Chino Basin Watermaster - December 2023 Update

DECEMBER 2023 UPDATE

Chino Basin

Watermaster DECEMBER 2023 UPDATE

DECEMBER

2023

FEATURED ARTICLE: LEVERAGING CHINO BASIN STORAGE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PARTIES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS

Welcome to the December 2023 Update!

Greetings and welcome to the final issue of the Chino Basin Watermaster update for 2023. As the year comes to a close, it’s a time for reflection and celebration of all that we have accomplished.

We want to express our sincere gratitude for the overwhelming response and active engagement we’ve received throughout the year and in the last couple months with the publication of this newsletter.

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... it’s a time for “ reflection and

celebration of all that we have accomplished.

Our goal is to foster understanding and inspire action, and your feedback and active participation play a crucial role in our collective journey.

As we bid farewell to this year, we are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. Your unwavering dedication and passion for the preservation and effective management of the Chino Basin’s invaluable water resources inspire us daily. In the coming year, we look forward to continuing our mission

Long Term Studies, Analyses, and Planning • Safe Yield Recalculation • Simulate the Effects of a ‘Run on Storage’

with renewed vigor, addressing the challenges and seizing the opportunities that come our way.

In this December update, we will provide an overview of leveraging the Basin storage and the subsequent benefits and a comprehensive overview of the advancements in the Safe Yield Reevaluation. These updates will keep you informed and engaged in our shared mission.

• Develop Water Quality Management Program

Once again, thank you for your support, and may this holiday

• Storage Management Plan Review

future!

season be filled with joy, reflection, and hope for a promising

• Study How the Groundwater Basin Can Be Used to Firm Up the Reliability of Local Supplies • Develop Storage & Recovery Master Plan

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Featured Article

Leveraging Chino Basin Storage for the Benefit of the Parties and Other Stakeholders

Garrett Rapp, PE Project Manager for 2025 SYR

The Chino Basin has extensive space

Since the Peace Agreement and

to store water. This storage space can

the OBMP, Watermaster and the

be leveraged for the benefit of the

parties have made several efforts to

parties or other outside stakeholders

encourage and facilitate Storage and

to store water for use in dry years,

Recovery Programs for the benefit of

improve water quality, or provide other

the parties and the basin. Watermaster

benefits for stakeholders. Watermaster

approved the only storage and recovery

and the parties have recognized the

agreement (i.e., an agreement with

potential benefits of using the Basin’s

Watermaster to carry out a Storage

storage space for decades and have

and Recovery Program) to date when it

implemented rules to govern its use.

approved Metropolitan Water District’s

Through the Peace Agreement and the

Dry-Year-Yield Program (DYYP) in 2004.

2000 Optimum Basin Management

To implement the OBMP and facilitate

Program (OBMP), the Chino Basin

Watermaster’s other obligations,

has developed a roadmap for

Watermaster has evaluated the use

adaptive management of the Chino

of storage in the basin, including

Basin, including encouraging the

the implementation of Storage and

development of Storage and Recovery

Recovery Programs. However, the Chino

Programs1.

Basin has been lacking comprehensive guidelines to better facilitate Storage and Recovery Programs.

1The Peace Agreement defines a Storage and Recovery Program as the use of available storage capacity in the Chino Basin by any person to store supplemental water in the basin and have the right to export the stored water for use outside the basin, subject to Watermaster’s direction and control pursuant to a storage and recovery agreement.

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The SRMP will make it easier for local or outside agencies to develop and implement these programs and for Watermaster to review and approve these Programs for the benefit of all parties in the Chino Basin.

During the process to update the

of interested stakeholders, define the

OBMP in 2019 and 2020, the parties

objectives of the SRMP, and develop

expressed the need to develop a more

a scope. Watermaster hosted a kick-

comprehensive framework to guide

off meeting to convene the Storage

the development of future Storage and

and Recovery Master Plan Committee

Recovery Programs and provide a clear

(Committee) on November 15, 2023 to

roadmap for Watermaster to evaluate,

initiate these first steps. The objectives

define mitigation, and approve storage

of this meeting were to develop an

and recovery agreements. Watermaster

understanding of the proposed scope

and the parties identified the

and schedule of the SRMP process and

development of a master plan – called

the expected future engagement from

the “Storage and Recovery Master Plan”

the Committee and to gather feedback

(SRMP) – to achieve these objectives.

on the objectives and the proposed

Watermaster and the parties included

scope of work. Some questions

the development of a SRMP as an

discussed included:

activity under the 2020 OBMP Update.

The Storage and Recovery Master Planning process is meant to help develop, implement, and optimize Storage and Recovery Programs to increase water-supply reliability, protect or enhance the Safe Yield, and improve water quality in the Chino Basin. The SRMP will make it easier for local or outside agencies to develop and implement these programs and for Watermaster to review and approve

• Why do the parties want to conduct Storage and Recovery Programs?

• What are the parties’ objectives for Storage and Recovery Programs?

• What were the obstacles to implementing Storage and Recovery Programs in the past, what are the current obstacles, and how can we overcome them in the future?

• What are the benefits desired by the parties and how should they be quantified?

these Programs for the benefit of all

The technical memorandum explaining

parties in the Chino Basin.

the SRMP development process in more

The first steps in developing the SRMP are to assemble a committee

detail and the presentation materials from the November kick-off meeting can be found HERE. The November

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“The first steps in developing the SRMP are to assemble a committee of interested stakeholders, define the objectives of the SRMP, and develop a scope.” kick-off meeting resulted in a robust

• Preparing the SRMP

discussion on these questions and

• Submitting a formal Request for

other related issues. Watermaster is

Proposals to potential partners

currently gathering additional feedback

interested in developing Storage

from the Committee and incorporating

and Recovery Programs in the Chino

the feedback into a revised scope and

Basin

schedule that will be presented to the Committee.

place in parallel with several other

While the scope of work is still being

planning activities in the Chino Basin,

refined, it is expected to contain the

and its findings are predicated on other

following steps:

studies including the 2025 Safe Yield

• Issuing an informal “request for

Reevaluation. This process is expected to

interest” to parties or outside

take multiple years, and the final SRMP

agencies to understand the desired

is expected to be completed sometime

benefits, potential operations, and

in Fall 2025.

other information that may guide the development of the SRMP • Defining conceptual alternatives for Storage and Recovery Programs at various scales • Adding more detail to these conceptual alternatives, including developing high-level cost estimates, general facility plans, and evaluations of impacts to the Basin to define potential mitigation measures

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The development of the SRMP is taking

Watermaster’s Function:

Collaborative Approach

Watermaster administers and enforces

Watermaster values

the 1978 Judgment and implements an

teamwork, collaborating

Optimum Basin Management Program,

with experts and staying

working with diverse stakeholders to

connected with stakeholders

preserve Chino Basin’s groundwater.

and governing agencies.

CHINO

BASIN WATERMASTER

Quality and Transparency

Vision for Success

Watermaster is committed

Watermaster’s vision is to add value,

to high-quality work and

promote transparency, and educate

transparency, aiming to educate

stakeholders, ultimately benefiting

stakeholders on Judgment provisions for effective resource

their customers through efficient resource management.

management.

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Meeting and Workshop Schedule 2025 Safe Yield Reevaluation Pursuant to the April 28, 2017 Safe Yield Court Order

Audience:

Technical Peer Review Committee

COMPLETED

Aug. 30, 2023 9:00am

General Stakeholders

COMPLETED Hydrogeologic Conceptual Model

Review the structure of the 2020 CVM, discuss the updates made to the HCM based on information gathered since 2020 SYR, and gather feedback on changes.

• 2022 Safe Yield Reset Methodology TM • Agenda

Oct. 24, 2023 9:00am

Scenario Design #1

Discuss the process to develop an ensemble of projection scenarios, gather input from the Parties on drivers of and uncertainties in future water demands and supply plans.

Includes discussion of potential extreme scenarios for effort to evaluate of future extremes.

February 2024

Scenario Design #2

Review draft TM describing proposed water demand and supply plan scenarios, discuss recommendations on climate scenarios to use in model ensemble, and gather feedback.

• Scenario Design TM #1 • Presentation

March 2024

Calibration #1

Present initial results on model calibration and recommended subset of calibration realizations. Gather feedback on recommendations.

February 2025

Scenario Results

Review the initial results of the model ensemble, discuss initial interpretations of the results, and gather feedback.

May 2024

Scenario Design #3

Review updated draft TM from scenario design workshop #2, discuss MPI/undesirable result thresholds for interpreting future model results.

April 2025

May 2024

Calibration #2

Summarize calibration workshop #1 and feedback gathered since then. Present updates and draft TM that will be published between calibration workshops #1 and #2.

Draft 2025 SYR Report

Review the draft 2025 SYR Report and gather feedback.

Dates of future meetings subject to change.

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What’s Coming Up...

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

― Eleanor Roosevelt

JANUARY 31 The Water Quality Committee (WQC) Meeting The Water Quality Committee (WQC) is meeting in January to continue efforts to

WATERMASTER STAFF

develop a Water Quality Management Program

Edgar Tellez Foster, PhD Acting General Manager etellezfoster@cbwm.org

Alexandria Moore Executive Assistant I Board Clerk amoore@cbwm.org

draft Emerging Contaminants Monitoring Plan

Ruby Favela Quintero Administrative Analyst rfavelaquintero@cbwm. org

conditions to support the development of a

Justin Nakano, MPA Water Resources Technical Manager jnakano@cbwm.org

Jordan Garcia Senior Field Operations Specialist jgarcia@cbwm.org

the discussion of the goals and objectives that

Frank Yoo Data Services and Judgment Reporting Manager franky@cbwm.org

Erik Vides Field Operations Specialist evides@cbwm.org

years. The meeting will be held at 10 am at the

Anna Truong Nelson, CAP, OM, TA Director of Administration atruongnelson@cbwm. org

Alonso Jurado Water Resources Associate ajurado@cbwm.org

(WQMP). The meeting will review and discuss a

that can be used to fill data gaps and prepare an initial characterization of water quality

WQMP, and serve as a framework for future monitoring. The meeting will also continue

will form the basis for the scope of the WQC in developing the WQMP over the next few

Watermaster offices at 9641 San Bernardino Road, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730.

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