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ACWA’s Member Newsletter • www.acwa.com
Save Our Water, California’s official statewide conservation program, launches its “Fix It for Good” campaign at a turf replacement demonstration event at the state Capitol on Sept. 14. The campaign calls for permanent changes in lawns and water usage. (Left) A photographer zooms in on SOW’s new “Fix it for Good” banner. (Right) ACWA Deputy Executive Director for External Affairs and Operations Jennifer Persike helps to spread mulch on the Capitol lawn.
Legislature Adjourns; Some Issues Resolved, Others Extended into Second Year of Session The first year of the 2015-’16 legislative session saw action on a number of issues important to ACWA members. From ACWA-sponsored legislation on chromium-6 compliance to groundwater adjudication bills to budget trailer bill language on mandatory water system consolidations, ACWA and its members engaged throughout 2015 to get results and improve the outcome on priority issues. As the regular session gaveled down on Sept. 11, a number of key issues were resolved while others were extended into the second year of 2015-’16 legislative session.
SB 20 Could Be the Vehicle for a Public Goods Charge on Water in 2016 In the final weeks of session, all hands
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were on deck to respond to a possible lastminute push for a public goods charge or other tax on water bills. Though no formal proposal emerged in policy bill or trailer bill form, late-August amendments to SB 20 (Pavley) appeared to set the stage to address the issue in 2016. As amended on Aug. 26, SB 20 would make legislative declarations regarding the severity of the drought and the need for the Legislature to take additional actions to ensure the reliability of California’s water supply. The bill would create a new California Water Resiliency Investment Fund to provide funding for various activities related to emergency drought response and recovery, safe drinking water for disadvantaged communities, integrated
Some Senior Water Right Holders Allowed to Begin Diverting Water Again
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San Joaquin Valley Sinking Due to Groundwater Overdraft, DWR Report Says
Babbitt to Headline ACWA 2015 Fall Conference Former U.S. Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt is among the high-level speakers set to deliver keynote addresses at the upcoming ACWA 2015 Fall Conference & Exhibition, set for Dec. 1-4 in Indian Wells. Themed “2015: A Game Changer,” the conference will feature more than 80 programs, panel discussions and presentations on key California water issues. Topics will include the ongoing drought, prospects for El Niño this winter, groundwater, Colorado River issues, water CONFERENCE Continued on page 7
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Save Our Water Shifts Focus to Permanent Change with it for• 1 SEPTEMBER 25,“Fix 2015 Good” Message
ACWA News is a publication of the Association of California Water Agencies 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 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 2015. All Rights Reserved. Call ACWA for Permission to Reprint. USPS 334030
Questions on Classifieds? ACWA public agency members may post job descriptions, RFPs, items for sale and other miscellaneous classified ads in ACWA News and/or online at acwa.com. More information is at acwa.com or contact Director of Communications Lisa Lien-Mager at lisalm@ acwa.com or 916.441.4545.
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PRESIDENT’S COLUMN • JOHN COLEMAN
Beyond Drought: ACWA Continues to Advance Statewide Solutions Summer 2015 will be remembered for low reservoirs, record heat, raging wildfires and mandatory water conservation. But even as the drought continues to command attention and resources, ACWA remains focused on advancing statewide solutions as part of a comprehensive plan for California’s water future. ACWA is engaged in several key initiatives aimed at making progress on elements of ACWA’s Statewide Water Action Plan and the Brown Administration’s California Water Action Plan. As we move into fall, here is an update on some priority efforts: Water storage integration: Building on storage policy recommendations adopted by the ACWA Board in March, ACWA convened a work group to develop a statewide vision for how potential new water storage projects can work with existing facilities and infrastructure to better meet the state’s needs. ACWA is uniquely positioned to provide leadership in this area and underscore the value of better integration of investments in storage, conveyance and other water infrastructure. Partnerships with conservation groups and others are being explored. More effective water market: At its July 31 meeting, the ACWA Board adopted a policy statement calling on the Brown Administration to work with ACWA and other stakeholders to develop a more effective water market in California. Since then, ACWA has formed a technical advisory committee with experts from around the state to develop specific recommendations to improve the market as a tool to combat drought and better manage water resources in the long term. SGMA implementation: Since enactment last year of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 (SGMA), ACWA has convened an implementation policy group, chaired by ACWA Vice Chair Kathy Tiegs, to monitor and provide guidance on implementing this historic law. The group is focused on providing assistance to ACWA members
as they form groundwater sustainability agencies to develop plans to manage basins to meet the new sustainability goals. Headwaters: Our message about the importance of California’s headwaters to our overall water system continues to gain traction, especially with wildfires raging around the state. Through our involvement in the California Forest Watershed Alliance and other coalitions in Washington, D.C., we are pushing for better forest management and legislation to encourage collaboration and end the practice of “borrowing” money from vital Forest Service programs to suppress catastrophic wildfires. Proposition 218 issues: The drought has sharpened interest in addressing constraints on local ratemaking posed by Proposition 218. ACWA is working with partners such as the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties and the California Water Foundation to explore strategies to address the challenge. California Water 2.0: ACWA is in the early stages of planning an external affairs effort to re-energize the California Water Action Plan. The goal is to highlight what has been accomplished to date (passage of Proposition 1, SGMA, etc.) and what is left to do to implement the comprehensive plan. A potential centerpiece of the effort is a high-level briefing in January that would be presented in cooperation with the Brown Administration and other partners. These topics will be in sharp focus at the upcoming ACWA 2015 Fall Conference & Exhibition, Dec. 1-4 in Indian Wells. I encourage you to attend and engage in the discussion as we redouble our efforts to advance statewide solutions. I extend my thanks to ACWA staff and member agencies throughout the state for working with the leadership team these last two years. Without that support, we would not be in position to make longterm progress on critical water solutions.
Some Senior Water Right Holders Allowed to Divert Again The State Water Resources Control Board on Sept. 18 notified pre-1914 water right holders with a priority date of 1903 or later in the Sacramento and Feather River watersheds and the Delta that there is currently water available to allow them to begin diverting again. According to a press release from the State Water Board, the notice allowing diversions is based on an analysis of the full natural flows in each of the watersheds. State Water Board officials added that reduced monthly diversion demand by water right holders in the Sacramento and Delta watersheds played a key role in allowing diversions to begin again. The reduced diversions were the result of a Feb. 4 Information Order issued by the State Water Board.
The State Water Board added that water shortage notifications remain in effect for pre-1914 water right holders in the Yuba, American and San Joaquin river watersheds, as well as for all post1914 rights on the Sacramento-San Joaquin River watersheds and Delta. All water right holders should keep a record of their diversions. Any water right holder found to be diverting water when there is insufficient water available to support their priority of right is subject to enforcement. The State Water Board is monitoring weather forecasts and stream gages, and will notify water right holders of water availability or unavailability as conditions change, officials said.
Due to the severe drought in California, holders of 9,329 water rights in five Northern California watersheds were notified between April and July of this year that insufficient water was available to meet their water right demand, according to the State Water Board. The State Water Board maintains a webpage to assist water right holders in several key watersheds to plan for possible limits on water supply availability. The webpage, titled “Watershed Analysis,” details projected water supply, demand and availability for the watersheds most likely to face restrictions during the drought as demand outstrips available water supply.
Statewide Conservation Climbs to 31% in July; Target Exceeded Californians continued to save water in a big way in July, clocking 31.3% across- the- board reductions over the same month in 2013, exceeding Gov. Jerry Brown’s mandate for a statewide 25% reduction for the second consecutive month. The figures were released by the State Water Resources Control Board on Aug. 27 and included data indicating that the state has cumulatively reduced water use by 29.5% since the mandatory conservation regulation took effect in June. California has now achieved 35% of the overall water savings goal of 1.2 million acre-feet by February 2016. The figures also reveal the majority of local water agencies are meeting or exceeding their compliance targets. Some 98 suppliers exceeded their target by 10% and 67 suppliers exceeded their target by 15% or more. In a press release issued by the State Water Board, some of those agencies were praised as “top performers,” including Mammoth Community Water District, Valencia
Water Company, City of Livermore, Golden State Water Company, City of Santa Cruz, City of Santa Rosa and City of West Sacramento. “Californians’ response to the severity of the drought this summer is now in high gear and shows that they get that we are in the drought of our lives,” said State Water Board Chair Felicia Marcus in the statement. State Water Board officials also held a press call to discuss the newly released conservation data. During the call, Marcus applauded the water savings but urged residential water users to focus limited outdoor watering on saving trees. “This is all great news, but we still have seven months to go,” said Marcus as she urged continued conservation. Also during the call, officials highlighted a number of improvements. In July, 290 agencies met or were within 1% of their target, up from 265 suppliers in June. A total of 87% of
reporting agencies met or were within 5% of meeting their targets in July. Additionally, only four water suppliers in July missed their conservation target by 15% or more — a 75% reduction from June. Cris Carrigan, State Water Board director of enforcement, says the board is working directly with the suppliers that have missed their targets and will post information related to enforcement on a new webpage within the emergency water conservation regulations portal. According to Carrigan, since June, the board has issued nine compliance orders to agencies that missed their targets by 15% or more and issued informational orders requesting detailed descriptions of conservation programs for agencies that missed their targets by 5%-15%. Carrigan also said the board will follow up with agencies that missed their targets in July and focus on working with agencies that are not improving.
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WATER NEWS DIGEST DWR Releases Draft List of Critically Overdrafted Groundwater Basins The California Department of Water Resources Aug. 19 released its draft list of critically overdrafted groundwater basins. The draft list identifies 21 groundwater basins and subbasins that have been overdrafted due to excessive groundwater pumping. Under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, passed last year, high- and medium-priority basins subject to critical conditions of overdraft must be managed under a groundwater sustainability plan by Jan. 31, 2020. DWR says it plans to publish the final list of critically overdrafted basins on its website in October. The draft list is available www.cwc.ca/gov.
CA WaterFix Change Petition Submitted The California Department of Water Resources and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on Aug. 27 submitted a change petition to the State Water Resources Control Board seeking approval to add points of diversion to water rights permits as part of the proposed California WaterFix.
March 27, 2009
This satellite image shows snow loss in the Sierra Nevada between 2010 (left) and this year (right).
opened Sept. 9 on CA WaterFix, a project that seeks to modernize the way water is diverted from the SacramentoSan Joaquin Delta, state and federal officials announced. The project proponents, the California Department of Water Resources and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, submitted a permit application to the Corps for CA WaterFix on Aug. 26. The application starts an environmental review process by the Corps, which runs parallel to the environmental review process required under the California Environmental Quality Act and the National Environmental Policy Act.
Specifically, the agencies are asking for authorization to add three new points of diversion on the Sacramento River. According to DWR, the change petition would affect existing water right permits and diversion authorizations held by the State Water Project and Central Valley Project but would not alter existing places of use, manners of use, quantities of diversion or other water rights terms and conditions identified in water Rights Decision 1641.
DWR Releases Draft Guidelines for Groundwater Grants The California Department of Water Resources on Sept. 4 announced the release of its draft guidelines for the 2015 Sustainable Groundwater Planning Grant Program, a $10 million program — funded by Proposition 1 — to help counties with stressed groundwater basins develop or strengthen local ordinances and conservation plans to protect the resource.
Corps’ Public Comment Period Opens on CA WaterFix The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 30-day formal public comment period
The guidelines establish the processes that DWR will use to administer the grant program. DWR will hold three meetings on the draft guidelines:
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Sept. 29 at 10 a.m., Hugh M. Burns Building Room 1036 2550 Mariposa Mall, Fresno; Sept. 30 at 1 p.m., California Towers Highgrove Room, 3737 Main Street, Suite 200, Riverside; and Oct. 2 at 1:30 p.m., Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Boulevard, Santa Rosa. The public comment period on the draft guidelines is open until Oct. 5 at 5 p.m. More information is at: water. ca.gov/irwm/grants/sgwp.
Climate Change to Hit State’s Water System Hard Some of the biggest impacts of climate change in California will be on the state’s water system, according to panelists who spoke Aug. 24 in Sacramento at a symposium on climate change. The panel was titled — “Water Resources in California: Drought, Extreme Events, and Management Options.” It was part of a twoday symposium on climate change convened by several state agencies. Several speakers said climate change already has brought higher temperatures and unpredictable weather patterns to California. Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Continued on page 5
subsidence S of Corcoran totals over 13” while another diffuse area is located NW of Corcoran with a subsidence of up to 9”. Subsidence of over 3” extends W to the California Aqueduct. This southern subsidence bowl is about 60 x 25 miles. The other main subsidence bowl S of El Nido subsided about 5-‐6” with pockets up to 10”. The East Side Bypass runs right through the main part of the subsidence in this area.
Report: San Joaquin Valley Sinking Due to Groundwater Overdraft New satellite and aircraft imaging data from NASA show that portions of the San Joaquin Valley are sinking by nearly two inches per month due to groundwater overdraft, according to a report released Aug. 19 by the California Department of Water Resources.
damage local, state and federal infrastructure such as aqueducts, bridges, roads and flood control structures and over time can permanently reduce the capacity of underground water storage available in an aquifer.
DWR Director Mark Cowin — speaking during a media call after the report’s release — called on local governments and water providers to take more “near-term actions” to reduce groundwater overdraft and subsidence. He added that the Brown Administration believes solutions are best developed at the local level.
During the call, Cowin explained that the purpose of DWR’s report was not to imply that groundwater pumping was “a bad thing” but to discover the rates of subsidence and evaluate what actions are needed to address the issues. Jeanine Jones, deputy drought manager at DWR, highlighted the increased subsidence in areas of greatest concern including the Corcoran and Chowchilla areas and along the California Aqueduct.
“The most important thing counties can do is pass or strengthen ordinances that limit overpumping,” said Cowin. The report shows subsidence has sharply increased since 2014. For example, land near Corcoran in the Tulare Basin sank 13 inches in just eight months, while the California Aqueduct also sank nearly 13 inches – with eight inches of subsidence occurring in just four months in 2014. According to DWR, sinking land, known as subsidence, is caused by excessive groundwater pumping and is a well-known and long-term issue for California that often accelerates during times of drought. Subsidence can
Total subsidence in San Joaquin Valley for the period June 2017 – December 2010 as measured by the Japanese PALSAR and processed at JPL.
Figure 1. Total subsidence in the San Joaquin Valley for the period June 2007 – December 2010 as measured by the Japanese PALSAR and processed at JPL. Two large subsidence bowls are evident centered on Corcoran and S of El Nido. Note the narrow banana-‐shaped subsidence feature at bottom center. That corresponds to the Belridge Oil Field, which is subsiding due to oil extraction (Fielding et al., 1998). An animation of the subsidence in the Tulare basin can be seen at: http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA16293.
Cowin said the report’s findings are not surprising given the state’s ongoing drought and its resulting increases in groundwater pumping. He added that the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), passed in 2014, was “long overdue,” and would put the state “back on track,” but acknowledged that implementing SGMA and managing groundwater sustainability will take time.
6 Cowin also noted that in light of the report, the Governor’s Drought Task Force will work with affected communities to develop near-term and long-term plans to address subsidence and the risks to infrastructure. DWR also is offering $10 million in Proposition 1 funds to help counties develop or strengthen local ordinances and conservation plans.
The complete report, “Progress Report: Subsidence in the Central Valley, California,” is available at www.water. ca.gov/groundwater/.
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Institute, added that during the current drought, Californians have spent $1.5 billion more a year on electricity due to lack of hydro power. The subsequent increase in burning of natural gas has hiked greenhouse gas emissions by 8%.
Sierra Snowpack Lowest in 500 Years, Tree-Ring Study Finds Analyses of blue oak tree rings have led scientists to believe that this spring’s Sierra snowpack was the lowest in 500 years, according to a study released
Sept. 14 by the publication Nature Climate Change. Several scientists report that the snowpack study underscores the extreme severity of California’s drought. “This is an interesting contribution that seems to fit very well with the emerging evidence that the current drought in California is exceptional,” Ben Cook, a climate scientist at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York City said in a Nature.com story on the study.
Scientists based their finding of the 500-year low on an examination of a previous study that analyzed the trees rings of 1,505 blue oak trees. The blue oak trees were near enough to the Sierra mountains that their rings could be an indicator for Sierra precipitation. Trees tend to grow larger rings in wetter years than in drier years. The study is at www.nature.com/news/ california-snowpack-lowest-in-past500-years-1.18345.
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ACWA’s Annual Legal Education Program Draws Crowd in Oakland Water attorneys and other water professionals traveled to The Waterfront Hotel in Oakland Sept. 10 to attend ACWA’s Continuing Legal Education workshop. The two-day event was part of a continuing effort to provide legally relevant, yet widely applicable, information to all of ACWA’s members. Over the course of two days, attendees heard presentations on various topics, such as an update on the State Water Resources Control Board’s response to California’s ongoing drought, a summary of appellate cases, and developments in public infrastructure, public works contracts, and contract bid protests. State Water Board Chair Felicia Marcus provided an update on current happenings and priorities at the State Water Board. In addition to addressing the drought, Marcus mentioned the California Water Action Plan, funding from last year’s water bond, and integrated management of California’s watersheds as efforts to achieve comprehensive and longterm solutions to the myriad of water management challenges in the state. Other topics at the CLE workshop included a summary on Proposition 26 and 218 lawsuits and recent litigation concerning the California Environmental Quality Act. ACWA Deputy Executive Director for Government Relations Cindy Tuck presented highlights of new legislation from this year’s legislative session that may have an impact
on water and ACWA member agencies, including proposals that affect drinking water and groundwater. Tuck was pleased to report the recent enactment of SB 385, by Sen. Ben Hueso (D-San Diego), the ACWA-sponsored chromium 6 drinking water compliance legislation that Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law Sept. 4.
Dan Hentschke, (far left), chair of ACWA’s Legal Affairs Committee and general counsel of San Diego County Water Authority, introduces panelists during the 2015 State Water Board Drought Response panel at the CLE program in Oakland Sept. 10 and 11. Panelists include: (seated l-r) Dave Rose, of the State Water Resources Control Board; Paul Minasian, of Minasian, Meith, Soares, Sexton & Cooper LLP; and Jonathan Knapp, of the San Francisco City Attorney’s Office.
On Sept. 10, attendees enjoyed a luncheon presentation by Richard Carlton, the acting director for the State Bar’s Lawyer Assistance Program. The presentation, titled “Coping with the Unique Challenges of Legal Practice,” examined the emotional and psychological challenges that lawyers face in their practice, including depression and substance abuse. Carlton concluded his presentation by encouraging attendees to incorporate mindfulness and meditation into their daily work. The event offered 11.75 hours of credit towards an attorney’s state-mandated CLE requirements, which included one hour of competency credit. Additionally, attendees earned State Water Board drinking water certification credit. The
Deadline Nears to Apply for ACWA Committees Looking to become more engaged in ACWA’s policy committees? The Sept. 30 deadline to be considered for appointment to an ACWA committee for the 2016-’17 term is fast approaching. ACWA is seeking active and involved members to provide expertise to the vital committees the association maintains to help inform its policy making. All ACWA
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members have been mailed a packet with details on the committee process. Those interested in applying may also download the committee consideration form on ACWA’s website at www.acwa.com, under the About ACWA tab. If you have any questions regarding the committee process please contact Paula Quinn at paulaq@acwa.com.
11.75 hours offered goes a long way toward meeting the requirement that an attorney complete 25 hours of CLE every 36 months. ACWA will offer additional CLE programming at the upcoming Fall Conference & Exhibition in Indian Wells from Dec. 1-4. The written materials from the program in Oakland are available online at www.acwa.com/content/ acwa-cle-2015-presentations. Please contact Whitnie Wiley at (916) 441-4545 or whitniew@acwa.com with any questions about ACWA’s various CLE offerings.
Fraudulent Housing Alert! ALERT! Please be advised that a company called Exhibition Management has been contacting ACWA conference exhibitors implying that they have been contracted by ACWA to handle all exhibitor housing. ACWA has NOT contracted with this company and any information provided to them may be used for fraudulent purposes.
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infrastructure financing, water storage, what’s next for emergency conservation regulations, local government issues and more. Babbitt, a former governor of Arizona who served as Interior secretary from 1993 to 2001, will provide his unique perspective on water issues and the environment at the luncheon program on Thursday, Dec. 3. Babbitt was actively involved in addressing and negotiating agreements on the Bay-Delta and the Lower Colorado River during his tenure at Interior.
Felicia Marcus at Town Hall Urban water conservation regulations will be the focus of a town hall session Thursday, Dec. 3. State Water Resources Control Board Chair Felicia Marcus will discuss what may be ahead in 2016, whether or not the drought continues. Statewide Issue Forums Godzilla vs. the Blob: Which Weather Monster Will Win? Wednesday, Dec. 2, 10 a.m. Predictions about whether California will face a Godzilla El Niño or some other monster condition are changing daily. Experts will discuss the
models and what they might mean for drought-stricken California. How Do We Finance Water Projects? Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2 p.m. Panelists will offer their perspectives on the best ways to fund water infrastructure and programs to secure California’s water future. Affordable Safe Drinking Water for All: What Works, and What’s in the Works? Wednesday, Dec. 2, 3:30 p.m. Panelists will discuss the state’s recently released framework for safe drinking water and ongoing efforts to address critical drinking water issues. Four Years and Counting: Is the Drought a Catastrophe, or Are We Showing Resilience? Thursday, Dec. 3, 2 p.m. Water managers and others will offer perspectives on whether the state’s water system was unprepared for the current drought or whether past investments equipped us to respond and are largely shielding the economy from the drought’s impacts.
Water Industry Trends Programs Groundwater Management: Where We have Been and Where We Are Going Under SGMA. Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2 p.m. Water experts and managers will give their assessment of the groundwater management landscape under landmark legislation enacted in 2014.
California Water Agencies Take Action on Chromium-6. Thursday, Dec. 3, 9:30 a.m. Panelists will take an in-depth look at how water agencies are responding to the nation’s first-ever drinking water standard for chromium-6. Water Storage Investment Program Update. Thursday, Dec. 3, 2 p.m. Speakers will provide an update on the California Water Commission’s process for allocating $2.7 billion from Proposition 1 and other key issues related to developing new storage projects in California.
Dinner at Palm Springs Air Museum Dinner on Thursday, Dec. 3, will be at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Docents will be on hand to share experiences and guide attendees through exhibits featuring aircraft from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Entertainment will be provided by the Company B, a tribute to the Andrews Sisters. Shuttle service to and from the air museum will be provided. Register Now The deadline for pre-registration and cancellation is Nov. 9 at 4:30 p.m. Visit www.acwa.com to register and get additional program information.
CWC Discusses Draft Regulations for Water Storage Investments The California Water Commission discussed the draft regulations for the Water Storage Investment Program at a two-day meeting in Sacramento Sept. 16 and 17. The WSIP is the process that will be used to allocate the $2.7 billion outlined in Chapter 8 of Proposition 1 that is dedicated to helping fund water storage projects. The CWC released the initial draft regulations for the WSIP on Aug. 31. The CWC and WSIP Stakeholder Advisory Committee will continue to discuss the draft regulations at their
upcoming meetings in advance of the CWC’s anticipated submission of an initial rulemaking package to the Office of Administrative Law in November 2015. ACWA is a member of the WSIP Stakeholder Advisory Committee. Under Proposition 1, the CWC must have the regulations finalized by December 2016.The CWC has prepared a WSIP process timeline that provides additional detail on relevant program dates and milestones. ACWA member agencies with
questions regarding the WSIP should contact ACWA Regulatory Advocate Adam Walukiewicz at adamw@acwa. com or (916) 441-4545. RESOURCE Draft regulations: cwc.ca.gov/ Documents/2015/09_September/ September2015_Agenda_Item_13_ Attach_6_DraftRegulations_091415.pdf WISP overview: cwc.ca.gov/Pages/ PublicBenefits1.aspx WISP timeline: cwc.ca.gov/ Documents/2015/05_May/CWC_ Meeting/May2015_Agenda_Item_12_ Attach_2_Timeline.pdf
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Sept. 30 Deadline Nears for Region Elections
The deadline to cast ballots for region board chairs, vice chairs and board members for the 2016-’17 term is Sept. 30. Election results reflecting the new region boards will be announced Oct. 5. ACWA’s region nominating committees already have announced their recommended slates for ACWA’s 10 region boards and issued official ballots to all agency general managers and board presidents. Each ballot contains the recommended slate, candidates listed by position, and voting instructions. Each agency is entitled to cast only one vote for its region board and must have an authorized person sign the ballot before it’s returned to ACWA. Your Agency Vote is Very Important: The region board members are elected to represent the issues, concerns and needs each region. The region chair and vice chair will serve on ACWA’s Board of Directors for a two-year term of office. The newly elected chair will communicate the region board’s committee recommendations to the ACWA President for the 2016-’17 term. Either the chair or vice chair will serve on the ACWA Finance Committee. If you have any questions, contact Regional Affairs Representatives Katie Dahl at katied@acwa.com or Brandon Ida at brandoni@ acwa.com or call 916-4414545.
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regional water management, habitat restoration and water efficiency. The bill does not identify a funding source for the California Water Resiliency Investment Fund. Since this bill could provide a potential vehicle to advance a statewide tax on water bills, ACWA’s State Legislative Committee adopted an oppose position on SB 20 on Aug. 28. The bill’s author, Sen. Fran Pavley (DAgoura Hills), has indicated she plans to work on the issue this fall with stakeholders. ACWA is committed to participating in those discussions. This topic will continue to be a priority for ACWA and the State Legislative Committee in 2016.
ACWA-Sponsored Chromium-6 Compliance Bill Becomes Law On Sept. 4, Gov. Jerry Brown signed ACWAsponsored SB 385 (Hueso) into law. The bill, which went into effect immediately, establishes a carefully monitored process for public water systems to work toward and achieve compliance with the state’s new chromium-6 drinking water standard. The measure does not exempt any water systems from compliance or delay steps a water system must take to achieve compliance.
CHROMIUM-6
The law authorizes the State Water Resources Control Board to grant a limited period of time for affected water systems to work toward achieving compliance with the chromium-6 standard without being deemed in violation, as long as strict safeguards are met. The period of time is based on the earliest feasible date for compliance – not to exceed five years. SB 385 advanced through the Legislature without a single no vote thanks in part to strong support from ACWA member agencies. A fact sheet and FAQ on SB 385 are available at www.acwa.com/content/ chromium-6.
ACWA Negotiates Positive Amendments to Groundwater Adjudication Bills ACWA played GROUNDWATER a key role in negotiating legislative language on one of the most challenging water-related issues of this session – groundwater basin adjudication. Working in conjunction with the California Farm Bureau Federation, the Brown Administration and the authors of AB 1390 (Alejo) and SB 226 (Pavley), ACWA was instrumental in helping to develop positive changes to state law in this area. The bills cleared the Legislature in the final days of session and were on the governor’s desk at press time. The content of the two bills overlapped for much of the session, leading the authors to amend the bills to split the subject matter and add language making the enactment of each bill contingent on enactment of the other. AB 1390 would establish new provisions in the Code of Civil Procedure to streamline groundwater adjudications applicable to any basin. SB 226 would add additional policies and procedures for courts to apply in basins subject to the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 (SGMA) to ensure consistency with SGMA objectives. ACWA had a support-if-amended position on AB 1390 through most of the legislative session and successfully obtained many amendments to address ACWA members concerns. In the final weeks of session, the author declined to take any further amendments that would have allowed ACWA to move to full support. ACWA effectively became neutral on the bill. Due to concerns that an Aug. 17 amendment to SB 226 (Pavley) represented an inappropriate expansion of the state’s authority to intervene in litigation brought in any court to determine water rights, ACWA’s State Legislative Committee took an opposeLEGISLATIVE Continued on page 9
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the State Water Board to adopt, as an emergency regulation, any regulation necessary to ensure consistency with the state’s primary enforcement responsibility under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act. ACWA removed its opposeunless-amended position after the committee accepted ACWA’s amendments to exclude primary and secondary drinking water standard regulations and any regulations that are more stringent or materially different than the federal requirement. As a result, these regulations would remain subject to the traditional and more transparent rulemaking process. AB 1531 is awaiting the governor’s action.
unless-amended position on Aug. 28. ACWA immediately and successfully negotiated amendments to narrow that language. After the amendments were accepted by the author, ACWA moved to a neutral position. Though some issues remain with both bills, ACWA believes the two bills are workable and establish a process that is better than current law. ACWA anticipates Gov. Jerry Brown will sign them into law.
Additional ACWA Advocacy In addition to engaging on key priorities, ACWA staff also worked to stop bad policy, negotiate workable amendments where possible and support legislation helpful to ACWA member agencies. A full report was presented to the ACWA Board of Directors on Sept. 25.
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Notable advocacy work this year includes: •
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AB 453 (Bigelow) – Groundwater Management Plans: This bill provides local agencies the flexibility to amend an existing groundwater management plan in furtherance of, and consistent with, the groundwater management plan’s objectives, until a groundwater sustainability plan is adopted. ACWA had a favor position, and the bill is currently on the Senate floor and will roll over into next year. AB 1531 (Assembly Environmental Safety and Toxic Materials Committee) – State Water Resources Control Board Omnibus Bill: As introduced, this bill would have authorized
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SB 173 (Nielsen) – Groundwater de minimis extractors: This bill would have negatively impacted groundwater sustainability agencies and SGMA implementation by allowing a certain amount of unregulated domestic pumping under specific conditions. ACWA took a not-favor-unless-amended position, and the bill ultimately failed to pass the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee. SB 272 (Hertzberg) – The California Public Records Act: local agencies: inventory: As introduced, this bill would have required local agencies to disclose the software programs, products and vendors they use to comply with a proposed “open data” concept. ACWA and a local government coalition immediately opposed the bill, citing possible exposure to security threats and pointing out existing safeguards
in the Public Records Act to help prevent vulnerability to potential terrorism. The bill was heavily amended to address these concerns, allowing ACWA to remove its opposition. The bill is awaiting action by the governor. •
SB 789 (Wieckowski) – Sale of Water by Local Public Entities: excise tax: Failing to recognize existing local taxing authority, this bill would have authorized a local public entity to impose an excise tax of up to 300% on the purchase price of water and required a portion of the revenue to be sent to the State Water Board for conservation efforts. After opposition from ACWA and others, the bill was held in the Assembly Local Government Committee.
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SB 555 (Wolk) – Urban Retail Water Suppliers: water loss management: As introduced, SB 555 would have required each urban retail water supplier to submit a completed and validated water loss audit report as prescribed by rules adopted by the California Department of Water Resources. ACWA adopted an oppose-unless-amended position on the bill, citing the expenditure of unnecessary funds and time. ACWA removed its opposition, however, after the author accepted amendments allowing a water supplier to use an in-house technical expert to validate its report and requiring the State Water Board to consider certain conditions when adopting its performance standards. SB 555 is awaiting action by the governor.
SEPTEMBER 25, 2015 • 9
SPOTLIGHT
McKinleyville CSD: Providing Water, Sewer Service and Sense of Community Near the Land of the Big Trees DISTRICT
FACTS
Location Humboldt County Number of Customers Served • 6,300 water customers • 16,900 residents of community using all services Established 1970 Water Source Purchases wholesale water supply from the Humboldt Bay MWD Notable Projects Recently expanded recreational services including: • Hiller Park Loop Trail • Hiller Sports Complex • McKinleyville Activities Center • MyWaterTracker Website mckinleyvillecsd.com
Nestled in a scenic enclave in California’s north coastal region, McKinleyville Community Services District plays an integral role in the lives of the nearly 17,000 residents of the unincorporated community in Humboldt County. In addition to providing the staple services of water and sewer, MCSD maintains parks, street lighting, open space and recreational facilities that greatly enhance residents’ quality of life. In short, MCSD not only provides services to the community – it helps to build a sense of community. “MCSD is a reflection of the community we serve — an environmentally conscious, highly efficient and fiscally sound organization that fosters community support and participation,” explains Greg Orsini, general manager of MCSD. “Staff and management agree that it is an honor to serve our community.”
A History Reaching Back to Pioneer Days McKinleyville is the third-largest community in Humboldt County behind Eureka and Arcata. Its combination of coastal, mountain and valley areas provides residents and visitors with a wide range of recreational activities. People can surf, fish for salmon and steelhead, hike underneath the world’s tallest trees or bike the Pacific Coast Trail all within minutes of McKinleyville.
The original residents of McKinleyville were the Wiyot Indians who occupied the area for hundreds of years before the first pioneers arrived in the 1850s. The stream of settlers grew over the years and in 1897, Arcata businessman Isaac Minor built a general store with a post office, a hotel and a creamery in the area that is now McKinleyville. The general store quickly became the social center for the community and the people decided to call their town Minor in his honor. When President William McKinley was assassinated in 1901, Isaac Minor and the townspeople agreed to change the name of the community to McKinleyville. The services district itself was created on April 14, 1970, when McKinleyville’s residents voted 592 “yes” against 154 “no” to form the district. Initially, the district had authority only to serve water and treat sewer waste. In 1972, voters added street lighting powers. In 1985, they added recreational powers and in 1995, authorized construction of the McKinleyville Library. The district boundaries encompass 12,140 acres.
Maintaining Stellar Recreational Offerings Part of the district’s mission is to maintain and develop recreational activities within its service area in addition to providing water, sewer, parks, street lighting and open
Pierson Park is one gem among several of the pristine parks and open spaces that are part of the 44 acres of newly developed community parks in the McKinleyville Community Services District. The district has vastly expanded its community parks and recreational programs in recent years, building an indoor sports facility, a community center and even a library.
space maintenance services. In recent years, the district has dramatically expanded its recreational services. New recreational venues include 44 acres of community parks, including: Hiller Park Playground and Picnic Area, Hiller Park Loop Trails, Hiller Sports Complex, Pierson Park and Larissa Park. Additionally, the district has constructed an indoor sport and recreation facility, a community activities center and a library. In 1999, the Mad River Rotary Club completed the fundraising and construction of a law enforcement facility on district land adjacent to the library and community center. The facility was then donated to the district and is leased to the Humboldt County Sheriff ’s Department.
Water and Sewer Services Still Front and Center Providing vital services such as sewer and water remains a core role for MCSD. The district purchases its wholesale water supply from the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District, which diverts water from its million-gallon tank on Essex Hill under the Mad River to MCSD’s Grant A. Ramey Pump Station at North Bank and Azalea Roads. Water is then pumped to storage
tanks. MCSD’s six storage tanks have a combined capacity of 5.25 million gallons, approximately a 36-hour supply for the 6,300 water customers. All sewage for MCSD’s 5,100 customers is treated at the Wastewater Management Facility at Hiller Park. MCSD maintains approximately 65 miles of sewer mains. The district also recycles treated wastewater for agricultural irrigation at the Fischer Irrigation Site and at Hiller Park.
District of Distinction Not only does MCSD maintain a panoply of services, it operates efficiently. Earlier this year, the district received the “District of Distinction” accreditation from the Special District Leadership Foundation for its “sound fiscal management policies and practices in district operations,” according to a district release.
(Left) Members of the McKinleyville CSD Board of Directors and a Humboldt County supervisor break ground on a new teen center in July of this year. They are: (l-r) Director Helen Edwards, Director George Wheeler, Director David Couch, President John Corbett , Director Dennis Mayo and Humboldt County Supervisor Ryan Sundberg. (Right) The teen center is quickly approaching completion, with a grand opening scheduled for April 2016.
MCSD’s General Manager Orsini is understandably proud of the distinction. “MCSD Board of Directors included this goal in our strategic plan two years ago and we are pleased that our standard business practices made this accomplishment achievable in such a short time,” Orsini said in a statement.
“MCSD is a reflection of the community we serve; an environmentally conscious, highly efficient and fiscally sound organization that fosters community support and participation.” — Greg Orsini, general manager of MCSD. SEPTEMBER 25, 2015 • 11
A two-day tour of the Central Valley organized by the Water Education Foundation reveals the impacts of California’s devastating drought. (Left) At the Tulare County Stockyard, ranchers and others discuss the drought’s impact on the local cattle industry. (Right) Black containers filled with emergency back-up water sit on residents’ lawns in East Porterville where many private wells have gone dry.
WEF Tour Explores California’s Drought-Ravaged Central Valley The Water Education Foundation in early September led a two-day tour of the Central Valley which provided an up-close look at the ravages of California’s drought — those that are apparent, and those not so visible. It was the first WEF tour focused solely on drought, said Jennifer Bowles, executive director of the foundation. “With California in the fourth year of drought, the impacts are really starting to show and they are utterly devastating to communities, farmers and the state as a whole,” said Bowles. “And, as many people believe, this drought is only a harbinger of things to come with climate change, so it’s important to understand the issues now and how to possibly resolve them. Our water tours give people the opportunity to see water issues up close so they can go beyond the headlines they read in the newspapers and really educate themselves.” An overarching theme of the tour was that this drought — while entrenched and record-breaking — has brought officials from all levels of government together with industry leaders to work to blunt the drought’s devastating impacts and plan for the future. Some problems in the Central Valley are directly caused by the drought — such
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as idled land — other social problems, such as poverty and crime already existed and have gotten worse. “Drought brought to light some existing (social) problems,” said Dr. Jeannemarie Caris-McManus, executive director and CEO of Westside Family Preservation Services Network. “It did not create new ones.” Caris-McManus offered that observation during a discussion at Coalinga City Hall where local city officials from Coalinga and Huron, and an official from the State Water Resources Control Board, talked of the challenges of drought in rural, sometimes isolated communities. Earlier in the tour, Jeanine Jones, interstate resources manager at the California Department of Water Resources, detailed the drought, saying the first three years of the current four-year drought were the driest on record. She said Southern California has received more precipitation this year, but the state’s snowpack remains abysmal, creating what she called a “snow drought” with little or no run-off this spring and summer to fill reservoirs. The tour also stopped at Friant Dam and Millerton Lake where federal
officials described the history of the dam and the Friant Division of the Central Valley Project, as well as the impacts of the zero water allocations, which has resulted in more groundwater pumping. At the Tulare County Stockyard, Jon Dolieslager, the owner/operator of the stockyard, and Frank Mendonsa, owner of FM Ranch & Mendonsa Family Farm, said ranchers are thinning their herds earlier than usual because of the high cost of water and feed. Tricia Stever Blattler, executive director of the Tulare County Farm Bureau, said that on-farm water conservation and other efficiencies have allowed growers in the county in 2014 to post $8 billion in gross revenue receipts – the highest for a county in the nation. She said the revenue illustrates the resiliency of the industry. Later that day, the tour wound through the small town of East Porterville, where private wells have gone dry and residents and state and local officials have placed big containers of water on residents’ lawns to provide water. Other stops on the tour included the Coalinga Canal, the Pleasant Valley Pumping Plant and Newton Farms.
Save Our Water Shifts Focus to Permanent Change with “Fix it for Good” Message Earlier this month Save Our Water shifted gears from the summer messages of “Let It Go” and “Turn It Off ” to a more permanent behavior change-focus with the “Fix It For Good” message. Save Our Water launched its “Fix It For Good” campaign at the State Capitol on Sept. 14, during a turf replacement demonstration event put on by the California Department of General Services. At the event, Save Our Water was represented by Jennifer Persike, ACWA deputy executive director for external affairs and operations, who helped install sheet mulch and conducted interviews with local TV stations. “From letting their lawns go California Gold to turning off unnecessary water use, this summer Californians got the message that saving water required extraordinary — and immediate — actions,” said Persike. “As we move into fall, we are building on that momentum to encourage everyone to ‘Fix It For Good’ and make permanent changes to save water.” “Fix It For Good” urges Californians to save water by rethinking their yards, going water efficient with new toilets and fixtures and repairing leaks. New campaign art, including new animated digital ads, has been posted on the Save Our Water website and toolkit. Included in the campaign launch are Save Our Water’s first-ever television commercials. The first commercial, “Helping Hands,” started airing Labor Day weekend on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox networks in six targeted media markets through November. Markets include Sacramento, Fresno/Bakersfield, Chico/Redding, Central Coast, Inland Empire and Palm Springs. The spot is prominently featured as part of Save Our Water’s digital media campaign. “Helping Hands” challenges Californians to face the drought together and is airing in both 30-second and 15-second formats. There also are Spanishlanguage versions that will air in Spanishlanguage media markets. Save Our Water’s
second TV commercial, “Stepping Up,” features actions Californians are taking together to save water. The commercial will be featured heavily on Hulu and other digital outlets. “Stepping Up” is also airing in 30-second and 15-second formats in English and Spanish. Save Our Water’s specialized viral campaign “Saving Together” has encouraged Californians all summer long to share their water saving efforts on social media with the hashtag #KeepSavingCA. The campaign launched as part of Phase 1 in early July and immediately saw success with several actors from MTV’s new TV show “Scream” participating. TV star and Extra host Mario Lopez also joined the effort, taking part with a selfie and a #KeepSavingCA hashtag. His selfie went out to almost 1 million of his followers on Twitter (@ MarioLopezExtra) and 569,000 followers of his Instagram account. The “Saving Together” campaign also got a major boost as Starbucks stores across the state displayed a special Save Our Water poster. The campaign hashtag #KeepSavingCA has been trending as the second most popular drought-related on social media. “Saving Together” was prominently featured with booths and street teams at 14 major community and music events across the state, reaching more than 1 million people. The final “Saving Together” event was featured at West Sacramento’s TBD Fest Sept. 19 and 20. Save Our Water and local water agency conservation efforts are clearly having an impact with statewide water use for July dropping a whopping 31.3% from the same period two years ago. Persike gave the State Water Resources Control Board a detailed presentation in early September on how local water agencies are using innovative conservation campaigns to reach the public and meet water conservation targets. The presentation included a short video compilation of media campaigns.
The Save Our Water campaign has shifted its summer messaging from “Let it go” and Turn it Off” to “Fix it for Good.” The new campaign focuses on permanent behavior change. Top: The “Fix it for Good” campaign is unveiled during a turf replacement demonstration event at the state Capitol Sept. 14. Center: A woman at the TBD Festival in West Sacramento takes a selfie as part of the “Keep Saving California” viral campaign. Bottom: A man showcases a water drop on his hand during a “Stepping Up” TV commercial featuring actions Californians are taking to save water. RESOURCE ‘Stepping Up’ commercials: vimeo.com/acwa Media campaign video compilation: saveourwater.com/ blog-posts/local-conservationcampaigns-highlighted/
SEPTEMBER 25, 2015 • 13
ACWA Welcomes Alboum as Preferred Partner for Language Translation Alboum Translation Services is now an ACWA Preferred Provider, offering members language services designed specifically to serve associations and non-profits. Alboum is available to translate into multiple languages the many public notices of water agencies that are required by law. Alboum is the only translation agency in the nation exclusively serving associations, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations. The company does not charge rush fees or minimums, even on time-sensitive notices and other documents that require same day, overnight or weekend attention. This flexibility is particularly important, since service interruptions rarely occur with extensive notice or during typical working hours. With Alboum, ACWA members will gain access to an extensive network of highly qualified, American Translators Association-
certified translators that already work with municipalities, utilities, and other environmentally related organizations. Alboum has translators at the ready for any language spoken in a water district’s service area.
capable of translating any content and materials, including both online and in print. The company says it is able to quickly and accurately translate any document, in any format, of any size, into any language.
Beyond the notices that are required to be translated, ACWA encourages members to translate websites, bills and payment information, fact sheets, and forms into the languages spoken by a large percentage of members’ service area. Alboum is
Representatives from Alboum will be at the 2015 Fall Conference & Exhibition in Indian Wells. In the meantime, learn more about Alboum at www.alboum.com or by emailing translations@alboum. com.
October 14, 2015 • Doubletree by Hilton Hotel, Ontario, CA
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Member News
East Valley Water District Adopts Hunt Elementary School The East Valley Water District formally adopted Jefferson Hunt Elementary School during an official adoption ceremony Aug. 21 which featured student presentations and the signing of an official Declaration of Adoption. The district has supported Hunt Elementary for several years, but made it official at the adoption ceremony. EVWD will participate in several school activities, including Principal for a Day, Parent Night and classroom presentations “This partnership allows our staff to personally meet the community we
serve. I couldn’t be more proud of them for embracing this important responsibility,” John Mura, general manager/ CEO of EVWD said in a statement. Students also are invited to tour the district’s facilities and demonstration garden and explore other opportunities to learn about water responsibility and conservation. The adoption ceremony was attended by EVWD Employee Association representatives, San Bernardino City Unified School District Board President Michael Gallo, SBCUSD Vice President Dr. Margaret Hill, SBCUSD representatives, and Hunt Elementary students and staff.
The Adopt-a-School program is a partnership between SBCUSD and the San Bernardino Area Chamber of Commerce.
Tri-Valley Agencies Receive LAFCO Government Leadership Award Six Tri-Valley agencies were honored in early September with the California Local Agency Formation Commission’s “Government Leadership Award” for “working together and furthering good government efforts in the Tri-Valley” related to water services. The six agencies — the cities of Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore and San Ramon as well as the Dublin San Ramon Services District and Zone 7 Water Agency — provide services related to
drinking water, recycled water, wastewater, and storm water to approximately 277,000 people in the Tri-Valley area in eastern Alameda County and southern Contra Costa County. Each agency has its own policies, practices, contracts, investments, and expertise, but studied ways to coordinate and integrate how they provide the various water services to their constituents. The integration process included more than 30 local elected officials and senior
staff. The study identified 15 opportunities for functional or service-level coordination and integration as well as options for longer-term integration. As a result of the study, the participating agencies established the “Tri-Valley Intergovernmental Reciprocal Services Master Agreement,” which makes it easier for two or more agencies to coordinate contracting for services and sharing resources and materials.
Padre Dam MWD Recognized by SDLF as “District of Distinction” Padre Dam Municipal Water District announced in August that it had received the “District of Distinction” accreditation by the Special District Leadership Foundation (SDLF) for its sound fiscal management policies. The District of Distinction recognition is awarded to special districts that meet specific criterion in the areas of governance, transparency, finances, and board conduct. Boards of directors and executive staff of districts seeking the
accreditation must show proof of educational training in public governance, as well as compliance with ethics and harassment prevention training. Padre Dam Board President Doug Wilson said in a written statement that his district’s “accreditation signifies success in providing high level service.” “The Board of Directors takes great pride in receiving the District of Distinction recognition,” Wilson added. “We are dedicated to ensuring our
customers receive the highest quality of service.” To meet the accreditation’s requirements on transparency, Padre Dam’s website needed to include specific postings, including: election procedures and deadlines, board meeting schedules and agendas, the current district budget, most recent financial audit, and a link to the California State Controller’s website listing compensation data for board members and staff. SEPTEMBER 25, 2015 • 15
Santa Rosa and Trane Enter Partnership for Renewable Energy The City of Santa Rosa and Trane, a brand of the international company Ingersoll Rand, in early September formally announced a partnership on a project intended to increase energy independence at the city’s Laguna Wastewater Treatment Plant. The plant is managed by the city’s water department, Santa Rosa Water. According to a press release from the city and Trane, Trane chose Santa Rosa’s Laguna Wastewater Treatment Plant as the project to implement a $5 million grant from the California Energy Com-
mission. The project team also includes companies contributing $2 million in technology development funding. Alstom Grid, the world’s leading powertransmission company, is among the other companies. “Being selected for this grant is a great example of our commitment to our community’s future,” said David Guhin, director of Santa Rosa Water. “Santa Rosa strives to find innovative and cost-effective solutions that improve energy efficiency, optimize energy production, and reduce
greenhouse gas emissions, making this project a huge win.” The newly announced project will transform the plant into an advanced microgrid and thereby decrease dependence upon the traditional energy grid by incorporating additional renewable energy. Anticipated benefits of the advanced microgrid include stabilized energy costs, additional revenue sources, and increased use of renewable energy, including solar and wind. The microgrid is anticipated to be operational in late 2016.
Rowland Water District Adopts Plan to Become “Drought-Proof” The Rowland Water District Board of Directors in late July approved parttwo of a sweeping strategic plan that outlines how the district will work to become “drought-proof ” by developing new sources of water, increasing recycled water capacity, and reducing reliance on imported water. The district’s 2015 strategic plan, titled “Effective Action for Sustainable Progress,” strives to build accountability by
informing customers of exactly how RWD will pursue ways to sustainably serve the community into the future. “We went to great lengths to touch on virtually every area of concern in our strategic planning process, with a strong emphasis on how we manage district funds, and how we as an organization interface with those who use our services,” Tom Coleman, RWD general manager said in a prepared
statement. “The result is a plan that ensures our capital projects will come to fruition, our water supply will be enhanced, our conservation methods will be fully deployed, and our infrastructure will never face obsolescence. I don’t think we left a stone unturned.”. RESOURCE Strategic Plan: www.rowlandwater.com/ strategic-plan/
Mammoth Community WD Appeals Ormat Geothermal Expansion In an effort to protect local groundwater supplies, the Mammoth Community Water District is seeking appellate review of a lower court’s decision denying the district’s challenge of the expansion of a geothermal project. Specifically, MCWD claims the environmental review of Ormat Technologies’ Casa Diablo IV Geothermal Development Project is “grossly inadequate.” The project would double geothermal pumping by Ormat near the town of Mammoth Lakes. MCWD had pursued inclusion of monitoring and mitigation measures in the project plan to protect the region’s groundwater resources.
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“Although renewable energy expansion is an important statewide goal, so is the preservation of sustainable water supplies,” said MCWD Board President Tom Smith. “MCWD is committed to protecting taxpayer dollars and the region’s water needs. We will fight to ensure that Ormat implements appropriate measures to mitigate potential impacts on our groundwater supplies.” According to the district, the Mammoth Lakes community has been almost entirely dependent on groundwater supplies since last year. Regional water supplies remain at critical levels due to the historic drought and strict
state mandates on water conservation. Establishment of an adequate monitoring and mitigation plan is crucial. MCWD filed a lawsuit against Ormat and the Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District in August 2014, challenging the adequacy of their environmental review for the Project. On June 26, 2015, MCWD’s challenge was denied by the Mono County Superior Court. The MCWD Board of Directors has decided to appeal that decision. For more information, please visit MCWD’s website at: www.mcwd.dst. ca.us.
August Feedback
What makes your water agency or district unique? Here are excerpts from replies sent to acwanews@acwa.com.
Calaveras County Water District – The Calaveras County Water District sits directly between Yosemite National park and Lake Tahoe in one of the prettiest parts of the state, but it’s the community’s beauty that steals the show. Much of Calaveras was recently devastated by the Butte Fire, which destroyed more than 230 homes and displaced thousands of residents. Since the fire, our community has joined together to provide assistance and support to those in need and give whatever is needed. In a similar manner, our community joined together and went above and beyond to conserve water during this unprecedented drought. Throughout the hottest months of summer, CCWD customers have cut water usage by nearly 40% each month. No matter the emergency, Calaveras County’s close-knit community rises to the occasion. Turlock Irrigation District – We were the first irrigation district developed in California, and hold some of the most senior water rights on the Tuolumne River. We predominantly make water deliveries to small, multi-generation farms with average parcel sizes of 30 acres. We store water at Don Pedro Reservoir, which is a local storage project paid for with local funds. Our name implies our only service is to deliver irrigation water, however we also generate and distribute electricity to 100,000 accounts in a 662 square-mile service area. Amador Water Agency – Amador County offers some unique challenges to providing superior customer service with a 568 square mile service area ranging in elevation from 200 to 9,000 feet. Amador Water Agency staff maintain more than 270 miles of pipe for about 10,000 customers. There are about 64 people per square mile in Amador County as compared to Sacramento County with 1,471 and Los Angeles County with 2,420 people per square mile. Workers can be in hot dry portions of the county in the morning and facing blizzard conditions in the afternoon. The Amador Water Agency is unique because of its geographic diversity, exceptional high quality water, and dedicated employees that travel great distances each day insuring that its customers receive exceptional service.
Send us your feedback!
How will El Niño change your drought / conservation messaging? Email your answer to acwanews@acwa.com by Oct. 5, 2015. Please put in subject line “Feedback September 2015.”
DSRSD General Manager Announces His Retirement
Dublin San Ramon Services District General Manager Bert Michalczyk on Sept. 21 announced that he will retire in early November 2015 after 25 years with the district. In a memorandum to the board announcing his plans, Michalczyk said that the district’s five-year strategic plan would help ensure a smooth transition following his retirement and that master plans for long-term water use, water facilities, urban water management, biosolids disposal, and wastewater treatment also were nearing completion. “On behalf of the board of directors, I want to thank Bert for his many years of excellent leadership and dedicated service to the DSRSD organization and the community it serves,” said DSRSD Board President Ed Duarte in a statement following the announcement. Michalczyk joined DSRSD in 1990 and has served as its general manager since 2001. Michalczyk’s professional career also includes 30 years of service to the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District and six years in private practice. On Sept. 29, the DSRSD Board of Directors is scheduled to review applications from its current senior managers to fill an interim general manager position until a new permanent general manager is hired.
SEPTEMBER 25, 2015 • 17
People News Quinley Joins Delano-Earlimart ID as Assistant General Manager Eric R. Quinley, formerly of Friant Water Authority, has been hired for the newly created position of assistant general manager of Delano-Earlimart Irrigation District, district officials announced in August. “We are pleased to have Eric join our DEID management team,” Pete Hronis, vice president of the DEID Board, said in a statement. “He brings a complete skills set to the district, spanning operations, maintenance and infrastructure, as well as issues management and policy development.” The DEID Board created the new assistant general manager position to increase the
Jacobsma to Become Assistant GM at Contra Costa Water District Ron Jacobsma, former general manager of Friant Water Authority, stepped into a new role as assistant general manager at Contra Costa Water District on Sept. 21. Jabobsma will serve concurrently with Assistant General Manager Brice Bledsoe until Bledsoe retires at the end of the year. Jacobsma started at FWA as controller, moved to assistant general manager, and became general manager in 2003. “Ron comes to the district with a solid background in financial planning and has the
Haglund Hired as General Manager of Tuolumne UD The Tuolumne Utilities District Board of Directors announced in September that it has selected Thomas J. Haglund as its new general manager. Haglund, who most recently served as city administrator for the City of Gilroy, was selected after a lengthy recruitment process. He replaces former General Manager Tom Scesa, who retired in June.
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district’s ability to address increasing demands on district staff. Quinley will focus on the area’s water supply and agriculture’s viability. Quinley will work directly with DEID General Manager Dale Brogan, who has served DEID since 1988. Quinley will be involved in the district’s implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. He also will participate on the district’s behalf with the newly formed South Valley Water Association, which represents eight federal water contractors of the Central Valley Project’s Friant Unit. Quinley most recently served as acting general manager of FWA. He previously served as FWA’s director of operations and maintenance. added experience in navigating challenging California water issues that are important to the district. He will hit the ground running,” Contra Costa WD General Manager Jerry Brown said in a written statement. Bledsoe is retiring after 16 years with the district where he advanced from accounting manager to director of finance, and finally to the assistant general manager of administration which he held for nearly four years. “Brice has been a valued leader for the district and we thank him for all that he has done to grow the district as a financially responsible water agency,” said Brown.
Haglund has served as city administrator for Gilroy since 2008. He also served as general manager of the South County Regional Wastewater Authority, a joint powers authority of the cities of Gilroy and Morgan Hill. “Mr. Haglund has the financial experience and leadership qualities that we were looking for to fill the general manager position. The district is in a challenging time and we believe that Mr. Haglund is the best choice to lead the district in a positive direction,” said TUD Board President Ron Ringen.
EMPLOYMENT Chief Executive Officer Friant Water Agency This extraordinary career opportunity to join one of the most creative and innovative special water authorities in the United States is the result of this newly created Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position. The Friant Water Authority’s (FWA) CEO will assume the leadership of a forward thinking organization dedicated to advocating rational approaches to current and future water issues in California, particularly in the Central Valley region. The CEO is an at-will contract position appointed by FWA’s Board of Directors to lead and manage the Authority. A key responsibility of the CEO will be to continually develop and enhance FWA’s policy and strategic plans through encouraging open dialogue and debate in partnership with the Board of Directors. The ideal candidate for this position will be an effective negotiator and accomplished leader within the water industry. The successful candidate will have substantial executive level experience, with 15 years or more of leadership experience in a municipality, special district, or other government or private sector entity. The ideal candidate will also have 5 years or more of experience in upper management, with a strong emphasis on knowledge of water systems preferably in California. A Bachelor’s from a fully accredited and recognized institution is required. A Master’s or other advanced degree is strongly desired. There is no residency requirement, home residency within California is negotiable. The first screening of resumes will occur on Friday, October 23, 2015. This position is open until filled; however, candidates are encouraged to apply early in the process for optimal consideration. This recruitment may close at any time once a strong pool of
candidates is received. To be considered, candidates must submit a compelling cover letter, comprehensive resume, salary history, and 6 professional references via email to apply@ralphandersen.com. If you have questions or would like to discuss the opportunity further, call Robert Burg or Teddi Anderson at (916) 630-4900. Confidential inquiries are welcomed.
• Dataloggers • Hydrologic and meteorologic sensors • Boats and cableways • Survey equipment to establish and verify reference points • Field computers (PDAs, tablets, laptops, and other hand-held computers)
Detailed brochure available at www. ralphandersen.com.
• Have a college degree in a water related curriculum
Supervising Hydrographer
• Have the ability to initiate, organize, and analyze projects
East Bay Municipal Utility District $96,780 – $112,032 Excellent Benefits + Retirement The Supervising Hydrographer is responsible for ensuring the quality of water resources data. The position is primarily based in Lodi, CA, with some reporting to Oakland, CA. The Supervising Hydrographer supervises a staff of hydrographers located in Lodi and Oakland, and reports to the Water Supply Engineering section supervisor in Oakland. The Supervising Hydrographer and staff hydrographers are engaged in collecting, analyzing, processing and maintaining hydrographic, hydrologic, meteorologic, and land use data affecting water availability, needs, uses, and rights. The ideal candidate will • Have experience working independently, outdoors, in a variety of geographic and climatic conditions • Have experience gathering water resources data with the following equipment: • Current velocity meters • Acoustic-Doppler current profilers • Acoustic velocity meters
PRIME DOWNTOWN LOCATION Three suites available in Sacramento, one block from the State Capital (910 K St.). • Suite 350 – 868 sq. ft. • Move-in ready office space • 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 For more information, contact Mark Tabak: 916.288.4818 or mark.tabak@cushwake.com
• Have effective communication skills • Be able to establish and maintain effective working relationships • Have experience using computers and software • Have experience submitting records to USGS • Be able to manage a small staff Requires a high school diploma, or its equivalent and five years of experience in collecting and analyzing hydrographic, hydrologic, meteorologic, or similar data. A Bachelor’s degree in a water related curriculum may be substituted for one year of the required experience. Apply online at www.ebmud.com no later than 4:30 p.m., Friday, October 2, 2015. EBMUD Recruitment and Classification Division www.ebmud.com EBMUD is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, protected veteran status or disabled status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of such protected category.
OFFICE FOR LEASE SEPTEMBER 25, 2015 • 19
MOST CLICKED Here are some of the latest mostclicked stories on ACWA’s website, www.acwa.com. Be sure to subscribe to ACWA’s eNews to get the latest news in your email box each week. See www.acwa.com/newsletters/ ACWA-eNews for more.
Periodicals Postage PAID Sacramento, CA
Association of California Water Agencies 910 K Street, Suite 100 Sacramento, CA 95814-3577
Time Valued Material
Sierra Snowpack Lowest in 500 Years, Tree-Ring Study Finds — 9/14/2015 Groundwater Adjudication Bills Sent to Governor’s Desk — 9/11/2015 Fierce El Niño 95% Certain; Impact on Drought Not So Clear, Officials Say — 9/11/2015
UPCOMING EVENTS VISIT ACWA.COM FOR COMPLETE LISTING
Governor Signs ACWA-Sponsored Bill Aiding Chromium-6 Compliance — 9/4/2015 ACWA Highlights Examples of Innovative Local Conservation Campaigns during State Water Board Meeting — 9/1/2015
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OCTOBER 2015 14
ACWA’s 2015 Regulatory Summit will be held at DoubleTree Hotel, Ontario. Online registration available at www.acwa.com/events/acwa2015-regulatory-summit.
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ACWA Region 6 & 7 is hosting a San Joaquin Valley Forum at Wyndham Visalia Hotel, Visalia. More information and online registration available at www.acwa.com/events/acwa-regions-6-7-jointwater-forum-october-16-visalia-ca. Online registration deadline is Oct. 9 or until space is full.
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MCWRA is hosting a program on “The Truth be Told: The Delta/ The Tunnels/The Tributaries” at the Ridge Golf Club and Event Center, Auburn, CA. RSVP for tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com/ event/2293599. Questions about the program should be directed to John Kingsbury at johnkingsbury.mcwra@gmail.com or by calling (530) 957-7879.
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ACWA’s Region 5 is hosting a program, The Lake Cachuma Project, in Buellton, CA. The program will begin with a visit to Lake Cachuma and reconvene at the Santa Ynez Valley Marriott for a program featuring Santa Barbara County water management.
TWITTER CHATTER Felicia Marcus @FeliciaMarcus • Sept. 1 | Thanks @ACWAWater 4 sharing #CADrought outreach highlights! Agencies have stepped up! Eric L. Garner @bbkericgarner • Sept. 14 | #cadrought woes: Sierra Nevada snowpack hit a 500-year low in 2015 @montemorin via@latimes California DGS @CalifDGS • Sept. 14 | State Capitol lawn replaced to “Fix It For Good” Matt Weiser @mattweiser • Sept. 17 | How deep is California’s precipitation deficit? Umm...how high can you count? Western Canal WD @WCWDwebcam • Sept. 15 | TY x million @ ACWAWater Comm Staff @farmwater M Henry for all your hard work on #cawater Ag Tour – #MostOfAll our Urban Colleagues 4 listening
DECEMBER 2015 1 – 4
ACWA 2015 Fall Conference & Exhibition will be held at Indian Wells, CA. For more information and online registration go to www.acwa. com/events/acwa-2015-fall-conference-exhibition.