Tuesday, July 18, 2017
Open Board of Directors Meeting
San Bernardino Community College District
114 S. Del Rosa Drive
San Bernardino, CA 92408
Minutes
Present: Patti Arlt, Deborah Barmack, Carole Beswick, Tom Brickley, Ann Bryan, Ken Coate, Louis Goodwin, Dick Hart, Scott Hofferber, Mark Kaenel, Lowell King, Doug Kleam, Pam Langford, Bill Lemann, John Mirau, Roman Nava, Cid Pinedo, Brian Reider, Michael Rivera, Kristine Scott, Paul Shimoff and Hassan Webb.
Guests: Jeff Bleich, Sandra Espadas, Adam Eventov, Boris Medzhibovsky and Arnold San Miguel.
Announcements: 1) The SBCTA Board affirmed the final environmental document for the I-10 Express Lanes at their meeting on Wednesday, July 12, 2017. 2) The summer gathering will be re-scheduled. 3) Congratulations were expressed to Kristine Scott and Hassan Webb for successfully completing the IEEP Regional Leadership Academy.
M/S/P: Minutes from July 11, 2017
Patti Arlt introduced Randy Record, Chairman, Metropolitan Water District.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a state-established cooperative of 26 member agencies (cities and public water agencies) that serve some 19 million people in 6 counties. They import water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies and they help their members develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage and resource management to reduce regional demands.
Some 30% of the water from our taps in Southern California come from Northern California watersheds and flow through the Sacramento-San Juaquin Delta. The current system was not designed for today’s needs and has deteriorated over time. The system relies on levees that are vulnerable to earthquakes, floods and rising sea levels under climate change. Pumping restrictions and environmental conditions in the Sacramento-San Juaquin Delta have greatly reduced water reliability and state and federal agencies want to modernize this system through the California Water Fix project.
Reliability is the goal of the California Water Fix project, which is the product of over 10 years of review, planning, scientific & environmental analysis as well as extensive public comment. The District has greatly improved water storage, recycling and water re-charge with substantial investments which has been critical as the Districts designated 4% of water from the Sierras fluctuates dramatically. The project will not provide more water to the District but will create reliability.
The California Water Fix proposes construction of three new water intakes located farther away from endangered species habitats. Two 40-foot wide tunnels some 150 feet below ground would carry diverted water by gravity under the Delta to pumping facilities south of the estuary.
Water would be lifted into canals that flow several hundred miles through the state and as far south as San Diego. The project addresses these main concerns:
Big Storms
- A modernized system could capture enough water to refill reservoirs after big Sierra storms, providing flexibility and reducing conflicts with fish such as salmon
The Big One
- New tunnel pipelines are a safeguard against a major earthquake collapsing Delta levees, which could shut off water deliveries to 25 million people, farms and businesses.
Drought
- Nearly all water stored in Southern California for drought and emergency needs comes from Northern California or the Colorado River.
Groundwater
- This is Southern California’s largest local water source and is mainly replenished by imported supplies from Northern California
Quality
- Sierra snowmelt is pure enough to recycle again and again in Southern California, promoting more recycling projects in the region’s future.
Conservation continues to be essential, as is developing local supplies, to help offset imported supply limitations, avoid system costs and meet the demand of our growing population. There is no single solution to California’s many water challenges but the California Water Fix fits and complements this broader plan.
A Q & A period followed
Meeting adjourned at 8:28 a.m.