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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES NO 018-16RESOLUTION NO. 018- 1 6 RESOLUTION OF THE BAKERSFIELD CITY COUNCIL APPROVING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSERVATION ELEMENT TEXT OF THE METROPOLITAN BAKERSFIELD GENERAL PLAN. (CITY WIDE). WHEREAS, the City of Bakersfield is requesting a text amendment to the conservation element of the Metropolitan Bakersfield General Plan (the "Project "); and WHEREAS, the purpose of the Project is to comply with AB 162; and WHEREAS, AB 162 requires an update of the Conservation Element with the update of the Housing Element on or after January 1, 2009. The update requires adding information concerning stormwoter management and ground water recharge; and WHEREAS, the Project is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act; and WHEREAS, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on December 3, 2015, and approved Resolution No. 61 -15, which recommended that the City Council adopt the Project; and WHEREAS, the Clerk of the City Council set Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at 5:15 p.m. in the Council Chambers of City Hall, 1501 Truxtun Avenue, Bakersfield, California, as the time and place for a public hearing before the City Council to consider the approval of the amendment as required by Government Code Section 65355, and notice of the public hearing was given in the manner provided in Title 17 of the Bakersfield Municipal Code; and WHEREAS, the City Council continued the item to it's regular meeting of January 6, 2016 and then to January 20, 2016; and WHEREAS, during the hearing, the City Council considered all facts, testimony, and evidence concerning the staff report, Notice of Exemption for the project and the Planning Commission's deliberation, and action. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Bakersfield City Council as follows: 1. The recitals above are incorporated herein by this reference. 2. The Project is exempt for CEQA the State CEQA Guidelines and the City of Bakersfield CEQA Implementation Procedures have been followed. Staff determined that the proposal is exempt under CEQA Section 15306 of the CEQA Guidelines. 3. The Project is hereby approved as shown on the attachment. 4. The Project approved herein is hereby made part of the 1st amendment to the Conservation Element of the Metropolitan Bakersfield General Plan for calendar year 2015 in accordance with Government Code Section 65358 (b). 1 of 2 ,m cRU¢dqL 011-5 1 -a I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted by the Council of the City of Bakersfield at a regular meeting held on JAN 2 0 2016 , by the following vote: COUNCILMEMBER: RIVERA, MAXWELL, WEIR, SMITH, HAN ON, SULLIVAN, PAR IER NOES: COUNCILMEMBER: I'll" ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBER: NnYU.- ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBER: Wm0 APPROVED JAN 2 0 2016 ROBERTA GAFFORD, CM CITY CLERK and Ex Offici6 Clerk of the Council of the City of Bakersfield APPROVED as to form: VIRGINIA GENNARO City Atto y By: ANDREW HEGLUND Deputy City Attorney Exhibit A: Text Amendment S:\Metro General Plan\ Metropolitan Gen Plan -21)15 update \Res CC_GPA APPROVE_ Conten Elem Text Amend.docx 2of2 C'r!A- CHAPTER V - CONSERVATION / WATER RESOURCES D. WATER RESOURCES Water supply for the Kern County portion of the southern San Joaquin Valley, in which Bakersfield is located, is derived from four major sources —from groundwater, from the Kern River, from the State Water Project, and from the Federal Central Valley Project With a population of approximately 400,000, primarily concentrated in urban Bakersfield, the principal use of water in the study area is for irrigated agriculture. Water usage is expected to change to more urban needs within the planning period. Growth in Metropolitan Bakersfield has been substantial, nearly 80,000 more people live here than in 1990. This growth appears to be continuing at a rate of more than 600 people a month. Clearly the need to provide a stable water supply is important as the Southern San Joaquin Valley is a desert. Water Supply: There are two major sources for water locally, surface water and ground water. Surface water from the Kern River, California State Water Project or Central Valley Project must be treated prior to distribution. There are currently two surface water treatment plants in the metropolitan Bakersfield area. One faciTy is owned and operated by the Kern County Water Agency Improvement JID41. The plant treats supplies from the Kern River, California Water Project and Central Valley Project. The facility has a nominal peak capacity of 37.5 mgd. Treated water is distributed to customers inside and outside the City of Bakersfield boundaries. Each plant uses a combination of chemical addition, settling, filtration and disinfection to produce water of acceptable quality. - 129; of the Gity's total water supply. V -15 CHAPTER V - CONSERVATION / WATER RESOURCES Supplemental surface water supplies: The California State Water Project (SWP) is an extensive network of reservoirs, aqueducts, power plants and pump stations. The main function of the SWP is to manage water supply, storing surplus water during wet periods and distributing it to service areas throughout California. ID4 , a subdivision of the Kern County Water Agency is allocated approximately 93,000 acre feet per year of State Water Project surface water, treating 25,000 acre feet of such water for municipal and industrial use and wholesaling the treated water to retail water distribution agencies in the planning area. The remainder of this water is spread for groundwater replenishment. The Federal Central Valley Project provides irrigation water to the Central Valley through the Friant -Kern Canal System. It also contributes to urban water supply, water quality, flood control, power, recreation, and fish and wildlife enhancement throughout central and northern California. Many of its facilities were developed to be used jointly with the P Existing SWP facilities can supply approximately 2.4 million acre -feet of water each year. This system could ultimately be expanded to provide 4.2 million acre -feet per year. The City of Bakersfield has acquired water rights for Kern River flows for approximately 140,000 acre -feet per year. Together with appropriate storage rights in Isabella Reservoir; it currently sub - contracts to five irrigation districts the usage of a major portion of these rights, utilizing the balance for groundwater recharge in a city-owned 2,800 acre recharge area located on the Kern River. The future use of this water for municipal and industrial purposes is a key factor in the long -range adequacy of the urban water supply of the planning area. Groundwater Metropolitan Bakersfield rests above a series of aquifers. These aquifers are part of the larger groundwater basin called the Southern San Joaquin Groundwater Basin. The primary groundwater aquifer below Metropolitan Bakersfield is made up of unconsolidated sediments. These sediments are bordered by faults or mountain ridges to the east, west, and south. These geologic features serve as effective barriers to groundwater movement to or from these directions. The goal for water resource management is to reach a condition of "safe yield" for the groundwater basin. "Safe yield" occurs when the amount of water pumped from the basin is less than or equal to recharge into the basin. V -16 o V s = c, CHAPTER V - CONSERVATION /WATER RESOURCES Sources of recharge include: 1. Kern River channel 2. runoff 3. canalseepage 4. spreading/banking and 5. wastewater reclamation V -17 CHAPTER V - CONSERVATION / WATER RESOURCES V -18 FIGURE V -1 CHAPTER V - CONSERVATION / WATER RESOURCES OVERDRAFT In the worst case, if the groundwater overdraft is not controlled, the groundwater table ultimately could be lowered to a depth where it is uneconomic to pump for agricultural use. This would reduce withdrawals to balance recharge, achieving a stable groundwater level. Thus, groundwater would still be available for municipal and industrial use, which can afford to pay the higher pumping costs. In the best rase, additional imported water supplies could offset the overdraft and stabilize the groundwater level at present levels. Much of the planning area relies upon groundwater pumping for its water supply, including the rapidly developing area north of the Kern River. Groundwater quality problems have been identified in this area, particularly in the upper (unconfined) portions of the groundwater aquifer. Precipitation Runoff: Natural recharge is provided by precipitation runoff, which is defined as the amount of melted snow and rainwater measured after evaporation, evapotranspiration, and percolation. Runoff from the Sierra Nevada Mountains feeds the Kern River. Precipitation falling within the City of Bakersfield may not reach the Kern River. The City operates a series of drainage basins or "sumps ". Stormwater collected in these basins percolates to the groundwater or evapotranspirates. An average of 24,000 acre -feet of runoff occurs yearly. This contributes about 12% to the City of Bakersfield's total water supply. River and Canal Seepage: Canal seepage is defined as the amount of water that percolates into the ground from earthen canals. When added with seepage from the Kern River channel, it contributes more than half the City's water supply at an average of 54 %, or about 106,000 acre -feet each year. Reclaimed Water: Current and anticipated water shortages in the Southwestern United States have caused recycled wastewater, or reclaimed water, to be viewed as a valuable resource in water supply. Effluent produced from the City's two wastewater treatment plants is used in land application. Land application of reclaimed water to non - edible crops for irrigation is considered one of its most beneficial uses, providing both water and nutrients to enhance plant growth. The City of Bakersfield obtains about 10% of its total water supply from reclaimed water, at an average of 20,000 acre -feet per year. Spreading and banking: Percolation of water spread in open basins has been historically used in Kern County as a means of banking groundwater. The City owns and operates a 2800 Acre recharge V -19 CHAPTER V - CONSERVATION / WATER RESOURCES facility used to replenish water to the groundwater aquifers. It was included with the acquisition of Kern River water rights by the City. This site is 6 miles long and includes old river channels, overflow lands, and constructed spreading basins. It is located in and along the Kern River Channel approximately 8 miles wrest of Highway 99. The facility receives surface water supplies during years when surpluses exist. Sources include the Kam River, the Central Valley Project, and the State Water Project. The groundwater is recharged in this facility by using spreading basins, which look like small lakes surrounded by levees. The city began spreading water into the "2800 Acres" in 1978 through the use of one basin and a number of temporary embankments. Additional basins have since been constructed, increasing the number of acres available for water spreading and recharge. More that 1,000,000 acre -feet of water has been spread within the facility since its inception. The 2800 Acre recharge facility improves groundwater quality by recharging low salinity Kam River water into the aquifers. This dilutes the more saline irrigation water that percolates underground from adjacent farming operations. The underground reservoir can be pumped in dry years for agricultural and domestic use. In wet years, the reservoir can be built up. This allows water to be used without causing a groundwater overdraft problem. The facility is a valuable resource to the City in providing a reliable water supply during dry years. An average of 22,000 acre -feet of water is banked annually in the facility, which provides about 11% to the City's total water supply. Water Contamination In the northwest portion of the planning area (Rosedale), contaminants include nitrates and dissolved solids which may be indicative of the presence of other water contaminants such as boron, chloride, and possibly Dibromochloropropane (DBCP) and arsenic. The groundwater contamination data for the total study area may be found in various reports on file with the Kern County Water Agency. The northeast portion of the planning area has severely limited groundwater supplies. In 1999 there was the creation of a public/private partnership (City of Bakersfield and California Water Service) in northeast Bakersfield to construct a 40 million gallon a day water processing facility to serve Kern River water to new and existing urban developments. Other recent water planning supply projects: • Completion of a 10 million gallon storage tank that links high quality Kern River water into the drinking system. • Implemented a Water Management Plan to increase flows in the river channel through the Kam River Parkway to complement Parkway activities and increase groundwater aquifer recharge. V -20 CHAPTER V - CONSERVATION / WATER RESOURCES Enhanced the Reclaimed Water Program with the acquisition of additional farm land for the use of recycled water for irrigation of crops, decreasing the reliance of those lands on the shared groundwater basin. WATER RESOURCE ISSUES The following issues have been identified with respect to the area's water resources: a) The conservation and effective utilization of planning area water resources is complicated by multi - jurisdiction control over such resources. b) There are portions of the planning area which are water deficient and /or in which there are problems with water quality. C) Water transport, groundwater recharge needs, recreational usage of water resources, and the preservation and enhancement of water - related natural habitat all compete for the usage of scarce water resources in the planning area. GOALS AND POLICIES The following lists the goals and policies for each of the fundamental water resources issues of the planning area. At the end of each policy is listed in parenthesis a code beginning with the letter "I" followed by a number. This code refers to the pertinent implementing program. GOALS 1. Conserve and augment the available water resources of the planning area. 2. Assure that adequate groundwater resources remain available to the planning area. 3. Assure that adequate surface water supplies remain available to the planning area. 4. Continue cooperative planning for and implementation of programs and projects which will resolve water resource deficiencies and water quality problems. 5. Achieve a continuing balance between competing demands for water resource usage. 6. Maintain effective cooperative planning programs for water resource conservation and utilization in the planning area by involving all responsible water agencies in the planning process. V -21 CHAPTER V - CONSERVATION / WATER RESOURCES POLICIES Goals will be achieved through the following policies which set more specific directions and guide actions. 1. Develop and maintain facilities for groundwater recharge in the planning area (1 -1, 1 -2). 2. Minimize the loss of water which could otherwise be utilized for groundwater recharge purposes and benefit planning area groundwater aquifers from diversion to locations outside the area (1 -3). 3. Support programs to convey water from other than San Joaquin Valley basin sources to the planning area (1-4). 4. Support programs and policies which assure continuance or augmentation of Kern River surface water supplies (1-4). 5. Work towards resolving the problem of groundwater resource deficiencies in the upland portions of the planning area (1-5,1-6). 6. Protect planning area groundwater resources from further quality degradation (1 -7). 7. Provide substitute or supplemental water resources to areas already impacted by groundwater quality degradation by supporting facilities construction for surface water diversions (1 -8). 8. Consider each proposal for water resource usage within the context of total planning area needs and priorities- -major incremental water transport, groundwater recharge, flood control, recreational needs, riparian habitat preservation and conservation (1 -9). 9. Encourage and implement water conservation measures and programs (1 -11). The following are programs to be carried out by the City of Bakersfield and County of Kern to implement the goals and policies of the Conservation Element affecting water resources. This listing is not to limit the scope of implementation of this plan. State law requires that planning agencies recommend various methods of implementation of the general plan as part of their on -going duties. 1. Maintain, and utilize to the fullest extent possible, the City of Bakersfield's 2800 -Acre spreading facility and all other existing recharge facilities and V -22 CHAPTER V - CONSERVATION / WATER RESOURCES channels in or serving the planning area groundwater resource, including the Kern River channel through Bakersfield. 2. Support all financially feasible and practical groundwater projects, for the augmentation of groundwater recharge for the south San Joaquin Valley basin by the construction and operation of additional recharge facilities or the importation of additional water for basin recharge. 3. Oppose the diversion or exportation of water resources which would unduly diminish the availability of such resources for planning area groundwater recharge. 4. Provide necessary legislative advocacy and /or funding for the Planning area. 5. Initiate and /or support planning, financing, construction and implementation programs for supplying upland portions of the planning area having groundwater deficiencies with an adequate water supply. 6. Support the provision of adequate wastewater collection systems and treatment reclamation and disposal facilities which will prevent groundwater degradation by on -site wastewater systems. 7. Maintain industrial waste discharge regulation and monitoring programs which protect the planning area groundwater from contaminants. 8. Provide supplemental or replacement water supplies (such as the City's conjunctive use project) to metropolitan area distribution systems which utilize currently or potentially degraded water supplies. 9. Utilize the Kern River Plan Element as a policy guide for consideration of competing water resource needs, including water for municipal, industrial, direct irrigation, groundwater recharge, habitat restoration and mul i- purpose recreational uses. 10. Support additional water conservation measures and programs of benefit to the planning area. V -23