Title
Consider amending the Nacimiento Dam Operation Policy
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Directors:
Amend the Nacimiento Dam Operation Policy
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The Nacimiento Dam Operation Policy Manual (Policy) was first adopted in 1996 and last amended on April 24, 2000. Beginning in 2010, significant changes in reservoir operations have been implemented as a result of the construction of the Salinas Valley Water Project (SVWP). This version of the Policy (Attachment 1) incorporates such changes, including a Nacimiento Dam rule curve change and reoperation of the Nacimiento Dam and Reservoir in accordance with the SVWP Biological Opinion and water rights license requirements. This Policy does not reflect new policy but rather consolidates all existing operational procedures, permits, and requirements into a single concise report.
The process to draft this Policy began in the fall of 2015 when the Reservoir Operations Advisory Committee recommended forming a subcommittee to update the operation policies for Nacimiento and San Antonio dams. The subcommittee was made up of eight members and held eight meetings from December 2015 to August 2017. During this period, Monterey County Water Resources Agency (Agency) staff received input from subcommittee members (Attachment 2). Staff carefully considered the comments received and sought advice from legal counsel regarding such comments. As a result, most of the comments received from the subcommittee were incorporated in the Policy with the exception of the following:
* Acknowledgement that water rights of Salinas Valley property owners are senior to Agency water rights. It should be noted that the purpose of the Policy is to guide the Agency in operating the Nacimiento Dam consistent with its water rights. In compliance with the Agency water rights, operations described in the Policy include the capture of water belonging to the Agen...
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