EXHIBIT 1-A

 

Memorandum of Understanding

for

Integrated Regional Water Management

in the

Central and Southern Monterey Bay Area

 

1. PURPOSE

 

The purpose of this document is to establish a mutual understanding among Monterey Bay area agencies with respect to their joint efforts toward Integrated Regional Water Management that will increase regional coordination, collaboration and communication and help in obtaining funding for water-related projects.

 

2. RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the State of California created the Monterey County Water Resources Agency (MCWRA), the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD), and the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency (PVWMA) conferring on each many similar legal powers and regulatory responsibilities concerning water resource management.

 

WHEREAS, these three regional water management agencies have previously entered into Agreement No. A-06181, which encourages cooperation among these agencies, and these agencies now desire to jointly develop an IRWM Plan (IRWMP).

 

2. GOALS

 

The goals of the IRWMP are:

2.1.  To develop a comprehensive plan by December 31, 2006 that addresses, at a minimum, water supply, groundwater management, ecosystem restoration, and water quality.

2.2.  To foster coordination, collaboration and communication between regional water management agencies responsible for water-related issues and interested stakeholders, to achieve greater efficiencies, enhance public services, and build public support for vital projects.

2.3.  To improve regional competitiveness for State and Federal grant funding.

 

3. DEFINITIONS

 

3.1.  Integrated Regional Water Management Plan.  The plan envisioned by state legislators and state resource agencies that integrates the management plans and projects of all water-related agencies and stakeholders in a region, in this case the Central and Southern Bay Region (Region), in order to foster coordination, collaboration and communication among those entities and to assist decision-makers in awarding grants and other funding.

3.2   Integration. The combining of water management strategies to be included in the IRWMP.

3.3.  Management Plan. A Public Agency’s plan that addresses how that entity will provide service in the future in one or more of the following service functions:  water supply, water quality, wastewater, recycled water, water conservation, stormwater/flood control, watershed planning or aquatic habitat protection and restoration.

3.4.  Project.  A specific project that addresses a service function.

3.5.  Public Agency. A public entity, be it a special district, city or other governmental entity, responsible for providing one or more services in the areas of water supply, water quality, wastewater, recycled water, water conservation, stormwater/flood control, watershed planning and aquatic habitat protection and restoration.

3.6.  Region.  The Region consists of all groundwater and surface water basins under the jurisdiction of cooperating Public Agencies that are signatories to this Memorandum.[1]

3.7.  Service Function.  A water-related individual service function provided by a Public Agency, i.e. water supply, water quality, wastewater, recycled water, water conservation, stormwater/flood control, watershed planning, and aquatic habitat protection and restoration.

3.8.   Water Management Strategies.  Plans and activities to be considered in the IRWMP.  These include, but are not limited to, ecosystem restoration, environmental and habitat protection and improvement, water-supply reliability, flood management, groundwater management, recreation and public access, storm water capture and management, water conservation, water quality improvement, water recycling, and wetlands enhancement and creation.

 

4. IRWMP PARTICIPANTS

 

4.1.  Public Agencies.  Public Agencies which have developed projects and management plans, are responsible to their respective electorates, and are devoting staff to the process, will take the lead as described in “Approach to developing the IRWMP” below.

4.2.  Contributing Entities.  Other entities, such as business and environmental groups, are considered valuable contributors and will be invited and encouraged to participate and assist in the development of the IRWMP.

4.3.  Regulatory Agencies.  These agencies, including, but not limited to, the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, California Coastal Commission, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Public Utilities Commission, NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and the California Department of Fish and Game, will be invited to participate in the IRWMP development. If they cannot participate in working meetings, representatives of the technical advisory review panel will keep them advised of IRWMP progress and seek input as needed.

 

5. MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING

 

5.1.  Need for an IRWMP.

5.1.1.  To foster increased coordination, collaboration and communication in the Region among Public Agencies, Contributing Entities, and Regulatory Agencies that may result in more effectively managed resources, cost efficiencies and better service to the public.

5.1.2.  Also, representatives of state resource agencies have suggested that qualification for some state grants and other funding criteria will require development and implementation of an Integrated Regional Water Management Plan.

5.2.  Subject matter scope of the IRWMP.  The IRWMP will include, but may not necessarily be limited to, water supply, water quality, wastewater, recycled water, water conservation, stormwater/flood control, watershed planning and aquatic habitat protection and restoration.  It is acknowledged that the management plans of each participating Public Agency may be based, in part, on the land-use plans of the general purpose local governments located within a Public Agency’s jurisdiction.  Therefore, the resultant IRWMP will by design have incorporated the land-use plans and assumptions intrinsic to the respective water-related service function.

5.3.  Geographical scope of the IRWMP.  The Region for this Memorandum is defined as the watersheds and associated groundwater basins contributing to the Monterey Bay and Carmel Bay that are under the jurisdiction of the public agencies that are signatories to this Memorandum.

5.4.  Approach to developing the IRWMP.

5.4.1.  It will be the responsibility of each Public Agency signatory to this Memorandum to provide existing water management plans or to identify the need for a water Management Strategy for each service function carried out by the respective Public Agency.  In order to be part of an IRWMP, all management plans must meet the minimum plan standards as shown in Appendix A of “Integrated Regional Water Management Grant Program Guidelines, November 2004, Department of Water Resources and State Water Resources Control Board, Proposition 50, Chapter 8.”  A technical advisory panel consisting of staff representatives from MCWRA, MPWMD, and PVWMA will review management plans for consistency with Appendix A and recommend compilation of the relevant plans into one integrated document to form the functional equivalent of an IRWMP for the Region. 

5.5.  Approval of the IRWMP.  IRWMP adoption will occur by approval of the governing board of each participating Public Agency that is a signatory to this MOU.

5.6.  Non-binding nature.  The IRWMP and participation in this IRWMP effort are nonbinding, and in no way suggest that a Public Agency may not continue its own planning efforts to secure project funding from any source.  A Public Agency signatory to this MOU may withdraw from participation upon 30 days advance notice to the other Public Agencies, provided it agrees to be financially responsible for any unmet resource commitment.

5.7.  Personnel and financial resources.  It is expected that the General Managers of the participating Public Agencies will agree on a detailed work program describing the contribution of staff and financial resources by each participating Public Agency necessary to develop the IRWMP, and that the work program will be updated as necessary by mutual consent of the General Managers.

5.8.  Other on-going regional efforts.  Development of the IRWMP is separate from efforts of other organizations to develop water-related plans on a regional basis.  As the IRWMP for the Region is developed, work products can be shared to provide other agencies and groups with current information.

5.9.  Reports and communications.  The technical advisory review panel will regularly report to the General Managers and Governing Boards of the participating Public Agencies regarding progress on the development of the IRWMP.

 

6. SIGNATORIES TO THE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

 

We, the duly authorized undersigned representatives of our respective Public Agencies, acknowledge the above as our understanding of the intent and expected outcome in developing a proposed Central and Southern Bay Area Integrated Regional Water Management Plan.


 

_______________________________________

Signature

 

_______________________________________

Printed Name

 

_______________________________________

Monterey County Water Resources Agency

 

_______________________________________

Date

 

 

 

 

_______________________________________

Signature

 

_______________________________________

Printed Name

 

_______________________________________

Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency

 

_______________________________________

Date

 

 

 

 

_______________________________________

Signature

 

_______________________________________

Printed Name

 

_______________________________________

Monterey Peninsula Water Management District

 

_______________________________________

Date

 

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[1] As of March 21, 2005, the Region includes all watersheds draining to the Monterey Bay and Carmel Bay between the Pajaro River on the north and San Jose Creek on the south.