COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
4.	PRESENTATION ON AQUIFER STORAGE AND RECOVERY IN THE SEASIDE BASIN
Meeting Date:		February 26, 2007	Budgeted:	N/A
From:		David A. Berger,	Program/	N/A
		General Manager	Line Item No.:
Prepared By:		Andrew Bell, District Engineer	Cost Estimate:	N/A
General Counsel Approval: N/A
Committee Recommendation: N/A
CEQA Compliance: N/A

SUMMARY: District Senior Hydrogeologist Joe Oliver will give a presentation on the Phase 1 Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) Project. Basic information on the Phase 1 ASR Project is included in the MPWMD Comparative Matrix of water supply alternatives dated October 16, 2006. This matrix was distributed to Community Advisory Committee (Committee) members at the February 6, 2006 Committee meeting. Several of the Committee members submitted questions regarding the ASR project (Exhibit 4-A). Staff will address these questions orally following Mr. Oliver’s presentation, to the extent they are not covered by this report and Exhibit 4-B (explained below).

RECOMMENDATION: This item is a presentation only. The Community Advisory Committee members should express their initial opinions on the merits and drawbacks of this project as part of Item 6, “Comments on Aquifer Storage and Recovery from Committee Members.”

BACKGROUND: Summary information regarding the Phase 1 ASR Project is located in column B of Part II of the Matrix, pages 185 through 191 of the packet for the October 16, 2006 MPWMD Board meeting. Item 13 from that packet, pages 159 through 205, was distributed at the February 6, 2006 Committee meeting. Portions of the March 2006 Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Assessment for the Phase 1 ASR Project (the Executive Summary and Project Description) are included as Exhibit 4-B. Members of the Committee who wish to borrow a copy of the complete report, or who wish to have a CD version of the complete report, may obtain the document upon request to staff.

Following is a summary description of the project:

Phase 1 ASR Project

The Phase 1 ASR Project diverts “excess” flow from the Carmel River during wet periods, as defined by state and federal resource agencies. This project involves diverting, treating and transmitting this water via California American Water (Cal-Am) facilities for delivery to special MPWMD-owned injection/recovery wells in the Seaside Groundwater Basin on the former Fort Ord. Available storage capacity in the Seaside Basin Coastal Subareas serves as an underground reservoir for water storage during dry periods. The stored water is then pumped back out for use

by Cal-Am customers during dry periods. The Phase 1 ASR Project will improve environmental conditions in the Carmel River and Seaside Basins by reducing Carmel River diversions in dry periods, when the river environment is most vulnerable. MPWMD already owns and operates one successful full-scale test well at the proposed site. The Phase 1 ASR Project adds a second well immediately adjacent to the current site, along with some additional control facilities, transmission pipeline and other minor structures. The Phase 1 project envisions a maximum annual Carmel River diversion and injection of up to 2,426 acre-feet per year (AFY) into the Seaside Basin. The maximum extraction from the Seaside Basin in most years would be 1,500 AFY. Average values would be lower and depend on long-term weather conditions. Revised computer modeling performed in mid-2006 indicates that the average project yield would be about 920 AFY with operations that maximize use of Seaside Basin water to offset Carmel River pumping in dry periods.

The MPWMD Phase 1 ASR is similar to, but not the same ASR project described for Cal-Am’s Coastal Water Project proposal. The District and Cal-Am signed a Management and Operations Agreement (M&OA) in 2006 regarding near-term and long-term ASR projects. Cal-Am and MPWMD technical staff continue to coordinate on means to plan and engineer the Cal-Am system facilities to support ASR.

On August 21, 2006, the MPWMD Board certified the Final EIR/EA for the MPWMD Phase 1 ASR Project. MPWMD has obtained the necessary permits from the U.S. Army and City of Seaside for constructing and operating the second ASR well. The issuance of amended water rights permits for the project by the State Water Resources Control Board is anticipated pending completion of protest dismissal negotiations currently underway with state and federal fishery agencies. Design of the Phase 1 ASR Project is complete, and construction of the second well and appurtenant facilities is nearing completion. Financing for the Phase 1 ASR Project was approved by the MPWMD Board in August 2005 and entails a 1.2% user fee on water bills of Cal-Am customers. This user fee will provide approximately $300,000 per year to fund the Phase 1 ASR Project.

Potential Connection between Seaside Basin Adjudication and Future Phases of ASR

The importance of ASR in the management and stewardship of the Seaside Basin gained importance as it is a key component of the “physical solution” described by the Monterey County Superior Court’s March 2006 Final Decision on the Seaside Basin water rights adjudication. Notably, the Phase 1 ASR Project purpose is solely geared toward improved environmental protection of the Carmel River, with secondary benefits to the Seaside Basin. There is no water supply increment for new construction or remodels identified as part of this project, and it is not geared toward resolving Seaside Basin problems. However, future EIRs will address one or more yet-to-be proposed ASR Phases, once more information is known about regional land use plans, infrastructure, and other water supply projects currently under consideration. Future phases may be sponsored by MPWMD, Cal-Am, or a combination of entities. Future phases of ASR are likely to include reducing the overdraft of the Seaside Basin as a project purpose.

EXHIBITS

4-A Questions Submitted by Committee Members

4-B Portions of the March 2006 Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Assessment for the Phase 1 ASR Project (the Executive Summary and Project Description) U:\staff\word\committees\CAC\2007\20070226\04\item4.doc