HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-01-24 - Resolution No. 17-01 RESOLUTION NO. 17-01
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF THE YORBA LINDA WATER DISTRICT
IN SUPPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA ECO RESTORE AND
CALIFORNIA WATERFIX PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE (NO. 4A)
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% of the supplies for Southern California, and therefore
underpins the overall economy of California, which stands equivalent to
the 6th 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 scientific
consensus is that the Delta is not sustainable as it exists today and that
changes must be made in order to stabilize conditions; and
WHEREAS, it has been about 55 years since voter-approval of the State Water Project
(SWP), which was never completed as originally envisioned, to include an
independent conveyance facility which 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
WHEREAS, Governor Brown's California WaterFix and California Eco Restore
proposal provide a framework of 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 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
Resolution No. 17-01 In Support of the California Eco Restore and WaterFix Preferred Alternative 1
WHEREAS, the California Eco Restore will pursue more than 30,000 acres of critical
Delta restoration over the next 5 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 the construction of three intakes north of
the Delta, two 35-mile 9,000 cfs underground tunnels, and modification of
Clifton Court forebay that 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 existing
environmental conditions in the Delta by reducing the current reverse flow
conditions, minimizing the trapping of migrating fish and reducing
diversions during critical fish migration periods, which will provide for more
operational flexibility to enhance water deliveries, especially during wet
periods,- and
WHEREAS, the new conveyance operations would also provide water moving through
the south Delta channels to reduce salinity levels; and 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 Orange County's water reliability,
including that without new supply and system investments made by
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California ("Met"), Met's member
agencies (including the Yorba Linda Water District ("YLWD")) and Orange
County, projected water shortages would be too frequent and overall
reliability would not be sustainable by as early as 2030; and
WHEREAS, YLWD should continue to support and strongly advocate for the
implementation of the California WaterFix and Eco Restore proposal, as it
represents the most cost-effective large-scale reliability solution to
improving regional water supply reliability for Southern California and
hence the reliability for Orange County. The Orange County water
reliability supply analyses assumed that the California WaterFix results in
"recovery" of historical supplies in the amount of approximately 440,000
acre-feet per year on average and noted that changes in the project costs.
or supply development could result in changes to this recovered amount;
and
Resolution No. 17-01 In Support of the California Eco Restore and WaterFix Preferred Alternative 2
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.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Directors of the Yorba Linda
Water District does hereby support the California Eco Restore 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.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 24th day of January 2017, by the following called vote:
AYES: Directors Hall, Jones, Miller and Nederhood
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: Hawkins
J. Wayn Miller, Ph.D., President
Yorba Linda Water District
ATTEST:
Marc Marcantonio, Board Secretary
Yorba Linda Water District
Reviewed as to form by General Counsel
An rew B. Gagen/_K�q.
Kidman Law LLP
Resolution No. 17-01 to Support of the California Eco Restore and WaterFix Preferred Alternative 3