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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/09/77 A G,E N D A WATER BOAP/] - CITY OF BAKERSFIELD ~'~DNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1977 .4:00 P.M. Call Meeting to order Roll Call - Board Members: Roqers, Chairman; Barton, Bergen, Hoagland, Ratty 1. Approve minutes of meeting of October 5, 1977. 2. Adopt Negative Declaration relative to Agreement with Olcese Water District. 3. City of Bakersfield - Olcese Water District Agreement. - BOARD TO APPROVE AGREE~.~NT 4. Road Easement to "First Point of Measurement in the Kern River" granted to City of Bakersfield by Tenneco Realty Development Company. BOARD TO ACCEPT EASEMENT 5. Road Easement granted to City of Bakersfield by Southern Pacific Transportation Company for roadway paralleling and crossing under railroad near Carrier Canal crossing. (Drawing A-12534, Sheet No. 127).. BOARD TO ACCEPT EASEMENT ~ ~,.~ 6. City of Bakersfield grants right-of-way to Pacific Gas and Electric Company over City property to serve electricity to City Well No. 9 (Quailwood), - BOARD TO GRANT R/GHT-OF-WAY A}]D AUTHORIZE CHAI~.N 7. Staff requests Board authorization to retain Consulting Engineer Thomas M. Stetson to prepare an engineering study relative to City charging higher rates for domestic water served outside City boundaries. BOARD TO DETErmINE ACTION 8. Equipment Rental Agreements between City and North Kern Water Storage District and between City' and Kern Delta Water District. - BOAP~ APPROVE AGREEMENTS AND AUTHORIZE CHAIRM3~N TO SIGN 9. Waste Dischargel' ~. FOR, IDISCUSSION ~MI NUTE S WATER' BOARD - CITY OF BAKERSFIELD WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1977 4:20 P.M. The meeting was called to order by Vice-Chairman Ratty in the City Hall Caucus Room. The Secretary called the roll as follows: Present: Bergen, Hoagland, Ratty, (Rogers arrived at 4:35 PoM ) ~sent: Barton ' Bob Bellue, District Engineer, Kern County Water Agency; George Nickel, President, Nickel Enterprises; Paul Leland, Engineer, Nickel Enterprises; and Mel Tooker, Principal Planner, City of Bakersfield; also, attended the meeting. The minutes for the meeting of October 5, 1977, were approved as presented. The Negative Declaration as to environmental impact relative to the Agree- ment with Olcese Water District was presented to the Board. A motion was made by Mr. Hoagland that the Board adopt the Nagative Declaration. The motion was carried unanimously. The Agreement between Olcese Water District and the City of Bakersfield was brought before the Board. Mr. Hoagland made a motion that the Agree- ment be adopted by the Water Board and the Chairman or Vice-Chairman be authorized to sign. The motion was carried and the Secretary was instruct- ed to have the Agreement recorded. The Road Easement to "First Point of Measurement in the Kern River" granted to the City of Bakersfield by Tenneco Realty Development Company was pre- sented to the Board. Mr. Chafin gave a brief explanation of the easement stating that it would give the City of Bakersfield a right of entry to First Point of Measurement. Upon motion by Mr. Bergen the Board accepted the easement for the City of Bakersfield. The Road Easement granted to the City of Bakersfield by Southern Pacific Transportation Company for roadway paralleling and crossing under the railroad near the Carrier Canal Crossing (Drawing A-12534, Sheet No. 127) was presented to the Board for acceptance. Mr. Chafin explained that this easement is necessary to maintain the Canal from 24th Street to Kern River Canal and Calloway maintenance area of the Carrier Canal. Mr. Bergen made a motion that the Board accept the easement for the City of Bakersfield. The motion was carried. A letter from Pacific Gas and Electric Company along with their right-of way document was presented to the Board by Mr. Blakemore. The City of Bakersfield grants a right-of-way to Pacific Gas and Electric Company over City property to serve electricity to City Well No. 9 (Quailwood) in SW¼ ~Section 33, Township 29 South, Range 27 East, Mount Diablo Base & Meridiam. Mr. Blakemore informed the Board that this is a new domestic well adjacent to Quailwood Drive and this right-of-way is for construction, maintenance, etc. of underground electric facilities to serve the City well. Also, the City agrees not to construct any building or structure or drill any well within the right-of,way. A motion was made by Mr. Bergen to grant the easement and to authorize the Chairman to sign. The motion was carried. Water Manager Blakemore recommended that Consulting Engineer Thomas M. Stetson be directed to prepare an engineering study regarding the City charging higher rates for domestic water served outside City boundaries. Mr. Hoagland informed the Board that it is necessary to conduct this study prior to setting any rates. Mr. Bergen made a motion that we request Mr. Stetson to conduct the study. The motion was carried. '~,~ Equ~ipment Rental Agreements between City and North Kern Water Storage District and between City and Kern Delta Water District were presented to the Board for approval. Upon motion by Mr. Bergen the agreements were approved. The motion wa~ passed. Mr. Hoagland commented that this was an aid to other districts saving them money and at the same time it utilizes City equipmen~ and makes it economic to own the equipment needed to maintain our canals, Mr. Hoagland informed the Board that he and Mr. Bergen had met with the Board of Cawelo Water District on the matter of waste discharge. Mr. Hoagland stated that in a bad financial year such as this and a drought year we have sold certain amounts of our oil field discharge water to Cawelo Water District and they have numerous payments to make to the Kern County Water Agency and, also, to the City on their water contract. At this time Cawelo has suggested that they be allowed to defer their payment to us until such time that sufficient water is available to make up the'basic quantity contracted for,'which we were not able to furnish them this year. Our contract with Cawelof~ 20,000 acre feet states that if we deliver less than that amount in one year we will make up the balance the following year, or in later years when the water is available. We be'liev~ that in.'return for that they are not going'to dispute the'faCt that the oil field discharge water is not Kern River Water. Mr. Hoagland strong- ly urged that we defer their payment. Mr. Bergen suggested that we take the matter under consideration until we can obtain a specific formal re- quest from Cawelo. Mr. Hoagland informed the Board that we have nearly reached an accord with North Kern Water Storage District on the matter of oil field ~-ater discharge .and we. are s%iil working on' a-solution. Mr. Hoagland brought up the matter of excavations in the Kern River bed and informed Mr. Bellue of the Kern County Water Agency that the State Reclamation Board requires the City to pass an ordinance relative to excavation and other activities in the primary flood zone. Board member .Rogers entered the meeting at this time. Staff Comments. Mr. Blakemore presented a letter to the Board from Consulting Engineer Thomas M. Stetson stating that he has incorporated and changed the title of his firm to Stetson Engineers, Inc. Upon motion by Mr. Bergen the letter was received and placed on file. Board Comments Mr. Bergen informed the Board that earlier in the week he had met with Lee Froman, North Kern Water Storage District, regarding the district's concern about the Department of Interior ruling on the 160 acre limitation. There will be a hearing held on the subject Tuesday, November 15, 1977, at 9:00 A.M. in Fresno. Mr. Bergen suggested that Mr. Blakemore or someone from %he Department of Water represent the City at that meeting. Mr. Hoagland stated that relative to the 160 acre limitation a number of the districts along with the City of Bakersfield has urged the County to file an action against the Secretary of the Interior for the purpose of having them prepare an E.I.R. relative to the proposed regulations. Mr. Hoagland feels there is no question that this has just a terrifying eco- nomic impact on the City, County, and other districts. The County yes- terday authorized such a law suit, Mr. George Nickel, President of Nickel Enterprises addressed the Board saying that he was pleased to see the Agreement with Olcese Water"Dis= trict executed and that he felt it way going to be very 'constructive. In that connection he feels there is one thing that is not-in the agree- ment. Looking ahead to 1978, we would like very much to think that we are going to have a good water year on the Kern River, and if we should have a good year the Olcese Water District through its arrangements with -2- ~ Hacienda Water District and other suppliers of this water right that will be utilized to firm up water for the Rio Bravo annexation will have poten- tially a substantial quantity of water far in excess of the early need of the Rio Bravo annexation'. In the future the 14,000 acre annexation will require a lot of water for use in the annexation but in the interim period this of course will not be true. Then when the water right comes on stream the Olcese Water District will be able to make use of the 110,000 acre feet of storage in the reservoir that the Hacienda Water District has a right to, and after that to make the most beneficial use of that water he feels it would be highly desirable to make use of the City's spreading grounds to at least some extent~ however, there Will be exchanges of water made that may not require that, Mr, Nickel thinks that this is something we might initiate some thinking about. One thing he feels would be very popular with Tenneco, Rosedale~Rio Bravo and ID-4 would be to start building a water mound of some size that would not necessarily be drawn on right away, ~Fnen the lower river entitlement comes on stream, there should be a good size slug of water, maybe close to 100;000 acre feet and he thinks it Would be desirable to spread whatever the spreading grounds will take in excess of whatever City water there might be in a big water year, real- izing that in that agreement with the City the City has a priority. Mr. Hoagland asked that Mr. Nickel'put his comments and suggestions in written form and submit to the Water Board for study and evaluation. The second point Mr. Nickel brought before the Board was one that he had discussed with Mr. Hoagland during the formation of the agreement regard- ing the City's 2800 acres. He feels that some of our more efficient spread- ing could be done in the area up stream from the 2800 acres. Mr. Hoagland told the Board that between the Memorandum of Understanding and the formal agreement the City has acquired more land in the river bed from Chester Avenue downstream to the 2800 acres and Mr. Nickel had suggested that we include that land for spreading purposes within the original agreement. At that time Mr. Hoagland had thought that the matter should be further evaluated. Mr; Hoagland feels that we must arrive at some agreement rel- ative to conjuctive use of the river bed for spreading, because if we get more water than the river can take, who's water percolates and who's does not? In answer to Mr. Rogers question regarding the use of other lands such as Rosedale-Rio Bravo in high water times Mr. Nickel commented that as far as he knew Rosedale~Rio Bravo has done nothing physical to increase their spreading capacity. Mr. Rogers expressed his concern about the liability involved in case of flooding and suggested that we should be able to handle such a situation. Chafin stated that he felt that immediately we should begin engineer-~ studies to determine any physical work that is needed to fully utilize ~t~he groundwater recharge capabilities of our 2800 acres. Mr. Chafin, also, brought to the attention of the Board the grazing lease on the 2800 acres that should not be renewed. Mr. Bergen suggested that the staff make sure that_~this-laase_/s~not~_we~i~u~omati~a~l~y_~ Mr. Ber~ ~a~'~ ~'m~i°n--~~ ~f-get ~0g~her W~th Tom Ste~s°n prepare a study to fully utilize the water spreading capacity of the land k~hat is in control of the City. The motion was carried. Mr. Bellue informed the Board that he has drafted a paper on the Kern River during flood stage and how it may affect the Cross Valley Canal and he will gladly share this information with the City. Mr. Nickel told the Board that his Rio Bravo Ranch now has two very good water wells. These wells are about 2,000 feet deep and there are no water sands in the first 800 feet and the water temperature is very different from the temperature of the River water. He feels they can help the districts by discharging well water into the river and bringing it down to the ID~4 treatment plant for use there instead of a like amount of water that would come from the California Aqueduct through the Cross Valley Canal.- -3- M~Bellue commented that ID-4 is now carrying over some water into 1978 'and he is hopeful that the amount will end up around 10,000 acre feet although it is presently estimated to be about 8,000 acre feet. Mr. Nickel asked if they were going to spread any water in 1978 stating he felt there was a good chance they would. Mr. Bellue was not so optimistic informing the Board that Municipal & Industrial users now will take "cuts" share and share alike. Municipal & Industrial users got cut about ten percent so they had a very small cut compared to agriculture this year° The Kern County Water Agency wants river water in the treatment plant if possible because of its good quality and energy savings. Mr. Hoagland informed the Board that he had talked with L~on McDonough regarding the riparian rights survey he is conducting along a portion of the Kern River and he is .still working on the survey. Mr. Bellue commented that his main reason for expressing interest as to what Mr. Nickel has been ~l~i~-~ about is that. the agency would want to take water through the canals to the treatment plant and the City owns the canals they want to use. The Kern County Water Agency had in the past sent drafts and agreements for consideration to Mel Jans at Tenneco for use of the Calloway and Carrier Canals, and the river. Mr. Bellue and Mr. Nickel asked that they be called on Monday to be in- formed as to wheter or not there will be a board meeting on the following Wednesday and they, also, requested minutes of the meeting, There being no further business to come before the Board, the Vice-Chairman adjourned the meeting at 5:25 P.M. ~ihda H°s'tmyer, Secretary City of Bakersfield Water Board -4-