Notice of Proposition 204 Consistency Request

  • by BPC Staff
  • on May 16, 2013
  • 1 Comment

This is a message from the State Water Resources Control Board.

This message is to provide public notice and opportunity for public comment on a request by the Department of Water Resources (DWR) (attached) pursuant to Proposition 204 for a determination that projects proposed for funding under the proposition will assist in implementation of the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Bay-Delta Plan).  In 1996 California voters approved Proposition 204, the Safe, Clean, Reliable Water Supply Act, which provides $25 million in funding for projects under the “Sacramento Valley Water Management and Habitat Protection Subaccount” (subaccount). Statutory provisions governing the use of the subaccount are found at Water Code sections 78681 through 78681.10.   

Water Code section 78681.4 appropriates funds to DWR for programs or projects in the Sacramento Valley to assist in the implementation of the Bay-Delta Plan.  Section 78681.8 requires the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) to both provide adequate public review for proposed programs or projects and to determine that the programs or projects are consistent with the requirements of section 78681.4.

In February of 2013, the State Water Board received a request (attached) from DWR for a consistency determination pursuant to section 78681.8 to allow the Northern California Water Association (NCWA) to receive funds to  implement the following two projects, which are described in the attached documents:

1)    Preparation of a groundwater quality assessment report in support of efforts to evaluate the sources of salt and nitrate loads and the potential long-term effects of those loads on surface and groundwater resources throughout the Sacramento Valley. The estimated cost for this work is approximately $525,000.

2)    Development of an Agricultural Water Management Plan (AWMP) for the irrigation water suppliers along the Feather River. This regional AWMP will include an inventory of surface water and groundwater supplies and uses and, through water balance analyses, will characterize the interaction between irrigated lands, managed wetlands and underlying groundwater systems. The estimated cost for this work is approximately $536,000.

NCWA proposes redirecting funds previously allocated for projects under the subaccount to these new projects.  Accordingly, DWR is asking for a consistency determination from the State Water Board to allow DWR to redirect $1,061,000 of $2,100,000 previously awarded to NCWA in 2009 (State Water Board Resolution 2009-0079) to the revised projects.  The remaining $1,039,000 will be held in the Sacramento Valley Management and Habitat Protection Subaccount for future projects.

The Executive Director of the State Water Board will consider making a consistency determination after receipt of public comments.  Comments on the consistency determination must be submitted by 12 noon on May 24, 2013, by email to

bay-delta@waterboards.ca.gov.  Please include the subject line, “Comment Letter – NCWA Prop 204 Funding Request” in your email. If you have any questions concerning this matter, please contact Ryan Babb at rbabb@waterboards.ca.gov or (916) 341- 5410, or

Sonia Frazier at sfrazier@waterboards.ca.gov or (916) 341-5685.

 

Request for Consistency Determination- Sacramento Valley Water Management Project

NCWA Request for Funding

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