Cachuma Project Agreements Water Supply and Long Range Planning - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Cachuma Project Agreements

Water Supply and Long Range Planning Committee July 16, 2020

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• Cachuma Project Background
• Cachuma Master Contract
• COMB Transfer of O&M Agreement
• CCWA and Warren Act Contract
• SWRCB Water Rights Order
• Federal Biological Opinion

Overview

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• Constructed in the early 1950’s to provided reliable water supplies to the

Santa Barbara County South Coast

• Main source of supply for Santa Barbara County South Coast
• Serves as storage facility for imported State Water Project water
• District entitlement is 9,322 acre feet per year (AFY)
• Water provided pursuant to a Master Contract between USBR and the Santa

Barbara County Water Agency (SBCWA) (1996)

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Cachuma Project Background

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Cachuma Project Contracts

• Cachuma Master Contract (USBR‐SBCWA)

EXPIRES: September 30, 2020

• Cachuma Water Supply Agreements between SBCWA and each

Cachuma Member Unit EXPIRES: September 30, 2020

• Transfer of O&M Agreement (USBR‐COMB) related to maintenance
• f Cachuma Project facilities and South Coast Conduit

EXPIRES: July 20, 2020

• Warren Act Contract (USBR‐State) for conveyance and storage of

imported State Water in Lake Cachuma EXPIRES: July 25, 2020

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Cachuma Master Contract

Cachuma Master Contract

• USBR to make available up to 25,714 acre‐feet (AF)

per year of Project water for the benefit of the five Cachuma Member Units (MUs)

• Santa Barbara County Water Agency (SBCWA) is the

contractor under the Master Contact.

• Renewed in 1996 for a 25‐year term
• Expires September 30, 2020

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Cachuma Master Contract Discussions to Date

• 11‐18‐2016: SBCWA initiates discussions with USBR regarding contract renewal
• Late 2016/early 2017, SBCWA and Cachuma MUs (including GWD staff) meet

multiple times regarding contract renewal

• 5‐2‐17: SBCWA sends formal request to USBR to renew contract through 2045
• May–August 2017: Three “Technical Sessions” held by USBR with MUs to discuss

the contracting process and formulate the “Basis of Negotiation”

• Neither the District nor the other MUs have received any substantive status

updates on the contract or the proposed terms since the 2017 Technical Sessions

• 6‐10‐2020: USBR recognizes there is insufficient time to negotiate a long‐term

renewal, instead proposes simple contract extension

• 7‐13‐2020: Negotiation Sessions scheduled with USBR, SBCWA, and MUs

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Cachuma Master Contract Extension

• Three‐year contract extension instead of a long‐term

renewal

• USBR distributed a draft contract extension

document on July 7, 2020

• USBR responsible for conducting the required

environmental review needed to approve the contract

• SBCWA must negotiate and finalize the sub‐contract

Water Supply Agreements with the MUs

• SBCWA has stated its intention to simply extend the

current sub‐contracts, contingent on County Board of Supervisors approval

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Cachuma Master Contract Administration

• USBR introduced a new potential concern about the amount of “carryover

water” stored in Cachuma in a given year

• New allocation potentially reduced based upon proportionate amounts of

carryover in the lake

• The MUs have continued to engage USBR on this issue
• On June 25, 2020, the MUs submitted their joint allocation request for a

full allocation for WY 2020‐21

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COMB Transfer of O&M Agreement

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COMB Transfer of O&M Agreement

• Original Agreement executed in

1956, renewed in 2003

• Transferred responsibility to
• perate, repair and maintain

Cachuma Project facilities from USBR to COMB

• COMB operates and maintains the

intake tower, South Coast Conduit pipeline, flow control valves, meters and instrumentation at control stations and turnouts along the South Coast Conduit

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COMB Transfer of O&M Agreement

• USBR has indicated a simple three‐year

extension of the existing 2003 O&M Agreement will be forthcoming

• USBR has set a separate negotiation session

with COMB and its Member Agencies for July 20, 2020

• Contract approval requirements:
• USBR environmental review
• Approval by the COMB Board of Directors

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Central Coast Water Authority & Warren Act Contract

CCWA & Warren Act Contract

• Storage of non‐federal water in a federal water project requires a

Warren Act contract

• Storage of water in Cachuma is a vital element of South Coast agencies’

water supply management, and is key during droughts

• Central Coast Water Authority’s (CCWA) contract expires July 25, 2020

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CCWA and Warren Act Contract

• On June 16, 2020, CCWA received

a draft proposed Warren Act contract

• Draft proposed Temporary

Contract provided by USBR significantly deviates from the prior agreement

• Draft Contract eliminates CCWA’s

ability to store water in Cachuma

• CCWA pursuing simple extension
• f prior terms in old agreement

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State Water Resources Control Board Water Rights Order

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SWRCB Water Rights Order

• Water Rights Order 2019‐0148 approved on September 17, 2019
• Cachuma Conservation Release Board (CCRB) represents the District’s interests in

the state water rights forum.

• USBR must comply with the updated Water Rights Order in Master Contract
• renewal. Further work on required plans will occur once the Master Contract

terms are understood.

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Biological Opinion & Reconsultation

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Biological Opinion Summary

• National Marine Fisheries

Service (NMFS) began Federal Endangered Species Act consultation for steelhead as part of the Cachuma Project

• perations
• In 2000, NMFS issues the

currently applicable Biological Opinion (BiOp)

• Dictates releases from the Lake, timing and operational restrictions
• Significantly reduced the amount of water available in Cachuma for allocation to

Member Units

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Biological Opinion Reconsultation

• The Master Contract is currently implemented

in accordance with the directives contained in the 2000 Biological Opinion

• The 2016 (updated) draft Biological Opinion

issued by NMFS would require further large releases from the dam for downstream habitat

• Consultation was terminated after USBR sent

NMFS a new proposed revised action

• Currently, consultation is informal while USBR

provides additional information to NMFS

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Next Steps

• July 13, 2020: Final negotiation session with USBR on the Master Contract
• Draft contract extension expected from USBR ahead of meeting
• July 20, 2020: Separate USBR‐COMB negotiation session regarding Transfer
• f O&M Agreement
• CCWA continues to work with USBR to obtain a simple extension to the

existing Warren Act Contract

• CCRB continues to assist USBR in formulating its plans to comply with the

SWRCB Water Rights requirements

• Further development of the required plans will occur when the terms of

the contract extension are known

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Recommendation

Receive an update and presentation on contract renewals for the Cachuma Project, and provide further direction to staff as appropriate, including forwarding to the Board of Directors.