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Home My WebLink About55B - RESO - SUPPORT DELTA BAY CONSERVATION PLANREQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: JUNE 3, 2014 TITLE: RESOLUTION CALLING FOR SUPPORT OF THE BAY DELTA CONSERVATION PLAN FOR RELIABLE WATER SUPPLY AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDED ACTION CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: APPROVED ❑ As Recommended ❑ As Amended ❑ Ordinance on 1B1 Reading ❑ Ordinance on 2nd Reading ❑ Implementing Resolution ❑ Set Public Hearing For CONTINUED TO FILE NUMBER Adopt a resolution calling for the support of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan for Reliable Water Supply and Environmental Restoration. Support of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan is beneficial to the entire state's water supply. While the plan directly impacts Northern California, it resolves certain water supply issues which would restore water availability to export to other California areas including Southern California. On December 13, 2013, State and federal agencies officially posted the public draft of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP), commencing a scheduled 120 -day public comment period. That period was extended to June 13, 2014. The BDCP consists of two documents. The first document is the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) that reviews 16 potential water conveyance /ecosystem alternatives to improve conditions in the Sacramento -San Joaquin Delta and identifies the preferred alternative. The second is a habitat restoration plan that details 22 conservation measures, and proposes governance and finance strategies. EIS Preferred Alternative Fifteen potential water conveyance /ecosystem alternatives and a no- action alternative were evaluated in the EIS. The preferred alternative is the construction of a new conveyance system with three intakes and twin tunnels for a combined 9,000- cubic - feet -per- second (cfs) capacity. The alternative also includes approximately 153,000 acres of restored and protected habitat with numerous measures to reduce other environmental stressors. Bay Delta Conservation Plan The BDCP details 22 proposed conservation measures, including a conveyance improvements measure. The plan details more than 200 biological goals and objectives that include monitoring and improving the health of the Bay Delta Estuary over time. The plan also details the governance structure of the BDCP, including the proposed role of Metropolitan Water District of Southern 55B -1 BDCP Support- Resolution No. 2014 -xxx June 3, 2014 Page 2 of 2 California (MWD) and other participating water agencies as permittees. Most importantly, for MWD and member agencies like the City of Santa Ana, the BDCP finds that the preferred alternative has benefits exceeding costs, improves the region's water supply reliability, and protects and restores important habitats and ecosystems. Benefits to Santa Ana Any plan which helps to ensure water reliability including water imports to Southern California will help our basin. As a member agency of MWD, the City of Santa Ana supports the BDCP preferred alternative for a conveyance project that will assure the delivery of 9,000 cfs of water to Central and Southern California. The EIS and the BDCP will achieve the following six desired benchmarks, as determined by the MWD and its member agencies: 1. Provide water supply reliability to the region. 2. Improve the quality of drinking water. 3. Allow flexible pumping operations in a dynamic fishery environment. 4. Enhance the Delta ecosystem. 5. Reduce seismic risk. 6. Reduce climate change risks. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT There is no environmental impact associated with this action. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact associated with this action. Edwin "William" Ghlvez, P.E. Interim Executive Director Public Works Agency EG /NS Exhibit: 1. Resolution No. 2014 -xxx 55B -2 Jxs 6/3/2014 RESOLUTION NO.2014 -XXX RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA CALLING FOR SUPPORT OF THE BAY DELTA CONSERVATION PLAN FOR RELIABLE WATER SUPPLIES AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION WHEREAS, water supplies from Northern California that move across the Sacramento -San Joaquin Delta are vital to the economy of California, serving 25 million people from the Bay Area to the Mexican border and agriculture throughout the Central Valley; and WHEREAS, the Delta is the 550,000 -acre estuary where the rivers of the Sierra Nevada merge before heading west to San Francisco Bay; and WHEREAS, the Delta is in a state of environmental stress due to the loss of wetlands habitat, invasive species, pesticide runoff, a depletion of native food supplies, pumping operations and other factors; and WHEREAS, the decline in the Delta's health threatens this unique environment and water supplies that are key to the California economy; and WHEREAS, the Delta's levees are not engineered to protect the State's water supply distribution system from a major earthquake, and multiple levee failures could disrupt water deliveries and the state economy for up to three years; and WHEREAS, State and Federal agencies, via the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) process, have worked for years towards developing a comprehensive package of ecosystem and water system improvements to address both current conflicts in the Delta and long -term threats to the State's water supplies; and WHEREAS, BDCP represents an effort to comply with State and Federal environmental laws for 50 years through a cooperative effort to reverse the Delta's decline; and WHEREAS, the failure to take decisive actions would be an unacceptable risk to the environment of the Delta and the economy of California; and WHEREAS, on December 13, 2013, the State released a public draft BDCP and its environmental impact statement/report; and Resolution No. 2014 -xxx Page 1 of 3 55B -3 WHEREAS, the State's preferred alternative is the most promising plan developed to date to solve Delta challenges and resolve decades of conflicts between agricultural, urban and environmental water users with a comprehensive solution that achieves California's Co -Equal goals of a reliable water supply and a restored Delta ecosystem; and WHEREAS, the City Council is supportive of the State's preferred Alternative Number 4 which calls for a proposed twin - tunnel conveyance system that isolates and protects drinking water supplies and helps restore natural flow patterns in the Delta for the benefit of native species as well as the complementary habitat restoration, water quality and predator control measures outlined in the BDCP. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Santa Ana urges the state to move forward with the draft BDCP, specifically with support for Alternative Number 4, the State's preferred alternative, and focus efforts on resolving those remaining issues needed to provide assurances that the plan will achieve California's co -equal goals of water supply reliability and ecosystem restoration in a cost effective manner. ADOPTED this _day of 2014. APPROVED AS TO FORM: Sonia R. Carvalho, City Attorney By: Jose Sandoval Chief Assistant City Attorney Miguel A. Pulido Mayor 55B -4 Resolution No. 2014 -xxx Page 2 of 3 AYES: Councilmembers: NOES: Councilmembers: ABSTAIN: Councilmembers: NOT PRESENT: Councilmembers: CERTIFICATION OF ATTESTATION AND ORIGINALITY I, MARIA D. HUIZAR, Clerk of Council, do hereby attest to and certify the attached Resolution No. 2114 -XXX to be an original resolution adopted by the City Council of the City of Santa Ana on Date: 55B -5 Maria D. Huizar Clerk of Council City of Santa Ana Resolution No. 2014 -xxx Page 3 of 3 55B -6