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AGENDA STAFF REPORT
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DATE: August 14, 2017
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
THRU: Jill R. Ingram, City Manager
FROM: Steve Myrter, P.E., Director of Public Works
SUBJECT: SUPPORT FOR CALIFORNIA WATERFIX AND
ECORESTORE
SUMMARY OF REQUEST:
That the City Council adopt Resolution No. 6758 supporting the California
WaterFix and California EcoRestore.
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS:
In partnership with the Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC), the
City of Seal Beach participated in the recent Orange County Water Reliability
Study (Study) evaluating scenarios and projects that enhance or sustain water
supplies to the region. Modeling shows the California WaterFix, as currently
proposed, represents the most cost - effective, large -scale reliability solution to
improving Orange County's water supply reliability over the next 25 years.
The supply analyses in the Study assumed that the California WaterFix results in
"recovery" (i.e., prevents the future loss) of historical supplies in the amount of
440,000 acre -feet per year on average.
As a critical source of water supply, the California Bay Delta provides
approximately 30 percent of Southern California's water supply annually through
the State Water Project (SWP), a water management program designed to
provide water from northern California to the drier southern California region.
Originally built in the 1950's, the SWP contains over 20 dams, numerous
pumping stations and power plants and a network of more than 700 miles of
aqueducts, canals, pipelines and tunnels.
One of the oldest sections of this system, with many levees at risk of disaster
should earthquakes, floods or sea level rise occur, is the San Joaquin Delta. Its
aging infrastructure has threatened future water supply reliability and
sustainability. The California WaterFix involves construction and design of the
three new water intakes north of the Delta and the two, 32 -mile, 40 -foot diameter,
9,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) underground tunnels that will provide
Agenda Item M
operational pumping flexibility and protect against water supply disruption. The
new, twin tunnels would be built under the delta, thus bypassing many risks
associated with above ground water transportation systems (levee failure,
earthquake, salt water intrusion due to sea water rise and flooding).
In addition to water management and quality benefits, the companion initiative to
the California WaterFix is the EcoRestore, which seeks to achieve the State's co-
equal goal of habitat restoration and reliability of supplies. EcoRestore is initially
charged with 30,000 acres of restoration efforts under an accelerated effort by
2020 to improved habitat conditions for fisheries migration, restore tidal and non -
tidal wetland habitat for native wildlife, and improve connectivity among existing
grassland and other natural habitats.
Success in the Delta continues to rely on the implementation of the California
WaterFix and EcoRestore to achieve the co -equal goals. The ecological health
of the Delta and fish species are fundamentally linked to the reasonable use and
export of water supplies. Although total restoration of the Delta to the historical
past is not possible, there can be significant improvements in how best to
approach the management of the Delta's combined water and land resources in
a manner that will realistically achieve improvements in both water supply
reliability and ecosystem protection of the Delta's endangered or threatened
aquatic species.
However, much remains to be determined, especially with respect to the
financing, regulatory certainty and operating criteria for the project. The
California WaterFix, which is in the final stages of permitting and environmental
approval (EIR /EIS and Record of Decision) is requesting support from all water
agencies for this proposal.
Based on these proposed improvements in system conveyance and habitat
restoration, staff recommends adopting a support position for the California
WaterFix and California EcoRestore.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
There is no environmental impact related to this item.
LEGAL ANALYSIS:
The City Attorney has reviewed the resolution and approved as to form.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact related to this item. The California WaterFix and
EcoRestore projects are estimated to cost around $15 Billion with the costs being
distributed to member agencies based upon usage (estimated at approximately
$5 per month to Orange County water costumers).
Page 2
IF
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City Council adopt Resolution No. 6758 supporting the California
WaterFix and California EcoRestore.
SUBMITTED
NOTED AND APPROVED:
Steve Myrt6f, P.E'!� Jill F.II gram, City
Director of Public Works
Prepared by: David Spitz, P.E., Associate Engineer
Attachments:
A. Resolution No. 6758
Page 3
"Attachment A"
RESOLUTION NUMBER 6758
A RESOLUTION OF THE SEAL BEACH CITY COUNCIL
SUPPORTING THE CALIFORNIA WATERFIX AND CALIFORNIA
ECORESTORE
WHEREAS, the Delta, formed by the confluence of the Sacramento and San
Joaquin Rivers as they come together and flow into San Francisco Bay, is a
major water hub for California's water supply system for the majority of the State,
including 30 percent of the supplies for Southern California, and therefore
underpins the overall economy of California, which stands equivalent to the 6`h
largest country in the world; and,
WHEREAS, the Delta historically was a complex and dynamic natural system
driven by tidal fluctuations and natural marsh flooding that has been highly
altered over the last 100 years, with many of the levees and islands reclaimed
from former marshlands for development or farming. The Delta was never
intended to be a water conveyance facility. The scientific consensus is that the
Delta is not sustainable as it exists today and that changes must be made to
stabilize conditions; and,
WHEREAS, from a fisheries, farming and water- management perspective, the
Delta will continue to decline, at an increasing rate as sea levels rise and
continuing subsidence caused by farming result in salinity intrusion, artesian
conditions and levee failures, which will become more frequent and more
expensive to mitigate or repair as time passes; and,
WHEREAS, 25 million residents rely on water from the Delta, and local
conservation cannot replace the water the Delta has historically supplied to
Southern California even though that amount is only 4 percent of the annual
average Delta flows; and,
WHEREAS, no practicable and economically efficient way exits to improve
existing levees to keep pace with sea level rise or prevent levee collapse during
a large earthquake. The consequences to the Bay Delta ecosystem, the water
supply and the California economy would be immediate, severe and negative
when these events occur; and,
WHEREAS, Voters approved the State Water Project (SWP) about 55 years ago,
yet it was never completed as envisioned to include an independent conveyance
facility that would allow increased capture and storage of water during periods of
high flows and would also minimize conflicts with fisheries; and,
WHEREAS, as the result of federal court decisions, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
and National Marine Fisheries Service Biological Opinions, as well as other
regulatory constraints to protect native species in the Delta, the SWP has not
been able to collect, store, and deliver an estimated volume of 3.6 million acre -
feet of water since 2008; and,
Resolution Number 6758
WHEREAS, although restoration of the Delta to the conditions of the historical
past is not possible, much has been learned through science studies about what
is needed to improve the management and utilization of the Delta that can
enhance fish, wildlife and water management for the future; and,
WHEREAS, Governor Brown's California WaterFix and California EcoRestore
proposal provide a framework of how best to approach managing the Delta's
combined water and land resources in a manner that will realistically achieve
improvements in both water supply reliability and ecosystem protection for the
Delta as an evolving place by balancing the many competing demands; and,
WHEREAS, the California WaterFix and Eco- Restore proposal will help with
water supply reliability by improving essential ecosystem functions so that
populations of endangered or threatened aquatic species will be strengthened;
and,
WHEREAS, the California EcoRestore will pursue more than 30,000 acres of
critical Delta restoration over the next five years, including the improvements of
habitat conditions for fisheries migration, restoring tidal and non -tidal wetland
habitat for native wildlife, and improving connectivity among existing grassland
and other natural habitats; and,
WHEREAS, the California WaterFix includes construction of three intakes north
of the Delta, two 35 -mile tunnels up to 150 feet below the Delta and Clifton Court
forebay modifications, all of which will provide operational pumping flexibility and
protect against water supply disruption due to sea -level rise, earthquakes and
flood events; and,
WHEREAS, the three new intakes north of the Delta will improve environmental
conditions in the Delta by reducing reverse -flow conditions, minimizing the
trapping of migrating fish and reducing diversions during critical fish - migration
periods, which will allow more operational flexibility to enhance water deliveries,
especially during wet periods; and,
WHEREAS, improving the SWP system can increase regional storage reserve
levels. These storage reserves are used to protect the region from devastating
effects of drought and other emergencies. The California WaterFix will help
ensure that Orange County will have sufficient supplies at critical times when we
need them; and,
WHEREAS, the 2016 Orange County Water Reliability Study revealed a number
of important findings with implications for the county's water reliability, including
that projected water shortages would be too frequent and overall reliability would
not be sustainable by as early as 2030 without new supply and system
investments by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MET), its
member agencies and Orange County; and,
Resolution Number 6758
WHEREAS, Orange County should strongly advocate for the implementation of
the California WaterFix and EcoRestore, as it represents the most cost - effective
large -scale reliability solution to improve regional water supply reliability for all of
Southern California. The Orange County water reliability supply analyses
assumes the California WaterFix results in "recovery" of historical supplies in the
amount of approximately 440,000 acre -feet per year on average and notes that
adjustments to the project costs or supply development could result in changes
to this recommendation; and,
WHEREAS, Orange County ratepayers have invested millions of dollars to build
and maintain the SWP as well as portions of Metropolitan's regional storage,
distribution, and treatment systems that take delivery of SWP supplies.
Modernizing the system through the California WaterFix will protect this
investment for decades to come; and,
WHEREAS, moving forward with the California WaterFix will not be an
inexpensive endeavor; however, it is the most cost - effective investment of the
ratepayers' dollars to maintain and continue our economic vitality for the region.
Furthermore, all of the costs for California WaterFix will be paid for exclusively by
water agencies benefiting from the project; and,
WHEREAS, to do nothing in the Delta is far costlier to the businesses, residents,
and economy in the State of California and Orange County than investing in the
California WaterFix and California EcoRestore.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE SEAL BEACH CITY COUNCIL DOES HEREBY FIND
AND RESOLVE:
Section 1. The City of Seal Beach does hereby support the California
EcoRestore and California WaterFix Preferred Alternative (No.4A) as described
in the environmental documents with reasonable adherence to the current, public
operating criteria and cost allocation principles and assumptions.
Section 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage and adoption of this
resolution.
PASSED, APPROVED and ADOPTED by the Seal Beach City Council at a
regular meeting held on the 14th day of August , 2017 by the following vote:
AYES: Council Membe
NOES: Council Membe
ABSENT: Council Members:
ABSTAIN: Council Members:
Resolution Number 6758
ATTEST:
Robin L Roberts, City Clerk
STATE OF CALIFORNIA }
COUNTY OF ORANGE } SS
CITY OF SEAL BEACH }
Sandra Massa - Lavitt, Mayor
I, Robin L. Roberts, City Clerk of the City of Seal Beach, do hereby certify that
the foregoing resolution is the original copy of Resolution Number 6758 on file
in the office of the City Clerk, passed, approved, and adopted by the Seal Beach
City Council at a regular meeting held on the 14thday of Au ust , 2017.
Robin L. Roberts, City Clerk