Title
Consider adopting a release schedule for Nacimiento and San Antonio reservoirs for 2019
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Monterey County Water Resources Agency Board of Directors:
Adopt a release schedule for Nacimiento and San Antonio reservoirs for 2019.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
This year marks the ten-year anniversary of the startup of the Salinas River Diversion Facility (SRDF). The Monterey County Water Resources Agency (Agency) operated the SRDF for four consecutive seasons from 2010 through 2013 before drought conditions and emergency operations of Nacimiento and San Antonio reservoirs resulted in reservoir level conditions that did not allow the operation of the SRDF from 2014 through 2016. Reservoir levels increased significantly during the 2016-2017 winter allowing the Agency to make releases to operate the SRDF during 2017. The limited inflow during the 2017-2018 winter and carryover storage from the previous winter allowed the Agency to operate again in 2018. Mother nature was kind to us during the 2018-2019 winter, providing significant Nacimiento Reservoir inflow and sufficient combined reservoir storage to make reservoir release with the objective of maintaining flows necessary to support groundwater recharge and diversion requirements of the SRDF from April to October in 2019.
The proposed 2019 release schedule also meets the operational requirements found in the Salinas Valley Water Project NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Biological Opinion and in the Nacimiento River and San Antonio River water rights held by the Agency.
At its March 28, 2019 monthly meeting, the Reservoir Operations Advisory Committee recommended that the Agency Board of Directors consider adopting the attached release schedule for Nacimiento and San Antonio reservoirs for 2019.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None
FINANCING:
None
Prepared by: Brent Buche, Deputy General Manager, (831) 755-4860
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