HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/06/2001, L1 - NORTH COUNTY WATER RESOURCES FORUM MEETING, MARCH 1, 2001 MEETING AGENDA
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Agenda: Match 6, 2001 ;ClORIG 0 r -CHF
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To: Council CoIles s O UTIL OIR
From: Ken Schwartz O PERS DIR
Re: North County er Resources Foram meeting, March 1, 2001
This meeting was held at the Templeton Community Services District Office in
Templeton from 5:00pm to 6:30pm.
Two brief reports were made: (1) Susan Litteral, County Engineering,reported that the
Nacimiento EIR was progressing, albeit slowly,to a scheduled September completion
date;and(2)John Moss reported no new developments regarding the Salinas dam
Expansion project.
The major portion ofthe meeting was devoted to the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin
Study—Completion of Task 1 draft. Consultants Paul Sorensen of Furgo West and Tim
Cleath of Tim Cleath and Associates,made a joint presentation illustrating the data that
they had collected regarding existing private wells, County monitoring wells, and well
data where-available(depth, casing size,-pumping yields,water quality, etc.). This data is
needed to provide a`picture"of the underground basin and how it performs over time
and under differing weather conditions.
A picture is slowly evolving,but there is some infill data yet to be accessed and analyzed.
Many wells exist in the western side ofthe basin, a modest number in the mid-
area but very few at the eastern edge. Even so,the consultants feel that the data they
have is beginning to-give definition to the basin.-Their-plan is to in some missing data
points and then to ".cut"several north and south sections and several east and west
sections which will then provide the final phy4W description ofthe basin, including sub-
basins, water holding capacities,water flows, etc. Pumping practices where they can be
obtained-from well logs will also give a picture of what is continuing to happen as north
county agriculture moves from dry farming to irrigated farming—from cattle and grain to
grapes.
Why is this study so important to the north county cities and to us?
Underground water is cheap in comparison to dams and aqueducts. If Paso Robles,
Templeton and-Atascadero find-that this basincan furnish water for their build-out
populations while accommodating an expanding irrigated agriculture,then there will be
-no need for them to participate in the Nacimiento project. They will opt out and rely on
ground water leaving SLO with the choice of going `Naci"alone(very expensive)or
going with the raising ofthe Salinas Dam(very controversial)..
RECEIVED
MAR 0 5 1001
SLO CITY COUNCIL