Title
1. Consider finding that:
a. Emergency repairs are necessary to maintain service essential to the public health, safety or welfare at the Salinas River Lagoon slide gate levee pursuant CEQA Guideline 15269(b); and
b. Specific actions are necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency at the Salinas River Lagoon slide gate levee pursuant CEQA Guideline 15269(c).
2. Authorizing the Interim General Manager to enter into an Agreement, subject to review and approval of County Counsel, with a California Class A General Engineering Contractor for an amount not to exceed $500,000, for emergency repair and protection of the Salinas River Lagoon slide gate levee.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Directors:
1. Finding that:
a. Emergency repairs are necessary to maintain service essential to the public health, safety or welfare at the Salinas River Lagoon slide gate levee pursuant CEQA Guideline 15269(b); and
b. Specific actions are necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency at the Salinas River Lagoon slide gate levee pursuant CEQA Guideline 15269(c).
2. Authorizing the Interim General Manager to enter into an Agreement, subject to review and approval of County Counsel, with a California Class A General Engineering Contractor for an amount not to exceed $500,000, for emergency repair and protection of the Salinas River Lagoon slide gate levee.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The Salinas River Lagoon slide gate (Lagoon) levee was severely eroded, and its function compromised during January 2023 storms and requires emergency protective measures to prevent levee failure. With the potential for additional large storm events this winter, additional high Salinas River flows, high tides, and/or large storm surges could continue to damage the levee to the point of failure. Levee failure would put numerous properties and infrastructure facilities at risk of flooding. Property at risk due to flooding include residences, businesses, and agricultural lands adjacent to Molera Road, in Moss Landing, in Castroville, and to the farmland areas southeast of Castroville. Infrastructure at risk due to flooding include culverts, bridges, and tide gates in the Old Salinas River channel, Tembladero, Merritt, and Espinosa slough/creek areas.
The Lagoon levee erosion is located in several sections: the farmland side of the entire north-south portion of levee, the farmland side of several sections on the east-west running portion of the levee, and several sections on both the farmland and seaward sides of the levee adjacent to the slide gate. If any of these portions were subject to additional high water, tidal wave action, and/or storm surges, levee failure could occur. Reconstruction of the levee embankment and placement of rock slope protection would stabilize the levee and prevent additional erosion and failure.
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15269 (b) and (c) exempt projects that consist of:
(b) Emergency repairs to publicly or privately owned service facilities necessary to maintain service essential to the public health, safety or welfare. Emergency repairs include those that require a reasonable amount of planning to address an anticipated emergency.
(c) Specific actions necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency. This does not include long-term projects undertaken for the purpose of preventing or mitigating a situation that has a low probability of occurrence in the short-term, but this exclusion does not apply (i) if the anticipated period of time to conduct an environmental review of such a long-term project would create a risk to public health, safety or welfare, or (ii) if activities (such as fire or catastrophic risk mitigation or modifications to improve facility integrity) are proposed for existing facilities in response to an emergency at a similar existing facility.
Proceeding with emergency repair and protective measures for the Salinas River Lagoon slide gate levee will provide near term erosion protection on the landward side of the levee, preventing erosion advancement toward the seaward side of the levee which could lead to levee failure. These actions would prevent a levee failure emergency and maintain essential levee function.
Agency staff has engaged ENGEO Incorporated to provide engineering design services through an Emergency Purchase Order in the amount of $50,000, within General Manager approval authority. Once a design is finalized and upon approval of these actions, receipt of necessary permits, and confirmation of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement of expenses and construction contracting requirements, California Class A General Engineering Contractor will provide materials and labor to reconstruct the levee.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County of Monterey (short-term loan agreement); FEMA (reimbursement and contracting requirements); U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Regional General Permit 5 for Repair and Protection Activities in Emergency Situations); Regional Water Quality Control Board (Emergency Project Application).
FINANCING:
On January 31, 2023, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors approved a short-term cash advance of $7 million for storm related expenses and repairs. Reimbursement of Agency expenses is being pursued from FEMA. Coordination with FEMA is ongoing as of this writing, and further details regarding FEMA reimbursement will be presented at the Board meeting.
Prepared by: Alex Henson, Associate Water Resources Engineer, (831) 755-4874
Approved by: _________________________________________________
Lew Bauman, Interim General Manager, (831) 755-4860
Attachments:
1. Board Order