ITEM:

CONSENT CALENDAR

 

7.

CONSIDER EXPENDITURE TO CONTRACT WITH NORMANDEAU ASSOCIATES, INC. FOR CARMEL RIVER IFIM FOR IFIM MODEL SUPPORT

 

Meeting Date:

July 16, 2018

Budgeted: 

Yes

 

From:

David J. Stoldt,

General Manager

Program/

Protect Environmental

Quality

 

 

Line Item No.: 

1-8-1 A

 

Prepared By:                  

Larry Hampson

Cost Estimate: 

$20,000

 

General Counsel Review:  N/A

Committee Recommendation:  The Administrative Committee reviewed this item on July 10, 2018 and recommended approval.

CEQA Compliance:  This action does not constitute a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines 15378.

 

SUMMARY:  The District completed the Carmel River Instream Flow Incremental Method (IFIM) Study and associated 1-dimensional and 2-dimensionsal hydraulic models in November 2017.  Subsequently, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) conducted additional review of the study and had several comments and concerns about its use in evaluating alternatives for management of Los Padres Dam.  This item is to request $20,000 to address NMFS comments, revise the IFIM study, and to allow expenditures to revise the IFIM model in response to information provided from ongoing analysis of Los Padres Dam alternatives.

 

If this item is adopted with the Consent Calendar, the General Manager will be authorized to expend up to $20,000 for support from Normandeau Associates, Inc., for continued development of the Carmel River Instream Flow Incremental Method Study.

 

RECOMMENDATION:  Staff recommends approval.

 

DISCUSSION:  The Board has authorized $251,000 over the previous five fiscal years to develop the Carmel River IFIM Study, which was completed in November 2017 after input on all aspects of the study and review of draft products by California American Water, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the National Marine Fisheries Service.  In November 2017, NMFS chose to carry out another review by staff who had not been involved in the project previously.  Their review resulted in several comments on the study that will need to be addressed.  The IFIM model may also need to be modified for use with some of the alternatives that are being considered for Los Padres Dam.  In particular, dam removal may result in channel changes downstream of the dam that are outside of the range of conditions that the present IFIM model can evaluate. 

 

IMPACTS ON STAFF AND RESOURCES:  District staff will be involved with project management and ongoing discussion about use of and results from the IFIM model.

 

EXHIBIT

None

 

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