Title
Receive a status report on the Interlake Tunnel and Spillway Modification Projects ("Project").
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Directors:
Receive a status report on the Interlake Tunnel and Spillway Modification Projects ("Project").
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Project development financing has been secured with $10 million of State grant funding through the Department of Water Resources (DWR). DWR executed the Grant Agreement on February 16, 2017; reimbursable costs to date are $1,242,982.
The project schedule has experienced further delays of approximately 6 months due to:
* Delays in the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) development of an operational baseline model from the County's recently completed and calibrated integrated groundwater surface water model. The model is critical in evaluating the hydrologic and hydrogeologic benefits of the Project and is necessary for the completion of the Draft EIR.
* Failure to reach a Memorandum of Understanding with California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) by August 31, 2017.
* Landowners' resistance to granting access to geotechnical borehole sites.
Accordingly, the forecast for the Proposition 218 election has moved to February 2019 from November 2018.
Status of Major Elements/Issues
Biological and cultural field surveys for sites impacted by the Project have been completed and preparation of a Draft Administrative EIR is underway. Completion of the Draft EIR is dependent upon finalizing the Project Description which includes requires hydrologic and hydrogeologic modeling and analysis of design and operational alternatives. The Draft EIR is scheduled for public review and comment in January 2018.
Federal Regulatory Permitting
Construction of the Project will require a permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and that process includes Section 7 consultation under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for construction effects that may...
Click here for full text