ACWA News Dec. 19, 2014

NEWS

ACWA AC WA’s Member

Newsletter Volume 42

12

No.

December 19, 2014

Left: Ginny Groundwater, California, Little Drop, H2Owl and Oscar the Otter storm the Dec. 3 Opening Breakfast to highlight creative conservation campaigns by member agencies and promote ConservaCon, a conference program featuring displays by members throughout the state. Top right: Stuart White, director of the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology, Sydney in Australia, addresses the Opening Breakfast. Bottom right: Senate President Pro Tem Emeritus Darrell Steinberg poses with ACWA President John Coleman and ACWA Vice President Kathy Tiegs after Steinberg’s luncheon address.

ACWA Fall Conference Draws Over 1,800 People; Australian and Israeli Leaders Share Lessons Epic droughts in California and Australia, the passage of a $7.5 billion water bond, and the next steps on groundwater management were among the myriad of topics addressed at ACWA’s Fall Conference & Exhibition in San Diego Dec. 2-5.

Themed “Moment of Truth: One State, One Water Future,” the event at the Manchester Grand Hyatt drew over 1,800 water leaders together from throughout the state and as far

away as Australia and Israel to listen to — and participate in — expert panels and discussions on a wide range of topics.

The contingent of water leaders from Australia shared insights from Australia’s Millennium Drought from 1995 to 2009.

Dr. Stuart White, director of the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology, Sydney, delivered the keynote Conference Continued on page 8

Storms Boost Reservoirs, But Much More Needed An impressive winter storm dropped muchneeded rain over much of California Dec. 1112, sending welcome runoff into key reservoirs and triggering localized flash flooding and landslides in some parts of Southern California.

While the storm certainly improved conditions, officials said the state would need several more such events to recover from three consecutive dry years. Based on past experience,

Column: Lawmakers 2 President’s 3 New Looking Back at a Sworn in as 2015Big Year in Water

’16 Legislative Session Kicks Off

the Department of Water Resources estimates California will need about 150% of normal precipitation this winter to erase the deficit in water storage.

Lake Shasta, the state’s largest reservoir, gained about 295,000 acre-feet of storage and held 1.4 million acre-feet on Dec. 16, which was 31% of capacity and 52% of average for the date. Before the storm, the lake held 1.1 storms Continued on page 7

Senate 4 State Hearing Focuses on Resolving Groundwater Disputes

Board 6 ACWA Approves Headwaters Framework, Hears Year-End Report

ACWA News is a publication of the Association of California Water Agencies 910 K Street, Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95814-3512 Periodicals postage paid at Sacramento, CA. POSTMASTER: send address changes and subscription requests to ACWA News, 910 K Street, Suite 100 Sacramento, CA 95814-3514 Phone: 916.441.4545 Fax: 916.561.7124 Website: acwa.com 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 Emily Allshouse Graphic Designer Katherine Causland Outreach and Social Media Specialist Marie Meade Copyright 2014. All Rights Reserved.

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2 • ACWA NEWS

Vol. 42 No. 12

President’s Column

By John Coleman

Looking Back at a Big Year in Water 2014 has been a year for the record books. From extreme drought conditions to emergency regulations on conservation to passage of Proposition 1 by a huge margin, the year brought incredible challenges as well as historic opportunities.

For ACWA and its member agencies, 2014 was nothing short of a banner year.

Thanks to the solid foundation provided by our Board-adopted policy principles and the diligent work of our member agencies, ACWA was a driving force on the water bond, groundwater sustainability legislation, drought response and other priority issues.

The success of Proposition 1 capped years of efforts by ACWA and its members to craft a responsible bond to reinvest in our water system and jump-start the comprehensive water plan we need for the future. Importantly, these investments will be tied to the California Water Action Plan advanced by Gov. Jerry Brown.

It is now incumbent on the water community to show voters that their faith in us is well placed and the funds will be spent wisely to improve water supply reliability in all regions of the state.

On the groundwater front, ACWA’s foresight in forming a Groundwater Sustainability Task Force late last year proved invaluable in 2014. The task force developed a series of recommendations that built on our 2011 Groundwater Framework and put us squarely at the table as discussions took place at the Capitol.

The final product of those discussions — the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 — was largely consistent with ACWA’s recommendations and sets the stage for locally controlled sustainable management of the state’s groundwater basins. While I realize the legislation remains controversial with some ACWA members, I believe our involvement helped shape the outcome and put local agencies in a better

position to address a challenge that has been decades in the making.

I’m also proud of ACWA’s leadership on the drought this year. Whether it was managing the state’s largest conservation campaign through the $4 million Save Our Water program or providing specific input on emergency regulations adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board, ACWA mobilized to represent its members’ interests and educate key audiences throughout the year.

Our Board-created Drought Action Group also delivered an excellent report that provided a unique, on-the-ground look at the drought’s local impacts and outlined strategies for improving the resilience of our water system. Meanwhile, the ACWA website — with its interactive map showing local drought response actions around the state — was a huge resource for media and other audiences looking for the latest information.

2014 also was a great year for member engagement through our conferences, region events and tours, and other programs such as the DC Conference and the Legislative Symposium. I had the privilege of attending dozens of these events around the state this year, and I was consistently impressed with the content of our programs and the excellent work our members are doing to meet their customers’ needs.

Organizationally, we continued to improve ACWA’s technology systems and make our operations more efficient. We also launched a new Business Development Committee that will pursue new ways to expand our non-dues revenue and refresh our program offerings.

Reflecting back on the policy achievements this year, it strikes me that we have entered a new era in California water. We have opportunities now that we didn’t have in January 2014. Now it is time to plan how we take full advantage of those opportunities in 2015.

New Lawmakers Sworn in as 2015-’16 Legislative Session Kicks Off The 2015-’16 legislative session officially got under way on Dec. 1 with the swearing in of 32 new lawmakers, one of the largest freshman classes in decades.

The Assembly swore in 27 new members, while the Senate swore in five new members with no previous Capitol experience and five former Assembly members.

Assembly Committee Chair Appointments Announced Assembly Speaker Toni Atkins (DSan Diego) announced her first round of committee chair appointments on Dec. 1. Of particular interest to ACWA members are her choices for three key committees.

The Senate began the session with four vacancies, one of which was filled in a special election Dec. 9 in which former Assembly Member Isadore Hall (DCompton) was elected to the seat vacated by former Sen. Rod Wright. Gov. Jerry Brown is expected to call three more special elections in the spring to fill vacancies created by the departures of Sens.

Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord), Steve Knight (R-Palmdale) and Mimi Walters (R-Laguna Niguel), who all were elected to Congress on Nov. 4.

Assembly Member Marc Levine (D-San Rafael) is the new chair of the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, while Assembly Member Luis Alejo (D-Watsonville) remains chair of the Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee.

ACWA’s State Relations staff will be scheduling “meet and greets” with many of the new lawmakers after Jan. 5, when the Legislature returns to resume the 2015-’16 session.

Hot Topics for Session Coming on the heels of a session in which lawmakers approved a long-sought water bond and landmark legislation on groundwater sustainability, the 2015-’16

Assembly Member Brian Maienschein (R-San Diego) is the new chair of the Local Government Committee, while Assembly Member Lorena Gonzalez (DSan Diego) is the new vice chair.

session is expected to see discussion on topics ranging from expedited groundwater basin adjudications to recycled water to public goods charge proposals.

Lawmakers already have begun introducing bills. Sen. Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) has introduced two bills related to groundwater: SB 13, intended as a technical clean-up bill for the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014, and SB 20, related to well-driller logs.

As reported in the Nov. 19 issue of ACWA News, ACWA’s State Legislative Committee decided at its annual planning meeting in October to pursue ACWA sponsorship of legislation related to compliance with the state’s new chromium-6 drinking water standard and notice requirements under the California Environmental Quality Act. The committee is expected to review a proposal regarding recycled water at its Jan. 16 meeting.

House Passes California Emergency Drought Relief Act of 2014 The House voted Dec. 9 to approve HR 5781, the California Emergency Drought Relief Act of 2014. The bill, sponsored by Rep. David Valadao (CA21), passed by a vote of 230-182. The bill now moves to the Senate.

Following the vote, Rep. Valadao, along with cosponsors Reps. McCarthy (CA-23), Calvert (CA-42), LaMalfa (CA01), McClintock (CA-04), and Nunes (CA-22) released a statement calling the drought a natural disaster that demands immediate action: “Californians are suffering and this bill will provide them with the immediate relief they desperately need. The House of Representatives has recognized the importance of this legislation, not just for California, but for our entire nation.

The drought is a natural disaster, and like any other disaster, deserves immediate action.”

Prior to the House vote, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who had previously been in talks with House Republicans concerning a drought bill, stated that she was unable to support parts of the current bill due to its environmental impacts.

“There are several other provisions that would waive environmental protections that need to be changed before I could support them,” Feinstein said Dec. 8. “I have said all along that I will not support a bill that would waive these protections, and that remains true today.”

Back in California, the Brown Administration expressed its opposition to the bill. Writing on behalf of the administration, California Natural Resources Secretary John Laird issued a letter contending that only those agencies that were working on the ground in real-time and in collaboration with stakeholders were properly equipped to

address the drought. He called the bill divisive, worrying that the bill could pit different parts of the state against each other at a time when they should be working together: “Coming off a year where more progress has been made on water policy in California than any time in recent years — with broad support evident in the electorate for this strategy — this is no time to reignite water wars, move water policy back into the courts, and try to pit one part of the state against another. For this reason, the administration opposes HR 5781. Our collective energies should be devoted to a long-term solution for California’s water needs in a way that rewards working together as opposed to dividing interests, just as the successful campaign for the water bond recently did. We stand ready to work with the supporters and opponents of HR 5781 to that end.” .

December 19, 2014 • 3

State Senate Hearing Focuses on Resolving Groundwater Disputes The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water on Nov. 20 held an informational hearing that focused on developing ways to resolve groundwater rights disputes more quickly.

Formally titled — “Resolving Disputes Regarding Groundwater: Why Does it Take So Long and What Might be Done to Accelerate the Process?” — the hearing offered an overview of how groundwater disputes are currently resolved in California and looked in depth at the lengthy Antelope Valley adjudication.

Sen. Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills), chair of the Senate committee, opened the hearing by saying that following the passage this year of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, officials now want to look at the issue of groundwater adjudications. She said the hearing was a way to “begin the discussion on modifications we can make to expedite” the adjudications process.

“This is a priority of the Administration…and the Legislature,” said Pavley.

Justice Ronald B. Robie of the Third District Court of Appeal, delivered an overview on how groundwater rights disputes are currently resolved in California. He said that surface water rights in California are largely governed by statutory procedures, however, groundwater is governed by common law.

Robie said that public agencies generally maintain good records of their pumping, but not as much data is available from private pumpers. He said implementation of the SGMA will help provide good data. He said the overarching aim of adjudications is to honor water rights while assuring that “safe yields” of water are pumped from basins.

Eric L. Garner, a partner with the law firm, Best, Best & Krieger, walked members through the Antelope Valley adjudication, a lengthy groundwater adjudication that has been going on for years. Garner offered the adjudication as a case study in why adjudications sometimes take so long.

“One of the reasons adjudications take so long is parties benefit from the status quo,” said Garner, saying often adjudications allow pumpers to continue to pump while the issue is decided.

Stefanie Morris, general counsel for the State Water Contractors and a member of ACWA’s working attorney group that has been studying the adjudication issue, described some “initial concepts” that are being explored in the working group, but are not yet vetted by ACWA. The ACWA group cited some possible changes in the process that might expedite adjudications. They include: developing more efficient ways to notice parties that may be a part of an adjudication, such as including letters in property bills; developing a clearer process to establish basin boundaries; and establishing that parties can’t go back and forth to different phases of an adjudication after there has been a statement of decision.

Water Storage Should Be Part of Integrated Plan, Report Says New water storage projects built in California should be part of an integrated, statewide water system plan, according to a new report released Nov. 20.

The report, “Integrating Storage in California’s Changing Water System,” evaluates the possibilities of increasing water storage capacity in the semi-arid state. Issued by water engineers and scientists at the University of California, Davis, The Nature Conservancy and three prominent water consultants, the report advocates a more integrated approach to surface and groundwater water storage where new storage projects are planned, designed and operated as components of a statewide water system.

The report is available at http://watershed.ucdavis.edu .

The report also states that California could use an additional 6 million acrefeet of above- and below-ground storage — the equivalent of a third more than can be held at Shasta reservoir.

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The study arrives as the California Water Commission prepares to develop rules for allocating investments in storage projects from a portion of the $7.545 billion in funds recently approved by California voters as Proposition 1. More than a third of the water bond funds are allocated for additional surface and groundwater storage. The bond does not specify individual projects nor does the newly released study.

Timothy Quinn, executive director of ACWA issued the following statement on the new report: “This report advances the discussion about the need to invest in additional storage capacity of all types throughout the state. ACWA will continue to advocate for additional storage as one element of a broad set of strategies to address overall water supply reliability and ecosystem health in California. This report will help inform the debate regarding storage. One key insight of this report

— with which ACWA strongly agrees — is the importance of moving beyond a ‘project by project’ approach to storage investments to one where we consciously integrate new storage investments into statewide water management.”

According to a UC Davis press release on the report, the study found that using an “integrated, multi-benefit analysis” for storage projects is the best option.

Co-author Maurice Hall, California water science and engineering lead for The Nature Conservancy, said such an approach would be a departure from most project analyses and policy discussions that examine water storage proposals as isolated projects.

“Our current water supplies are over-allocated, and we need to invest in a much smarter strategy to upgrade our water system and meet multiple water needs with an eye to the future and changing climate conditions,” said Hall.

California’s Groundwater Basins Hit Historic Lows , DWR Study Finds More than 600 new wells have been dug this year in California to supply groundwater to thirsty communities and farms hit hard by the drought, pushing groundwater basins in most areas of the state to historically low levels, a new state study reveals.

According to the report on groundwater issued Dec. 2 by the Department of Water Resources, groundwater resources have provided an increasingly larger share of California’s water supply during the current drought. The report details groundwater level changes, potential water shortages, land subsidence, farmland fallowing and gaps in groundwater monitoring.

It is not unusual for drought conditions to prompt an increase in groundwater pumping as surface water supplies dwindle. Groundwater basins are the state’s largest reservoir, amounting to 10 times the amount of all surface reservoirs combined. More than 80% of Californians rely, in part, on groundwater for their drinking water, according to a state press release on the report.

In September, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a package of three bills known as the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act which seeks to create a framework for sustainable, local groundwater management for the first time in state history. The legislation allows local agencies to tailor groundwater sustainability plans to their regional economic and environmental needs. For more information about the legislation,

visit www.groundwater.ca.gov.

In a press release issued by DWR that accompanied the new report, DWR Director Mark Cowin stressed the need for sustainable management of groundwater.

“If we fail to manage our groundwater basins sustainably, we risk losing the water supply savings account that can help cities, farms, and businesses survive drought with minimal disruption,” said Cowin. “The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act will help us head off problems such as subsidence and overdraft, which may damage aquifers permanently, and allow local agencies to establish groundwater pumping levels that yield reliable supplies for generations to come.”

Under the SGMA, state and local agencies will work together over the next several years to craft local sustainability plans in regions where groundwater basins are vulnerable to overdraft.

In the meantime, California’s threeyear-long drought is taking a heavy toll on many groundwater basins, according to the new report. Basins with notable decreases in groundwater levels are in the Sacramento River, San Joaquin River, Tulare Lake, San Francisco Bay, Central Coast and South Coast hydrologic regions.

Other findings of the report include: Based on data received this year through September, more than 350 new water supply wells are reported in Fresno and Tulare counties, the most in the

state. More than 200 new water supply wells were reported in Merced County and more than 100 were reported in Butte, Kern, Kings, Shasta, and Stanislaus counties.

As of Oct. 7, 34 of California’s 127 high- and medium-priority basins and sub basins are either partially or fully unmonitored under the California Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring Program (CASGEM).

Significant data monitoring gaps exist in the San Joaquin River, Tulare Lake, and Central Coast hydrologic regions.

To review the report visit www.water. ca.gov/waterconditions/index.cfm.

SWRCB Releases Interactive Tool to Locate Nitrate-Impacted Wells The State Water Resources Control Board on Dec. 3 launched a new interactive online search tool, called “Is My Property Near a Nitrate-Impacted Water Well” that helps users determine if privately owned water wells are located within 2,000 feet of a “nitrate-impacted well.” Nitrate-impacted water wells are defined as those that have had at least

one detection of the pollutant since 2000 at a level above the health standard.

While more than 95% of Californians receive drinking water from public water systems that are subject to regular testing and must meet safe drinking water standards, there is no requirement for private well testing. The State Board

recommends that private well owners test their wells annually using an accredited drinking water laboratory.

The tool, which also offers a FAQ document for users to learn more about nitrate in groundwater, is available at www.waterboards.ca.gov/nitrate_ tool.

December 19, 2014 • 5

ACWA Board Approves Headwaters Framework, Hears Year-End Report ACWA’s Board of Directors heard a recap on 2014 accomplishments and approved a framework document for improving management of the state’s headwaters areas at the Nov. 28 meeting in Sacramento.

A “Banner Year” for ACWA ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn reported that 2014 has been a remarkable year for California water and a banner year for ACWA. Citing passage of a $7.545 billion water bond by a large margin and enactment of historic — though controversial — legislation on groundwater management, Quinn said the stage is set for progress on a comprehensive water action plan that will benefit all parts of the state.

“These accomplishments occurred during an historic drought, which stretched staff resources as we worked with the Brown Administration and our members to make the best of very trying times,” Quinn said.

While the drought created opportunities this year, Quinn said ACWA’s effective organizational structure, Board leadership and clearly defined policy direction allowed the association to take advantage of those opportunities.

He noted the successes of 2014 were built on the foundation of past strategic plans, numerous task forces and work groups, dozens of policy statements and documents, and hundreds of actions by ACWA staff, Board members and member agency representatives.

“2014 has been a banner year that reflects the resolve and farsightedness of the ACWA Board, the hard work of staff, and the effectiveness of our organizational structure and executive team,” Quinn said.

In addition to successes on the water bond and groundwater legislation, ACWA also was a driving force on drought response, coordinating statewide messaging, serving as an informational clearinghouse and managing the Save Our Water campaign’s $4 million effort in 2014.

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Jennifer Persike, ACWA’s deputy executive director for external affairs and operations, highlighted accomplishments related to drought as well as notable achievements in communications, member services and engagement, events and Outgoing ACWA Board Members Walter Cotter and Bob Dean ongoing improveare honored for their service at the Nov. 28 meeting. Left to right: ments in ACWA’s ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn, ACWA Vice President technology systems, Kathy Tiegs, outgoing Region 2 Vice Chair Walter Cotter, outgointernal policies and ing Region 3 Chair Bob Dean and ACWA President John Coleman operational efficien- gather after the last Board meeting of 2014. cies. She also highlighted formation of benefits of healthy headwaters. It also a new Business Development Committee provides a brief history of headwaters focused on reinvigorating programs and management and offers a series of case expanding non-dues revenues. studies that can be used as examples for Cindy Tuck, deputy director for integrated and adaptive management in governmental relations, outlined notable the upper watersheds. successes in advancing the comprehensive Expanding on the policy principles water plan and in the state and federal on improved headwaters management legislative and regulatory arenas, includapproved by the Board in March 2013, ing securing changes to the State Water the Headwaters Framework also includes Resources Control Board’s Statewide recommendations aimed at creating more Drinking Water Discharge Permit and resilient water resources through effective efforts to oppose expansion of the Clean headwaters management.

Water Act via proposed changes to the The document is the product of a “waters of the United States” definition. working group headed by Bob Dean, ACWA President John Coleman said who recently completed his term as a the successes of 2014 have created oppormember of the Calaveras County Water tunities that didn’t exist at the beginning District Board of Directors, and Steve of the year. “Now our task is to plan how LaMarr, president of the Irvine Ranch best to take advantage of those opporWater District Board of Directors. tunities in 2015. It will be incumbent Dean presented the document to the on the water community to show that Board and noted that ACWA developed we will be good stewards of the funding or enhanced relationships with several provided by the water bond and that we agencies and stakeholder groups over the will advance programs and projects that course of developing the framework. He benefit the state,” Coleman said. also noted that success in implementing the document’s recommendations will Headwaters Framework Approved require coordination and collaboration The Headwaters Framework, which with private property owners. will be formally released and distributed in early 2015, describes the role that headwaters play in California’s water management system and outlines the

Several Board members thanked Dean for leadership on the headwaters effort.

MWD Revises Allocation Plan; Adds $40 Million to Conservation Budget In advance of another possible dry year, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Board of Directors on Dec. 9 revised the district’s water allocation plan and added $40 million to its conservation rebate budget.

The adjusted water allocation plan distributes MWD’s imported supplies among its 26 member agencies during shortages and establishes a surcharge for excess water use. If drought conditions persist, the board could consider triggering the allocation plan in the first quarter of 2015, MWD officials said in a press release.

“Making tough decisions about restricting supplies is one of the hardest things we do as a water board,” said MWD Board Chairman Randy Record.

“By taking this action today, we are better prepared to manage water shortages should the situation worsen.”

The increase in the district’s conservation incentive budget from $60 million to $100 million marks the second time this year that MWD’s board has boosted funding for water-saving rebates. In February, the board added $20 million to MWD’s conservation budget, which brought the total to $60 million.

MWD General Manager Jeffrey Kightlinger said the combination of heightened public drought awareness, the need to conserve and the expanded rebate options — particularly turf removal — has generated extraordinary demand from consumers and businesses for water-savings incentives.

“We’ve never experienced anything like it,” said Kightlinger of the public’s demand for rebates. “Last year, we spent a total of $18.6 million on our entire conservation budget, which is

nearly equal to the amount expended during just the first five months of the current fiscal year. Driven by the public’s response to the increased turf removal incentive, overall rebate requests are already more than nine times the total rebates paid last year.”

Under the allocation plan, MWD’s member agencies and their retailers would be allocated supplies partly based on their dependency on the district’s imported supplies, while taking into account other local supply sources. Initially adopted by the board in February 2008, the plan incorporates considerations for impact on retail customers and the economy; changes and losses in local supplies; the investment in and development of local resources, and conservation achievements.

Storms Continued from page 1

million acre-feet and was at 25% of capacity and 42% of average.

Lake Oroville, California’s secondlargest reservoir and a key feature of the State Water Project, added about 125,000 acre-feet of water storage as a result of the storm. It held 1.1 million acre-feet on Dec. 16, which was 33% of capacity and 53% of average for the date. Just before the storm, it was at 29% of capacity and 48% of average for that date. Prior to the boost, the reservoir has approached near-record low levels for the date set in 1976-’77.

Folsom Lake added about 45,000 acre-feet of storage as a result of the storm. Folsom held 370,391 acre-feet on Dec. 16, which was 38% of capacity and 78% of average for the date.

recorded 18.7 inches of precipitation since Oct. 1, or about 140% of average for the date.

The snowpack, however, remains low.

According to electronic readings, the statewide mountain snowpack was 41% of normal for the date on Dec. 15.

The first manual snow survey for the 2014-’15 season is set for Dec. 30.

Initial SWP Allocations Announced The Department of Water Resources announced Dec. 1 that its initial State Water Project allocation for 2015 is 10% – up from last year’s 5%. The allocation could be adjusted after the Dec. 30 snow survey.

Since Dec. 1, storms have allowed the State Water Project and Central Valley Project to pump about 172,000 acre-feet of water into storage in San Luis Reservoir, a key facility south of the Delta.

The 29 public water agencies that receive SWP water (State Water Project Contractors) requested 4,172,686 acrefeet of water for 2015. Under the Dec. 1 initial allocation, those agencies will receive 418,520 acre-feet. For most agencies, that amounts to 10% of the supplies for which they contract with DWR.

The relatively warm storm was generous with rain but light on snow. The key Northern Sierra 8-station index has now

Nearly all areas served by the SWP also have other sources of water, among them streams, groundwater and local reservoirs.

Also, the State Water Project Contractors will have access to any water they have left in storage from previous allocations. DWR on Dec. 1 approved requests for delivery in 2015 of 167,465 acre-feet of carryover water from previous years.

On average, half of California’s precipitation occurs December through February, and three quarters from November through March.

Last January, as the drought pushed into its third year, DWR dropped its initial water allocation for calendar year 2014 from 5% to its first ever zero allocation for all SWP contractors. Storms in February and March boosted the allocation back up to 5%, making a little more than 200,000 acre-feet available to the 29 contractors, who collectively had requested slightly more than four million acre-feet.

The only previous zero allocation in the 54-year history of the SWP was for agriculture in 1991, but cities and others that year received 30% of requested amounts.

December 19, 2014 • 7

An array of water experts share their perspectives during ACWA’s Fall Conference & Exhibition. Left: Eric Garner of Best, Best & Krieger LLP discusses California’s new Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. Center: Various water experts and officials discuss the future of water storage in California. Right: ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn and other water experts discuss Lake Mead and its impact on California water supply.

Conference Continued from page 1

address at Wednesday’s opening breakfast, sharing lessons learned from Australia’s drought and discussing how his institute helped water agencies manage through the historic dry spell.

long-time member of the Contra Costa Water District Board of Directors, was awarded ACWA’s Emissary Award – for her contributions to California’s water world.

White stressed the importance of investing in water efficiency technologies and of developing a “flexible and adaptive” water system.

More than 80 programs, panel discussions, business meetings and other sessions examined a wide range of issues and kept ACWA members up to the date on the latest developments in California water. Topics included everything from water conservation to water storage to groundwater managers to the waterenergy nexus.

“We are moving to a new era in the water industry,” said White.

During the opening breakfast, Bette Boatmun, former ACWA President and

Senate President Pro Tem Emeritus Darrell Steinberg delivered the keynote address at Wednesday’s luncheon and on Thursday, leading water attorney Eric Garner put 2014’s landmark groundwater legislation in context during a lunchtime address. During a breakfast discussion on Friday, State Treasurer Bill Lockyer and Tony Krvaric, vice chair of the California Republican Party and chair, Republican Party of San Diego County, analyzed the results of the 2014 elections and what they believe they mean for California and the nation.

Water Law Expert Outlines Challenges of Managing State Groundwater It’s difficult to manage groundwater, but the consequences of failing to do so are more difficult. That was the theme presented in Thursday’s keynote luncheon by Eric Garner, managing partner with Best Best & Krieger LLP, who discussed the history of groundwater rights and management within the state and the changes to come following the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014.

“This year may go down as the epic year in water,” he said.

Garner discussed the types of groundwater rights and noted that because groundwater is a common resource managed under the subjective principle of “reasonable use” it is especially difficult to regulate.

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Nevertheless, failure to regulate the resource can lead to overdraft, seawater intrusion, subsidence, and legal fights.

“We don’t know who’s pumping what and if they have a right to,” said Garner.

“The basic California rule is that you pump until a judge tells you not to.”

Garner went on to discuss the current adjudication process, saying that what makes the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act so important is that it essentially transfers the adjudication process to a non-judicial forum run by Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs). According to Garner, that’s a good thing, and the 25-year implementation timeline is “good business planning” and “generous.”

“You will never get that kind of time in a court room,” he added.

Continuing on the topic of changing water policy in California, Garner said that SGMA is like many other transformative water policies that have made California what it is today. He then expressed his confidence that California water officials would be able to manage groundwater statewide more effectively than the state’s courtrooms.

“It’s not a legal challenge, it’s a political challenge and an engineering challenge,” said Garner. “There is still a lot of groundwater and if we manage it, it will serve us for a long time.” .

Left: Dublin San Ramon Service District mascot Oscar the Otter high fives ACWA President John Coleman during the Dec. 3 Opening Breakfast. Center: Sue Stephenson, community affairs supervisor at Dublin San Ramon Service District, is interviewed by a documentary crew during ConservaCon. Right: San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District displays its conservation efforts, while its mascot H2Owl entertains attendees at ConservaCon.

ACWA Fall Conference Features Forums, Panels and a ConservaCon ACWA’s Fall Conference & Exhibition in San Diego Dec. 2-5 offered an array of town hall meetings, issue forums and programs on topics ranging from drought to groundwater management to climate change.

The conference also offered its first-ever ConservaCon — a riff on San Diego’s famous Comic Con — where member agencies showcased their creative communications efforts around conservation during the Communications Committee’s Wednesday program.

Among the member agency displays were creative campaigns such as Water Replenishment District’s Groundwater Guardians campaign featuring colorful cartoon characters called “The Slurps,” and contests such as Mojave Water Agencies Faces of Conservation “selfie” contest that encouraged people to post pictures of themselves saving water.

Dublin San Ramon Services District also highlighted its popular residential recycled water fill stations. Other featured programs included turf rebates, partnerships with local businesses and schools, and multi-lingual public service announcement campaigns.

Prior to the 90-minute program, six costumed mascots from member agencies “stormed” the Wednesday breakfast to drum up excitement for the program.

Here is a sampling of some of the other conference programs:

Is Sustainable Obtainable?

At a statewide issue forum Wednesday morning, experts on groundwater management discussed the state’s new Sustainable Groundwater Management Act signed into law this year. The speakers included: David Aladjem, partner with Downey Brand law firm; Gordon Burns, undersecretary of CalEPA and Maurice Hall, director of The Nature Conservancy. The forum was moderated

by ACWA Senior Legislative Advocate Whitnie Wiley.

Burns said he believes that “in the big scheme of things, what the statute is all about is trying to avoid and resolve conflicts.” He later said the statute is “an important tool for local agencies to use to get consensus for each other” around groundwater.

Hall said that the legislation, in giving locals control over establishing management agencies, will require that local leaders step up.

“It’s a matter of whether the leadership…provides the vision to move the community forward,” said Hall.

The Future of Water Transfers A Dec. 3 afternoon program on water transfers featured water experts such as: David Aladjem, partner with Downey Brand law firm; Darren Cordova, principal at MBK Engineers; Andy Hitchings, shareholder at Somach, Simmons & Dunn; and Spencer Kenner, assistant chief counsel at the Department of Water Resources. The program was moderated

by Andrea Clark, a partner at Downey Brand.

The general consensus of the speakers was that water transfers are an important tool to move water to areas of critical need. The legal framework for voluntary transfers is that there is no injury to legal users of water and no unreasonable effects on fish and wildlife.

Kenner said DWR held multiple meetings among stakeholders this year to help to improve the transfer process. He said DWR has worked to streamline the documentation process for transfers and the “tenor” of transfer discussions “was more cooperative this year.”

Making Every Drop Count: The Future of Water Storage Several experts on water discussed the future of water storage in California during an afternoon panel Dec. 3. The discussion focused in large part on the $2.7 billion identified for water storage in the $7.5 billion water bond approved by voters in November.

Lester Snow, executive director of the California Water Foundation, said storage investments in the water system need to be done in a “comprehensive way” as part of a statewide plan.

Joe Byrne, chair of the California Water Commission, outlined the competitive process the commission will use in evaluating projects for funding from the bond. He said state bond funds can fund Continued on page 14

December 19, 2014 • 9

International Visitors Attend ACWA Fall Conference & Exhibition A contingent of visitors from Australia and a guest from Israel attended ACWA’s Fall Conference & Exhibition in San Diego Dec. 2-5 to learn more about California’s water system and to offer their specific expertise on water while attending some conference forums, exhibiting their companies in the exhibit hall

ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn, ACWA Vice President Kathy Tiegs and ACWA President John Coleman pose with a contingent of Australian water experts who attended the Fall conference.

and in one case, delivering the keynote address at opening breakfast.

The contingent of water leaders from Australia shared insights from Australia’s Millennium Drought from 1995 to 2009. Dr. Stuart White, director of the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology, Sydney, delivered the keynote address at Wednesday’s opening breakfast, sharing lessons learned from Australia’s drought and discussing how his institute helped water agencies manage through the historic dry spell.

Other Australian water leaders included: Laki Kondylas, trade and investment commissioner with the New South Wales government; Paul Smith, of Australian Water Association; Carly Perry, business manager for National Information Communications Technology, Australia (NICTA); John Radinoff, managing director of Flovac;

Brian Shultz, managing director of Salt Free; Dave Appels, director of Frontier Economics and Ray Anderson, managing director of Aerofloat.

Nika Ip, director of trade and business development for the government of Israel, also visited as part of an economic mission to the West Coast.

The international guests attended many different programs including keynote speeches, issue forums and town hall meetings as well as the Thursday night dinner. They also participated in tours with the San Diego County Water Authority, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and Orange County Water District. The Australian delegation also set up exhibit booths in the exhibit hall.

Nike Ip, of Israel, attended the conference in part to see what opportunities may be available for future partnerships.

Lessons from Australia’s Drought: Develop an Integrated Water System Dr. Stuart White, who played a key role in developing strategies to help Australia survive its Millennium Drought, advised California water managers to build a flexible and integrated water system to help the state adapt to ongoing drought conditions.

Speaking at the opening breakfast Dec. 3 at ACWA’s 2014 Fall Conference & Exhibition, White, director of the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia, detailed how his country – and specifically the cities of Sydney and Brisbane – responded to Australia’s severe drought from 1995 to 2009.

White told water managers that “we are moving to a new era in the water industry” that will require managers to develop a more “flexible and adaptive” set of solutions and system.

White said Australia has a “long history of managing drought through man10 • ACWA NEWS

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aging restrictions.” With reservoir levels at about 16% of capacity throughout the country during the drought, Australia moved swiftly to adopt mandatory water restrictions and to develop a water conservation marketing campaign.

and also included water reduction requirements in operating licenses for industrial projects. White added that ramping up water efficiency efforts early and in a widespread manner “buys time to put supply options in place.”

“A centralized campaign is extremely important in getting out a consistent message,” said White.

White also counseled that water managers develop a “decentralized, integrated system” and a “diverse portfolio” of supply and demand options. Having a diverse array of contingency supply options such as desalination, intercatchments and groundwater builds more adaptability into the system, he said.

The entire country also worked to rapidly connect water systems in different areas to ease transfers and worked to improve and increase its water storage capacity.

In Brisbane, the city specially targeted the top 10% of water users for tailored conservation messages and quickly ramped up its efforts to mobilize plumbers to retrofit appliances to make them more water efficient. Brisbane also made huge investments in recycled water.

The city of Sydney took similar steps

With all its focus on efficiency and conservation, Australia has not returned to pre-drought levels of water usage since the drought ended, White said.

“Think about how we position whatever we do for the drought for the future of the industry,” White counseled ACWA members.

Panel Explores Post-Election Changes to the Political Landscape California Treasurer Bill Lockyer and California Republican Party Vice Chair and Chair of the Republican Party of San Diego County Tony Krvaric discussed post-election changes to the California Legislature as well as the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives during the Hans Doe Breakfast Dec. 5.

The panel was co-moderated by ACWA’s Director of State Relations Wendy Ridderbusch and Director of Federal Relations David Reynolds.

Both Lockyer and Krvaric presented their political observations and opinions on Republican gains on both the state and federal levels. Krvaric focused on the apparent strength of the Republican Party following the election and possible future Republican presidential candidates.

“We have a new generation of candidates,” said Krvaric.

Speaking about future presidential races, Krvaric said that the “youth vote”

would determine the ability of one party to win the presidency. “I think the Republicans will be able to do it,” he said.

Lockyer categorized the election results a part of the national political cycle. He said he was not surprised by the results given that he believed the Republican candidates were well financed, more contemporary, and more diverse. Lockyer also discussed the loss of the two-thirds majority for Democrats.

“The two-thirds hurdle was largely illusory. Many legislatures do not want to override the governor of their own party,” he explained, while noting that he felt government worked best when both parties worked together.

Prior to the panel discussion, ACWA/ JPIA Chief Executive Officer Walter “Andy” Sells gave a brief business report and discussed changing health care rates and the importance of retaining staff.

ACWA Deputy Executive Director for

California Treasurer Bill Lockyer and California Republican Party Vice Chair and Chair of the Republican Party of San Diego County Tony Krvaric discuss the political landscape following the November election. ACWA Director of State Relations Wendy Ridderbusch and ACWA Director of Federal Relations David Reynolds moderate the discussion.

External Affairs and Operations Jennifer Persike reported on ACWA’s 2014 work for the Save Our Water campaign.

Steinberg Reflects on Long Journey to Success on Water Bond Success on the water bond in 2014 had its roots in a six-year effort that involved coalitions, policy reforms and drawing a distinction between what you want and what you need, Senate President Pro Tem Emeritus Darrell Steinberg told ACWA members Dec. 4.

Reflecting on what he called a shared journey since discussion and passage of the 2009 comprehensive water package, Steinberg credited the water community and lawmakers for stepping up and “never shying away” from the commitment to address the state’s long-term water needs.

“Some will say our success in 2014 was due to historic drought,” Steinberg said in keynote remarks at a luncheon program at the 2014 Fall Conference & Exhibition in San Diego. “That is partially true, but it is oversimplifying what really occurred.”

While the drought was one impetus, Steinberg said there was a sincere desire

to prove the California Legislature could get something done. Though the 2009 package provided an important foundation, especially with respect to policies on the Delta and conservation, Steinberg said it took years of work, an improved economy and important shifts in thinking to get to Proposition 1, the $7.5 billion water bond that passed handily on the Nov. 4 ballot.

“Had it not been for the imperfect 2009 effort, we never would have succeeded in 2014,” he said. “Really the story of water in California parallels the story of California itself. By 2014, people had sufficient confidence in California’s ability to govern itself.” He noted the two measures that passed with the largest margin – Proposition 1 and Proposition 2 – were put on the ballot by the Legislature itself.

He cautioned, however, that the work is not done. The job now is to ensure public resources are spent effectively.

There also will be other challenges for the water community to confront.

“People do not expect us to solve every problem overnight. They don’t expect us to be perfect, but they rightly insist we take the job seriously, and not let the petty get in the way of what’s substantive and important.” .

ACWA Vice President Kathy Tiegs presents Senate President Pro Tem Emeritus Darrell Steinberg with a legislative award recognizing his work on the 2014 water bond.

December 19, 2014 • 11

Federal RElations

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Looking Back at the 2014 Fall Conference & Exhibition

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12 • ACWA NEWS

1. ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn, Senate President Pro Tem Emeritus Darrell Steinberg and ACWA Deputy Executive Director for Government Relations Cindy Tuck pose together following Steinberg’s luncheon address Dec. 3.

2. ACWA Vice President Kathy Tiegs and Melody McDonald, of the San Bernadino Valley Water Conservation District, share a moment.

3. Little Drop and ACWA Communications Specialist Emily Allshouse slap a spirited high-five.

4. ACWA President John Coleman welcomes Dr. Stuart White, director of the Institute for Sustainable Futures at the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia.

5. ACWA conference attendees show off their cowboy style at the Thursday night dinner.

6. What’s a conference without line dancing to the country sounds of Ricochet?

7. ACWA Communications Director Lisa LienMager and Communications Specialist Emily Allshouse think H2Owl is a hoot.

8. Oscar the Otter joins forces with Communications Committee Chair Sue Stephenson, of Dublin San Ramon Services District.

9. State Treasurer Bill Lockyer joins Timothy Quinn and others from ACWA staff after Lockyer’s Friday morning talk.

10. ACWA members share a moment in the Exhibit Hall.

11. Conan O’Brien shares the stage with an ACWA member.

12. ACWA past presidents Glen Peterson, Randy Record and Paul Kelley dine together at the opening breakfast.

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ACWA Presents Emissary Award to Bette Boatmun at Fall Conference ACWA presented its ninth annual Emissary Award to Bette Boatmun, a longtime water leader known for her stewardship on water resources and advocacy on special district issues. Presented at ACWA’s 2014 Fall Conference & Exhibition in San Diego on Dec. 3, the award recognizes individuals for remarkable contributions to California water through voluntary service to ACWA. “Bette Boatmun has a long record of leadership and contributions both locally and in the broader water community,” said ACWA President John Coleman.

“Bette’s commitment, hard work and vision have helped to strengthen this organization through her high standards of excellence. We thank and honor Bette for her long-term leadership and support of ACWA and its statewide interests.”

Boatmun is a past president of ACWA and a 40-year member of the Contra Costa Water District Board of Directors.

During her long tenure on the ACWA Board, she has helped to guide numerous policy initiatives, spearheading efforts such as Hands Across the Border, a program that shared technical expertise with water providers in Mexico, and helping to organize the innovative Women in Water forum. As ACWA president in 2002 and 2003, Boatmun spent considerable time advocating for special district issues and championing sound financial policies for water agencies.

As a member of the Contra Costa Water District board, Boatmun has provided direction on a wide array of local water issues, including Los Vaqueros Reservoir.

Recently, the district honored her by naming its drought-tolerant showcase garden in her honor.

Boatmun also has worked to give a boost to promising students hoping to pursue a career in water through her service on ACWA’s Scholarship Subcom-

ACWA President John Coleman presents the 2014 Emissary Award to ACWA Board Member and Past President Bette Boatmun, a 40-year member of the Contra Costa Water District Board of Directors.

mittee, which awards scholarships to deserving students each year. Boatmun also displays her commitment to public education on water issues through her long-time service on ACWA’s Communications Committee.

Cucamonga Valley Water District Wins 2014 Huell Howser Best in Blue ACWA presented its Huell Howser Best in Blue Award to the Cucamonga Valley Water District for its popular Community Tours Program, designed to educate the public about the complexities of running of a water delivery system. Thousands of people took the tours in 2013 — with 5,000 alone touring the district’s sustainable Frontier project — a demonstration building showcasing water and energy conservation.

The Cucamonga Valley Water District was among six finalists for the award, which honors stellar communications and outreach programs developed and run

by California water agencies. The award was presented Dec. 3 during ACWA’s Fall Conference & Exhibition in San Diego.

“Cucamonga Valley Water District’s public outreach campaign is an excellent example of a local agency getting results through an effective outreach and education campaign,” ACWA President John Coleman said. “A tour is a great way to learn about the inner workings of a water district.”

Other finalists for this year’s award were: • Contra Costa Water District for its Contra Costa Canal Safety Public Education program, developed to educate the public about the risks of fast moving-moving water in the district’s canal system; • Fresno Metropolitan Flood Control District for its “Protect Your Water…

It’s Just Beneath Your Feet” campaign to raise awareness about stormwater pollution; • Palmdale Water District for its “Before the First Drop” campaign that shows what goes into producing clean water; • Riverside Public Utilities for its “100 Years of Water Service” campaign, a year-long celebration of the district’s centennial; and • Western Canal Water District for its Wildlife & Rice Farming Webcam and Social Media Communications Outreach Program.

In 2012, ACWA renamed the Best in

Representatives of the Cucamonga Valley Water District pose with ACWA President John Coleman and ACWA Vice President Kathy Tiegs after the district is honored with the 2014 Huell Howser Best in Blue Award.

Blue award in honor of Huell Howser, the late public television personality and producer of “California’s Gold,” “California’s Water” and other humaninterest programs. In partnership with ACWA, a total of 26 segments of “California’s Water,” have aired on public television outlets throughout California, covering a variety of topics ranging from climate change to water recycling to the value of tap water.

December 19, 2014 • 13

Continued from page 9

no more than 50% of a project and 50% of that funding must go toward ecosystem improvements. Byrne also said that ideally, the storage proposals would be consistent with the Gov. Jerry Brown’s California Water Action Plan.

Lake Mead Shortages Would Be “Uncharted Territory” For California Water Supply On Dec. 3, ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn moderated a Town Hall discussion with representatives from California, Nevada and Arizona that examined declining water levels in Lake Mead which are the result of a combination of drought and over allocation of Colorado River water resources.

Bill Hasencamp, Colorado River resources manager with Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, discussed the importance of Lake Mead to California’s water supply.

“These supplies have prevented us from having to go to Northern California in a year when there isn’t much more water north to get,” said Hasencamp.

The session underscored the fact that despite significant drops in Lake Mead it has never reached the “shortage level” determined in a 2007 agreement and water distribution among lower basin states under shortage conditions have not been fully determined.

Central Arizona Project Deputy General Manager Marie Pearthree noted that the over allocation, or a “structural deficit,” causes Lake Mead to drop by 12 feet every year even under normal conditions and undermines the terms of the 2007 agreement.

“That really is uncharted territory, there have not been discussions among the lower basins states should that occur,” said Pearthree.

Greg Walch, general counsel, Southern Nevada Water Authority, discussed current efforts to reduce demand on Colorado River water and secure both short- and long-term water supplies.

He highlighted specific efforts such as 14 • ACWA NEWS

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conservation and turf removal programs, as well as cooperative pilot program, and specific construction projects.

Steelhead Recovery in Southern California: Noble Pursuit or Mission Impossible?

Also on Dec. 3, the Aquatic Resources Subcommittee held a discussion on Southern California steelhead recovery plans.

Mark Capelli, coordinator of the NOAA National Marine Fisheries SouthCentral/Southern California Steelhead Recovery, offered on overview of the progress which has been made over the past 14 years. State Water Resources Control Board Attorney Dana Heinrich discussed the State Board’s authority and involvement and planning efforts.

Heinrich suggested that current fishrelated efforts under the Bay Delta Plan may offer a model for similar efforts that would benefit Southern California steelhead. Heinrich also noted that required instream flow studies and flow recommendations will take a significant amount of time and are not expected to be completed by 2019.

Don Smith, water resources director for Vista Irrigation District, and Jack Bebee, assistant general manager of Fallbrook Public Utilities District, discussed the challenges water agencies are facing.

Specifically, concerns included the costs of recovery, the standard for recovery, and specific barriers, such as hydrology.

“You really need to look at the specific hydrology of those rivers and when passage is possible,” said Bebee. “The availability of water is really the biggest barrier.”

“To try to get viable steelhead numbers in urban rivers is going to be a big order,” said Smith.

Managing Mother Nature; Preparing for Extreme Weather On Dec. 4, city, county and state officials discussed extreme weather events such as flooding, fire and earthquakes

and how local agencies can effectively respond to them.

Ray Riordan, chair of the Statewide Steering Committee for Cal WARN, provided an overview of the multi-jurisdictional operating agreement that allows multiple agencies to provide mutual assistance during disasters.

Phil Brun, deputy director of the Public Works Department in Napa, described his agency’s response to the earthquake in August. Brun described how Napa city employees streamed into work following the temblor. They were ready for duty without being summoned, even though many of them were victims of the earthquake themselves. Napa experienced 220 water main breaks because of the earthquake. It responded quickly to the emergency, however, and within two hours had an operations center up and running.

Brun advised water agencies and cities to pre-build potable water stations in advance of disasters and to develop a tracking system for leaks.

Angelique Ashby, mayor pro tem of Sacramento, talked about her work with federal officials on levee re-enforcement and flood preparedness particularly in the Natomas area. Ashby counseled water managers to work proactively with officials on flood control.

The State’s Response to the Drought The attorney’s program, presented Dec. 4, asked the question “are emergency state regulations the answer to addressing water shortages?” On July 2, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted emergency water rights regulations that reignited long standing issues concerning the board’s authority over pre-1914 and riparian rights, the curtailment of water rights, as well as other related issues.

Rob Donlan of Ellison, Schneider and Harris, moderated this lively debate about the complex issues facing the state as it prepares for the future.

Jeanne Zolezzi of Herum, Crabtree Continued on page 15

Continued from page 14

and Suntag argued that the state was “taking an activist position” and senior water right holders could divert water “as long as they weren’t harming other senior water rights holders.” Zolezzi stated that she believes the State Board should hold case-by-case hearings to determine through due process if any rights have been harmed though water diversion.

Representing the opposite view, Dante Nomellini, an attorney for the Central Delta Water Agency, said he believes that riparian and senior water rights holders are only entitled to “natural flow” water and are not entitled to diversions unless the water has been abandoned by previous holders.

What to File and When: How to Protect Your Water Rights Water right reporting requirements and processes under current regulations received top billing in an afternoon program Dec. 4 featuring Amy Steinfeld and Courtney Davis, attorneys with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck.

Steinfeld discussed surface water filing requirements, changes to reporting re-

quirements, key annual filing dates, and the use of the State Board e-filing system for pulling and mapping water rights.

“These reports are an official record for your client,” said Steinfeld noting the importance of properly filing water rights and recording beneficial use.

Davis discussed the importance of knowing what type of groundwater right you have, how to properly protect those rights — which are not under State Board jurisdiction — and how recently enacted groundwater legislation will change reporting requirements.

“This is an exciting time for groundwater. The things we knew before may not be true in the future.” said Davis.

Federal Issues Forum Looks at Drought Planning Drought, water shortages, the importance of drought contingency planning and the outlook for 2015 were the focus of the federal issues forum Dec. 4 featuring Bureau of Reclamation Regional Directors Terry Fulp and David Murillo.

Panelists discuss the state’s response to drought during an attorneys program.

for making water decisions, water shortages including zero allocations in the south and the complicated coordination required to release water north of the Delta this year, as well as recent law suits in response to Bureau actions.

“We made a lot of tough decisions,” said Murillo. Remarking that a dry 2015 will make for another difficult year, Murillo added: “I hope it continues to rain, I hope we get a lot of rain.” .

Murillo discussed the Bureau’s process

Cucamonga Valley Leads ACWA Outreach Award Winners At the Fall Conference & Exhibition Dec. 4 luncheon in San Diego, ACWA acknowledged the agencies with the most legislative and regulatory contacts for 2014 as part of the annual Outreach Awards.

The Overall Outreach Award went to Cucamonga Valley Water District, for making the most legislative and regulatory contacts through ACWA’s Outreach Action Center.

This year, ACWA’s Outreach Ambassadors responded to SB 848, a water bond bill that failed to provide funding for storage and Delta sustainability and sent letters of support for better alternatives AB 2686 and SB 1250.

Outreach Ambassadors also sent letters of support for AB 2417, which would

exempt from CEQA recycled water pipeline projects of eight miles or less.

The following are the top ACWA Outreach winners in each region for 2014.

• Region 1: Marin Municipal Water District • Region 2: Anderson-Cottonwood Irrigation Water District • Region 3: South Tahoe Public Utilities District • Region 4: Turlock Irrigation District • Region 5: Dublin San Ramon Services District • Region 6: San Luis Water District

Members of the Cucamonga Valley Water District are honored with the 2014 Overall Outreach Award for the district’s outreach efforts.

• Region 7: Indian Wells Valley Water District

• Region 9: Cucamonga Valley Water District

• Region 8: Three Valleys Municipal Water District

• Region 10: City of Oceanside .

December 19, 2014 • 15

Funding for Water Programs Holds Steady in “CRomnibus” Bill Federal funding for water programs in 2015 is slated to remain largely the same as it was 2014 under the terms of the socalled “CRomnibus” federal spending bill released by the House and Senate Dec. 9.

The “CRomnibus” bill is so-named because it’s a combination of an omnibus bill, which is how Congress normally funds the government, and a continuing resolution (CR), which is how Congress funds the government when it can’t come to a deal. The bill funds the Department of Homeland Security until March 2015 and all of the other government agencies for the entire 2015 fiscal year. Once enacted, the bill prevented a shut-down of government that was slated to occur when current funding expired on Dec. 11.

Below is an overview of FY 2015 funding for programs of interest to ACWA members.

Reclamation Budget The Bureau of Reclamation 2015 budget is once again $1.1 billion, and funding for various Bureau programs of interest to ACWA members also remained constant.

For 2015, the Title XVI program will again receive $21.5 million, CALFED $37 million, and WaterSMART $19 million. An additional $50 million was added to the Bureau’s budget to help combat drought in Western states.

Report language filed with the bill directs the Bureau’s action on drought. It states the following: “The Bureau of Reclamation (the Bureau) and the Department of the Interior are encouraged to use all of the flexibility and tools available to mitigate the impacts of this drought. (The Bureau) is encouraged to examine opportunities for voluntary water conveyances from any state with excess water inventories to meet water use and mitigate drought conditions in (Bureau) states. Additional funds have been provided to (the Bureau) to respond to the impacts of the drought and to work with water districts and other users to provide increased efficiency and conservation of available water. The only way to mitigate the effects of future droughts, however, is through a strategy of providing a combination of additional storage, improved conveyance, and increased efficiencies in the uses of water both for agriculture and potable purposes.

As the West has consistently been the fastest growing part of the country, it is incumbent on (the Bureau), as the leading water purveyor in the West, to lead the way in increasing the water that is available from one year to the next and to research and develop more efficient uses of the water that is available.”

EPA Budget Both President Obama and Republicans in the House of Representatives proposed cuts to EPA’s State Revolving Fund for FY 2015. Only the Senate sought to keep SRF funding constant. The Senate numbers prevailed and SRF funding remains at 2014 levels. The clean water SRF will receive $1.45 billion and the drinking water SRF will receive $907 million.

Efforts to include language preventing EPA from working on the proposed regulation to expand the definition of “water of the United States” failed.

ACWA submitted comments on the proposal in November and EPA indicates it will move forward with the final rule in April.

Army Corps Budget The Army Corps of Engineers budget remains at $5.5 billion with $2.91 billion for operations and maintenance and $1.64 billion for construction. Language preventing the Corps from spending money on implementing its updated Principles and Requirements document was included in the CRomnibus and the Corps will not be able to move forward with this initiative in FY 2015.

Save Our Water: 2014 By The Numbers Three Statewide Campaigns 140% Two new websites, 210 000 000 impressions/views of Save Our Water content

Of Agency/Partner Engagement & Utilization

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450,000 website visits

1,700

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increase in social media followers

including Spanishlanguage

220,000 video views 1,200 yard sign downloads

850 downloads from partner toolkit

200 new corporate and public partners

Hundreds of homemade conservation

videos and tips created by the public

Dozens of new marketing & collateral pieces

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celebrity PSAs and counting

Lady Gaga and Conan O’Brien save water too.

Newswatch

East Valley’s New Headquarters Wins “Best Project” National Award East Valley Water District’s (EVWD) new headquarters facility has earned the 2014 Best Project Award from Engineering News-Record, a weekly worldwide construction industry publication. This prestigious award, which the district received at a Dec. 4 ceremony, is dedicated to honoring the best construction projects across the country.

“We are thrilled to be recognized for creating an outstanding facility that helps us better meet our customers’ needs,” said James Morales, Jr., chairman of EVWD’s board of directors. “The headquarters facility is elevating the district to a new level of operational efficiency and community engagement.”

Approximately 150 entries competed for the award, which was judged by construction industry experts. EVWD earned the top honor in California for its category.

EVWD’s new facility, which includes a 30,000 square-foot administration building and a 5,256 square-foot operations building, opened its doors 71 days ahead of schedule in March 2014, and was celebrated by a number of community open house events. The 27.5-acre site features historical and equipment displays, water efficiency demonstration gardens, a multi-purpose boardroom, and various spaces designed to host community events and educational workshops. The new headquarters streamlines operations by bringing all EVWD employees together at one site.

The project was completed using the design-build method, keeping costs down and expediting construction.

“Designing and completing this facility in less than two years was an ambitious goal. Our success is a direct result of the leadership of our board, the dedication

of our staff and the hard work of our design-build partners,” said John Mura, general manager/CEO of EVWD. “We are honored that this community asset has achieved national recognition.”

Balfour Beatty Construction, Ruhnau Ruhnau Clarke Architects and Parsons Brinckerhoff were key partners in bringing the new headquarters to fruition.

EVMWD Uses Grant to Inspire Water Conservation and Education Small changes in outdoor landscaping irrigation systems and plant choices can add up to significant water conservation. That is the message behind a drought-inspired landscaping makeover undertaken by the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD). With assistance from a $36,805 Environmental Solutions for Communities grant from Wells Fargo and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and $51,700 from EVMWD, four water-guzzling liquid amber trees will be replaced at district headquarters with a drought-tolerant garden that will feature mosaic art by local elementary school students.

The innovative project will showcase drought-tolerant plants and water-saving irrigation methods that can drastically shrink customer water bills (outdoor watering typically makes up more than half of all residential water use).

“It’s one thing to urge conservation; it’s another to create a demonstration project

that involves hundreds of elementary school students and will be seen by thousands of customers who pay their bills in person at EVMWD headquarters each month,” said Andy Morris, EVMWD president.

The district has removed the waterdevouring trees and replaced them with four concrete planters equipped with drip irrigation systems. Local elementary school students will be invited to plant manzanita, Cleveland sage and other drought-tolerant shrubs and flowers in the planters. The new plants will use just 3,120 gallons per year, a 70% reduction from the 10,000+ gallons consumed by the liquid ambers.

EVMWD will then hold an art contest in which kindergarten through fifthgraders will design posters promoting conservation. The top 16 designs will be converted into ceramic tiles and attached to the concrete planters.

Combined with other community education efforts, including public tours and articles in EVMWD’s customer newsletter, the program is expected to reach 40,000 customers with the message that “small changes in outdoor landscaping irrigation systems and plant choices can add up to significant water conserved,” officials said.

The Lake Elsinore Unified School District is enthusiastic about the student and teacher involvement in the project.

“EVMWD has a long history of educational programs and demonstration projects that promote changes in behavior for the benefit of the environment,” LEUSD Superintendent Doug Kimberly said. “Countless LEUSD students have participated in EVMWD’s water education programs, creating a positive mindset about environmental stewardship.” .

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People News

Two Directors Conclude Their Service To Coachella Valley District At the Coachella Valley Water District’s (CVWD) Dec. 9 Board meeting, two board members concluded their service with resolutions thanking them for their service, while two newly elected members joined the board and the president began a new term.

Outgoing Board Vice President Franz De Klotz and Debi Livesay attended their last board meeting Nov. 25. De Klotz, vice president of marketing for Mecca-based Richard Bagdasarian, Inc., and the owner of his own farming and real estate investment firms, served on the CVWD Board for five years. Livesay, formerly the water resources manager for the Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians and vice president of the South-

ern Low Desert Resource Conservation District, served for four years In attendance for the first time were newly elected board members G. Patrick O’Dowd, representing Division 1, and Cástulo Estrada, representing Division 5.

O’Dowd, a resident of the Coachella Valley since 1996, has a background in business, finance, real estate development and media, and extensive experience in senior management. He has previously served on numerous boards including the Indio Water Authority and the Indio Planning Commission, and is a licensed California real estate agent.

Estrada, a native of the valley, is a utilities engineer-in-training with the

City of Coachella, has a civil engineering degree from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and is working toward obtaining his professional engineer’s license. He is certified by the state Department of Health as a water treatment operator grade T2 and water distribution operator grade D2.

In addition, CVWD Board President John Powell Jr. was re-elected to represent Division 3. All three were sworn in last week.

During the meeting, the board voted for Powell to retain his position as president; Director Peter Nelson was selected to be vice-president.

El Toro Water District Mourns the Loss of Board President Ted Martin The El Toro Water District on Nov. 20 announced the passing of its board president Ted Martin. Martin served on the district’s board of directors for 22 years and as board president for the last 15 years. Martin also served on the Association of California Water Agencies Joint Powers Insurance Authority, Santiago Aqueduct Commission, South Orange County Wastewater Authority, Independent Special Districts for Orange County and the South Or-

ange County Agency Group.

Under Martin’s leadership, ETWD was acknowledged as the first independent special district to receive the District of Distinction accreditation followed by the Transparency Certificate of Excellence from the Special District Leadership Foundation. Martin also oversaw the regionalization and expansion of the El Toro Reservoir and most recently the construction of the Recycled Water Expansion Project to improve local water supply reliability and reduce the district’s dependence on imported water.

“… All who knew him think of a man who loved to laugh and enjoyed a full, healthy and happy life,” said ETWD General Manager Bob Hill in a November press release. “He was highly regarded and respected by our staff and his peers. Ted thoughtfully and passionately represented the interested of the district for over two decades and he could not have been more proud of the district’s accomplishments and standing within the water industry. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and loved ones.” .

Rowland Water District Names Tom Coleman New General Manager Rowland Water District (RWD) has selected industry leader Tom Coleman to serve as the district’s next general manager. Coleman will assume his position upon the retirement of General Manager Ken Deck, who has served RWD for more than 28 years.

Coleman joined the district as assistant general manager in 2013 and has worked closely with Ken Deck in supervision of the overall operation and maintenance of the agency.

18 • ACWA NEWS

Vol. 42 No. 12

“I am honored to take on the general manager’s position,” says Coleman. “Ken has done an outstanding job as Rowland’s GM, and stepping into his shoes is no easy task, but we have been working towards this transition since I joined the agency. Our team here knows the mission and the vision we have for the future.”

Coleman brings more than 20 years of water industry experience to Rowland Water, previously serving as the Executive Director of Bellflower Somerset Mutual Water Company in Bellflower, California. He spent six years as general

manager of Orchard Dale Water District in Whittier, California, and eight years in various water management positions with the City of Alhambra. Coleman holds certifications in multiple areas including treatment, delivery, resource management and leadership.

“We firmly believe Tom Coleman is the ideal person to lead Rowland Water at this pivotal time, says Szu Pei Lu-Yang, President of RWD’s board of directors, which made this unanimous selection in early November. “We look forward to working with Tom for many years to come.” .

CALENDAR January 2015 12

Managing Drought program, hosted by PPIC, is set for Jan. 12 at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento.

Registration deadline is January 6. For more information go to www.ppic.org/main/event. asp?i=1623.

15

Water rates workshop for Northern California is set for Jan. 15. Learn from experts and peers how to design rates that provide for stable revenue in challenging times while still sending effective conservation signals.

28

Water rates workshop for Southern California is set for Jan. 28. Learn from experts and peers how to design rates that provide for stable revenue in challenging times while still sending effective conservation signals. More information available at www.acwa.com/events/crafting-rates-revenuestability-and-conservation.

ACWA Events

Other Events

ACWA DC2015

Annual Washington D.C. Conference

February 2015 2 – 3

25 – 26

May 2015 5 – 8

California Irrigation Institute Annual Conference is set for Feb. 2 – 3 at the Hilton Sacramento ArdenWest, Sacramento. For more information and to register, visit www.caii.org.

ACWA’s 2015 DC Conference is set for Feb. 25 – 26 at the Liaison Hotel in Washington, D.C. For more information contact ACWA’s Member Services and Events Department at events@acwa.com or 916.441.4545.

ACWA’s 2015 Spring Conference & Exhibition is May 5 – 8 at the Sacramento Convention Center and surrounding hotels. For more information contact ACWA’s Member Services and Events Department at events@acwa.com or 916.441.4545.

classifieds

Position Open Public Affairs Manager The Irvine Ranch Water District is seeking a highly motivated, creative, responsible and innovative individual for the position of Public Affairs Manager to assist in the supervision of the daily operations of the IRWD Public Affairs Department. IRWD is a progressive foward thinking local government agency that has a highly skilled and professional workforce that is recognized nationally and throughout the world as a leader in water and sewer service, recycled water and urban runoff treatment, water use efficiency and public outreach programs.

Feb. 25-26, 2015

Liaison Capitol Hill • Washington D.C.

Register Today at www.acwa.com

Refreshed ACWA News Coming in January Watch for a new and expanded ACWA News to hit your mailbox in January as ACWA’s Communications Department launches a refreshed version of its flagship member newsletter. ACWA News will be published on a new monthly publication schedule with a new look featuring new colors, expanded member news and new standing features.

We’re excited about launching an updated ACWA News that showcases the people and local agency programs that make ACWA such a strong organization. Watch for the newlydesigned publication to hit your mailboxes Jan. 23.

December 19, 2014 • 19

Ross Takes Seat on Foothill District Board Kathleen M. Ross was sworn in on Dec. 8 to replace Dean V. Wiberg on the Foothill Municipal Water District (FMWD) Board, representing Division 5. Wiberg had been with the district since 2007.

Ross received a masters degree in civil engineering from Bucknell University and upon graduation worked for a private transportation engineering firm and subsequently established her own computer consulting and teaching company while raising three children in the Foothill area. She ran unopposed for the District 5 seat on the FMWD board after serving for more than 11 years as a director on the Crescenta Valley Water District Board. Ross now owns a collectible toy store in Burbank with her husband and is raising a fourth child as a foster mom.

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

Time Valued Material

CCWD Hires David Eggerton as New General Manager The Calaveras County Water District has hired David Eggerton as its new general manager. Eggerton assumed his new role on Dec. 1 after being selected from a group of 30 qualified candidates.

Before coming to CCWD, Eggerton served as general manager of the El Dorado County Water Agency, executive director for the El Dorado Water and Power Authority, and associate legal counsel for the El Dorado County Irrigation District.

Post-Election To-Do List: Update ACWA Member Contact Information If your agency’s board of directors has changed following the Nov. 4, 2014 general election, don’t forget to let ACWA know so we can update our records.

Updating your contact information will ensure that your board members continue to receive ACWA News and other important communications!

Send your updated info to updates@acwa.com For more information go to www.acwa.com/update-member-info

Periodicals Postage Paid at Sacramento, CA

Prior to Eggerton’s employment, Larry Diamond had been juggling the duties of interim general manager, along with the responsibilities of his own position as assistant to the general manager and performing the

duties of Water Resources program manager. Diamond, who has consistently filled in as the interim general manager during staff transitions over the years, expressed his appreciation that the hiring process was completed in a timely manner.

Eggerton says he will work to move the district forward in a positive direction and looks forward to spending time with staff and customers.

“I’m definitely excited and ready to go,” said Eggerton in a November press release announcing his selection. “I bring a skill set that I think is a great match for the strengths the district has. I have to work hard to earn trust and respect, and that’s what I’m going to do. I feel confident that I’m a good fit for the position.” .

Tamaribuchi Seated As MWDOC Director Of Division 5 The Municipal Water District of Orange County’s (MWDOC) new Director of Division 5, Satoru “Sat” Tamaribuchi, was officially sworn into office Dec. 5.

With decades of experience working as a water quality engineer, Tamaribuchi is well-versed in water issues and prepared to take on a leadership role at MWDOC. “We are very pleased to welcome Sat to the MWDOC Board,” commented Larry D. Dick, MWDOC board president. “His water quality expertise adds a new dimension to MWDOC’s leadership, and we look forward to working with him as we develop innovative solutions to the water challenges of today and tomorrow.”

In 1973, Tamaribuchi moved to Orange

County and began work on a long-term project to control sedimentation in Upper Newport Bay. In this role, he was a leader in planning and constructing over $100 million in facilities that reduced sediment load and restored the Upper Bay. Around this time he also prepared and implemented water resources master plans for Irvine Ranch Water District that outlined an extensive wastewater recycling system and identified groundwater development as a priority to augment the district’s local water supplies.

In 2006, Director Tamaribuchi received the Coastal Protection Award from Orange County Coastkeeper. In 2012 he was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from WateReuse California in recognition of his many contributions to the field of wastewater recycling.