the Department of Water Resources (DWR) to expedite the review and processing of voluntary transfers of water and water rights consistent with current law. Under the order, DWR will coordinate State Water Project (SWP) operations to alleviate critical impacts to San Joaquin Valley agriculture.

According to the governor’s announcement, the SWRCB and DWR share responsibilities for the transfer of water in California. The SWRCB reviews and processes water transfer petitions, while DWR has the primary functional responsibility for transferring the water.

“I am grateful that Governor Brown is taking this early, important action to protect California’s agricultural industry,” U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein commented in Brown’s press release. “This Executive Order provides economic benefits across many regions of California. Willing sellers of water will benefit, as will those in the areas of greatest need, while retaining protections for fish, wildlife, and other environmental values.”

Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) also applauded the governor’s announcement.

“With our current water crisis, Governor Brown recognized the need for immediate action and took it,” Costa added in the release. “His move to ease water transfers will reduce the pain facing farmers, farm workers, and our farming communities.

“This is a good step, but it does not solve our real problem: restrictions on pumping in the Delta,” Costa added.

“These regulations cost us precious water yet again this winter and may prevent critical transfers throughout the summer. The only way to end this cycle of uncertainty is to move forward with the Bay Delta Conservation Plan that will bring more water reliability for all Californians.”

California Farm Bureau Federation President Paul Wenger also expressed support for the executive order.

“In a year like this, voluntary transfers of water from areas that have a surplus give our system more flexibility so that farmers facing water supply cutbacks — especially those with permanent crops — may find alternative sources,” Wenger stated in the press release. “We thank the governor for moving quickly to streamline California water transfer rules.”

Tom Birmingham, general manager of Westlands Water District, also expressed support for the order.

“The supply of water available for farmers on the westside of the San Joaquin Valley is lower this year than in 1977, the driest year on record in California, and Valley communities like Mendota, Firebaugh, and San Joaquin are facing an economic disaster,” said Birmingham.

“The transfers facilitated by this Executive Order will provide critically needed water to sustain farmers, the people they employ, and the communities that depend on irrigated agriculture.”

State Relations

Senate Holds One Delta-Related Bill, Sends Another to Assembly An ACWA-opposed bill dealing with reduced reliance on the Delta was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee and failed to advance by the May 31 deadline for measures to pass their house of origin.

mentation of regional water resource management practices through increased incentives and removal of barriers.

Instead of being consistent with that positive, incentives-based approach, the bill proposed a punitive approach.

SB 449 (Galgiani) was seen as inconsistent with the 2009 water package enacted by the Legislature. The bill would have prohibited the Department of Water Resources from providing loans or grants for a water supplier’s local programs or projects unless the department determined the water supplier was reducing its dependence on the Delta.

The bill would have applied to projects or programs within the service area of an urban or agricultural water supplier that receives water delivered through the Delta or used in the Delta watershed.

Meanwhile, another Delta-related bill opposed by ACWA cleared the Senate and is now awaiting action in the Assembly.

A coalition including ACWA urged the committee to oppose the bill, saying it did not align with policies enacted in the 2009 package for promoting imple-

SB 735 (Wolk) would direct the Delta Stewardship Council, the Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Delta counties to enter into a memorandum of understanding or other written agreement to resolve conflicts between local habitat plans and the broader Delta Plan.

ACWA and other opponents contend that SB 735 could be interpreted to give the Delta Stewardship Council authority to amend the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) to ensure consistency with the Delta counties’ local habitat plans, should BDCP become part of the Delta Plan as required by the 2009 Delta

Reform Act. That could potentially add uncertainty and risk to the BDCP process, opponents said in a floor alert.

Opponents also assert that SB 735 is premature since the Delta Stewardship Council just adopted its Delta Plan on May 16 and no actions have been subject to the consistency determination process to date.

ACWA has a not-favor-unlessamended position on SB 735 and is currently negotiating with the author on potential amendments to the bill.

Assembly Approves Bill Moving State’s Drinking Water Program An ACWA-opposed bill that would move the state’s drinking water program from the Department of Public Health to a new division of the State Water Resources Control Board cleared the Assembly on May 28 and is now headed to the Senate.

AB 145 by Assembly Member Henry Perea (D-Fresno) was approved on a 45-24 vote on the Assembly floor after a brief debate in which some Assembly members spoke in opposition to the measure and called for further discussions with the author to address concerns raised by opponents, including ACWA and its coalition partners.

Perea presented the bill on the Assembly floor and said it is aimed at resolving issues that are keeping dollars from the state’s drinking water State Revolving Fund from reaching communities with contaminated

drinking water sources. He cited a recent notice from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency saying the state Department of Public Health’s administration of the fund is out of compliance with EPA requirements and that over $455 million in federal funding remains unspent.

Assembly Member Holly Mitchell (DLos Angeles) said she would vote for the measure, but called on the bill’s author to work with public health advocates to make sure public health issues are being addressed. Mitchell serves on the budget subcommittee that handles health and human services issues.

Assembly Republican Leader Connie Conway (R-Tulare) agreed that challenges facing communities with contaminated drinking water sources must be resolved, but questioned whether AB 145 is the answer.

“I struggle to understand how the State Water Resources Control Board is the right place to do that,” Conway said. She urged a no vote on the bill.

Assembly Member Brian Dahle (RBieber) also said he would vote no, saying he would prefer to see the Department of Public Health held accountable for improving administration of the fund.

Prior to the vote, ACWA and its coalition partners circulated a floor alert urging a no vote on the bill unless it is amended. The alert, signed by 47 health organizations, water associations and water agencies, said transfer of the drinking water program would undermine the program’s focus on public health.

Members with questions about AB 145 may contact ACWA Deputy Executive Director for Government Relations Cindy Tuck at cindyt@acwa.com.

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ACWA Board Meeting ACWA Board Continued from page 1

its position on the bond. He said member agencies have compromised on some things in order to move forward.

“We cannot afford to not have the bond go on the 2014 ballot, or to have it fail,” Coleman said.

In another development, Quinn also outlined ACWA’s efforts to identify elements of a statewide water action plan as part of a broader framework addressing statewide needs. The plan would include the Bay Delta Conservation Plan as one component and additionally address the needs of water users statewide. Initial discussions have involved some of ACWA’s Northern California members, Quinn said, and further outreach to ACWA members is planned. The framework will likely be brought to the Board in July.

In other Board business, the Board approved ACWA’s involvement in a new science education center planned near the state Capitol that will feature water prominently in its exhibits and curriculum.

The Board approved a $25,000 partnership toward a new, expanded campus for the Discovery Museum Science and Space Center, which for more than 60 years has been a destination for schoolchildren

from the Sacramento region and greater Northern California. According to the plan, the center will be relocated to a site along the Sacramento River near downtown and will be renamed the Powerhouse Science Center in honor of the Pacific Gas & Electric building that stood there.

As a founding partner, ACWA will serve on the overall advisory committee for the Powerhouse, giving input on content and messaging as the center’s galleries and exhibits are developed.

In particular, ACWA will have a voice in the messaging of the new center’s 4,000-square-ft. “Liquid Gold” water exhibit, which will feature interactive displays on topics such as urban and agricultural water use, infrastructure and conservation, and environmental concerns.

Hundreds of thousands of people of all ages — “K through gray,” the broad demographic has been dubbed — are expected to visit the center annually.

ACWA Communications Committee Chair Gary Arant said the science center would join a long line of outreach initiatives — such as Save Our Water and the California’s Water public television series — that have raised ACWA’s profile.

ACWA’s Direction on the 2014 Water Bond At its March 29 meeting, ACWA’s Board of Directors directed staff to support some reductions to the 2014 water bond while prioritizing funding for elements that have statewide significance.

• Protecting current bond funding levels for the public benefits of water storage projects, Delta ecosystem restoration, and assistance for disadvantaged communities;

Based on the Board’s action and further discussion by ACWA’s California Water Finance Task Force, ACWA’s goforward direction on the bond calls for:

• Supporting substantial funding for local resources development projects, including Integrated Regional Water Management programs in both urban and rural areas, water recycling /conservation, and groundwater cleanup; and

• Supporting a smaller bond that focuses on key statewide priority areas; • Avoiding “earmarks” that allocate funds for specific projects without a competitive process; • Rejecting statewide fees on water to pay for statewide public benefits; 4 • ACWA NEWS

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• Providing additional funding at the local/regional level for local projects by looking at new tools and approaches that work for local water agencies.

“We want to ensure California’s water story is being told from a statewide perspective, and that’s what the partnership will allow,” said Jennifer Persike, ACWA deputy executive director for external affairs and operations.

Millions of dollars have been raised for the new center, which will include a 150seat planetarium, outdoor archeological dig, and labs and classrooms. The California Department of Water Resources, (DWR) City of Sacramento, Intel and Wells Fargo are among the many sponsors that have committed to the project.

In another move, the Board voted unanimously to end ACWA’s participation in the National Water Resources Association effective immediately. The vote capped a deliberative and thoughtful process over the past two years to assess whether NWRA continued to meet California’s needs as a voice on federal Western water issues in Washington, D.C. (See letter on page 5.)

The Board also discussed potential policy principles on California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) modernization, which a work group is developing as part of the association’s 2013 Strategic and Business Plan. By and large, Board members said that the principles should articulate a statewide perspective and not focus unduly on the Delta or any other part of the state.

The Board’s comments will be integrated into the policy principles that staff will bring them back to the Board in July. The association’s State Relations Department will continue to update the membership on the status of many bills related to CEQA that are making their way through the state Legislature.

In other news from the May 31 meeting: ACWA recently received word that DWR extended the contract that ACWA Board Continued on page 5

ACWA Board Meeting

A Message from ACWA President Randy Record Dear ACWA Member, I wanted to inform you of a recent action by the ACWA Board of Directors regarding membership in the National Water Resources Association.

As you may know, ACWA has been a member of NWRA for many decades.

We have supported the organization and its activities along with many of ACWA members who also have been active individually.

In recent years, however, the ACWA Board of Directors had begun to question the value of continued membership in NWRA. We made considerable efforts to seek constructive change through all of the appropriate NWRA channels to improve its effectiveness by, among other things, broadening its portfolio of issues and updating its direction and leadership.

Regrettably, it became clear in recent months that the changes we believe are necessary have little chance of occurring in a timeframe acceptable to the ACWA Board.

Additionally, participation by ACWA members in NWRA has steadily declined over the years.

31, 2013, meeting, the ACWA Board voted unanimously to end ACWA’s participation in NWRA effective immediately. The decision, which capped a deliberative and thoughtful process over the past two years to assess whether NWRA continued to meet California’s needs, reflected the Board’s conclusion that our association is not getting value for the dues we pay annually.

It is important to note the decision was not made for financial reasons. It was made solely on the Board’s assessment of the effectiveness of NWRA in representing Western water issues of concern to ACWA. The Board intends to use the funds that have supported our NWRA membership for activities that are more productive for ACWA and its members.

As members of the statewide ACWA Board, my fellow Board members and I take our responsibility seriously. It’s important to us that ACWA members understand the thought processes and consideration behind our decisions.

We encourage you to share this information with your boards of directors. Members with questions regarding the Board’s action are welcome to contact me or ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn.

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These all-day workshops are intended to solicit input from general managers, finance managers, and anyone involved in water agency rate-setting to help the Council answer two key questions: 1. What needs to be clarified about this BMP? 2. What are the challenges and opportunities in implementing this BMP? The workshops will include panel discussions and small group listening sessions where participant feedback will be collected.

Topics to be addressed include: • Agency Experience: Successes and Challenges, 2007 to Now; The Economy, Drought and Rate Planning

ACWA Board Continued from page 4

Water Quality Committee Chair Pankaj Parekh made a surprise appearance at the meeting through videoconference to lively applause from the Board. Parekh said he continues to rehabilitate from a serious motorcycle

ACWA is partnering with the California Urban Water Conservation Council, the Department of Water Resources and others to co-host two workshops to address Retail Conservation Pricing and the Council’s BMP 1.4 on June 19 at the West Sacramento Civic Center Galleria, and June 26 at the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Los Angeles.

• BMP 1.4: What It Is — What It Isn’t

After an in-depth discussion at its May

supports Save Our Water for three years.

This joint partnership between ACWA and DWR began in 2009 and educates Californians on how they can save water every day, rain or shine.

Retail Conservation Pricing BMP 1.4 Workshops on June 19 and 26

accident and thanked Board members for their support.

The ACWA Board approved new priorities that will, over the next two years, focus effort on member recruitment and retention work. Recruiting efforts may include in-person presentations by ACWA staff to agency boards, as well as targeted marketing materials that highlight the benefit of ACWA membership.

• Conservation Signal: Price Elasticity and Rate Structures • Rate Design Planning: Revenue Stability and Demand Forecasting • Conservation Pricing in California Today: Specific Rate Structures in Practice Registrations are due June 12. For more information and to register for this workshop go to http://www.cuwcc.org

June 7, 2013 • 5

conference wrap-up

At left: Paul Weghorst of Irvine Ranch Water District joins Alan Zelenka of Kennedy/Jenks Consultants, Kevin Hardy of Encina Wastewater Authority and Grant Davis of Sonoma County Water Agency in discussing energy management plans during an Energy Committee program. Center: Panelists Heather Cooley of the Pacific Institute, David Shank of the San Diego County Water Authority, Walt Wadlow of Alameda County Water District and Chris Brown of the California Urban Water Conservation Council discuss conservation rate structures during a Water Industry Trends program. At right: Thad Bettner of Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District, Randy Fiorini of the Delta Stewardship Council and Ron Jacobsma of Friant Water Authority describe the role of 21st century water storage during an issue forum.

Spring Conference & Exhibition Offered Array of Water Programs ACWA’s Spring Conference & Exhibition offered a wide array of water industry programs on topics ranging from best practices for reducing energy consumption to real-world case studies on water district consolidations.

oss, executive director of the California Rural Water Association. They discussed the challenges and opportunities of consolidation and what factors should be considered when pursuing consolidation to solve water system challenges.

Here’s a sampling of highlights from the programs:

The second session highlighted the different paths water districts have taken into consolidation. Moderated by Ron Davis, the executive director of CalDesal, the panel included Brian Brady, GM of the Fallbrook PUC; Matthew Hurley, GM of Angiola Water District; and Benjamin Moody, a senior engineer for the Yuba City Public Works Department.

The Energy Committee Program on May 9, titled “Water Agency Demand Response — Critical to California and Your Bottom Line,” explored the newest technologies and best practices that water agencies can utilize to reduce their electricity consumption and lower their bills.

The session, moderated by Lon House, president of Water Energy and Consulting, included Jeff Lipton of EnerNoc. Dan Howell, director of purchasing and contracts of Eastern Municipal Water District, also spoke.

“I really do think water agencies are very well positioned to take advantage of this,” Howell said about demand response.

A two-part Water Industry Trends program, also on May 9, looked at the mechanics of water district consolidation and some real-world case studies of consolidations.

The first session’s panel featured Leah Godsey Walker, chief of the California Department of Public Health’s Division of Drinking Water and Environmental Management; Pamela Miller, executive director of CALAFCO, and Dan Dem6 • ACWA NEWS

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A Statewide Issue Forum on May 8 looked at the role of 21st century water storage in meeting the coequal goals.

Moderated by ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn, the panel provided the latest on proposed projects such as Sites Reservoir in the Sacramento Valley near Maxwell, Temperance Flat on the San Joaquin River above Friant Dam, expansion of Contra Costa Water Districts’ Los Vaqueros Reservoir, and several smaller scale storage projects that could be implemented in the short term.

with no upfront costs to the agency.

Open-book cost tracking will follow the progress of Phase I, which is to make improvements to the district’s effluent ponds by October 2013. Phases II and III, completion of the water and wastewater treatment plants, will be completed by January 2014 and financed over 40 years.

In a program titled “Improving Management of California’s Headwaters” held May 8, water leaders examined how agencies and stakeholders can coordinate and integrate efforts to improve California’s headwaters.

The program was moderated by Bob Dean, a board member for the Calaveras County Water District and ACWA. Dean spearheaded ACWA’s recent efforts in establishing policy principles for the stewardship of headwaters. The program featured Jim Branham, executive officer for the Sierra Nevada Conservancy; David Bischel, president of the California Forestry Association; and David Edelsen, Sierra Nevada project director for The Nature Conservancy.

Another session on May 8 titled: “Innovative Public-Private Project Financing in Napa County,” examined some creative funding partnerships.

Edelsen said that “we cannot take for granted the water supply coming from our Sierra.” He said some of the efforts that are critical to preserving the Sierra headwaters are forest thinning, meadow restoration and land conservation.

One example was the Napa Berryessa Resort Improvement District’s water system upgrades, made possible by combining private and public funding sources

“If we are going to convince Californians that they should care about their headwaters, they need to know where their water comes from,” Edelson said.

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Cindy Tuck, ACWA deputy executive director for government relations, and Marion Ashley, chair of ACWA’s Local Government Committee.

2. Members attend the Water Industry Trends Program, “Recycled Water: Promising Developments on the Legislative and Policy Fronts.”

3. Gary Arant, general manager of Valley Center Water District, and Jacqueline Howells, Howells Government Relations.

4 – 6. Randy Record, far left, congratulates Clair Hill Award finalists: Walnut Valley Water District, Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, and Mesa Water District.

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David Reynolds ACWA director of federal affairs, and Linda Ackerman, chair of the ACWA Federal Affairs Committee.

8. The ACWA/JPIA Booth in the conference Exhibition Hall.

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Rita Schmidt-Sudman, executive director of Water Education Foundation, and Jennifer Persike, ACWA deputy executive director for external affairs and operations.

10. (l-r) Joone Lopez, general manager of the Moulton Niguel WD; Katie Dahl and Tiffany Giammona, ACWA Members Service Group.

11. (l-r) John Morris of the city of San Marino and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California; Wally Bishop, former Contra Costa Water District general manager; and Joseph Campbell, Contra Costa Water District board president.

12. Joseph Kuebler and Ronald Sullivan, directors of Eastern Metropolitan Water District; and ACWA President Randy Record.

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conference wrap-up

(From left) ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn moderates a statewide issue forum at the spring conference that focused on the size of conveyance facilities in the Bay Delta Conservation Plan. He is joined by panelists: Jeffrey Kightlinger, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California; Greg Gartrell, assistant general manager for water resources, Contra Costa Water District; Kate Poole, senior attorney and litigation director for the water program of the Natural Resources Defense Council; Mike Machado, former executive director of the Delta Protection Commission; and Jason Peltier, chief deputy general manager of Westlands Water District.

Conference Forum Focuses on Size of BDCP Conveyance Facilities How big is big enough when it comes to water conveyance facilities proposed in the Bay Delta Conservation Plan?

That was one of the questions pondered May 9 by a diverse array of speakers during an issue forum at ACWA’s Spring Conference & Exhibition.

Moderated by ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn, the forum focused on Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed BDCP project and the size of conveyance facilities needed to increase water reliability in the state while protecting the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.

The Brown Administration’s preferred alternative within the BDCP is a conveyance system of two tunnels that could move up to 9,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) of water through the Delta. Another proposal put forth in recent months by a coalition of business and environmental groups calls for the study of a portfoliobased alternative of a single tunnel capable of conveying 3,000 cfs.

A 9,000 cfs tunnel system could convey 4.8 to 5.8 million acre-feet of water per year. The 3,000 cfs option could convey about 4 million acre-feet, officials estimate.

“You’re looking at roughly one million and a half acre feet of water difference between the two proposals,” said Quinn.

“That is one heck of a lot of water.”

Several of the panelists said that while 8 • ACWA NEWS

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the size of the water conveyance facility is important, so too is the need for more water storage facilities to store water in dry years. How the conveyance facilities are operated in terms of balancing water conveyance needs with regulatory requirements also is critical.

“In terms of water supply, size matters little, operations matter a lot, as does storage,” said Greg Gartrell, assistant general manager for water resources at Contra Costa Water District.

Jeffrey Kightlinger, general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, also highlighted the importance of storage, but said conveyance and storage “go together.”

“Unless you fix conveyance, I don’t know who would invest in storage,” said Kightlinger. “You can’t have one without the other.”

Jason Peltier, chief deputy general manager of Westlands Water District, also said increased water storage is critical to meeting the state’s water needs.

“We need more storage in the system,” said Peltier. “We’ve done a lot of things to cope (but) …our bag of tricks is empty.”

Kate Poole, senior attorney and litigation director for the Natural Resources Defense Council’s water program, also agreed that additional water storage is needed in the state. Poole also advocated for the study of the portfolio-based alter-

native within the BDCP that includes a smaller conveyance facility.

“We think it has a far greater chance of success than the current BDCP proposed project on the table,” Poole said of the portfolio-based alternative.

“We think we are at a moment in time right now where we are on a path for the state to solve its vexing water problems,” Poole added.

Mike Machado, former executive director of the Delta Protection Commission, criticized the BDCP and the portfolio alternative, saying both would harm the Delta.

“A small bad project is just as bad as a big bad project,” said Machado.

Kightlinger stressed the need to upgrade the technology of the state’s water system through an improved water conveyance system such as one proposed in the BDCP. “We are operating California’s economy today with 1960s technology,” said Kightlinger. “This is going to be an obvious technological improvement.”

Poole said she believed there was “a lot of agreement” among the panelists “on some elements.”

“We need to try to find consensus in what we are trying to achieve in the BDCP,” Poole added.

Conference Wrap-Up

From left, Region 5 meets: (l-r) Bob Ptacek, Montara Water & Sanitary District; Anson Moran, San Francisco PUC, Katy Foulkes, East Bay MUD; Dave Hodgin, Scotts Valley Water District; Dick Quigley, Zone 7 Water Agency; and John Weed, Alameda County Water District. At right, the Region 1 meeting, (l-r) Judy Mirbegian, Hidden Valley Lake CSD; Efren Carillo, Sonoma County WA; Aldaron Laird, Humboldt Bay MWD; Jennifer Burke, City of Santa Rosa; Dennis Mayo, McKinleyville CSD.

Region Programs Run the Gamut at ACWA’s Spring Conference ACWA regions had a busy week in Sacramento at ACWA’s 2013 Spring Conference. With 10 region membership meetings, two issue forums, two programs and a joint program with the Outreach Task Force, there was little down time in the conference schedule for region activities.

On May 8, Region 9 hosted an Issue Forum titled “Energy Independence … A Paradigm Shift from Grandma’s Guidance.” Kathy Tiegs, director at Cucamonga Valley Water District, moderated the program in which attendees learned how ACWA agencies are taking energy independence to the next level through wind power, hydropower and biofuel projects. The program also covered the government perspective on what’s driving increasing renewable energy legislation and incentives. Speakers included Tom Kieley with Desert Water Agency, Chris Berch with Inland Empire Utilities Agency, Abby Schneider from ACWA’s Washington, D.C. office, and Martha Davis, executive manager for policy development at Inland Empire Utilities Agency and chair of the ACWA Energy Committee.

Also May 8, Regions 6 & 7 jointly hosted a program titled “Perspectives on Integrated Regional Water Management in the San Joaquin Valley.”

Region 6 Vice Chair Dave Orth moderated the panel discussion, whose speakers included Department of Water Resources Deputy Director of Integrated Water Management Gary Bardini, Fresno

Irrigation District General Manager Gary Serrato, Central California Irrigation District General Manager Chris White, and Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water Storage District’s Bill Taube. This program explained that when it comes to IRWM, regions are unique and at different levels of maturity, so their needs are different. Attendees heard success stories and challenges associated with IRWM in the San Joaquin Valley.

On May 9, Region 3 hosted an Issue Forum called “Science and More Science.” The program covered how scientific research and data synthesis could influence water policy and water management in California’s Sierra Nevada and headwaters throughout the state. The program was moderated by Region 3 Board Member Dave Eggerton and the speakers included Dr. Roger Bales, University of California at Merced; Dr. Qinghua Guo, University of California at Merced; Dr. William Stewart, co-director for the Center of Forestry, University of California at Berkeley; and Dr. Martha Conklin, professor of engineering, University of California at Merced.

Also on May 9, Region 10 hosted the “Innovative Project Financing in the 21st Century” program. Deputy Director Sandy Kerl with San Diego County Water Authority moderated the program that helped agencies think beyond traditional funding structures for water projects in the future. Speakers Jamison Feheley, managing director with J.P. Morgan; David Moore, managing director with Clean

Energy Capital; and Dan Hentschke, general counsel with San Diego County Water Authority, discussed how the authority implemented a unique and creative financing structure for the Carlsbad Desalination Project, a public-private partnership. They also discussed how this financing structure could be applied to other types of water projects, and the financing’s benefits and potential challenges, which reduced the water authority’s risk and was marketable to investors.

In addition on May 9, Region 4 and the ACWA Outreach Task Force jointly hosted a program titled “Outreach 101: The Importance of Grassroots Outreach.” Region 4 Outreach Task Force Member Jim Peifer moderated the panel discussion, which included Assembly Member Adam Gray, Kelly Garman, State Sen. Bob Huff ’s legislative director, and ACWA Director of State Relations Wendy Ridderbusch as speakers. Attendees learned about the importance of building relationships local representatives and how best to get their issues heard by the representatives at the state Capitol.

All regions held membership meetings while in Sacramento. Regions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 had their meeting on May 9.

Regions 6 & 7, 8, 9 and 10 had their meeting on May 8. At the meetings, ACWA Executive Staff gave an update on the 2014 Water Bond, ACWA/JPIA updates were given, committee reporters reported on their committees’ activities, and the regions planned their upcoming activities.

June 7, 2013 • 9

Delta Plan

DSC Adopts Final Delta Plan, Implementation Process Begins After nearly three years of study and roughly 100 public meetings, the Delta Stewardship Council (DSC) on May 16 unanimously adopted the final version of the Delta Plan — a comprehensive management plan for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta intended to help the state meet the coequal goals of water reliability and ecosystem restoration.

The Council voted 7-0 on May 16 to adopt the plan and its accompanying Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (PEIR). On May 17, the Council adopted the plan’s regulations in another unanimous vote.

“State law told us to develop a legally enforceable Delta Plan that will guide state and local agency actions on water use and the Delta environment,” DSC Chair Phil Isenberg said in a written statement.

“We will now be able to focus on implementing the policies and recommendations that will help achieve the state’s coequal goals of providing a more reliable water supply for California and protecting, restoring and enhancing the Delta ecosystem while protecting the unique values of the Delta as an evolving place.”

Chris Knopp, Delta Stewardship Council executive officer, said passage of the plan marks a “point at which planning shifts into action.”

“Beginning immediately, we will focus on supporting actions necessary to provide a more reliable supply of water, to restore the Delta ecosystem, and to protect the Delta as a unique place,” Knopp said in a press release. “By achieving some initial success, we hope to move from endless debate and protection of self-interest to a new paradigm where people are willing to collaborate and give well thought out solutions a try.”

Council Vice Chair Randy Fiorini was one of several council members who thanked DSC staff before the vote was taken May 16, acknowledging the years of hard work that went into preparing the massive document.

“And now the fun really begins,” said Fiorini, “Let’s implement this thing.”

At its June meeting, the Council will discuss the formation of an Implementation Committee to guide the implementation of the plan. The committee is expected to be made up of federal, local and state officials. Fiorini is expected to be voted chair of that committee next month, said Isenberg.

Numerous people spoke both for and against the plan during the Council’s two-day meeting in West Sacramento.

Proponents said it marked a significant

step in the state’s efforts to preserve the estuary and advance the coequal goals.

“We consider the Delta Plan to be an integrated plan…and a solid foundation for achieving the coequal goals,” said Paul Helliker, deputy director of the California Department of Water Resources.

Opponents said they feared the plan would degrade the ecosystem and way of life in the Delta. Several vowed to challenge the plan in court.

“If the plan is passed, we will be joining in litigation …to protect the Delta,” said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, president of Restore the Delta, a local advocacy group.

The plan seeks to improve statewide water reliability and maintain a vibrant and healthy ecosystem while protecting the rural, agricultural and recreational aspects of the Delta. The plan will incorporate the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) when it is completed and permitted. The Delta Plan also recommends a portfolio of other actions, including improved water efficiency, more storage, development of other local water supplies, protection of Delta farmlands and communities, and the improvement of Delta levees.

Isenberg said that levee improvement is being studied in depth and a report on Continued on page 11

San Luis and Westlands File Legal Challenge to Final Delta Plan The San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority and Westlands Water District on May 27 filed a legal challenge to the adopted Delta Plan, claiming the plan fails to achieve the coequal goals mandated in the 2009 Delta Reform Act. The water agencies filed a petition for a writ of mandate in Sacramento Superior Court seeking to require the Delta Stewardship Council (DSC) to revise the Delta Plan “to be consistent with the 2009 Delta Reform Act,” according to a press release issued by Westlands.

“The fundamental problem with the

10 • ACWA NEWS

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Delta Plan is that it goes well beyond the statutory authority granted by the Legislature,” Tom Birmingham, general manager of Westlands, stated in a press release.”That extension of authority will impact the ability of the state to manage current water supplies and develop new infrastructure to secure California’s future needs.”

Dan Nelson, executive director of the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, also issued a statement.

“The Delta Plan exceeds the authority granted by the Legislature when it

passed the Delta Reform Act in 2009,” Nelson wrote in a prepared statement.

“Instead of serving the role as a facilitator or collaborator with over 200 other state agencies with a policy role touching the Delta, the Delta Stewardship Council has made itself the 201st regulatory agency, which creates obstacles rather than pathways to achieving the coequal goals of providing a more reliable water supply for California and protecting, restoring and enhancing the Delta ecosystem.”

Nelson also stated that the Delta Plan’s programmatic environmental impact report is “inadequate.”

Conference Wrap-up

(From left) ACWA Vice President John Coleman moderates a town hall forum on the 2014 water bond. He is joined by: David Orth general manager of the Kings River Conservation District; Thad Bettner, general manager of the Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District; and Gary Breaux, assistant general manager of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California.

Town Hall Forum Focuses on Changing 2014 Water Bond for Success The $11.14 billion water bond slated for the 2014 ballot needs to be trimmed and its earmarks removed so it may stand a better chance of success, ACWA Vice President John Coleman said at a town hall forum May 9 at ACWA’s Spring Conference & Exhibition.

The town hall forum — “Changing the Water Bond for Success in 2014” — moderated by Coleman, focused on areas of the current bond that should be preserved and areas that could be pared down.

Coleman explained that an ACWA Water Finance Task Force, which he chaired, has recommended whittling the bond down to $8.2 billion. The proposal includes $2.150 billion for local resources development, $3.050 billion for Delta ecosystem restoration and watersheds, and $3.0 billion for storage.

“It was not an easy process to whittle nearly $3 billion out,” said Coleman.

“But we need success and we need to get it to the ballot.”

Coleman called on attendees to unify and talk to community groups about the importance of the bond’s passage. He said there is a window of opportunity to seize right now where people can come together and educate fellow Californians about the need to upgrade and preserve the state’s water system.

“We need a united approach and we need to work the ground,” Coleman said.

“It’s going to impact future generations and we don’t have the opportunity to fail.”

The Water Finance Task Force has recommended reducing the bond in part by eliminating earmarks. The task force also recommends that a stance be taken against statewide fees and that funding for disadvantaged communities is included.

Forum panelist David Orth, general manager of Kings River Conservation District, said it’s critical that the bond contain funds for disadvantaged communities.

“We’re not going to have a bond passed without a significant piece going to

disadvantaged communities,” said Orth.

Thad Bettner, general manager of the Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District who also served on the ACWA Water Finance Task Force, said he hoped the “package we have put together is one we can move through the Legislature.”

He added that as negotiations move forward on the bond he believes it is critical to keep the amount for storage at $3 billion and that much of the language in the bond remain intact.

“Retaining the language is huge,” said Bettner.

Coleman, speaking to attendees, added towards the end of the forum that as elected officials, or staff of water agencies, “it is our responsibility to go out and talk to the people and explain” the need for the bond.

“We need a one state approach,” said Coleman. “Not north-south, ag-urban.”

Continued from page 10

the subject is expected to be released by the DSC next year.

Numerous changes were made to the Delta Plan and its accompanying documents in recent months based on over 3,000 comments received from approximately 250 groups and individuals during the concurrent 45-day public comment periods held from November 2012 to January 2013. The majority of

the public comments came from water districts, environmental organizations and Delta interests, according to an earlier DSC press release.

Following the adoption and certification of the Delta Plan, the council will now submit the proposed rules and a Statement of Reason to the State Office of Administrative Law (OAL) for review.

Once approved by the OAL, the docu-

ments will be submitted to the California Secretary of State (SOS). After approval by the SOS, the policies in the Delta Plan become enforceable regulations, which is expected to occur between July 1 and Oct. 1, 2013.

Information on the plan is available at www.deltacouncil.ca.gov.

June 7, 2013 • 11

BDCP Continued from page 1

the economic scenarios laid out in the plan compared the fiscal benefits of proposed Delta fixes to the costs of doing nothing to restore and strengthen the estuary.

“California’s current water supply system is clearly vulnerable to many threats, and the cost of its failure would be enormous,” California Natural Resources Secretary John Laird said. “As public officials we are duty bound to address these threats. This conservation plan provides the most comprehensive, well-conceived approach to ensuring a reliable water supply to 25 million people and restoring the Delta ecosystem.”

Laird and others stressed that the BDCP is not viewed by officials as the ultimate solution to the state’s water challenges. It is part of a multi-faceted approach that includes water conservation, recycling, integrated regional water management plans and targeted water transfers.

“Water conservation is one of our key strategies for meeting future water demands,” said Beau Goldie, chief executive officer of the Santa Clara Valley Water District.

“Yet with these efforts….the future still depends on imported water,” Goldie added.

The fiscal analysis states that the BDCP is a “beneficiary pays” project in which water users are expected to pay about 68% of the estimated $24.5 billion cost of constructing and operating the conveyance facility as well as its mitigation and adaptive management during its 50-year implementation period.

The remaining estimated $7.9 billion for the project’s habitat restoration, pollution control, and other measures to reduce ecological stress will be funded through a variety of programs, including federal and state financial participation that could include general obligation bonds in future years, according to a press release from the California Natural Resources Agency.

The report states that agricultural and 12 • ACWA NEWS

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urban water districts that will likely pay the bulk of the costs of the project would see a roughly $5 billion net benefit over the 50-year life of the project if the preferred alternative of twin tunnels that could convey 9,000 cfs of water is adopted. The benefits to water users include improvements in water supply reliability and water quality and reduced seismic risk to Delta supplies.

The report outlines the costs and benefits of the nine alternative projects being studied. It states that the estimated $10 billion cost of a 3,000 cfs alternative outweighs the estimated benefits of $8.9 billion by $1.1 billion. A version of a 3,000 cfs facility has been supported in recent months by a coalition of business and environmental groups.

“What’s clear from this report is that a new conveyance facility must be adequately sized in order to make it a worthwhile investment,” Terry Erlewine, general manager of the State Water Contractors, said in a press statement released Wednesday. “The smaller, single tunnel touted by some critics of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan very obviously does not pencil out from a cost-benefit standpoint.”

A broader economic analysis of the statewide economic impacts of the proposal is expected to be released by the Brown Administration in July.

Letty Belin, counselor to the deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, said the Obama Administration is “arm in arm” with state officials on crafting a solution to the problems in the Day Delta.

“We very much agree with the state about the urgency of the problem,” said Belin. “We strongly believe that inaction is the worst option.”

Department of Water Resources Director Mark Cowin highlighted the economic benefits to the state of the project, saying the “economics of doing nothing is embedded in every part of the analysis.” ”The draft chapters released today

BDCP

Bay Delta Conservation Plan

Estimated Cost to Implement the BDCP

May 2013

Cost Summary

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta (Delta), located east of San Francisco Bay, is a vitally important ecosystem and provides water for more than 25 million Californians. The Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) is a 50-year ecosystem plan designed to restore fish and wildlife species in the Delta in a way that also protects California’s water supplies while minimizing impacts to Delta communities and farms.

Cost estimates for implementing the BDCP are outlined in Chapter 8, Implementation Costs and Funding Sources.

The total estimated cost of implementing the BDCP over the 50-year permit term is $24.54 billion (in undiscounted 2012 dollars). Capital costs over the 50-year permit term total $19.7 billion. The majority of these costs (74 percent of capital costs) are associated with Estimated Capital construction of water Costs (in Millions) intake and conveyance facilities and will be Natural Community incurred by year 10 of Protection and Plan implementation.

Restoration $4,152 Average annual (21%) operations and maintenance (O&M) costs are estimated to be $107 Other Stressors Conservation million per year near the $931 (5%) end of the 50-year permit Changed Circumstances term ($4.8 billion over $178 (1%) 50 years). Approximately 70 percent of O&M costs are associated with Plan administration, Estimated Operations monitoring and research, and Maintenance Costs (in Millions) and implementation of conservation measures Monitoring, Research, Plan other than water Administration, and Other Costs conveyance. $1,468

The costs analyzed in Chapter 8 represent planning estimates that are intended to provide the basis for a demonstration that the BDCP meets the standard of assured funding. The chapter is not intended to suggest a project “budget.” The proposed BDCP Implementation Office would be responsible for developing annual budgets and work plans.

Water Facilities Construction $14,509 (74%)

Water Facilities Operation $1,456 (30%)

(31%)

Natural Community Management

Other Stressors Operation

$247 (5%)

$1,603 (34%)

Note that these costs are reported in 2012 dollars after adjusting for inflation. Present value costs are also presented in Chapter 8.

Totals in the pie charts have been rounded.

The total estimated cost of implementing the BDCP over the 50-year permit term is $24.5 billion (in undiscounted 2012 dollars). Source: Estimated Cost to Implement the BDCP Brochure

demonstrate the value of the benefits of our proposed project to water users and we can consider the cost from the perspective of our nearly $2 trillion economy,” said Cowin. “Meanwhile, we urge Californians to get acquainted with the details of the draft plan and to bear in mind the high costs — from species extinction to water supply disruptions in the Delta — of doing nothing.”

In recent years, water deliveries from the Delta have been restricted to protect endangered fish such as smelt. Twothirds of California’s population and 3 million acres of farmland draw water conveyed through the Delta by the State Water Project, operated by the California Department of Water Resources, and the Central Valley Project, operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

The entire administrative draft of the plan is available at http://baydeltaconservationplan.com. A formal draft of the plan is expected to be released for public review in October.

Newswatch

“Curiosity Quest” Host Honored by Cucamonga Valley Water District Cucamonga Valley Water District (CVWD) kicked off Water Awareness Month in May by honoring local celebrity Joel Greene. Greene is a Rancho Cucamonga resident and the creator, producer and host of the Public Broadcasting Service’s Curiosity Quest Goes Green, a family educational program that explores issues related to the environment.

Each episode, Greene ventures on a quest to answer viewers questions, taking the audience on location for an unscripted, hands-on educational exploration.

Since 2009, Joel has been a friend and advocate of the CVWD, featuring the Lloyd W. Michael Water Treatment Plant for a special water-themed educational video.

This year, CVWD encouraged all resident’s to use water wisely and received proclamations of support from the cities of Rancho Cucamonga, Fontana and

Ontario. CVWD kicked off the season of water and environmental efficiency with its Earth Day Celebration on April 6. More than 1,500 people attended the annual event providing a fun, educational environment for the entire family.

An additional highlight for CVWD was the annual Fifth Grade Poster Contest themed “Use Water Wisely; It’s a Way of Life.” In April and May, CVWD hosted residential landscape workshops on the topics of prep and design, efficient irrigation systems and plant selection.

“As the weather begins to warm up, we all need to remember how precious our water supply is. Every little change our customers make can help make a big difference in managing our water supply,” said Oscar Gonzalez, CVWD board president.

Joel Greene, top and bottom left, was honored recently by Cucamonga Valley Water District for his popular PBS television show.

East Valley Doubles Capacity in Treatment Plant Expansion With an eye toward the future, East Valley Water District has doubled the capacity of the Philip A. Disch Surface Water Treatment Plant, which cleans Santa Ana River water.

River from the North Fork Water Co. and the State Water Project. The expansion incorporated submerged membrane filtration technology in order to comply with new water quality regulations.

The 3,000-sqaure-foot facility, known as Plant 134, now can treat 8 million gallons per day of water via the Santa Ana

The $11.3 million project was funded in part with California Department of Public Health State Revolving Fund

loans and took 30 months to finish.

Dedicated in 1996, the plant is named after Philip A. Disch, who served on the district’s Board of Directors for 30 years.

The district and its Board of Directors celebrated the plant expansion at a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 3.

June 7, 2013 • 13

Newswatch

Local Students Win West Basin MWD’s Water-Focused Art Contest In honor of Water Awareness Month in May, West Basin Municipal Water District presented its annual Water is Life Student Art Contest. The goal of the program is to encourage third through twelfth grade students to create a water conservation message and illustrate it with original, hand-drawn artwork. This year, young artists submitted more than 390 pieces of beautiful artwork from 43 public and private schools from West Basin’s service area.

Winning art pieces were chosen based on the creativity of their portrayal of water conservation messages and their artistic skill. The student’s art will be reproduced on bookmarks and posters for distribution at the winner’s schools and at local public libraries. Sponsorship for this year’s contest came from the law offices of Lemieux and O’Neill, United Water and the Water Replenishment District of Southern California, which provided grand prize winners with a

MacBook Pro laptop computer.

“The Water is Life Student Art Contest is one of our premier water education programs. It is a creative way to bring the conservation message to

our young students. Each year we are amazed and impressed with the artwork we receive,” said West Basin Board President Carol W. Kwan.

New Ocean-Friendly Garden and Water Filling Station Opens The Manhattan Beach Strand unveiled the newest additions to its ocean-front scenery: a water-wise demonstration garden and a waterfilling station to reduce bottle littering on the local beach.

West Basin Municipal Water District and the City of Manhattan Beach constructed the garden as an example of a sustainable and beautiful landscape that cuts water use by 80%, while Leadership Manhattan Beach and West Basin partnered to construct a filling station that will encourage residents and tourists to protect the ocean from plastic by using a reusable bottle.

On April 25, partners that helped to construct, sponsor and build the garden attended a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially recognize the opening.

The demonstration garden shows off alternatives to the standard turf and high-water-

14 • ACWA NEWS

Vol. 41 | Digital

use landscaping that has been popular in recent years. The Surfrider Foundation spearheaded three main principles guiding the design of ocean friendly gardens: conservation, permeability and retention (CPR). This garden will promote conservation of water, energy and habitat through native and climate-adapted plants; permeability through mulch and biologically active soil; and retention of water through a downspout that was redirected to funnel rain water to the soil for the dry season.

The garden is one of nine that will be constructed in West Basin’s service area this year, and the filling station is the first of five to be built in Manhattan Beach this year.

newswatch

Popeye the Mussel-Sniffing Dog to Inspect Boats This Summer Popeye the mussel-sniffing dog is returning to Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino this summer to inspect watercraft for invasive quagga and zebra mussels.

Boaters at both reservoirs will be asked to voluntarily allow Popeye to inspect their watercrafts for the thumb-sized mussels that have infested 27 reservoirs in California, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, causing millions in damage to water infrastructure and the environment. If a mussel is found on a boat, the boat will not be allowed to launch and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife will be immediately notified.

“Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino are currently mussel-free, but if we’re not proactive, mussels could end up in our waterways, unintentionally carried by boats and other watercraft,” said Sonoma County Water Agency Director and Sonoma County Supervisor Mike McGuire.

“These tiny mussels can cause a huge problem for our water infrastructure and precious fishery restoration programs due to their ability to reproduce quickly with no known method for removing them from an infested waterway.”

Mendocino County Supervisor and Mendocino County Water Agency Director Carre Brown added, “If mussels enter our reservoirs, boating recreation could be banned and water supply pipelines clogged. This would result in a huge

negative impact to our local economy, as both reservoirs bring nearly $10 million a year into our local communities. To remove a mussel from a pipe, you have to either physically extract each one by hand, or replace each pipeline; both are extremely expensive options.”

The mussels reproduce quickly, overtaking a waterway and destroying its natural habitats and fisheries, clogging water infrastructure, resulting in millions of dollars in maintenance costs. To date, the mussels have caused more than $500 million in water infrastructure damage nationwide according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Boats are the primary vector for the spread of mussels, which first arrived in the Great Lakes from Europe in the 1980s and have spread to many water bodies in the eastern and midwestern United States and to California. The first confirmed find of zebra mussels in California occurred in 2008 in San Benito County at San Justo Reservoir. Quagga mussels have now been found in waterways within San Diego, Riverside, San Bernardino and Orange counties.

“Sonoma County Water Agency’s efforts to keep invasive quagga and zebra mussels out of Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino is a great example of the valuable resource partner the water agency is

Popeye hard at work sniffing for mussels.

for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ San Francisco District,” said Mike Dillabough, the chief of the Corps district’s Operations and Readiness Division.

The voluntary mussel inspection program is sponsored by a North Coast consortium of local governments working together to develop a mandatory watercraft inspection program to help keep the mussels out of local waterways.

Learn more about the consortium at www.dontmoveamussel.com.

Rancho California Water District Receives Financial Reporting Award For the 18th consecutive year, Rancho California Water District (RCWD) has been presented with the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting bestowed by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) in recognition of the water district’s comprehensive annual financial report.

The certificate of achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of

governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

The district’s annual report was judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, including demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate RCWD’s financial story and to motivate potential users to read the document.

“RCWD is honored to receive the certificate,” Matthew Stone, RCWD general manager. “We continue to strive for excellence throughout the organization and the excellence in financial reporting follows that tradition.”

Jeff Armstrong, RCWD’s chief financial officer, credits the effort to the water district’s finance department staff, who collectively contributed to the report’s preparation.

June 7, 2013 • 15

People news

ACWA’s Blacet Promoted to Special Projects Manager Position Effective May 27, ACWA’s Danielle Blacet was promoted from senior regulatory advocate to the position of special projects manager. With her new responsibilities, Blacet will handle work associated with the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, the Delta, Endangered Species Act, ACWA’s new Headwaters Framework, along with a portion of the association’s regulatory portfolio.

During the past nine years at ACWA, Blacet has taken on increasingly complex issues and projects, and has built a solid reputation of collaborative success within California’s water community. She is

a recognized expert in drinking water quality issues.

“I am honored to have been selected as ACWA’s special projects manager,” Blacet said. “I look forward to this incredible opportunity to continue and expand my work with our members and the water community. Our water agencies have such an impact on the everyday lives of Californians and to be a part of that is very exciting.”

Blacet has had several key accomplishments in her time at ACWA, including receiving the association’s 2011 Employee of the Year award. She was instrumental in developing ACWA’s Groundwater Framework in 2011, and worked closely

with the California Department of Public Health and Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment on key issues such as hexavalent chromium and perchlorate public health goals. She also assisted in developing ACWA’s new Regulatory Summit and spearheaded an effort with member agencies to develop a comprehensive website for Tier 1 notice templates in a variety of different languages to help member agencies comply with new state law.

ACWA elevated Blacet to special projects manager after a competitive process that identified several strong candidates both within and outside the organization.

Watermaster Board to Oversee Hemet/San Jacinto Groundwater Basins To meet the requirements of a settlement with the Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians signed by President George W. Bush in 2008, a Riverside County Superior Court judge approved on April 18 the formation of the Watermaster Board.

The tribe’s loss of water due to seepage into a Metropolitan Water District of Southern California tunnel in the San Jacinto Mountains led to the settlement, which stipulated a governing body be formed to be responsible for the ongoing management of the Hemet/San Jacinto Groundwater Basins.

Municipal Water District (LHMWD) and the cities of Hemet and San Jacinto. A non-elected representative acting on behalf of local groundwater pumpers is also part of the five-person board. The four public agencies have each invested significant financial resources to ensure the terms of the stipulated judgment are reached.

Composed of representatives from four municipal organizations and a private representative, and as a legal arm of the court, the Watermaster will govern water quality, monitor groundwater production, levy replenishment assessments, monitor water transfers and establish future safe yields to ensure the long-term sustainability of the basin and surrounding region. The stipulated judgment establishes and prioritizes water rights, provides a physical solution to eliminate overdraft and protects the water rights of the tribe.

“The formation of this board is a historic moment,” Eastern Municipal Water District President Phil Paule said. “There is a great responsibility that this committee has embraced in regards to its ongoing management of this program. By working hand-in-hand with our neighbors, we can ensure both proper water management for the future and ongoing partnerships that will help unify our valley.”

The participating agencies are Eastern Municipal Water District, Lake Hemet 16 • ACWA NEWS

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The five-person, court-approved committee includes: Chairman Frank Gorman (LHMWD), Vice-Chair Linda Krupa (Hemet), Phil Paule (EMWD), Mark Bartel (San Jacinto) and Bruce Scott (private pumper).

Formation of the Watermaster also allows the four partnering municipal agencies to move forward after more than two decades of work toward the goal of replenishing the San Jacinto Groundwater Basin, which had been

overdrawn by more than 10,000 acre-feet of water per year for several decades.

Eastern Municipal Water District will recharge roughly 7,500 acre-feet of water annually into the newly constructed 35acre recharge basin. The water is from the State Water Project, purchased from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California under the settlement. This will help ensure the tribe has a guaranteed groundwater supply in the future.

As part of the settlement and land-use approval process by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the four agencies also invested in more than 400 acres of habitat restoration for the federally-endangered San Bernardino kangaroo rat.

A budget — funded by the four municipal agencies — will be created and the Watermaster will be responsible for hiring legal counsel and an adviser, providing yearly updates to the court.

“This will undoubtedly be a complex project and will not be solved overnight,” Vice-Chair Linda Krupa said. “But each and every person involved in this project understands how important this process is to ensuring peace in the valley, and we are fully committed to making it a success for the betterment of our entire region.”

CALENDAR June

12 – 14

13

19

25

July 19

August 14

Water Education Foundation will be doing a BayDelta Tour June 12 – 14. This tour takes participants to the heart of California water policy — the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and San Francisco Bay. Stops include the Delta Cross Channel, the city of Stockton, Bay-Delta model in Sausalito, Los Vaqueros Reservoir and Suisun Marsh. For more information visit http://www.watereducation.org/toursdetail. asp?id=837&parentID=821.

ACWA Region 8 presents “What Lies Beneath?,” a look at groundwater in Southern California on June 13 at the City of Carson Senior Center. For more information contact ACWA Regional Affairs Representative Marcia Wulff at marciaw@acwa.com or 916.441.4545.

ACWA Region 3 / Mountain Counties Water Resources Association will hold a joint meeting Monday, June 19 at The Ridge Golf Club and Events Center, Auburn. For more information visit http:// mountaincountieswater.com/meeting-schedule/ upcoming-meetings/ or contact Executive Director John Kingsbury at johnkingsbury.mcwra@gmail.com.

California Extreme Precipitation Symposium is scheduled for June 25 at University of California, Davis.

The symposium’s preliminary theme is “improving precipitation and runoff forecasts and implications for reservoir operations.” Registration is open. For more information go to http://cepsym.info/.

ACWA Region 1 Program “Take it From the Tap Promoting Drink Local Campaigns,” is July 19 at the Santa Rosa Utilities Field Office. Registration is available online June 17 at www.acwa.com. For more information or questions contact ACWA Regional Affairs Representative Katie Dahl at katied@acwa.com or 916.441.4545

ACWA 2013 Regulatory Summit is Aug. 14 at the Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach, Oxnard. The program’s focus will be groundwater. For more information, contact ACWA’s Member Services and Events Department at events@acwa.com or 916.441.4545.

September 13

ACWA Region 3 / Mountain Counties Water Resources Association will hold a joint meeting

ACWA Events

Other Events

Friday, Sept. 13 at The Ridge Golf Club and Events Center, Auburn. For more information visit http:// mountaincountieswater.com/meeting-schedule/ upcoming-meetings/ or contact Executive Director John Kingsbury at johnkingsbury. mcwra@gmail.com.

October 3 – 4

ACWA’s 2013 Continuing Legal Education Workshop (CLE) is Oct. 3 – 4 at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach. For more information, contact ACWA’s Member Services and Events Department at events@acwa.com or 916.441.4545.

8 – 9

29th Biennial Groundwater Conference & Groundwater Resources Association Annual Meeting is Oct. 8 – 9 in Sacramento. For more information visit www.grac.com.

16 – 18

Water Education Foundation will host a 3-day Northern California Tour traveling the length of the Sacramento Valley on Oct. 16 – 18. Stops include Oroville and Shasta dams, Red Bluff Fish Passage Improvement Project, Feather River Fish Hatchery, Clear Creek restoration site, GCID’s fish screen and Delevan Wildlife Refuge. For more information go to http://www.watereducation. org/toursdetail.asp?id=841&parentID=821.

24 – 25

ACWA Regions 2 & 4 will host a Regional Water Forum & Bike Tour Oct. 24 – 25. Registration will be available online Sept. 6 at www.acwa.com. For more information contact ACWA Regional Affairs Representatives Marcia Wulff at marciaw@acwa. com or Katie Dahl at katied@acwa.com.

November 7 – 8

Water Education Foundation’s San Joaquin River Restoration Tour is Nov. 7 – 8. The tour includes stops at Friant Dam, Interim San Joaquin River Salmon Conservation and Research Facility, Chowchilla Bifurcation and Canal, Mendota Pool, Sack Dam, Sand Slough Control Structure, and the Merced National Wildlife Refuge. For more information go to http://www.watereducation. org/toursdetail.asp?id=845&parentID=821.

December 3 – 6

ACWA’s 2013 Fall Conference & Exhibition is Dec. 3 – 6 at the JW Marriott LA Live, Los Angeles.

For more information, contact ACWA’s Member Services and Events Department at events@acwa. com or 916.441.4545.

June 7, 2013 • 17

classifieds

Positions Open General Manager Serrano Water District

Association of California Water Agencies 910 K Street, Suite 100 Sacramento, CA 95814-3577

Periodicals Postage Paid at Sacramento, CA

Time Valued Material

Salary $125,000 to $150,000 Annually DOQ – Plus Excellent Benefits Package The General Manager reports to a five member elected Board and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the District.

This position has overall responsibility for policy development, water resource planning, distribution and water treatment, fiscal management, employee relations, engineering, administration and operation of all district functions, programs and activities. The incumbent is responsible for accomplishing District goals and objectives, implementing the policies of the Board of Directors, and representing the Board’s policies with employees, community organizations and the general public.

Examples of Duties

Desirable Qualifications Any combination of education and experience which would likely provide the necessary knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

• Works closely with the Board of Directors, organizations and other public agencies regarding district programs; interprets District regulations and applicable laws and advises the Board on a variety of issues.

Education / Experience: A Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, public administration, business administration or closely related field from an accredited college or university is desirable as well as an advanced degree from an accredited college or university or equivalent experience. Broad and extensive work experience in an management or administrative position in a public agency, requiring the responsibility for the formulation and implementation of programs, budgets, and administrative operations. Experience in working with an elected board or commission is desirable.

• Directs the preparation and administration of the District’s annual budget, recommends service rates and water conservation measures, coordinates the preparation and presentation of various agendas.

Certification: It is required for the incumbent to possess a California Water Distribution Operator Grade D3 and a Treatment Plant T4 Certificate as issued by the State Health Department.

• Directs the selection, supervision and work evaluation of District staff, monitors and implements employee relations and staff development procedures.

Driver’s License: Possession of a valid California Class C driver’s license.

The duties listed below are illustrative only and are not meant to be a complete and exhaustive listing of all of the duties and responsibilities of this classification.

• Plans, organizes, coordinates, through staff, all work of the District, including the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and work standards of the District.

• Represents the Board and the District in contacts with various governmental agencies, community groups and business.

As a leader of a small agency with large scope of responsibility, the General Manager’s duties are challenging, multifaceted and rewarding.

The ideal candidate will have extensive knowledge of water supply, water treatment and delivery issues.

Interested applications please email resume to serranowaterdistrict@yahoo. com or fax to (714) 538-5279. **No phone calls, please.**

Management Analyst City of Glendora ($4,442 – $5,399/mo.)

Under general supervision, this position conducts assigned programs and specialized department programs such

as water conservation and other programs as assigned. Applicants must have equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree in Public/Business Administration, or a closely related field, and at least two years of demonstrated administrative and analytical experience, preferably within a local government or public utility, in the collection, compilation, and analysis of data involving financial, budgetary, or administrative issues. APPLY BY: 5:00 p.m., June 14, 2013. A detailed job flyer and City application are available for download on the City of Glendora’s website at www.ci.glendora. ca.us. for lease FOr leASe

910 910KKStreet Street Sacramento, Sacramento, CA CA 95814 95814

Sacramento, California, United States

PRICE REDUCED ±22,500 SF Office Building - Two 3rd Floor Suite Available: $1.55, $1.75 Full Services Gross

Property Highlights: Office for Lease

N

• One Block from the State Capitol

INTERSTATE CALIFORNIA

80

Two available in Sacramento, one block from the State • Suitesuites 300 - ±2,200 SF • Move-in ready office space Capital (910Restrooms K St.).

• Common Area • Suite 350 - ±1,850 SF

INTERSTATE

5

CALIFORNIA

INTERSTATE

INTERSTATE CALIFORNIA

80

CALIFORNIA

80

INTERSTATE

PrOPerTy

CALIFORNIA

80

• Immediate access to Interstate 5 and Interstate 80

Westfield Downtown Regional • • Walking Suitedistance 350 to–Restaurants, 1,850and sq.Hotels ft. & Suite 300 – 2,200 sq.ft.

Shopping Center, • Centrally located in the heart of the Business Districtspace • Sacramento Move-inCentral ready office • Immediate access to Interstate 5 and Interstate 80 • Walking distance to Westfield Downtown Shopping Center, restaurants, and hotels • Centrally located in the heart of the Sacramento Central Business District U S

50

C AL I

FORNIA

99

0 mi

For more information, please contact:

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Copyright © and (P) 1988–2006 Microsoft Corporation and/or its suppliers. All rights reserved. http://www.microsoft.com/mappoint/ Portions © 1990–2005 InstallShield Software Corporation. All rights reserved. Certain mapping and direction data © 2005 NAVTEQ. All rights reserved. The Data for areas of Canada includes information taken with permission from Canadian authorities, including: © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, © Queen's Printer for Ontario. NAVTEQ and NAVTEQ ON BOARD are trademarks of NAVTEQ. © 2005 Tele Atlas North America, Inc. All rights reserved. Tele Atlas and Tele Atlas North America are trademarks of Tele Atlas, Inc.

Chad Cook, CCIM Office & Investments 916.329.1562 ccook@ctbt.com LIC #01711687

520 Capitol Mall, 5th Floor Sacramento, California 95814 ph: 916.375.1500 fx: 916.376.8840

Cassidy Turley Northern California www.ctbt.com

The information contained herein has been given to us by the owner of the property or other sources we deem reliable. We have no reason to doubt its accuracy, but we do not guarantee it. All information should be verified prior to purchase or lease.

For more information, contact Chad Cook: 916.329.1562, ccook@ctbt.com