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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAGENDA REPORT 2014 0716 CCSA REG JNT DC ITEM 09BTO: Honorable City Council FROM: Jennifer Mellon, Administrative Services Manage DATE: July 7, 2014 (CC Meeting of 7/16/14) SUBJECT: Consider Bay Delta Conservation Pian Letter of Support BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION The Sacramento -San Joaquin Delta (Delta) is a vital component which provides Moorpark and other Ventura County jurisdictions with a vast majority of their annual water needs; over 90% of Moorpark's needs are met by water conveyed from the Delta. Calleguas Municipal Water District (Calleguas) and Ventura County Waterworks District No. 1 are acutely aware of the Delta's importance to our local water supply, and on November 6, 2013, the Calleguas Board of Directors adopted a Resolution (Attachment A) supporting the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) process. Calleguas is seeking support of a draft support letter (Attachment B) regarding the BDCP. Imported northern California water is distributed by Calleguas to cities, local water agencies, and private water companies throughout southern Ventura County. Communities within the Simi and Conejo Valleys are completely reliant upon water imported by Calleguas as part of the State Water Project (SWP) and the Calleguas water supply is entirely imported from the Delta as part of the SWP. At the City Council Meeting of July 2, 2014, Eric Bergh, Manager of Resources, Calleguas Municipal Water District; Susan Mulligan, General Manager, Calleguas Municipal Water District; and Calleguas Board Members Andy Waters, Thom Slossor, and Steve Blois spoke during the public comment period all giving a summary of the BDCP and requesting City support of the BDCP process. The BDCP is a proposed multi -decade, multi -billion dollar project to be undertaken to improve State Water Project reliability while enhancing the Delta ecosystems which have degraded over time. The BDCP would build tunnels under the existing Delta and create over 100,000 acres of habitat for endangered species. An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has been prepared and is circulating for public review. The comment period for the EIR ends on July 29, 2014. A synopsis of the project is provided in Attachment C of this report and more information on the state and local benefits of the BDCP can be found at http://www.calleguas.com/bdcp.htm. 25 Honorable City Council July 16, 2014 Regular Meeting Page 2 In 2012, a Draft BDCP was published for comment which would provide for over 100,000 acres of restored habitat to enhance the Delta ecosystem and facilitate the recovery of sensitive species; increase local water supply reliability by constructing twin 40' diameter tunnels 35 miles long and 3 intake structures to improve water conveyance efficiency within the delta and enable increased pumping from the Delta during wet years for storage of water in Southern California; and support climate risk adaption to protect the Delta from rising sea levels, seismic damage, and levee failure which could result in salt water intrusion/contamination of water supply. Calleguas studied the draft BDCP and concludes the BDCP supports their mission of creating a reliable water source by reducing the risk of catastrophic impacts to Delta water quality from earthquakes and floods; providing imported water essential for blending with regional groundwater high in salt content; and importing water as the source for recycled water, which is used not only for direct irrigation but also as an essential supply of recharge water for local aquifers. The BDCP is not without controversy. Approximately 28 environmental organizations and two Native American tribes, known as the Environmental Caucus, are opposed to the draft BDCP. Along with the estimated $25 billion price tag (critics estimate costs to be closer to $60 billion that will be passed along to the rate -payers), the 10 -year disruptive construction period, and the 50 -year environmental implementation period, critics claim that the BDCP is based on "cherry picked science" entrenched in the 40,000 page report which is difficult to comprehend. The plan fails to include a cost benefit analysis and fails to identify who will be responsible for the proposed costs. Critics also accuse the plan of not conserving the Delta. They claim the BDCP does not reduce reliance on the Delta, but increases it. Past aquatic habitat restoration has failed and the plan only proposes to address a limited acreage. Water diversion would disrupt the natural outflow and harm native fish species. There is also concern that the BDCP could depress local Delta communities during the 10 -year construction phase by impairing local water sources for residents, impacting recreation and tourism businesses, and reducing farming production. Although there is a great deal of discussion, opinion, and some controversy with regards to the BDCP, it's process, and associated construction; ultimately, a more reliable water supply is needed. Unlike other Counties in Southern California with access to both the Colorado River and SWP, Ventura County's import dependent communities are reliant on the SWP supplies and, as such, are at a greater risk to interruptions in this supply. Calleguas is requesting local agency support of the draft letter by having an elected official sign the letter and provide an agency logo to affix to the document. This letter has current local support by the Cities of Oxnard and Port Hueneme, United Water Conservation 26 Honorable City Council July 16, 2014 Regular Meeting Page 3 District, Ventura County Economic Development Association, and the Chambers of Commerce for Moorpark, Oxnard, Simi Valley, Camarillo, and the Greater Conejo Valley. The City of Simi Valley City Council gave direction to sign the draft letter or a similar correspondence letter of support for the BDCP. The City of Thousand Oaks City Council Meeting of July 8, 2014 had an item on the Agenda to discuss the BDCP; however, the item was pulled by staff to be heard at a future meeting. The City of Camarillo City Council discussed the BDCP on July 9, 2014 and was unanimous in their direction to sign the Calleguas Draft letter in support of the BDCP. U.S. Senators Feinstein and Boxer along with Congresswoman Brownley support the plan as well as local Assemblymember Jeff Gorell. Senator Pavley is focused on the water bond issue and her authored water legislation and has not taken a position with regards to the BDCP at this time. FISCAL IMPACT There is no direct Fiscal Impact. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Direct staff as deemed appropriate. Attachment A: Calleguas Municipal Water District Resolution Attachment B: Calleguas Municipal Water District Draft Comment Letter Attachment C: Bay Delta Conservation Plan Fast Facts 27 4 ATTACHMENT A RESOLUTION NO. 1798 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF CALLEGUAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT IN SUPPORT OF THE BAY DELTA CONSERVATION PLAN PROCESS WHEREAS, the Sacramento -San Joaquin Delta (Delta) provides water to 25 million Californians, including more than 600,000 Ventura County residents, three million acres of farmland, is made up of hundreds of miles of manmade levees that transport fresh water, is home to hundreds of species of wildlife, and is at risk of catastrophic failure; and WHEREAS, Calleguas is committed to reducing its reliance on imported water through the development of local resource and water use efficiency programs as evidenced by the implementation of the $250 million Calleguas Salinity Management Pipeline project that will enable the treatment and use of poor quality groundwater within the service area, active management of and financial contributions towards numerous water conservation programs, and planning and technical assistance to its member purveyors in a variety of local water resource programs. WHEREAS, unlike other counties in southern California with access to imported water from both the Colorado River and State Water Project (SWP), Ventura County's import -dependent communities are virtually 100 percent reliant on SWP supplies and, as such, are at greater risk to interruptions in this supply; and WHEREAS, the U.S. Geological Survey has warned there is a 63 percent probability that a 6.7 magnitude or larger earthquake will hit the Bay Area in the next 30 years, which could trigger levee breaks throughout the Delta, allowing saltwater from the San Francisco Bay to rush in and contaminate the freshwater moving through the Delta, drastically reducing or eliminating the availability of Ventura County's only imported water supply for many years; and WHEREAS, the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) has been crafted out of seven years of research and planning and more than 300 public meetings and couples a new water delivery system with habitat restoration to achieve long-term water supply reliability and a healthy Delta ecosystem; and WHEREAS, it is irrefutable that immediate investments are needed to repair and upgrade the Delta's network of waterways, levees and other water infrastructure, specifically, in the form of the construction of a new water conveyance facility that, dependent on river conditions, will transport from zero to 30 percent of total Sacramento River water flow underneath or around the Delta which will protect sensitive fish species from water project operations in the South Delta and also ensure that this valuable water supply is protected from levee failures; and 61 WHEREAS, the BDCP has been designed with the co -equal goals of ensuring water reliability and providing significant habitat restoration efforts and the ongoing protection of the Delta's fragile ecosystem; and WHEREAS, it is anticipated that Ventura County will greatly benefit from the BDCP through the plan's enhanced water supply reliability, improved physical infrastructure of our water system, and the restoration and protections to environment and species of the Delta; and WHEREAS, in acknowledgement that the status quo in the Delta is unacceptable, over many decades since the completion of initial SWP facilities, the Board of Directors of Calleguas Municipal Water District has strongly expressed continued support of efforts by the State of California to complete the SWP and implement a true "Delta fix" that ensures both a reliable water supply and healthy ecosystem. NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED that the Board of Directors of Calleguas Municipal Water District formally supports the BDCP process. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we hereby authorize the listing of Calleguas Municipal Water District in support of the BDCP process. ADOPTED, SIGNED AND APPROVED this sixth day of November, 2013. I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing. Resolution was adopted at a regular meeting of the Board of Directors of Calleguas Municipal Water District held on November 6, 2013. ATTEST: dy ' aters, Secretary (SEAL) oard of Directors 29 6 ATTACHMENT B (Other agency/organization logos logos) June xx, 2014 Bay Delta Conservation Plan Comments Ryan Wulff, National Marine Fisheries Service 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 5-100 Sacramento, CA 95814 RE: Draft Bay Delta Conservation Plan— Public Comments Dear Mr. Wulff: On behalf of the Calleguas Municipal Water District (Calleguas), a member agency of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (Metropolitan), its member purveyors, and economic development and business organizations in southern Ventura County, we would like to provide the following comments on the draft Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) as released on December 13, 2013. The State Water Project (SWP) is a vital component of Southern California's water system, providing roughly 30 percent of the region's water needs. However, 70 percent of the annual water demand for over 600,000 water users in southern Ventura County is met with state water supplies. While many efforts are underway to reduce our service area's imported water demand, including groundwater desalination, recycled water, and conservation programs, state project water will remain an essential water source for our region. It will continue to serve as a primary source for our drinking water supply and recycled water projects. It is also the single largest recharge component of our groundwater basins following treatment and discharge from local municipal wastewater facilities. Moreover, given its comparatively high quality, it allows greater use of our native groundwater that must be blended with imported water to meet state and federal water quality standards. As such, a reliable supply of imported state water is critical for the future social and economic vitality of Ventura County. In recent years, both state and federal project deliveries have been repeatedly interrupted and reduced due to operational conflicts with threatened and endangered Delta species. Since 2007, it is estimated that nearly 3.5 million acre feet of water that normally could have been delivered by the SWP was lost due to these conflicts. This water loss is roughly equivalent to a 35-year supply for the Calleguas service area—a startling and troubling reality! Additionally, both projects risk complete failure given the vulnerability of the Delta levee system to catastrophic earthquake and flood events - threatening water supplies for Southern California, the Bay Area, the Central Coast and the Central Valley for many 30 7 years. These risks are clearly unacceptable, and conditions are expected to worsen with climate change unless steps are taken now to mitigate these concerns. Southern California ratepayers have been investing in the State Water Project for more than four decades, and have additionally invested billions of dollars in regional storage and conveyance to allow Southern California to capture water when it is plentiful and reduce demands on imported supplies during dry and critically dry years. These investments are effectively stranded if water deliveries from the project continue to degrade. The proposed BDCP, being developed under provisions of the state and federal endangered species protection laws, is the most promising plan developed to date to solve these challenges and resolve decades of conflicts between agricultural, urban and environmental water users with a comprehensive solution that achieves California's Co- Equal goals of a reliable water supply and a restored Delta ecosystem for the benefit of all water users. The release of the public draft BDCP represents an important milestone in this eight- year stakeholder process. In exhaustive detail, the draft BDCP illustrates the complexity of the problems and the need for a comprehensive approach to resolve conflicts in the Delta through a multi-species habitat conservation plan that protects the state's water resources and infrastructure. We are supportive of the BDCP's proposed twin-tunnel conveyance system that isolates and protects drinking water supplies and helps restore natural flow patterns in the Delta for the benefit of native species, as well as the complementary habitat restoration, water quality and predator control measures outlined in the BDCP. We also support the plan's recognition that changing conditions in the Delta will require ongoing scientific review and real-time monitoring so the plan can effectively adapt over time to emerging science and the evolving ecosystem. The draft plan also provides an important framework for a range of operational outcomes and level of certainty necessary for a final plan to merit investment by participating public water agencies and by the state and federal governments. While key decisions remain relating to specifics on cost allocations, operations, outflow range, financing and other issues; the current draft details a workable solution to the challenges facing California's water resources and the Delta. The proposed BDCP is the most comprehensive effort ever undertaken to address the chronic water challenges facing the state and federal water projects in a manner that is protective of the Delta environment. We remain supportive of the efforts of Metropolitan and the other state and federal water contractors in the development of the BDCP and urge thestate to move forward with the draft plan and focus on resolving those remaining issues needed to provide assurances that the plan will achieve California's co-equal goals of water supply reliability and ecosystem restoration in a cost-effective manner. Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this historic draft plan. Sincerely, 31 ATTACHMENT C BDCP ..,,,,,„ 2:,-..,:4;;;AH'''---;;:.''-:,.."-,.!:,,:,,l'-‘,/,'''..4T•,, , :'‘' ' ' - .7.'::::::',7,.:,i,...;,',i,,.::ff::14'''Az.:11,-.,•.-5::-4:;r.,.:' ''-:-:;''.-;:.::.,•;'-..1-;:'•:::i.,-::'''': BAY DELTA CON S. ''°r.- California's Future Depends on Delta Water Supply March 2013 • The importance The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta of the Delta to (Delta),located east of San Francisco Bay, ` statewide water ffiTT is a vast and vitally important ecosystem + ,: supplies cannot be to California.The Delta is home to i. , overstated. hundreds of aquatic and terrestrial 4* it 4 species—some unique to the area—as n Two out of threeal Californians and well as more than 500,000 people,a 3 million acres • thriving agricultural economy,and a of farmland distinctive recreational resource. _ .., receive some Equally important,the Delta provides water water for 25 million Californians and from the supplies an agricultural industry that, `"'"'"" in turn,feeds millions. Water from the Delta. Delta irrigates farms where much of the 9 Fresh water thatnation's domestic produce is grown. .. reaches the Delta pelta water powers the California i •4 �>T, , 1114 from the Sierra .44** Nevada mountains economy. We cannot thrive without it. ' '' serves businesses4. yb and homes from Silicon Valley to San Here's the problem that all Californians • Diego County. 3 face;The Delta has been stretched to a breaking point.The ecosystem is in steep decline and has put the water that millions of Californians depend on at °"moi '- risk.Environmental restrictions on water ter• . - deliveries are meant to protect Delta fish species,but have also greatly reduced s; the flexibility to meet statewide water supply needs. , ` • u y d .. **re"', ' ., ----,%,.' -,--- -.:. f ,•!,•• ..: left ,-if 2' _ - - k - 3 4 N C O C a3 2., 17 :`„ c a = O N ,. > a Wil." 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Q1 av _Y m c > > ro a = m �" roy v .'° 5 > 3 @ •:° a m .0 u — ,., v a, s ' �y g ii d d m m E a, - v o a L«• ._. a a ‘i;'"-'?1,- 'fi y .-th7n -0 !' mm o A � 3 a o a ao � uoa 7. 4. Qm m 3 a v I .. ,.•. '� 0= CO 8 o .. a v cam,D N > a " '« s+, e L- 77, U a,� N T = a .. '. E x I"'— Q F- I- L. A 7 a a �7h t a ° I..) a) > N +' tie °n v c 4,5 c . E r 3 c E >' .. = Y . ° 9 a ' a > " V a E 0 a ° � N„ °m C . X = I' a `� .o A ,5,a ° 33 Y' x -, aa, ?-1.-42;;:14 " i r�'+ „stegyp - r What's at stake? The heart of California's water system rests in the Delta,and its current configuration is at risk of failure. Without changes to the way water currently flows through the Delta,Californians risk: • A loss of secure and reliable drinking water supplies The Delta for millions of people • Damage to the statewide economy,loss of jobs and Natural Fresh Water loss of business n nand Tidal Flows i ? Amor Water Supplies to • Further degradation of precious natural resources '., :BayArea,Central <a`,- and Southern California and extinction of native species ii ;ie i. _ '.,-.lay BDCP would environmentally retrofit, modernize,and restore greater San, ` yam r flexibility to the state's water system. Fr eay 't LF'b k t`. Bay Area Water # , Supphe State F ;:' Pumping. Federal '3y rr '` PlantPumt ping pc 2 A ` I' --. .... .: 'kdirYlt BEC P A" ,)1 L 1,\CON ii.RV..1T1t y ` ' may 2011 Fast Facts The BDCP is... The BDCP Would Benefit ...along-term strategy to secure California's water Millions of Californians supplies and improve the ecosystem of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The BDCP is one part of California's overall water portfolio. It aims to protect our unique Delta ecosystem and secure The BDCP Co-Equal Goals water supplies for a vast part of the California economy. 4= • SECURING WATER SUPPLIES 3 INTAKES San Jo quin River Delta 4.7-5•6 2 GRAVITY FLOW 1111 MILLION ACRE-FEET ON AVERAGE ANNUALLY TUNNELS : , ! (An acre-foot is roughly as much water 30 MILES as two California households use, r-____ ��Proposed :a. indoors and outdoors,in a year) IN LENGTH !^`axes - " 9,000 CFS* CREATING & PROTECTING JOBS CAPACITY -n. b.:r' t1� 1,:,,,,1 • 1.1 MILLION FULL-TIME EQUIVALENTJOBS CREATED i . ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION .. © AND SAVED FOR CALIFORNIA 1 SO'ooO (Based on a year by year estimate) - -Proposed _ Tunnel ACRES OF RESTORED AND Alignment BOOSTING THE ECONOMY PROTECTED HABITAT 56 PROTECTED SPECIES INCREASs$4E IN STBILLIONATE ECONOMIC PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVED FLOW • CONDITIONS TO BENEFIT 1�ti 'r FISH IN THE DELTA The BDCP is Important for California WATER SUPPLY RELIABILITY ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION CLIMATE RISK ADAPTATION t7 2 S MILLION PEOPLE o t. MORE THAN �� tfr. LEVEE RISING SEA EARTHQUAKES irti. 3 MILLION DELTA FISH FAILURES LEVELS ti' '. ACRES OF FARMLAND AND WILDLIFE from *Ott depend upon a healthy NATURAL RISKS the Ba Area ft rely on water to San Diego rely from the Delta Delta ecosystem AND CLIMATE CHANGE on water from the Delta threaten the reliability of the existing system 35 BDCP Cost and Funding... The BDCP is ...implemented over a 50-year period. Guided by the Best Available Science tunnel construction ADAPTIVE paid for by MANAGEMENT PUBLIC WATER AGENCIES PROGRAM to implement and monitor BDCP biological goals and TOTAL objectives $24.7 BILLION habitat restoration paid for with WATER ` ,. STATE/FEDDERAL FUNDING'ND OPERATIONS " '• PUBLIC WATER by the Department of Water AGENCIES Resources and the U.S. Bureau ,.w,- " total operating expenditures �' N�i,�;; of Reclamation �`.' CV paidforby PUBLIC WATER AGENCIES AND STATE/FEDERAL FUNDING $.927 BILLION paid for by PUBLIC WATER AGENCIES to address other stressors AND STATE/FEDERAL FUNDING OVERSIGHT $.184 BILLION by state and federal fish for monitoring,research,plan paid for by PUBLIC WATER AGENCIES and wildlfe agencies administration,and other costs AND STATE/FEDERAL FUNDING The availability of federal funds will be contingent on future federal appropriations. The BDCP Would Benefit the Delta Ecosystem DELTA RESTORATION BDCP would contribute to the conservation of 56 species of fish, plants and wildlife in the Delta. .4,... 52 % it 11: .,. )4► 10 +',,,dir SPECIES OF PLANTS & INCREASE IN FISH SPECIES BENEFIT, OTHER STRESSOR WILDLIFE CONSERVED PROTECTED LAND horn an increase in the amount REDUCTION MEASURES through protection and in the Delta and quality of habitat,food would reduce adverse effects, enhancements in the quantity sources,and ecological function such as invasive species, and quality of habitat in of Delta flows.Species include predation,and contaminants, the Delta. Chinook salmon and delta smelt. to improve the ecological function of the Delta. For more information,or to submit comments,visit www.BayDeltaConservationPlan.com, call 1-866-924-9955,or email info@BayDeltaConservationPlan.com. BDCP ,:: '' BDCP Draft Environmental Impact Report/ _. BAY T)ELIACC/NMRlAIIO\ Ptniv ; . Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) May 2014 Fast Facts The BDCP Draft EIR/EIS is... An analysis of BDCP and its alternatives'negative and beneficial impacts on the human environment,and actions to avoid or minimize Environmental Analysis Objectives negative impacts,with the goal of improving the Delta ecosystem and ensuring reliable water supplies for 25 million Californians. DEVELOP DEVELOP PREPARE DISCLOSE REASONABLE ANALYZE MITIGATION EVALUATE INFORMATION project impacts, ALTERNATIVES Environmental MEASURES Economic for public and mitigation, and to meet the purpose impacts to reduce or impacts stakeholder review public comments and need and avoid avoid impacts and comment to decision-makers or minimize impacts Robust, Science Driven Screening Process Alternatives evaluated in the Draft EIR/EIS must: SECOND THIRDSCREENING FOR Identficationor FIRST SCREENING SCREENING CONSISTENCYACTION 1 Be feasible and reasonable SCREENING LEVEL LEVEL with the 2009 Delta 15 ALTERNATIVES LEVEL Avoid or lessen and 2 Meet project objectives environmental t Define potentially ` Reform Act,scoping ii Identify feasible and ` comments,and existing 1 NO-ACTION impacts 1 ALTERNATIVE/ 3 Avoid or substantially Alternatives and address reasonable water rights of EXISTING significant issues alternatives non-BDCP participants CONDITIONS reduce significant impacts g -- . _.. .-- � The BDCP Draft EIR/EIS BDCP Environmental Benefits and Impacts Analyzes more than 600 resource area impact categories.Of these Increased resilience Increased recreational to climate change resource impact categories, opportunities in the Delta Reduced stressors on the Delta 65-79 environmental impacts ecosystem,such as control of 1. were deemed beneficial, Water supply reliabilityinvasive aquatic plants ", depending upon the _.._ _ alternative evaluated. Short-terns construction effects i ' on air quality,transportation, 57-60 resource areas were noise and other resources §--;'< Effects on water quality from f found to have no impact, —�^ - non -' n " conveyancefacility operations s t.. Temporary and permanent conversion • and up to 431 resource area a �ri �f - e and maintenance of farmland for habitat restoration ti� c + r.: �� impacts were deemed less , l t:;.t1. and water conveyance facilities ,Y; than significant. i �F; . The Draft EIRiEIS determined 5 -.!...1,•,,:;:i''..;.::,-,,. 54-72 significant and s ��� unavoidable impacts(as �,� �I i� p Approximately 150,000 C. determined by the California � .=� �� � ". acres of habitat restoration . • Improved flows e Jx 1 Atm ` Environmental Quality Act), �,' ,'` for threatened/ �'ry "` `Increased jobs and revenue x depending upon alternative, endangered r :; ' `i generated by construction that may be reduced with the fish species r 4 *`°� � r . ;. p r Reduced reliance os 7 implementation of additional mitigation measures. ,,�,ti, .., a di=,„,,t::i,�i r..Yf2y�v1a�1 • P S south Delta diversions 15 Draft EIR/EIS Action Alternatives: The Draft EIR/EIS alternatives represent a combination of water F,Qntont conveyance configurations,capacities and operational criteria, poli The BDCP will include approximately habitat restoration and conservation targets,stressor reduction 150,000 acres of restored and protected measures,and various avoidance and minimization Measures. habitat for 56 covered species,and improve Maximum Action Alternative s., flow conditions to benefit fish in the Delta. Alternative Water Diversions Intakes Examples o 1A 15,000 cfs 1-5 • ,;; • Sacramento 2A ` 15,000 cfs 1-3,6,7, Davis Q _. or 1-5 ALTERNATIVE 4: ' e• l •CEQA(or state) , 0 J 3 6,000 cfs 1 &2 Preferred Project ®•' W Recently improved to r 0 2 i on ..:' C 4 2,3 reduce the footprint by Q rift,-.rt = 9 000 ds nearly one-half of its •+. y °' I &5 original size ® ,y Nr ` Intakes Z a Ciare .urg , Iii 5 3,000 cfs a • 1 0: 6A I 15,000 cfs 1-5 .Ei C 0 o g m Court/and 'es,0 :} x,IF �� ' y6 orn nrb oor� 0:\ 7 9.000 cfs 2 3 Fairfield `bs vnaS.rC Clmmelonte�`\ 5 Llnds 1BUj� a.N� ' & 5. ®Y SJou$a Gema n n fbugh� . b_ 0 ,\� i ... 1 . . � MrnV Y tolR � -, s a \\\\\\ • H/k'H Walnut - 8 ( 9,000 cfs &5 ALTERNATIVE 1B: •S•' Y▪ Grove FR S •Eastern Delta lined or .5,0.,` ` k .__.... —_ unlined open canal Rio; : g9` 1-a,, :4 Visit's tsfeto_n a F" of. -Fiveintakesbetween ; .94 RIA, l, li 11•'-'-- 1 B 15,000 cfs i 1-5 Clarskburg and • 1,,:01-------------1 I x Walnut Grove ..es'° ".,;,: 1,t,-- '.•( {(`'z' - t� j Q • i .•�o - ; ft Tas E4 M1 F� peso, 1 ,+eee 4'..'..Z .*". __2 _ ....,.. Ta .eH.,� MUNE, T.,.f.T -EWC� i 1. 2B 15,000 cfs 1-3,6,7, sU` ' 'y, e E riE K ; I— or 1 5 �j�p'� 1 "A l i; •lin Pittsburg '1 W f�. SRA}lU' ` 'SUM, :' ��T�\ , ii f,l 6B15,000 cfs 1-5 ,rora'MU „7 ine: 1/<(Y�.NAte 11 I t f a isolated n ,4 .. •`�1... ,nor HE -^1.-„w- 1hE .�4- Y, , CtV d I nxi sv,hn �'$tockton. """"^• i Brentwood 'r'n.�, h u' i...: az n, < 1C 15,000th West(W)1 ALTERNATIVE 9: x . a , M.d 41..H m Q •Screened intakes at '/� °"•� �1 i L+ 2C +'' 15,000 cfs W 1-W5 Delta Cross Channel and c % ri 1 ,~ 1 Georgiana Slough ; /%4rZ� •�?! ry ' % HLeFR a ti: i l 6C •Four basic corridors: C 15,000 cfs W1 WS Hanka 'Jones` Ol e_ J2 ;I`� .F I North Delta corridor PumprB g R, ■Pumping 7' tis ��. (Sacramento River to PP '•':Plant koe.na• Middle River) t ' if Intake L , - �\ Delta Cress South Delta corridor Intake tine e■ Tracy • Channel and (Middle River and...:- Modified Pipeline/Tunnel Opine O 9 15,000 cfs 1 Georgiana Victoria Canal toEast opbon = G Slough channel Clifton Court Forebay) - waal o-a n madihrations ti -San Joaquin separate fish Fo,eb r•••• w movement corridor Separate Corridor Option NO ACTION/ -Mokelumne separate fish ww R MovementCorndp • (Son Joaquin and MokelumneJ NO PROJECT Current operations N/A movement corridor ,44'. Wet.,Supply Condo, 'tl Worth Delta and Soulb Delta) NOTE:A full description of the 15 Action Alternatives,and the No Action Alternative,can be found in Chapter 3(Alternatives)of the Draft EIR/EIS. For more information,or to submit comments,visit www.$ayDeltaConservationPlan.corn, call 1-866-924-9955,or email BDCP.Comments@NOAA,gov. ITEM 9.13. Revised letter as presented by Susan Mulligan, Calleguas Metropolitan e -July xx, 2014 Bay Delta Conservation Plan Comments Ryan Wulff, National Marine Fisheries Service 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 5-100 Sacramento, CA 95814 RE: Draft Bay Delta Conservation Plan — Public Comments Dear Mr. Wulff: The State Water Project (SWP) is a vital component of Southern California's water system, providing roughly 30 percent of the region's water needs. However, 7-0 Pef-GeM three-quarters of the annual water demand for an estimated 630,000 water users in southern Ventura County is met with about -1 10,000 acre feet per year of state water supplies. While many efforts are underway to reduce our service area's imported water demand, including groundwater desalination, recycled water, and conservation programs, state project water will remain an essential water source for our region. It will continue to serve as a primary source for our drinking water supply and. recycled water projects. It is also the single largest recharge component of our groundwater basins following treatment and discharge from local municipal wastewater facilities. Moreover, given its comparatively high quality, it allows greater use of our native groundwater that must be blended with imported water to meet state and federal water quality standards. As such, a reliable supply of imported state water is critical for the future social and economic vitality of Ventura County. In recent years, both state and federal project deliveries have been repeatedly interrupted and reduced due to operational conflicts with threatened and endangered Delta species. Since 2007, it is estimated that nearly 3.5 million acre feet of water that normally would have been delivered by the SWP was lost due to these conflicts. This 1 Additionally, both projects risk complete failure given the vulnerability of the Delta levee system to catastrophic'earthquake and flood events - threatening water supplies for Southern California, the Bay Area, the Central Coast and the Central Valley for many years. These risks are clearly unacceptable, and conditions are expected to worsen with climate change unless steps are taken now to mitigate these concerns. Southern California ratepayers have been investing in the State Water Project for more than four decades, and have additionally invested billions of dollars in regional storage and conveyance to allow Southern California to capture water when it is plentiful and reduce demands on imported supplies during dry and critically dry years. These investments are effectively stranded if water deliveries from the project continue to degrade. The proposed BDCP, being developed under provisions of the state and federal endangered species protection laws, is the most promising plan developed to date to solve these challenges and resolve decades of conflicts bete-amiagricultural, urban and environmental water users with a comprehensive solution that achieves California's Co -Equal goals of a reliable water supply and a restored Delta ecosystem for the benefit of all water users. The release of the public draft BDCP represents an important milestone in this eight- year stakeholder process. In exhaustive detail, the draft BDCP illustrates the complexity of the problems and the need for a comprehensive approach to resolve conflicts in the Delta through a multi -species habitat conservation plan that protects the state's water resources and infrastructure. We are supportive of the BDCP's proposed twin -tunnel conveyance system that isolates and protects drinking water supplies and helps restore natural flow patterns in the Delta for the benefit of native species, as well as the complementary habitat restoration, water quality, and predator control measures outlined in the BDCP. We also support the plan's recognition that changing conditions in the Delta will require ongoing scientific review and real-time monitoring so the plan can effectively adapt over time to emerging science and the evolving ecosystem. The draft plan also provides an important framework for a range of operational outcomes and level of certainty necessary for a final plan to merit investment by participating public water agencies and by the state and federal governments. While key decisions remain relating to specifics on cost allocations, operations, outflow range, financing and other issues; the current draft details a workable solution to the challenges facing California's water resources and the Delta. The proposed BDCP is the most comprehensive effort ever undertaken to address the chronic water challenges facing the state and federal water projects in a manner that is protective of the Delta environment. We remain supportive of the efforts of state and federal water contractors in the development of the BDCP and urge the state to move forward with the draft plan and focus on resolving those remaining issues needed to provide assurances that the plan will achieve California's co -equal goals of water supply reliability and ecosystem restoration in a cost-effective manner. Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this historic draft plan Sincerely,