A Vision for the Future Presented to the North Bay Watershed Association by the Sonoma County Water Agency and Zone 7 Water Agency.

A Vision for the Future

Presented to the

North Bay Watershed Association

by the

Sonoma County Water Agency

and

Zone 7 Water Agency

Presentation overview

• Sonoma County Water Agency– Principal Environmental Specialist Bill Keene

• State efforts to protect California’s water resources

• Zone 7 Water Agency– Assistant General Manager Vince Wong

• Efforts to develop of an Integrated Regional Water Management Plan

• Beyond the IRWMP • Q & A

State efforts

Legislative activities

• Water bond propositions

• Prop 13, Prop 40, Prop 50, etc.

• Prop 50 – $3.4 billion alone

• Maximize the quality and quantity of water available to meet the state’s agricultural, domestic, industrial and environmental water needs

Bay Area response

• Northern and Coastal California Water Bond Coalition

• Day in the Capitol – March 2003(another planned for April 14, 2004)

• BAWAC – Bay Area Water Agencies Coalition

Vince Wong

Zone 7 Water Agency– Livermore-Amador Valley– Water treatment and distribution– Groundwater management– Flood control protection

Proposition 50, Chapter 8

Integrated Regional Water Management

Provides grants for projects and programs to improve• Water supply

• Water quality

• Flood protection

• Environmental enhancement

The Legislature desired to improve coordination in a region

• Greater efficiencies

• Overall cost savings to taxpayers

To qualify for a grant

• An integrated regional water management plan (IRWMP)

• At least three agencies

LOMU – Letter of Mutual Understandings

LOMU goals

1. Develop a comprehensive Integrated Regional Water Management Plan.

2. Foster coordination, collaboration and communication among Bay Area agencies.

LOMU goals, con’t.

3. Improve regional competitiveness for state and federal grant funding.

LOMU goals, con’t.

Integrated Regional Water Management Plan

Integrated Regional Water Management Plan

• BAWAC – Bay Area Water Agencies Coalition

• BACWA – Bay Area Clean Water Agencies (wastewater agencies)

• BASMAA – Bay Area Stormwater Management Agencies Association

• North Bay Watershed Association, Santa Clara Basin Watershed Management Initiative, and others

Other IRWMP participants

• ABAG

• California Bay-Delta Authority

• Environmental groups

• Business and industry

• Regulatory agencies

• Letters of support

Development of the IRWMP

• Four functional area Technical Coordinating Committees (TCCs)

• SF Bay TCC

Development of the IRWMP

Water supply

Water supply

• Reduce dependence on imported water

• Protect against drought– Conservation– Water recycling– New supplies through desalination

• Sea water

• Groundwater

• Other brackish waters

Water quality

Water quality – protect and improve through

• Watershed management

• Groundwater management

Flood protection

Flood protection

• Protect public and private property

• Stormwater capture, storage and treatment

• Groundwater recharge

• Protect and improve wildlife habitat

Environmental enhancement

Beaches

Wetlands, open space and watershed lands

Timeline

• Mid to late 2004 – Functional area IRWMPs (some work already begun)

• Late 2004 – Bay Area IRWMP

• 2005 – State issues requests for grant proposals

• 2005-2006 –Award grants

Other related activities

• Participating with state agencies in developing grant criteria– CWC – California Watershed Council

– DWR and State Board scoping meetings

– California Water Plan 5-year update – Bulletin 160

• Northern California Salinity Coalition– Preparing to qualify Bay Area projects for Prop 50,

Chapter 6, and other funding

Bill Keene

Sonoma County Water Agency

A further look into the future

Proposal to designate the Bay Area as a National Water Resources Management Area

Two examples . . .

Chesapeake Bay

Florida Everglades

Value of a federal designation

• Bay Area on par with other federally designated areas

• Funding authorization for ecosystem protection and restoration efforts

• Federal funding

Specific benefits of designation

• Preserve a national treasure

• Protect critical Bay habitat

• Increase water supply reliability, protect water quality, etc.

Benefits, con’t.

• Protect natural resources

• Preserve, enhance, and speed economic recovery

Conclusion

• Bay Area agencies are working together to address the many challenges of water resources management

• Developing an IRWMP• Protecting the environmental gem of the Bay

and its surrounding areas• Seeking designation as a National Water

Resources Management Area for funding assistance

Questions or comments?