ACWANEWS
ACWA’s Member Newsletter • www.acwa.com
“Go Time” for California Water at ACWA 2016 Spring Conference From innovation and technology to groundwater management to the latest on the California WaterFix, ACWA’s 2016 Spring Conference & Exhibition in Monterey brought the state’s water community together for an in-depth look at California’s everchanging water policy landscape. Held May 3-6 at the Portola Hotel and Monterey Marriott, the conference, titled “2016: It’s Go Time,” attracted roughly 1,640 water managers from throughout the state as policy decisions loomed on long-term water conservation policy, water market legislation and other issues. Top: ACWA’s 2016 Spring Conference & Exhibition kicks off with an opening breakfast program on innovation and water policy. Panelists included (l-r) Mary Ann Dickinson, Alliance for Water Efficiency; Steve Ritchie, San Francisco PUC; Cynthia Koehler, WaterNow Alliance; and Steve Bryan, Imagine H20. Middle: ACWA President Kathleen Tiegs works the crowd at the luncheon program on May 5. Bottom: A massive pavilion serves as the venue for conference meal functions while the Monterey Conference Center undergoes major renovation, slated for completion before ACWA returns for its 2017 Spring Conference.
ACWA President Kathleen Tiegs welcomed attendees during her
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“We are facing water challenges that have vexed the state for decades – meeting them head on, knowing that in the end, it will have been worth the work; we’ll have helped to bring California to a new level of water efficiency and management,” said Tiegs. A broad spectrum of water policy experts and technology innovators addressed attendees, including: political analyst Kevin Eckery; Scott Bryan, president of water innovation accelerator CONFERENCE Continued on page 12
State Water Board Modifies Emergency Conservation Regulation The State Water Resources Control Board on May 18 adopted changes to its existing emergency water conservation regulation to reflect improved conditions and allow for more local decision making. ACWA members from throughout the state attended the State Water Board’s May 18 hearing to comment on a May 9 staff proposal that would replace the
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remarks at the opening breakfast and highlighted how the conference programs address many of the state’s long-standing water challenges.
S. 2533 Presents Opportunity to Redefine Federal, State Relationship on Water
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Water Market Bills Amended; SB 1317 Poised for Senate Floor Vote
existing state-imposed mandatory urban conservation standards with a locally driven, supplybased assessment process. Local water suppliers would be required to self-assess their available water supplies over three additional dry years and determine the level of conservation needed to meet customer demand based on average 2013 and 2014. EMERGENCY REG Continued on page 6
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State Water Board Proposal Could Raise Operating Fees2016 • 1 MAY 20,
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 of External Affairs & Member Services 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 2016. All Rights Reserved. Call ACWA for Permission to Reprint. USPS 334030
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S COLUMN • TIMOTHY QUINN
S. 2533 Presents Opportunity to Redefine Federal, State Relationship on Water Since passage of historic water legislation in 2009, the core tenet of California water policy is managing for the coequal goals of improving both water supply reliability and ecosystem health. Over the past quarter century, California water agencies have invested billions of dollars in conservation and local water supply resources to reduce demands for imported water. We have developed a voluntary water market and constructed local and regional storage projects to shift water deliveries from dry years — when conflict between environmental needs and water supply needs are greatest — to wetter periods when conflicts are significantly reduced. In short, state and local water managers have effectively reinvented how we manage water to better accommodate the needs of both our economy and the environment. Fully accomplishing that goal, however, requires a partnership with federal agencies that play a major role in water management in California. Unfortunately, federal regulatory agencies are approaching water management problems the same way they did decades ago. There has never been a more critical time for that to change. The good news is federal legislation introduced by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (DCA) provides an opportunity to redefine the relationship between the federal government and California as partners in water management. I was pleased to testify in support of that legislation, S. 2533, at a recent hearing of the Water and Power Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. I highlighted the fact that while we have seen some improvement in hydrologic conditions this year, we continue to face a serious drought made worse by a broken water delivery system.
As evidence, consider the missed opportunities this year to safely capture water supplies resulting from El Niño storms in January and early March. With better monitoring and real-time information and a commitment to protect water supply as well as species, federal agencies could have made different decisions that would have allowed us to capture and store water when flows were high. S. 2533 includes provisions that emphasize monitoring on a real-time basis to understand the abundance and location of species such as salmon and Delta smelt. Combined with other measures that would allow agencies to maximize water supplies consistent with applicable laws and biological opinions, extend the time period for water transfers and provide for updated reservoir operations, the legislation would go a long way toward better management. The bill also includes funding and incentives for improved water conservation, water reuse and both seawater and brackish water desalination. S. 2533 can provide a much-needed statement from Congress that both water supply and environmental protection are important. It can help move federal water policy in a more balanced direction that complements — rather than competes with — California’s coequal goals. ACWA is urging the Senate to pass this legislation as soon as possible and enable a Senate-House conference committee to meet and negotiate a bipartisan bill that can be signed by the President. We are also calling on our delegation to work together to achieve this important result. When it comes to protecting our water supply and our environment, this simply must be a priority for Congress.
California Water Commission Approves Revised GSP Regulations The California Water Commission on May 18 unanimously adopted regulations by the California Department of Water Resources establishing requirements for developing Groundwater Sustainability Plans (GSPs) under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014 (SGMA). The action allows DWR to meet its June 1 adoption deadline under SGMA. As initially proposed, the regulations included a number of requirements that went beyond what would have been necessary in many basins to develop and implement a plan. Through the rulemaking process, ACWA provided detailed suggestions to DWR for how to make the regulations consistent with the law. During the May 18 meeting, ACWA Deputy Executive Director for
Government Relations Cindy Tuck thanked DWR for addressing many of ACWA’s comments. “We’re not here today to say that the regulations are perfect, but we are here today to support the commissions’ adoption of the regulations,” said Tuck. Tuck’s comments also highlighted the importance of alternative plans as authorized by SGMA. “Some basins in California were already being managed in a sustainable manner at the time the law was written, and implementation should allow for legitimate alternatives consistent with the act,” she said. A number of ACWA member agencies also testified, including Yuba County Water Agency, Sacramento Suburban Water District, the Santa Clara Valley
Water District, Merced Irrigation District, and City of Roseville, with several echoing Tuck’s concerns related to alternative plans. Sacramento Suburban Water District’s Rob Roscoe noted that his district has invested approximately $120 million over the past 15 years in groundwater sustainability. “We’re not talking about demonstrating sustainability 20 years from now, we’re there now,” said Roscoe. With the commission’s adoption, DWR will send the regulations to the Office of Administrative Law for processing. For more information regarding California’s groundwater visit: www. water.ca.gov/groundwater/index.cfm.
Water Market Bills Amended; SB 1317 Poised for Senate Floor Vote Two bills aimed at improving California’s voluntary water market were amended May 11. AB 2304 (Levine) and AB 1755 (Dodd) were awaiting action in the Assembly Appropriations Committee as ACWA News went to press.
Resources to create a statewide integrated water data platform that would bring together existing water and ecological information from multiple databases and provide data on completed water transfers and exchanges.
With the latest amendments, AB 2304 would create the California Water Market Clearinghouse within the Natural Resources Agency with responsibility for making the water transfer and exchange process more transparent and efficient and enhancing access to the voluntary market transactions. It also would direct the secretary of the Natural Resources Agency to convene a Water Market Clearinghouse Task Force to make recommendations on several issues related to how the clearinghouse would operate.
ACWA’s State Legislative Committee was set to consider the amended versions of the bills on May 20. ACWA has been working with the authors and other stakeholders to align the bills with ACWA’s Board-adopted recommendations on water transfers and the voluntary water market.
AB 1755 as amended would require the California Department of Water
Meanwhile in the Senate, ACWAopposed legislation that would require cities and counties to limit permits for new groundwater wells in high- and medium-priority groundwater basins cleared the Senate Appropriations Committee on May 16 and is awaiting action on the Senate floor.
SB 1317 by Sen. Lois Wolk (D-Davis), also known as the Aquifer Protection Act, would require cities and counties overlying high- and medium-priority basins to apply conditions to permits for new wells by July 1, 2017. Local governments that have enacted their own measures to protect aquifers would be exempt from the requirement — as would wells yielding small amounts of water, or replacement wells. ACWA opposes the bill because it would interfere prematurely with the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) of 2014, which already provides a process and timelines for local agencies to develop Groundwater Sustainability Plans. Deadlines outlined in SB 1317 are too soon to allow the SGMA process to work properly. In addition, the bill would unnecessarily restrict groundwater management decisions to cities and counties.
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Brown’s Revised Budget Contains Funds for Drought Resiliency Gov. Jerry Brown on May 13 released a revised budget proposal that includes increased funding for drought resiliency, making water conservation a way of life and smelt protection. He also issued warnings that state tax revenues are slowing and fiscal prudence is necessary. “The surging tide of revenue has begun to turn,” Brown said in a written statement. “Quoting Aesop’s fable of the ant and the grasshopper: ‘It is best to prepare for the days of necessity.’” The revised budget reflects a revenue forecast that has been reduced by $1.9 billion due in large part to poor April income tax receipts and more sluggish sales tax receipts than expected. Aspects of the $169 billion spending plan that impact the water sector include:
Drought Resiliency
Emergency Drought Response An additional $11.4 million — for a total of $334.5 million — for emergency drought response based on current conditions. This includes: • Tree mortality: One-time increase of $11 million in general fund spending to CalFire to assist in removal and disposal of dead trees in high hazard areas. Broken down that is: $6 million for grants to local governments and others for tree removal and $5 million for equipment and overtime for tree removal and fuels reduction. • Additional $30 million for Office of Emergency Services to assist counties through CA Disaster Assistance Act. 4 • ACWANEWS
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Delta Smelt • The revised budget proposes $4.2 million in general fund spending to benefit smelt. This includes: $2 million in GF spending for habitat restoration and food production (including adaptive management pilot project and restoration design plan for intertidal habitat near confluence of Sac and San Joaquin Rivers), $1.8 million in GF spending for aquatic weed control, and $400,000 for monitoring pilot projects and studies for Delta smelt and turbidity, including a “smelt cam.” Other adjustments Include: • Decrease of $42 million because Delta salinity barriers will not be needed in fall of 2016. • $5 million increase in GF spending for DWR to provide emergency drinking water support for small communities, including addressing private wells. This is to be combined with $5 million already included in the January proposal for a total of $10 million now proposed for this purpose. • $10.4 million increase for CalFire to contract for helicopters and season crews during peak fire season.
unifying framework, “local water suppliers must take the lead to develop substantive, reliable plans based on their local supplies and circumstances.” • $4.5 million increase in GF spending for DWR and State Water Resources Control Board to review and update local water shortage contingency plans, develop recommendations for new water use efficiency targets, and establish permanent urban water use efficiency data tracking system (per executive order). SGMA Implementation • $1 million increase in GF spending for DWR to support local agencies with facilitation services. • $1 million in GF spending for DWR to support use of remote sensing technology to establish statewide ag land use data. The budget notes this is necessary to create water budgets, and the data is most efficiently captured on a statewide scale than by hundreds of separate local agencies.
Environmental Protection
• A reduction of $3 million in GF spending for Save Our Water to reflect the reduced need for a statewide campaign this year.
Manage and Prepare for Future Droughts
Conservation as a Way of Life • The budget text notes that while that state must provide a
Reducing Lead Exposure • $480,000 increase and two additional positions for the State Water Board to prepare guidance documents and do outreach to schools to assist local water quality testing and support public water system compliance with federal reporting requirements. Additional details on the May Revision can be found at www.ebudget.ca.gov.
State Water Board Proposal Could Raise System Operating Fees The State Water Resources Control Board initiated a formal rulemaking process April 29 on draft regulations for annual public water system operating fees. The proposal, if adopted, could dramatically increase fees for some water systems. The draft regulations are aimed at increasing total funding for the state’s Drinking Water Program and providing the State Water Board more flexibility to address priority drinking water issues. The public comment period on the draft regulations runs through June 22. While the Drinking Water Program is critical and clearly needs adequate funding, ACWA is concerned that the proposed fee structure would increase annual fees by up to 1,000% for some water systems. ACWA voiced strong concerns at an April 15 workshop on the proposed regulations, and has begun meeting with State Water Board members on the issue. ACWA is actively working with an ACWA Drinking Water Fees Work Group to develop a response to the State Water Board’s proposed fee structure. ACWA also intends to prepare a formal comment letter on the draft regulations and actively participate in an upcoming board workshop and meeting.
Background A state budget trailer bill enacted last year modified the State Water Board’s authority to impose annual operating fees on public water systems to support the state’s Drinking Water Program. The trailer bill, SB 83, eliminated the “fee-for-service” model under which fees for water systems with more than 1,000 connections had been assessed since 2001. Consistent with the new general authority provided by SB 83, the State Water Board’s draft regulations establish a fee structure based on each water system’s total number of connections, with the expressed goal of creating a more stable and consistent source of funding for the program. Due to ACWA’s legislative advocacy last year, SB 83 preserved some important safeguards for water systems, including a cap on the total amount of fees that can be collected for fiscal year 2016-’17 and a cap on the annual drinking water fee increases in subsequent years. It also required the State Water Board to adopt the first revisions to its fee structure through the full Administrative Procedure Act rulemaking process instead of through emergency regulation as initially proposed. In general, ACWA agrees that the Drinking Water Program must be adequately funded. But any changes to the fee structure must ensure that all
water systems receive an appropriate level of service in a timely fashion, provide for an accounting of State Water Board staff time and resource allocations, and preserve “fee payer equity.” Since large water systems typically require less assistance from the program on a connection basis — and State Water Board has indicated it will devote more time to smaller systems that experience more problems — ACWA believes the revised fee structure should reflect this difference. At the same time, the structure must be fair to small- and medium-size water systems. The process timeline is as follows (dates subject to change): • April 29 – State Water Board submits draft regulations, initiates formal rulemaking and 45-day public comment period • June 22 – Public comments due; State Water Board holds workshop in Sacramento • Sept. 6 – State Water Board adopts fee structure regulations • Late 2016 / early 2017 – Invoices sent to public water systems for fiscal year 2016-’17 drinking water fees ACWA member agencies with questions should contact ACWA Regulatory Advocate Adam W. Robin at (916) 441-4545.
Water Flows to Friant Contractors for First Time in Two Years After two years of zero water allocations from the San Joaquin River, water is flowing to the Central Valley Project’s Friant Division eastside contractors due to releases from Millerton Lake to make room for spring snowmelt. The water is a welcome sight to growers and water managers seeking to irrigate crops and recharge groundwater basins. “Any water made available to us… adds up to a good thing for our growers and our region,” said Gary Serrato, general manager of Fresno Irrigation District.
Serrato cautioned, however, that snowpack is still not at historical averages so the drought is far from over.
delivery amounts to 85,000 acre-feet of unreleased restoration flows and 100,000 acre-feet of Class 2 water.
“We still have a long ways to go,” Serrato said, adding that growers will get about five or six irrigations from the releases.
Fresno Irrigation District and the City of Fresno are receiving about 17,000 acre-feet of water which will go to recharge Fresno’s groundwater basins and water plant, with the rest flowing to growers. Tulare Irrigation District gave some water to Visalia to recharge its groundwater basins.
“Our farmers are very appreciative of that,” he added. Friant Division contractors are being promised 40% of contract amounts from the CVP. Releases began in midMarch and will end in mid-May. The
Lower Tule Irrigation District west of Porterville also received water. MAY 20, 2016 • 5
Districts Begin to Revisit Emergency Conservation Mandates Amid Improved Supply, Lower Demand Increased water supply and lower demand from customers has prompted some water districts in California to cautiously revise their local emergency water conservation mandates. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Board of Directors is among local districts that have acted. On May 10, the board voted to lift its mandatory water restrictions, but to maintain a water supply alert in order to reinforce conservation throughout its service area. “The fact is that we would not be taking this action today were it not for the public’s support and diligence,” said Metropolitan Board Chairman Randy Record in a written statement thanking customers for conserving water. Record warned that Southern Californians cannot become complacent about using water wisely. “Not only will continued conservation be necessary to replenish and maintain our storage reserves, sustaining wise water use remains as essential as ever,” Record said. The East Bay Municipal Utility District declared an end to its drought emergency on May 1. In a statement on its website, EBMUD cited investments in conservation, recycling and supplemental supplies, as well as customers’ conservation, as reasons for lifting the emergency mandate. The EBMUD Board of Directors’ action eased the local drought level to Stage 0, indicating normal water supplies. The drought stage had been designated at Stage 4 critical drought since April 2015. It also lifted the temporary drought surcharge from customer bills effective July. The drought surcharge helped EBMUD pay for emergency dry year water supplies and expand conservation efforts. 6 • ACWANEWS
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EMERGENCY REG Continued from page 1
The proposal would require both urban water suppliers and wholesale suppliers to report the underlying basis for their water supply assessments and require urban water suppliers to continue reporting conservation levels on a monthly basis. Current end-user prohibitions on water waste would continue. The amended regulation would take effect June 1 and remain in effect through January 2017. See www.acwa.com for the latest. During the hearing, water agency representatives expressed support for the supply-based approach and thanked State Water Board members and staff for incorporating input from the water community. “Recognizing local supply is a really big step in the right direction,” Desert Water Agency Outreach and Conservation Manager Ashely Metzger said. “We remain committed to helping our customers conserve. They have become more efficient water users, and we don’t see that changing.” Water agency representatives said they did not see a need for a mandatory “conservation floor” because it would be inconsistent with the supply-based approach and send a mixed message to customers. The State Water Board could consider the concept in January if the self-assessment process is not yielding the desired results, ACWA members said.
Executive Order Outlines LongTerm Approach The State Water Board’s May 9 staff proposal was released in conjunction with an executive order by Gov. Jerry Brown that outlines longerterm water conservation measures aimed at achieving a top priority in the California Water Action Plan — making conservation a way of life.
Executive order B-37-16, directs the California Department of Water Resources to work with the State Water Resources Control Board to develop new water use targets as part of a permanent framework for urban water agencies. The targets are intended to build on existing law requiring the state to achieve a 20% reduction in urban water use by 2020. While the new targets will be tailored to local conditions, the order directs DWR to consider indoor residential per capita water use, local outdoor irrigation needs and climate, commercial, industrial and institutional water use and water lost through leaks and issue a proposed draft framework by Jan. 10, 2017. Additionally, the order: •
Directs DWR to take actions to minimize water system leaks statewide;
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Directs DWR to strengthen standards for local Water Shortage Contingency Plans, including common statewide standards and requirements that plans assume droughts lasting at least five years, as well as more frequent and severe periods of drought;
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Directs DWR to work with the California Department of Food and Agriculture to update and require Agricultural Water Management Plans by water suppliers with more than 10,000 irrigated acres of land;
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Continues current bans on wasteful water use such as hosing off sidewalks, driveways and other hard surfaces; and
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Directs the State Water Board to develop a new proposal for mandatory water use reductions in 2017 should the drought persist. EMERGENCY REG Continued on page 7
ACWA Releases Recommendations on Water Transfers Process ACWA on May 5 officially released a suite of recommendations for improving California’s water transfer process and access to the voluntary water market, especially for smaller agencies. The recommendations, titled “Recommendations for Improving Water Transfers and Access to Water Markets in California,” come as ACWA and other organizations are discussing market-oriented solutions as part of a comprehensive water management strategy for California. Developed by a statewide advisory committee with expertise in transfers, the recommendations are guiding ACWA’s advocacy efforts on transfer legislation this year. ACWA released the recommendations in conjunction with a town hall session on water markets during the association’s 2016 Spring Conference & Exhibition in Monterey. ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn noted that water transfers played an important role in past droughts. He said that while California has a water market that functions relatively well for some agencies, streamlining the transfer process and making water markets more accessible would yield a number of benefits for agencies across the state. “These recommendations not only address water needs during a multi-year drought, they create the foundation for more effective water management in the future,” Quinn said.
Enhancing the voluntary water market is a key priority for ACWA and other organizations this year. ACWA is actively engaged in discussions on the issue with stakeholders, the Brown Administration, the California Legislature and the appropriate state and federal agencies, including the California Department of Water Resources. DWR Director Mark Cowin said ACWA’s recommendations will help advance the conversation this year. “ACWA’s recommendations were generated by a broad panel that includes people with first-hand water transfer experience. We take these recommendations seriously and welcome the input as we work toward a more accessible, transparent, streamlined water market,” said Cowin. ACWA’s recommendations were developed by a Water Market Technical Advisory Committee that included ACWA member agency representatives with special expertise in water transfers and representatives from the Public Policy Institute of California and the Environmental Defense Fund. The recommendations note that improving the transfer process and enhancing access to the market would have several benefits, including: • Helping to protect existing local and regional investments in droughtresilient strategies; • Improving coordination among
water agencies; • Incentivizing significant investments in water use efficiency projects and programs; • Increasing water supply reliability for urban and agricultural water users; • Increasing the quantity or improving the timing of water available for transfers by providing information to buyers and sellers who might not otherwise have sufficient information to participate in water markets; and • Enhancing the state’s water supplies and potentially increasing the amount or improving the timing of water available for environmental uses. The recommendations are at www.acwa.com/water-transfersrecommendations.
EMERGENCY REG Continued from page 6
Next Steps and Questions ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn called the executive order and the State Water Board’s staff proposal a positive development.
all have — during this drought and the constructive policy discussion this year,” Quinn said. “We applaud the decision to move discretion for drought management back to local agencies.”
“It’s clear that the Brown Administration and the State Water Board have been listening and learning — as we
ACWA will continue to work closely with DWR and the State Water Board to develop an effective framework
for implementing the outlined policy goals. ACWA member agencies with questions may contact ACWA Special Projects Manager Dave Bolland at (916) 441-4545 or daveb@acwa.com.
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Multi-Agency New Melones Plan Benefits Farmers and Fish A water resource management plan for New Melones and the Stanislaus River crafted by federal, state and local water officials is expected to benefit local water districts, river conditions and salmon migration throughout 2016. The complex operations plan arose from a collaborative effort by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, South San Joaquin Irrigation District, Oakdale Irrigation District, the National Marines Fisheries Service, the California Department of Water Resources and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The plan is part of a Temporary Use Change Petition being considered by the State Water Resources Control Board. Under the plan, SSJID and OID agreed to provide 75,000 acre-feet to state and federal authorities which allowed so-called “pulse flows” beginning in mid-April from New Melones into the Stanislaus River to help young salmon move downstream. Once the water
reaches the Delta, it will be diverted to state and federal water contractors on the parched west side of the San Joaquin Valley. “This is a balanced operations plan,” said Steve Knell, general manager of OID. “The districts are making water available to assist with pulse flow operations that are important to federal and state regulators. At the same time, ag interests on the west side are going to be able pick up and benefit from that water.” “In addition to benefits for fish and farms, this proposal also allows New Melones to make positive storage gains for the first time in four years,” said Peter Rietkerk, general manager of SSJID. “This not only preserves water supply for next year, but also provides water temperature benefits in the Stanislaus River for this summer and fall.” According to a press release from the districts, this year’s proposed plan would ensure there is more water in
New Melones to meet fish needs in October, November and December. OID and SSJID have senior water rights to the Stanislaus River. They also own and operate four dams and reservoirs on the river. Together, they provide water to more than 120,000 acres of farmland as well as nearly 200,000 domestic customers. A fifth dam, New Melones, by far the largest storage facility in the basin, is operated by the Bureau as part of its Central Valley Project. It has been drawn down to record low levels because of the four-year California drought. For the first time since 2011, however, snowmelt and other runoff into New Melones this year is projected to be near the historic average — about 1 million acre-feet. But, as one federal official acknowledged at a hearing of the State Water Board, the reservoir is “over-allocated” — meaning there is more water promised than is expected to flow in this year.
Fiscal Year 2017 Legislative Appropriations Bill Process Begins In mid-April, the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate began work on the Energy and Water Appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2017, which will provide funding for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, as well as other federal agencies.
House Energy and Water Subcommittee on Appropriations The House bill includes $6.1 billion for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — an increase of $100 million from FY 2016 — including $1.95 billion for construction and $3.16 billion for operations and maintenance. The Bureau would receive $1.1 billion for FY 2017 — a $131 million decrease from FY 2016 — with $36 million for CALFED. The House’s FY 2017 appropriations 8 • ACWANEWS
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bill includes several policy provisions prohibiting changes to the Clean Water Act. Specifically, no funds may be used to “develop, adopt, implement, administer, or enforce any changes to the regulations” pertaining to the definition of “Waters of the United States.” Additionally, the bill prevents any changes to the definition of “fill material” for purposes of the Clean Water Act and restricts the application of the Clean Water Act in certain agricultural areas, including farm ponds and irrigation ditches. The House bill also includes provisions on California’s drought. Much of the language in the bill is similar to H.R. 2898, the Western Water and Food Security Act of 2015, sponsored by Rep. David Valadao (CA-21), which was passed the House on July 16, 2015. The bill was approved by the
Subcommittee on April 13.
Senate Energy and Water Subcommittee on Appropriations The Senate bill includes $6 billion for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and $1.14 billion for the Bureau, including $100 million for assorted drought relief programs. The policy provisions on drought are not included in the bill and the only Clean Water Act policy provision prevents the change in the definition of “fill material.” The bill was approved by the Subcommittee on April 13 and the full Appropriations Committee on April 14. RESOURCE House Energy and Water bill: appropriations.house.gov/ uploadedfiles/bills-114hr-sc-ap-fy2017energywater-subcommitteedraft.pdf
ACWA Executive Director Quinn Testifies in Support of Feinstein Drought Legislation ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn testified at a U.S. Senate subcommittee hearing May 17 on federal legislation introduced by U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). The measure, S. 2533, includes both short-term provisions to provide drought relief as well as long-term direction to help prepare Western states for future droughts. In his testimony before the Water and Power Subcommittee of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Quinn said the legislation can help Congress move federal water policy in a more balanced direction that conforms with California’s commitment to improving both water supply reliability and ecosystem health. “From ACWA’s perspective, S. 2533 provides a much needed statement from the Congress that both water supply and environmental protection
matter,” said Quinn. Feinstein testified first at the hearing and advocated for passage of S. 2533, saying her bill “can produce real water in a manner consistent with the Endangered Species Act.” She reminded the committee that California is in its fifth consecutive year of drought and S. 2533, “accomplishes the dual roles of maximizing water supplies and protecting the environment.” Quinn testified during the second panel along with U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Estevan Lopez; Leslie Weldon, deputy chief, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture; Thomas Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources; Dan Keppen, executive director of Family Farm Alliance; and others. In his comments, Quinn highlighted
California’s need for drought relief, saying “despite some improvement this year in hydrologic conditions, California continues to suffer from drought conditions made worse by a broken water delivery system. This is why ACWA supports the drought relief provided by S. 2533.” Quinn’s full testimony may be found at www.acwa.com/sites/default/files/ page/2016/03/senate-energy-cmtequinn-statement-06-02-15.pdf.
Save Our Water Expands Outreach on Permanent Conservation Following the release of Gov. Jerry Brown’s May 9 executive order to continue water savings as the drought persists, Save Our Water is preparing for expanded public education on the need for ongoing conservation and making permanent changes to save water. The program is focused on the messages that water conservation is a way of life for Californians, and even though we had a modest winter, the current drought is not over.
other partners with new materials and collateral as they are developed. Save Our Water was active at the ACWA Spring Conference & Exhibition in Monterey May 3-6, connecting with agencies across the state to hear how the program can best help with messaging and education at the local level. Given the shifting water conservation messaging, close coordination between partners and Save Our Water will be key in reaching Californians.
To help the program reach Californians, Brown’s May revision of his budget proposal includes $2 million for Save Our Water for the 2016-’17 fiscal year. These funds will be used to support public education activities across the state. The program is currently developing messaging and collateral to launch once the state budget is approved by the Legislature.
Additionally, as the NBA playoffs continue, Save Our Water and its partners the Golden State Warriors and Comcast SportsNet are heavily promoting the public service announcement featuring the Splash Brothers – stars Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. The PSA has been viewed more than 300,000 times since the start of the playoffs.
The program will be updating its online toolkit for water agencies and
Continuing its focus on encouraging Californians to make permanent
Brendan Wonnacutt, program manager for Save Our Water, makes himself available to talk about conservation at the program’s booth in the Exhibit Hall at Spring Conference.
changes to save water outside, Save Our Water also has partnered with the California Native Plant Society to promote its new interactive website done in partnership with the Jepson Herbarium at UC Berkeley. The goal of www.calscape.org is to help Californians bring native plants back into their landscaping. Native plants can be a great resource for saving water around the yard. MAY 20, 2016 • 9
CASE STUDY
Marysville Ring Levee Strengthening: Yuba County Water Agency and Partners Nearing Project’s Home Stretch
Problem: There’s an old saying that someone’s greatest assets can also be huge liabilities – if allowed to run wild. This adage holds true for Yuba County, where some of its greatest assets — the Yuba, Feather and Bear rivers — have run wild in big storms, wreaking flood havoc on communities several times in the past 150 years. In modern times, the floods of 1955, 1986 and 1997 loom large in many people’s memories, particularly residents of Marysville. In 1955, surging flood waters from the Yuba River came within inches of flooding the City of Marysville. Some 40 people were killed in the area due to flood waters that year. Property damage was severe. Subsequent floods also have been nearly as devastating. Much of the flooding occurred in part because of weakened levees in the area. To address that problem, Yuba County Water Agency, in conjunction with federal, state and local partners, launched a project that is designed to give the Marysville area a 200year level of flood protection by strengthening the Maryville Ring Levee.
Solution: A broad coalition of public agency partners is fast at work shoring up the Marysville Ring Levee, a 7.5 mile-long flood control levee that encircles the City of Marysville. The project was launched in 2010 and is nearing its final stages. When complete – possibly as soon as 2019 — the levee that rises 35 feet in some places will offer one of the highest levels of flood protection of any city in the Central Valley of California — a 200-year level of protection. The coalition of partners stretches from the local to the national level. It includes: Yuba County Water Agency, the City of Marysville, the Central Valley Flood Protection Board, the Marysville Levee District, the California Department of Water Resources, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The YCWA
provides planning and policy support to the agencies and has helped the City of Marysville to fund the local cost-share of the project.
Above: Flood waters nearly enveloped the City of Marysville in 1955 as shown in this aerial photo.
“This is exactly the work the Yuba County Water Agency strives to accomplish every day, protecting our community from flooding,” Tib Belza, chairman of the YCWA Board of Directors, said in a written statement. “We have spent millions in flood risk reduction projects, and with our partners, we’re going to continue to reduce the flood risk for Yuba County.” Pat Ajuria, chairman of the Marysville Levee District also expressed his appreciation. “The levee district appreciates all of the good work by our partners in this project,” said Ajuria. “While we have more work to be done, these are positive steps forward.’
Massive Equipment Used in Repairs Five miles of the levee system are being targeted for the most repairs. The partnership has been tackling the levee repairs in phases. The primary purpose of the project is to
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strengthen the existing levee by implementing measures to reduce the likelihood of through- and under-seepage. The bulk of repairs are being done with specially designed construction equipment with massive mechanical arms or augers that can reach nearly 100 feet into the levee. A mix of cement, soil, and bentonite clay is then packed into the trench or mixed with native soil to construct a vertical barrier against water seepage. Relief wells, seepage blankets and larger berms also are being assembled to further fortify the levee. “As the state sponsor of the Marysville Ring Levee Project, we are encouraged by the Corps’ progress and are looking forward to see construction on Phase 4A this year,” said Leslie M. Gallagher, executive officer of the Central Valley Flood Protection Board.
Project Phasing and Funding The first repairs to the ring levee, near Marysville High School, were completed in 2013. Earlier this year, the Corps awarded a construction contract for the second phase of the project west of Highway 70 and work is expected to be completed this fall. Other phases of the project may get underway later this year, depending on the availability of funding. The federal 2016 budget, now in effect, allocated $7.3 million to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District for the project. The 2017 federal budget includes another $7 million for design and construction. Repairs in the remaining phases of the project are scheduled to run through 2019. It is estimated that a total of $85 million is needed to complete the project, which includes the fiscal year 2016 funding. Some phases of the project were funded through Proposition 1E funds awarded by DWR. “This flood risk reduction project, that protects 13,000 residents, demonstrates the value of Proposition 1E funds afforded to DWR by residents of the state of California,” Keith Swanson, chief of the division of Flood Management for DWR, said in a written statement. “I want to thank and recognize our partners for their efforts in bringing this project to fruition.” .
“This flood risk reduction project, that protects 13,000 residents, demonstrates the value of Proposition 1E funds afforded to DWR by residents of the state of California.”
— Keith Swanson, chief of the division of Flood Management for DWR
Top: DWR Director Mark Cowin tests a bulldozer during a ceremony to mark the start of repairs to the Marysville Ring Levee. The 7.5 mile-long levee, originally built during the California Gold Rush, is designed to completely encircle and protect the historic city of Marysville. Bottom: Levee repairs are underway near Union Pacific Railroad tracks on the north side of Marysville.
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A wide variety of critical California water issues were explored at ACWA’s Spring Conference. Top: A Statewide Issue Forum May 4 examined the status of the California WaterFix project. (l-r) Mark Cowin, director of the California Department of Water Resources, is joined on a panel on the proposed project by: Curtis Creel, of Kern County Water Agency; ACWA Vice President Brent Hastey, of Yuba County Water Agency; David Guy, of Northern California Water Association; and Jeffrey Kightlinger, of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Middle: (l-r) ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn joins David Festa, of the Environmental Defense Fund; Lester Snow, of the Water Foundation; and Brian Poulsen Jr., of El Dorado Irrigation District before a Town Hall on water markets. Bottom: ACWA Special Projects Manager Dave Bolland leads a panel exploring drought emergency and long-term water conservation policy for California.
CONFERENCE Continued from page 1
Imagine H2O; California Department of Water Resources Director Mark Cowin; and Delta Stewardship Council Chair Randy Fiorini. Presentations from many programs are available at www.acwa.com.
“We are at the same crossroads today,” Creel said. “Until we actually call the question, it’s theoretical. We still need to see the business case.”
With meal functions and many programs relocated due to a major renovation of the Monterey Conference Center, conference attendees navigated through the week with the knowledge that the ACWA’s 2017 Spring Conference & Exhibition will take place in a fully modernized and updated venue.
Asked what would happen if the WaterFix does not move forward, Cowin said there are major implications. “It’s a big decision if we decided to abandon the project. Doing nothing is a decision itself that will lead us on a pathway to decommissioning the state and federal projects.”
Here are some highlights from conference programs.
Go Time for California WaterFix? With 2016 seen as a critical year for the Brown Administration’s California WaterFix, panelists unpacked the latest developments and perspectives at a Statewide Issue Forum May 4. Jeffrey Kightlinger, general manager of Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, said there is widespread agreement that it’s time to move ahead with the project. “Our job is to deliver what we think is the best project we can at this point in time,” Kightlinger said. “I think it’s time to call the question.” Department of Water Resources Director Mark Cowin said there is a need for better integration of state and federal processes. “There are different agencies implementing the Clean Water Act, ESA provisions, state authorities and state statutes, all with similar objectives but completely different processes,” Cowin said. “That can lead to chaos and gridlock, and I think that is what we are in the middle of. It will require a will to move through the process.” Curtis Creel, general manager of Kern County Water Agency, said agriculture will have to take a hard look at the final project that emerges and decide whether it’s affordable. He likened it to the discussion past generations had
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over whether to participate in the State Water Project.
Drought Emergency Regulation and Long-Term Policy A Water Trends Program May 5 explored the emergency drought regulation and a resiliency-based long-term policy to conservation. The program took place days before the State Water Resources Control Board released proposed changes to its emergency conservation regulation. Moderated by ACWA Special Projects Manager Dave Bolland, the program also explored DWR’s efforts to develop a proposed framework for enhanced urban water conservation, efficiency and resilience over the long term. “We fully recognize that the drought is far from over,” said Peter Brostrom, of DWR. John Rossi, general manager of Western Municipal Water District, spoke of the importance of having a conservation regulation that takes into consideration water conservation savings that have occurred prior to the 2013 baseline. Of the current emergency regulation, he said: “It doesn’t recognize the hard work and good behavior our customers did prior to (2013).”
Building a Better Water Market A Town Hall session, titled “To Market We Go – Building a Better CONFERENCE Continued on page 13
Panelists Explore Connecting Innovation with Water Policy The California water sector needs to reach out and embrace the state’s top-notch innovators in similar ways as the technology and energy sectors have done, according to panelists speaking during the Opening Breakfast of ACWA’s 2016 Spring Conference & Exhibition. During the panel titled “Connecting California’s Innovation with Water Policy,” water policy experts discussed ways for members of the water sector to adopt an innovative mindset. The panel featured winners and finalists of the inaugural “2015 California Water Policy Challenge” hosted by Imagine H2O, a water innovation accelerator. The panel included: Scott Bryan, president of Imagine H2O; Mary Ann Dickinson, president & CEO, Alliance for Water Efficiency; Cynthia Koehler, executive director of Waternow Alliance; and Steve Ritchie, assistant general manager, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. The California Water Policy Challenge, whose winners were announced in February, sought to source policy ideas to advance the market for water innovation. The challenge fielded some 150 submissions from academia, the private sector, governmental entities and non-governmental organizations. The Alliance for Water Efficiency and the San Francisco PUC teamed up on the winning proposal which sought to strengthen water reuse and recycling standards in San Francisco to incentivize water users to deploy onsite treatment technologies.
Imagine H20 President & CEO Scott Bryan (far right) leads a panel discussion on innovation and water policy during ACWA’s Spring Conference & Exhibition in Monterey May 3-6. He is joined by: (l-r) Mary Ann Dickinson, of Alliance for Water Efficiency; Steve Ritchie, of San Francisco Public Utilities Commission; Cynthia Koehler, of WaterNow Alliance.
Bryan opened the discussion by talking about using policy to embrace innovation with a mindset that welcomes new people and the exchange of new ideas. “Innovation isn’t a gadget. Innnovation is really about people,” said Bryan, adding that exploring innovation is often simply about “taking that meeting with the entrepreneur.” Dickinson, of Alliance for Water Efficiency, highlighted how sometimes “innovation has trouble getting implemented in real-life context.” “Some of this is due to policies that haven’t kept up with the innovation that needs to happen,” she said. “And this has the effect of stymying investments in the water sector.” Koehler said that sometimes the adoption of new technologies requires
new policies to be written and adopted by agencies or other governmental institutions – but not always. “(Sometimes) there’s really no legal barriers to doing it,” said Koehler. “However, there are conventions and norms that discourage it.” Ritchie, of the SFPUC, talked about how his organization changed city ordinances in order to expand the use of black, gray and stormwater within city buildings. Many builders are interested in the process, he said. “There’s a big appetite for doing new and different things,” Ritchie added. Bryan added that with all the attention now placed on water in California due to the drought “there’s momentum to leverage this broad interest in water.” .
CONFERENCE Continued from page 12
Water Market,” moderated by ACWA Executive Director Timothy Quinn, examined ACWA’s recommendations for enhancing the role of a voluntary water market, including improvements to the water transfer process. The recommendations are guiding ACWA’s work at the state Capitol where water markets are a hot topic this year.
“This issue is being set up for major decision-making,” said Quinn. Lester Snow, executive director of the Water Foundation, said transfers “are an essential part of California’s water management” but called the current water market system “opaque.”
“We need to figure out a way to make the market more accessible to everyone,” said Snow. Brian Poulsen Jr., senior deputy general counsel for El Dorado Irrigation District, said it is important to set the framework for a market that can CONFERENCE Continued on page 15
MAY 20, 2016 • 13
Political Analyst Eckery Describes “Chaos Theory” of 2016 Election Political Analyst Kevin Eckery offered his assessment of the 2016 presidential election May 4 during a luncheon address, calling the campaign “by far the strangest election we’ve ever experienced.” Speaking during ACWA’s Spring Conference & Exhibition in Monterey, Eckery, president of Eckery Associates and a political analyst for KCRA News, attributed celebrity candidate Donald Trump’s ascendency to de facto Republican nominee in part to the disenfranchisement that many segments of the population have experienced during and after the Great Recession.
ing in anger at the establishment for many people. “The election this year is going to be about feelings, not facts,” said Eckery. “Trump understands that anger…The attraction of a Donald Trump is that while all the other candidates are talking about what they are talking about… Trump is talking about feelings.” Eckery said this election — with a celebrity candidate such as Trump in the lead — changes the rules of campaigning. “Donald Trump is a celebrity. Donald Trump will write his own rules,” said Eckery.
“The people who lost the most in the Great Recession were the rule followers,” said Eckery, adding that those people lost their jobs and homes. “They literally became unmoored.”
California, Eckery added, has experienced celebrity candidates and leadership before – alluding to former governors Ronald Reagan and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Eckery went on to state that that feeling of unmooring has lingered, result-
Eckery said he believes that conservative talk radio programs also may have
played a role in the rise of Trump, as they did in the recall of former Gov. Gray Davis. Media coverage in general also has been fixated on the Trump campaign, Eckery said. “He’s validating people’s feelings about a non-existent immigration problem,” he said. Eckery stressed that both presidential front-runners Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump need to overcome significant negative impressions by large percentages of the population. Trump’s negative rating as shown in recent polls is 29%, while Clinton’s is 6%, he said.
Innovation, Collaboration Called Key to Changing Times for Ag Drawing parallels between the water industry and the agricultural sector, one of the top names in California’s fresh produce market urged an audience of ACWA members to embrace collaboration and technology to navigate a changing landscape. In keynote remarks during the luncheon program May 5 at the ACWA Spring Conference & Exhibition, Bruce Taylor, chair and chief executive officer of Taylor Fresh Foods, Inc. and Taylor Farms California, Inc., recounted how the agricultural industry responded to a series of challenge and growing pressure to produce more with less water. A critical step, he said, was recognizing that old rules no longer apply when the world is changing. 14 • ACWANEWS
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“You have step back and think, let’s not keep doing the same thing,” said Taylor, former chair of Western Growers. “How do we change the trajectory?” Figuring out how to do more with less water was the genesis behind Western Growers’ Center for Innovation and Technology, a Salinas-based initiative designed to connect Silicon Valley innovators with growers. A key feature is a THRIVE Accelerator process that focuses on high-level mentorships and investments in technology-enabled startups. “There are millions of ideas out there,” Taylor said. “If we can give Silicon Valley a list of solutions we need, they can come up with them. Through collaboration, we can move faster, pool resources, and focus on things with the greatest likelihood of success.” One recent application is equipping drones with hyper spectral imaging
to fly over spinach fields in the Salinas Valley. The technology can detect mildew on spinach two days before it would be visible to the human eye, allowing growers to address the problem before it results in major crop loss. Taylor said there are many takeaways for the water industry, including working with groups that have different opinions. “Are there things you can do collaboratively? Learn and do things together. There are great stories to disseminate out there.” Prior to Taylor’s remarks, Western Growers Senior Vice President for Science and Technology Hank Giclas provided a brief overview of the Center for Innovation and Technology and its potential to change the future for agriculture. “Our hope is for the center to be a hub of activity and a go-to for the agricultural community,” Giclas said.
DSC Chair Says Science, Other Viewpoints Key to Delta Solution Unraveling the Delta’s “devilishly wicked” problems will require science, creativity and relationships with stakeholders that hold different views, Delta Stewardship Council Chair Randy Fiorini told ACWA members in remarks May 6 at the Hans Doe Past Presidents’ Breakfast in Partnership with ACWA JPIA. Calling the Delta a complicated and highly altered system, Fiorini traced the history of the West Coast’s largest estuary and how it evolved from huge tidal marsh to a maze of islands and channels affected by more than a century of activities including hydraulic mining, flood control, agriculture and urban development. Only 5% of the Delta is wetlands now, and problems ranging from endangered species to land subsidence to increased flood risk abound. “Over time, a lot of well-intended actions have resulted in unintended consequences,” Fiorini said. “The Delta Stewardship Council was formed to
unravel this devilishly wicked problem.” The council, created by 2009 legislation known as the Delta Reform Act, is charged with creating a comprehensive plan for the Delta that is legally enforceable and built on integrated and coordinated actions. The council adopted the Delta Plan in May 2013 and is currently considering updates in three areas: performance measures; conveyance, storage and operations; and the Delta Levees Investment Strategy. Fiorini noted that science is the underpinning of the plan. Collaboration and dialog also are keys, he said, and the water community has an important role to play. “You are the experts when it comes to water. But knowing a lot isn’t enough,” Fiorini said. “We are trying to promote progress in the face of a lot of opposition. Opposition can serve as an impediment to get things gone.”
He entreated those interested in solutions to adhere to several principles, including being prepared to change, enlarging their circle of influencers, building relationships with new stakeholders and giving opponents a chance to speak. “A high priority for me is developing relationships with people who don’t see the Delta as I do,” Fiorini said.
CONFERENCE Continued from page 13
protect the investments water districts have made. David Festa, of the Environmental Defense Fund, said access to water markets needs to be increased for small and medium-sized agencies.”
Improving Headwaters Health Tree mortality, extreme fire risk and the state’s diminishing biomass energy market were key topics at a Statewide Issue Forum May 5 on headwaters health. CalFire Chief Ken Pimlott said dead and dying trees are a “slow moving disaster” that is “changing the face of the Sierras as we knew it.” More than 80% of trees are affected in some forests. “Despite the rain we received, no amount of moisture is going to revive the millions of dead trees,” Pimlott said. Compounding the problem is
a lack of infrastructure to remove downed trees, causing log decks to be scattered throughout the Sierra.
chairs ACWA’s headwaters framework implementation group.
Jim Branham, executive officer of the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, outlined the conservancy’s Watershed Improvement Program and its activities to restore forest health, address fire risk and avoid water quality impacts. “There is tremendous support for doing something different,” Branham said. “What we were doing wasn’t working well.” Other panelists included U.S. Regional Forester Barnie Gyant, California Forestry Association Vice President Steven Brink, and Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority General Manager Celeste Cantu. The panel was moderated by Calaveras County Water District General Manager Dave Eggerton, who
A Statewide Issue Forum May 5 examines the health of California’s headwaters. Panelists are: (l-r) Dave Eggerton, of Calaveras County Water District; Barnie Gyant, of the U.S. Forest Service; Ken Pimlott, of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection; Jim Branham, of the Sierra Nevada Conservancy; Steven Brink of the Californria Forestry Association; and Celeste Cantu, of the Santa Ana Watershed Protection Authority.
MAY 20, 2016 • 15
WATER NEWS DIGEST CEC Offers Funding for Innovation The California Energy Commission is offering a new funding opportunity for innovative water and energy efficiency demonstrations. Applications under the CEC’s “Innovative Water and Energy Efficiency Demonstrations for the Commercial, Industrial or Water/ Wastewater Sectors” program are being accepted until June 6 at 5 p.m. More information about this funding opportunity is available at www.energy.ca.gov/contracts/epic. html#GFO-15-323.
CDFA Awards $16 Million for Water Efficiency The California Department of Food and Agriculture on April 25 announced $16 million in awards for 129 projects under its State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP), which supports projects that result in on-farm greenhouse gas emissions reductions and water savings. According to CDFA, the 129 projects also will leverage an additional $9.7 million in cost-share dollars. Types of funded projects in Round 1 of the 2016 SWEEP grants include irrigation water efficiency modifications like drip and microsprinkler systems, energy-efficient water pumps, soil moisture sensors and irrigation scheduling programs that apply water based on crop needs. More info is available at www.cdfa. ca.gov/oefi/sweep/docs/2016_SWEEPRd1-ProjectsSelected.pdf.
CDFA Accepts Applications for Technical Assistance Grants The California Department of Food and Agriculture is accepting grants applications until May 20 from organizations seeking to provide technical assistance to farmers applying for State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) funding. Technical assistance grants between $2,500 and $5,000 are available to eligible non-profit organizations, California academic institutions and California Resource Conservation Districts. Technical assistance grant applicants must meet several requirements including holding at least one technical assistance workshop within a disadvantaged community and providing computers with internet access to allow growers to complete SWEEP applications. Organizations that receive grants must hold the workshops between June 20 – Aug. 5. The funding announcement is available at www.cdfa.ca.gov/oefi/sweep/ docs/2016-CDFA-NRCSTechnicalAssi stanceWorkshopsRFP.pdf.
Improved Conditions Up Allocations Crediting March storms for boosting water levels in Northern California reservoirs, the California Department of Water Resources on April 21 increased its State Water Project water delivery estimate for 2016 to 60% of requests. On April 22, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced it had increased the water supply allocation for Friant Division Class 1 contractors from 40% to 50%.
DWR’s initial estimate in December 2015 of 10% has been increased four times this year. In January it was increased to 15%, and then increased to 30% in February and 45% in March. It is the second increase to the Friant Division Class 1 allocation since the Bureau’s initial 30% allocation announcement on April 1. On April 11, the Class 1 allocation was increased to 40%.
WRDA Bill Clears U.S. Senate Committee
The U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on April 28 voted to report out of committee the S. 2848, the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2016. Following the 19-1 vote, Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), chairman of the committee, described the bill as a demonstration “that the Environment and Public Works Committee can get things done.” Sen. Barbara Boxer (DCA), the committee’s ranking member, said the bill “includes vital support for ongoing work in my home state of California, including the Los Angeles River and Salton Sea.” As currently written, the bill would authorize 27 projects recommended by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The bill also would authorize grant assistance to enable disadvantaged communities to comply with the Clean Water Act. Additionally, the bill would promote new water supply technologies and would reauthorize the Desalination Act of 1996. The bill now heads to the Senate floor.
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Member News
Dubai Water Authority Staff Visit East Valley Water District Representatives from the Dubai Water Authority visited East Valley Water District in April to learn more about the district’s partnership with Esri, a geographic information systems technology that works to increase efficiency when gathering and analyzing data.
eral manager/CEO. “These tools help us think strategically and make informed decisions when developing new programs for our ratepayers.”
“We are setting high standards for the district’s technology demands and it’s being recognized around the world,” said EVWD Board Chairman Ron Coats.
GIS systems collect and store geospatial information that can be used for data-driven decision making. The district’s GIS Representatives from the Dubai Water Authority visit program uses data East Valley Water District to learn more about geographic for its budget based information systems technology that increases efficiency rate structure, when gathering and analyzing data for landscape analysis, conservation utility billing and quality control measures. programs, water loss estimates, water company is headquartered in Redlands, saving calculations, project planning, California. and more. For more information on District Esri is an international supplier of GIS projects and programs, visit www. software, web GIS and geodatabase eastvalley.org. management applications. The
The district’s work was featured in two recent presentations made by district staff to Esri users. As a result, representatives from the Dubai Water Authority wanted to gain more information on the success of the district’s programs for landscape analysis, utility billing and quality control measures. “The district utilizes GIS technology to integrate mapping into our everyday work plan,” said John Mura, gen-
ACWA Wins Communications Award for El Niño Infographic The California Association on Public Information Officials (CAPIO) awarded its 2016 Excellence in Communications – Award of Distinction to ACWA for its “Will El Niño End California’s Drought?” infographic. This year’s CAPIO awards were presented during a ceremony at CAPIO’s Annual Conference in North Lake Tahoe on April 13. Each year, through its Excellence in Communications Awards Program, CAPIO honors outstanding communications projects and programs throughout the state. In 2016, CAPIO received a record number of entries, with 233 projects and
programs competing for recognition in numerous categories including printed publications, marketing campaigns and graphic design. ACWA’s widely-shared infographic, which has been updated for 2016, is available at www.acwa.com/sites/ default/files/news/water-supplychallenges/2015/11/updated-acwa-elnino-infographict_feb-2016.pdf. A complete list of 2016 CAPIO Excellence in Communications Awards winners is available on CAPIO’s website at capio.org/2016/04/2016-excellencein-communications-award-recipients.
ACWA’s Communications Department proudly displays a CAPIO Award of Distinction recognizing ACWA’s “Will El Niño End the Drought?” infographic. The communications team is: (l-r) Marie Meade, Pamela Martineau, Katherine Causland, Lisa Lien-Mager and Emily Allshouse.
MAY 20, 2016 • 17
Member News
Santa Margarita WD and Mission Viejo Partner on Recycled Water The Mission Viejo City Council in April approved an agreement to provide funding to the Santa Margarita Water District to help build an advanced purified water treatment facility. As part of the agreement, the city will provide SMWD with a $1 million grant and a $3 million loan to help build the facility. The facility, which is anticipated to be operational by late July or early August, will provide the city with 300 acre-feet per year of recycled water at a lower rate for 25 years. The recycled water will be used to maintain water levels in Lake Mission Viejo and irrigate about 80% of the city’s parks, medians and slopes.
According to a news release issued by SMWD, the agreement will allow potable water currently being used to maintain water levels in the manmade lake to be used by Mission Viejo residents served by the district instead. “Santa Margarita Water District is grateful for this partnership with the city,” said SMWD Board President Charley Wilson in a statement. “This cooperative venture will benefit both the city and the district now and for years to come. We are pleased to be able to make this innovative approach to water recycling a reality for our customers in Mission Viejo and the district at-large.” .
A new agreement between Santa Margarita Water District and the City of Mission Viejo will allow recycled water — rather than potable water — to be used to maintain water levels in Lake Mission Viejo (shown here).
GCID Board Approves Development of Water Resource Plan The Glenn-Colusa Irrigation District Board of Directors on April 7 approved plans to develop a comprehensive Water Resource Plan intended to serve as the guiding policy to inform decisions to meet district goals.
health for the district, managing groundwater resources and developing a groundwater sustainability plan, and improving and modernizing the district’s system to meet changing longterm customer needs.
The district says the plan will focus on opportunities for improving water supply reliability and local and regional water management. The plan also will address a number of key issues including protecting GCID’s water rights and supplies, ensuring fiscal
“The development of the WRP will allow for strategic and policy improvements that will assist the district in supporting the local and regional economy, while continuing to meet the district’s mission,” said GDIC General Manager Thad Bettner in a statement.
Also during its April meeting, the GCID board voted to suspend the current environmental review process for its Groundwater Supplemental Supply Project pending guidance provided by the WRP process on the project.
EMPLOYMENT General Manager Borrego Water District Borrego Water District (BWD) is accepting applications for the position of General Manager. BWD is a public agency serving 2000 customers located in the Borrego Springs desert region of northeastern
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San Diego County. Qualified applicants should possess a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in water or similar public utilities related field. Five years management or supervisory experience encompassing the skills and functions of the job description with emphasis on finance and groundwater basin
management. BWD offers a competitive employment benefit package. Application packet is due no later than June 7, 2016, 2:00 pm. For a recruitment flyer or send a completed application and resume to bwdmgr@gmail.com, or for inquiries regarding the position, call 760-4156148.
People News CalDesal Selects ACWA Past President Paul Kelley as New Executive Director CalDesal in mid-April announced the selection of ACWA Past President Paul Kelley as its new executive director. He assumed his new role on May 1.
Paul Kelley
“CalDesal is extremely pleased to have an executive director of Paul Kelley’s caliber to lead our organization,” said CalDesal Board President Shawn Dewane in a statement. “Paul has been a respected leader the water industry and a great spokesperson for CalDesal. Under his leadership, we look forward to the coming years of CalDesal as we work with others, and grow our membership and voice as the leading advocate in the state for desalination and salinity management.” Kelley’s previous experience includes 16 years as Sonoma County supervisor and another 16 years serving on the Sonoma County Water
Gold Joins MWD Board as Los Angeles Representative The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California on April 12 welcomed Mark Gold to its 38-member board of directors as its newest Los Angeles representative. Gold succeeds Paul Koretz, who had served on the board since 2014. Mark Gold Photo courtesy of Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Gold is associate vice chancellor for environment and sustainability at the University of California, Los Angeles, and currently serves on Los Angeles Mayor Eric
Felix Named New GM at Rio Linda Elverta Community Water District The Rio Linda Elverta Community Water District Board of Directors on March 21 unanimously selected Ralph Felix as general manager. Felix will replace Mary Henrici who retires June 15.
Ralph Felix
Felix, of San Diego, is a U.S. Air Force veteran of Operation Desert Storm. He has more than 20 years of public service experience in the field of water including leadership roles with: Felix & Associates; Water Resource Management, LLC; Lake Don Pedro Com-
Agency board where he led recycled water efforts, the north coast integrated regional water management plan and the agency’s Carbon Free Water by 2015 initiative, among other projects. Immediately before joining CalDesal, Kelley served as the executive director of the Bay Area Biosolids to Energy Coalition. Kelley also has served on the ACWA Board of Directors for 10 years in various capacities including past president and in 2011 served on the California Water Commission. “I am thrilled to be executive director of CalDesal at this time,” said Kelley. “The public needs long-term sustainable water portfolios and desalination of ocean and groundwater can be critical components of water supply. I look forward to using my unique experience and background to help CalDesal attain its goals.” . Garcetti’s water cabinet and the Proposition O stormwater bond Citizens Oversight and Advisory Committee. His previous experience includes nearly two decades as president of Heal the Bay, where he created the Heal the Bay’s Beach Report card, an annual analysis of coastline water quality for more than 350 beaches in California. He also has served on the California Ocean Science Trust and the Santa Monica Bay Commission.
munity Service District; and the City of Oceanside. Felix holds an M.A. and B.A. in public administration from San Diego State University. He also obtained an A.A. in water technology from Palomar College. The board unanimously selected Felix due to his experience, qualifications, credentials and education, according to a statement from the district. The statement said the board is looking forward to working with the new general manager to spearhead upcoming projects such as budgets, a capital improvement plan, Chromium 6 issues and the River Arc Plan. MAY 20, 2016 • 19
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Brown’s Revised Budget Contains Funds for Drought Resiliency, Smelt — 05/13/2016 DWR Releases Proposed Regulations on Groundwater Sustainability Plans — 05/10/2016
UPCOMING EVENTS
Governor, State Water Board Address Longer-Term and Emergency Water Conservation — 05/09/2016
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Californians Reduce Statewide Water Use by 24% in March — 05/03/2016 State Water Board to Initiate Rulemaking on Drinking Water Fees — 04/27/2016
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JUNE 2016 1 – 3
Third Annual California Water Summit will be at The Westin, Sacramento. Registration and more information available at www.ca-water-summit.com.
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ACWA Region 2 & 4 program, SGMA: The View From Above, will take place at the Sacramento Suburban Water District’s Antelope Gardens. The program will feature a panel discussion on Groundwater Sustainability Agency formation as well as a discussion on developing Groundwater Sustainability Plans. Online registration deadline is June 15, 2016 or until space is full. For more information and online registration go to www.acwa.com/events/acwa-region-2-programcollaboration-acwa-region-4-june-21-2016.
TWITTER CHATTER ACWA @ACWAWater • Apr 29 • Snowpack melting fast, despite April storms The Value of Water @ TheValueofWater • Apr 28 • Water infra challenges rank in top 5 toughest challenges tomorrow’s cities face Meena Westford @h2oexecutive •M ay 4 • What do I love about @ ACWAWater Conference? It’s like a family reunion every 6 months. Halfsiblings, cousins, step-parents, etc. Maria Gutzeit @mgutzeit • May 5 • @CalFire at #ACWAConf: 29 million dead trees as of last yr, Southern #Sierra worst hit by combo of beetles, drought, and overstock. Sad. MesaWater @MesaWater • May 5 • @EthanTemianka spoke at @ ACWAWater’s spring conference today about engaging millennials in the water industry.
SEPTEMBER 2016 15 – 16
ACWA 2016 Continuing Legal Education for water professionals will take place in San Diego. More details to come.
18 – 19
ACWA Region 5 is co-hosting an Agricultural Program and Tour on Sept. 18-19 at Byron Bethany Irrigation District. Online registration will be available Aug. 1. The tour will include stops at the U.C. Davis Fish Conservation and Culture Laboratory and Frog Hollow Farm. For more information go to www.acwa.com/events/save-date-acwa-region-5program-tour-september-18-19-2016.
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The 6th Annual Steve Hall Fierce Competitor Golf Tournament will be at DarkHorse Golf Club, Auburn, CA. This event is to help raise funds for the Stephen K. Hall ACWA Water Law & Policy Scholarship and ALS research.
OCTOBER 2016 3 – 4
ACWA 2016 Regulatory Summit will take place in the Bay Area. More details to come.
NOVEMBER 2016
29 – Dec. 2 ACWA’s 2016 Fall Conference & Exhibition will take place in the Anaheim Marriott Hotel in Anaheim. More details to come.