HomeMy WebLinkAbout07/12/2001, 1 - 2001 WATER RESOURCES STATUS REPORT counat July 12 2001
agenda RepoRt
CITY OF SAN LUIS O B I S P O
FROM: John Moss, Utilities Director
Prepared Byt Gary W. Henderson,Water Division Manager 4"
SUBJECT: 2001 WATER RESOURCES STATUS REPORT
CAO RECOMMENDATION
1.) Receive and file report.
2.) Confirm current Nacimiento Project requested allocation of 3,380 acre feet per year.
DISCUSSION
The purpose of the annual "Water Resources Status Report" (WRSR) is to provide an overview of
various aspects of the City's water supplies. The attached report discusses four major topics: 1.)
Existing Water Supply Status, 2.) Multi-Source Water Supply Projects, 3.) Water Conservation
Program,and 4.)Projected Water Supply Situation.
Report Summa!y
Existing Water Supply Status
The rainfall for 2000/01 was slightly above average for this area. The City's combined total water
storage, above minimum pool,in Salinas and Whale Rock Reservoirs is 43,125 acre feet(as of May
1, 2001) which is 100% of the maximum City available storage. Groundwater production for 2000
was 266 acre feet.
The City's per capita water demand has increased from the low drought period (1991) use of 86
gallons per capita per day (gpcd) to 123 gpcd for 2000. This past year's use was below the 1997
use rate of 132 gpcd (which was the high since the end of mandatory conservation) and last year's
rate of 129 gpcd(see Table 2, page 3 of WRSR). It should be noted that the 145 figure is not the
amount that an average resident in the city would use. The basis of the number is the total water
pumped into the water system divided by the city population.
Water Available for Development
The policies in the Water Management Element to the General Plan determine the water available
for new development. The policies use a planning figure of 145 gpcd times the current population
to determine the present demand. This figure is then subtracted from the City's adopted safe annual
yield to determine water available for development as shown in the table below.
Council Agenda Report—2001 Water Resources Status Report
Page 2
Table 1: Water Available for Development
Year Population Present Water Safe Annual Water Available
Demand Yield t for Allocation
@ 145 gped
2001 44,613 7,246 a.f. 7,530 a.f. 284 a f.
1 From Water Management Semen,Table 1: includes reductions due to siltation to date
Per Water Management Element Policy 8.1.3, one-half of the water available for allocation will be
reserved to serve intensification and infill development within existing City limits as of July 1994.
Therefore, 142 acre feet is available for infill and intensification and 142 acre feet is available to
serve new annexation areas outside the July 1994 City limits. It should be noted that the amount of
water available for allocation is down considerably (284 of versus 552 af) from last year. This is
the result of revised population estimates from the 2000 census. While this means that there is less
water for allocation to new development than identified last year, the City is not yet in a situation
with no water to allocate and our conservation efforts, as evidenced by an even lower per capita use
rate, are working well. This does, however, heighten the need for the City to expeditiously develop
new water supplies or face a potential building moratorium in the next 3 to 5 years.
Multo-Source Water Supply Projects
One of the major goals of the Council is the pursuit of additional long term water supplies to meet
the current and future water demands of the community. The City is therefore pursuing the Water
Reuse Project,Nacimiento Pipeline Project,the Salinas Reservoir Expansion Project, and increased
groundwater production to meet these needs. The Water Reuse Project has the potential to be
accomplished in the shortest time frame,with a projected water delivery as early as winter of 2003.
The draft EIR for the Nacimiento Pipeline Project is currently being revised to address comments
received on the initial draft EIR and revised pipeline route. The current schedule for the project
anticipates certification of the EIR by fall 2002 and water deliveries around the year 2006. The
City's current requested allocation from the Nacimiento Pipeline Project is 3,380 acre feet per year,
which is the total projected water deficit including reliability reserve and losses due to siltation but
excludes the amount requested by CSA 22 (County)to serve a portion of the Airport Area. For the
purpose of the analysis in the revised Draft EIR, staff is recommending that Council reconfirm this
requested allocation amount. This will not obligate the City to contract for this amount of water,
however based on current policy, it should represent the maximum amount of water potentially
required by the City to meet the General Plan build-out.
The EIR for the Salinas Reservoir Expansion Project was certified on June 2, 1998. Hearings
associated with the City's water rights permit were held in October of 1999 and the State Water
Resources Control Board issued the final order in October of 2000. Additional studies required by
the Board order are currently underway relative to downstream fisheries resources. The studies are
expected to take two years to complete. In addition, staff will soon initiate a technical peer review
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Council Agenda Report—2001 Water Resources Status Report
Page 3
of the seismic analysis of the dam which was completed in June of 2000. Additional work on the
project has been placed on hold until completion of these studies and review.
Water Conservation
The Utilities Conservation Office continues to implement the fourteen Best Management Practices
(BMPs) established by the California Urban Water Conservation Council. The following is a brief
summary of the three key components of the program,which are further detailed in the WRSR.
1. Water Hardware Retrofit
Replacing higher water using plumbing fixtures such as toilets and showerheads has been the
number one priority of the Water Conservation Program because of the associated water saving
potential. During the calendar year of 2000, approximately 3,300 toilets were replaced. This
represents an annual estimated water savings of approximately 100 acre feet.
The Water Use Offset Program has been largely responsible for the number of toilets that have
been replaced to date. The requirement to retrofit existing facilities as a condition of issuance of
building permits is becoming increasingly more difficult due to reluctance of property owners to
participate in the program. This issue will be discussed in more detail in the staff report relative
to Water Management Element Polices which will be discussed later this evening (July 12,
2001).
2. Technical Assistance
The Utilities Conservation Office provides technical assistance to water customers via free
indoor and outdoor water audits. The audits include indoor and outdoor leak detection services,
irrigation system evaluations, landscape plant material information and other information on how
to use water efficiently. Conservation staff performed approximately 430 water audits this past
year.
3. Public Information and Education
This is a multi-faceted component which uses free printed information, paid advertising (Sammy
the Soaring Steelhead), public service announcements, workshops, newsletters and an in-school
education program to inform and educate the community.
Projected Water Supply Situation
The City utilizes a computer program to project how long the City's available water supplies would
last based on a number of assumptions. The model uses historical drought weather patterns,
projected water demands,etc.,to forecast the City's water supply position and to make certain water
policy recommendations. With the favorable water supply situation, the model predicts current
water supplies would last until June of 2008 if the City was to enter into a drought period with
conditions comparable to those experienced in the 1986-91 drought(see Figure 4 of the WRSR).
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Council Agenda Report—2001 Water Resources Status Report
Page 4
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommended action.
Attachment: 2001 Water Resources Status Report
I
City of San Luis Obispo
11Report
June 2001
Prepared by: Gary Henderson,Water Division Manager
Ron Munds, Utilities Conservation Coordinator
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Contents
I. Existing Water Supply Status 1
Water Consumption 2
Water Available for Development 3
II. Multi-Source Water Supply Projects 4
Water Reuse 4
Nacimiento Water Supply Project 5
Salinas Reservoir Expansion Project 6
Groundwater 7
III. Water Conservation Program 8
Water Hardware Retrofitting Summary 9
Technical Assistance 9
Public Information &Education 10
New Water Conservation Program 10
IV. Projected Water Supply Situation 10
Reservoir Storage Curve 11
V. Summary 11
i
City of San Luis Obispo
2001 Water Resources Status Report
The annual Water Resources Status Report is prepared to provide a current overview of various
aspects of the City's water supplies. The report addresses four major topics: 1.) Existing Water
Supply Status, 2.) Multi-Source Water Supply Projects, 3.)Water Conservation Program, and 4.)
Projected Water Supply Situation, The report provides an opportunity to evaluate the current
water supply position of the City and identify potential issues relative to existing polices and
projected development.
I. EXISTING WATER SUPPLIES
The City currently has three sources of water supplies to meet community water demands:
Salinas Reservoir (aka Santa Margarita Lake), Whale Rock Reservoir and local groundwater.
Table 1 below provides information relative to when these sources were brought online and the
estimated storage, and yields from the two reservoirs at the time of construction or previous
studies. Since the original construction of Salinas and Whale Rock Dams, the safe annual yield
from the two reservoirs has been reduced based on new information and the drought of 1986
through 1991.
Table 1: Water Supply Sources
Source Construction Estimated Storage Estimated Safe
Capacity Annual Yield
Salinas Reservoir 1941-42 26,000 a.f. 5,700 a.f. .
Whale Rock Reservoir Oct. 1958 —April 1961 40,660 a.f. 2,060 a.L. .
Groundwater reactivated April 1989 1 24,000 a1. 500 a.f.
1. Estimate at time of construction
2. U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, 1977
3. Department of Water Resources, 1974(City's share)
4. City's adopted safe annual yield per Water Management Element
Current Status
This past winter season began with Salinas and Whale Rock Reservoirs at approximately 75%
and 95% of total storage capacity respectively. This year's rainfall has been slightly above
average with Whale Rock Reservoir receiving 18.03 inches and Salinas Reservoir recording
26.88 inches.
Salinas and Whale Rock Reservoirs are operated in a coordinated manner with the majority of
the water needed to meet city water demand provided from Salinas Reservoir. This coordinated
2001 Water Resources Status Report
Page 2
operation results in an increase in the safe annual yield of these two sources since Salinas
Reservoir has a much larger watershed and fills and spills more often.
Only a small amount of water was supplied from Whale Rock this year which allowed this year's
rainfall to fill and spill the dam beginning March 5, 2001. Salinas Reservoir also filled this year
and began spilling the same day. The City received 1,089 acre feet from Whale Rock and 5,341
acre feet from Salinas Reservoir in 2000 (these totals include water delivered to Cal Poly for
domestic use). As of May 1, 2001, the City's available water storage in Salinas Reservoir(above
minimum pool) was 21,843 acre feet. The City's share of the Whale Rock storage (above
minimum pool) was 21,282 acre feet. The combined water storage available to meet city water
needs was 43,125 acre feet.
In addition to surface water supplies from the two lakes, the City utilizes a limited amount of
groundwater to meet city water demands. Groundwater production reached a high of
approximately 2,000 acre feet during the early 1990s but has experienced a significant reduction
as a result of groundwater contamination in the area. Two wells were shut down in 1992/93 due
to elevated nitrate levels as well as PCE contamination. The Water Management Element
(W.M.E.) identifies 500 acre feet per year of groundwater production, which is added to the safe
annual yield from the lakes. This past year's well production (January through December) was
only 266 acre feet. The City has initiated a study relative to potential increases in groundwater
production. The second phase of the study is currently evaluating the potential impacts
associated with increased groundwater withdrawals and is anticipated to be presented to Council
in July of 2001.
Based on the available water storage in both reservoirs, estimated groundwater production and
assuming the return of drought conditions as experienced during the late 1980s, the City has
approximately 7 years of water supply, according to the computer storage model as shown in
Figure 4 (figures are at end of report). The model assumes that conservation measures are
implemented when supplies are estimated to last only three years. The various stages of
conservation are indicated on Figure 4 and are discussed in more detail in the Water Shortage
Contingency Plan which is an Appendix to the Urban Water Management Plan which was
recently updated and adopted in April of 2001.
Water Consumption
Based on policies contained in the Water Management Element, the City has adopted a figure of
145 gallons per capita per day (gpcd) as the planning figure for projecting future water supply
needs and determining the availability of water for new development. It should be noted that the
145 figure is not the amount that an average resident in the city would use. The basis of the
number is the total water pumped into the water system divided by the city population. This
figure includes water used by hotels, restaurants, parks, etc. With the adoption of the 145 gpcd
figure, staff monitors city-wide water use to insure that actual water use does not exceed this
planning figure.
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2001 Water Resources Status Report
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Prior to the drought of 1986-91, per capita water use reached a high of 182 gpcd (see Figure 3).
With the implementation of mandatory conservation measures during the drought, water use
reached a low of 86 gpcd in
1991. The impacts to the
community relative to this Table 2: Population Estimates & Water Use
very low water use were Year Population Acre Feet Per Capita
visually evident with the 1990 41,958 4,183 89 gpcd
loss of landscaping
throughout town. Since the 1991 42,178 4,063 86 d
end of mandatory rationing 1992 42,922 4,712 98 d
(i.e. penalties) following the 1993 1 43,397 5,008 103 gpcd
end of the drought, water 1994 43,919 5,200 106 gpcd
use increased each year until 1995 41,295 5,574 120 gpcd
1997 as shown in Table 2. 1996 41,404 5,791 125 gpcd
Since 1997, water use has 1997 41,807 6,220 133 gvcd
fluctuated slightly 1998 42,201 5,853 124 gpcd
depending on weather 1999 42,446 6,172 129 gpcd
patterns and other factors 2000 44,174 6,121 124 gpcd
but appears to be stabilizing -
around 125 to 130 gpcd.
As identified in the Water Management Element, the City uses 145 gpcd as.the planning figure
for projecting long-term water supply needs. Staff will continue to monitor water use on a
monthly basis to insure that annual per capita use does not exceed the 145 figure.
Water Available for Development
The policies in the Water Management Element to the General Plan determine the water available
for new development. Section 8.2.A. states "The City will make available to new development
only that amount of safe annual yield which exceeds present water use (policy 3.4)." Policy 3.4 and
related policies define present water use as the current population times the adopted per capita
water use rate (145 gallons per capita per day). The policies continue to require retrofitting of
existing facilities served by the City to obtain a water allocation for new development. Based on
these policies, Table 3 below indicates the water available to allocate to new development in 2001.
Figure 5 (at end of report) illustrates the City's available water supplies and future supply project
timing versus the projected water demands in the future. The future water demand projections are
based on a 1%population growth rate and the 145 gpcd planning figure.
Table 3: Water Available for Development
Year Population Present Water Safe Annual Water Available
Demand Yield r for Allocation
@ 145 gped
2001 44,613 7,246 a.f. 7,530 a.f. 284 a.f.
1 From water Management Element,Table 1: includes reductions due to siltation to date
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2001 Water Resources Status Report
Page 4
Per Water Management Element Policy 8.1.3, one-half of the water available for allocation will be
reserved to serve intensification and infill development within existing city limits as of July 1994.
Therefore, 142 acre feet is available to serve new annexation areas outside the July 1994 city limits
and 142 acre feet is reserved for infill and.intensification projects.
II. MULTI-SOURCE WATER SUPPLY PROJECTS
In November, 1990, the City Council adopted a multi-source water supply policy. The adopted
W.M.E. Policy 7.1 reaffirmed the City's strategy of utilizing multiple water supply sources to meet
our current and future water needs. The policy states that "The City shall continue to develop and
use water resource projects to maintain multi-source water supplies, and in this manner, reduce
reliance on any one source of water supply and increase its supply options in future droughts or
other water supply emergencies."
Policies which were adopted in the Water Management Element, the Urban Water Management
Plan, and the Land Use Element have revised previous water demand projections. Based on the
General Plan build-out population of
56,000, the projected water demand at
build-out is 9,096 acre feet per year. This Table 4: Water Supply Requirements(acre feet)
figure does not include additional water Safe Annual Yield Required at Build-out 9,096
needed for the 2,000 acre-foot reliability Current Safe Annual Yield(2001) 7,530
reserve and 240 acre feet for loss of safe Additional Safe Annual Yield Required 1,556
annual yield due to siltation (from 2001
to 2025) at the reservoirs. The City's Reliability Reserve 2,000
current adopted safe annual yield (for the Siltation 2001 to 2025 240
year 2001) from the reservoirs and Total Water Supply Requirement 3,806
groundwater is 7,530 acre feet. This safe
annual yield figure includes estimated
siltation losses at the reservoirs to date. This results in an additional supplemental water supply
requirement of 3,806 acre feet per year as shown in the Table 4.
To .provide the required water resources to achieve our General Plan build-out goals, the City is
pursuing the Water Reuse Project, Nacimiento Pipeline Project, the Salinas Reservoir Expansion
Project, and increased groundwater production to provide additional water resources for the
community. The following is a brief status report on each of these projects being considered to
meet the City's future water needs..
Water Reuse
Recycled water will provide a reliable long-term source of water for the City. In 1994, the City
completed a $25 million upgrade of the Water Reclamation Facility (WRF) to comply with
requirements for discharge to San Luis Obispo Creek. The tertiary treatment, required for
discharge, produces recycled water that can be used to irrigate parks, playgrounds, and landscaping.
2001 Water Resources Status Report 1
Page 5
The recycled water may also be used in industrial processes, for construction, and many other non-
potable uses.
The City Council certified the final Environmental Impact Report for the Water Reuse Project on
March 25, 1997. The US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service have
issued biological opinions concerning the tidewater goby and the steelhead. On May 8, 2000, the
State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) issued an Order approving the City's petition to
reuse the reclaimed water. On September 5, 2000, the City Council approved the Water Reuse
Project and filed the Notice of Determination for the project.
Staff estimates that using recycled water for landscape irrigation-and other approved uses will
initially offset approximately 120 acre-feet of potable water that has been used for irrigation.
Additional recycled water will replace potable water that would be required for irrigation and other
non-potable uses in future developments,for a total project yield of approximately 1,200 afy.
In December 1997,Brown and Caldwell (B&C)was selected as the design consultant for the Water
Reuse Project. They have completed an engineering report describing the treatment processes,the
water quality and the areas where the water will be used so that the Regional Water Quality Control
Board and the State Department of Health Services can review the project and approve a Master
Reclamation Permit.
B&C has completed a draft Preliminary Design.Report defining and estimating the costs of
various alternatives for pipeline routes and treatment plant modifications. On November 21,
2000,the City Council approved the selection of the preferred alternative. B&C has submitted a
final Preliminary Design Report and will soon begin the preparation of construction drawings
and specifications. Staff estimates that recycled water may be delivered to the first customers by
the end of 2003.
Nacimiento Water Sunnly Proieet
The County of San Luis Obispo is continuing to pursue the Nacimiento Water Supply Project to
make beneficial use of its entitlement of 17,500 acre-feet per year (afy) of water from Lake
Nacimiento. The current work on the project involves the preparation of a revised project
description and revised Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The City of San Luis Obispo is
participating in the project with a requested allocation of 3,380 afy (as approved by Council on
September 20, 1994).
The draft environmental impact report for the Nacimiento Project was released for public comment
in August of 1997. The comment period was scheduled to close on October 15, 1997, but due to
requests by north county agencies and individuals,the comment period was extended to February 1,
1998. Based on the comments received, a revised draft EIR was deemed necessary to assess
alternative pipeline alignments and project alternatives. An alternative pipeline alignment has been
identified which will address a number of the concerns raised by individuals and agencies. The
new alignment will follow Nacimiento River (along the banks) through Camp Roberts property.
The pipeline would cross Highway 101 and Salinas River to River Road. The route would remain
2001 Water Resources Status Report
Page 6
on the east side of the Salinas River until it passes Atascadero. The pipeline would then cross to the
west side of Salinas River and return to the original alignment. This new alignment will be studied
in the revised draft EIR for the project and will eliminate the construction impacts relative to
Nacimiento Lake Road and Vine Street (Paso Robles), however the new alignment may result in
increased impacts to the environment as much of it is not in established right-of-ways.
As part of the revised draft EIR preparation, the County asked each agency to identify the
maximum, minimum and most probable water allocation from the project. The City had formally
requested 3,380 acre feet in 1994. This amount excluded the amount needed to serve a portion of
the Airport Area which could be served by CSA 22 since the County has requested water to serve
this area. Based on the potential water reuse project, staff responded that the probable amount may
be 2,628 acre feet and the maximum amount could be 3,861 acre feet (assumes service to all of the
Airport Area). No minimum amount was reported. At this time, for the purposes of the EIR
analysis, staff would recommend maintaining our current allocation request of 3,380 acre feet as
approved by Council in 1994.
Preliminary information relative to. the project and cost estimates was recently released at a
Nacimiento Participants Advisory Committee meeting. The cost estimates were updated based on
the new pipeline alignment, cost estimates for construction in 2005, and the agencies probable
allocation requests. The estimated cost per acre foot for the City for treated water from the project,
including operation and maintenance costs,is now in the$1,700/af range.
The current schedule anticipates that the revised draft EIR will be released in early 2002 for public
comment and review. The schedule anticipates that the certification of the final environmental
impact report for the Nacimiento Project will be considered by the Board of Supervisors in the fall
of 2002. Following certification and project approval, the County will initiate procurement of final
participation agreements with the project participants. The County will then proceed with final
design, engineering and construction. If the project proceeds on the current schedule, water
deliveries from Nacimiento could occur around the year 2006.
Salinas Reservoir Expansion Proieet
The Salinas Reservoir Expansion Project envisions the installation of operable spillway gates which
would raise the maximum water level by 19 feet. This would increase the storage capacity in the
reservoir from 21,843 acre feet to 41,792 acre feet. Based on this increase in storage capacity, the
safe annual yield from Salinas Reservoir is estimated to increase by 1,650 acre feet per year.
The Final Environmental Impact Report for the project was certified on June 2, 1998. Following
certification of the EIR, staff requested a hearing before the State Water Resources Control Board
to resolve the protest to the City's request for a time extension relative to the City's water rights
permit. The hearings were held in October of 1999 and a final ruling by the State Water Resources
Control Board was approved in October of 2000. The final decision granted the City's request for a
ten-year time extension but contained numerous conditions which must be met to address issues
raised during the hearings. The first condition that had to be met required the City to file the Notice
Hol
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2001 Water Resources Status Report J
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of Determination (N.O.D.) for the EIR within 25 days of the adoption of the Board's Order. The
City met this condition and filed the N.O.D. on November 13,2000.
One of the conditions contained in the final Board Order (WR2000-13) requires additional
downstream fisheries studies between the dam and Highway 58. The City Council approved an
amendment to our contract with URS Corporation on April 24, 2001 to prepare the additional
studies and downstream surveys. The work is currently underway and may require two years to
complete depending on the results of the first year's surveys.
On a separate issue,URS completed review of the seismic adequacy of the existing dam relative to
the latest standards of the State Division of Safety of Dams (DSOD) and the structural adequacy of
the facility if the spillway gates were installed The initial study was completed in June of 2000 and
the results revealed that the existing dam meets current DSOD design standards but the dam with
the gates installed would not satisfy the latest requirements. Staff recommended and Council
concurred that additional peer review of the seismic analysis was warranted and should be
undertaken. Staff will be requesting proposals from technical professionals relative to an
independent review of the analysis this summer. The results of this review will be presented to
Council later this year.
All other work associated with the project has been put on hold pending the outcome of the above
studies. Following completion of the studies and review, staff will request direction from Council
relative to which surface water supply project (i.e. Nacimiento or Salinas) should be pursued to
meet the water needs of the community. Based on the ten-year time extension granted by the State
Water Resources Control Board, a deadline of December 31, 2010 has been established relative to
completing the expanded storage capacity at the Salinas Reservoir. The following schedule lists the
major project milestones and estimated start and completion dates to achieve this permit deadline.
Milestone Start Complete
1. Project Go/No Go Decision July 2003 na
2. Resolve CEQA Protests Sept 2003 Sept 2004
3. Detailed Mitigation Sites/Plans Jan 2004 Jan 2006
4. Ownership Transfer Issues Jan 2004 Jan 2006
5. Final Design for Dam&Recreation Facilities Jan 2006 June 2007
6. Construction Jan 2008 Dec 2010
Groundwater
The current groundwater program utilizes three wells for domestic use, two wells for irrigation at
the City golf course and one well at the Corporation Yard for construction water uses. The City's
two largest producing wells, the Auto Parkway and Denny's wells, were shut down in 1992/93 due
to elevated nitrate levels. The Pacific Beach#1  wells are not operated simultaneously due to
the close proximity of the wells and the interference problems which occurs between the two sites.
At this time, the three active domestic wells are producing an average of 22 acre feet per month
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2001 Water Resources Status Report
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which represents about 5% of the total City water demand. The relatively small groundwater basin
which supplies the majority of the City's groundwater production is recharged very quickly
following normal rainfall years. The water levels in the basin also fall relatively quickly following
the end of the rain season. This past years production from the available wells was only 266 acre
feet which was more than the previous year's amount of 159 acre feet.
The City has contracted with Team Engineering and Management,Inc.to provide an analysis of the
potential for increasing groundwater production. The preliminary analysis was presented to
Council on August 15, 2000 which indicated the potential to increase the yield from the
groundwater basin from 500 acre feet per year to approximately 1,400 acre feet per year. Council
directed staff to initiate additional studies to evaluate the potential environmental impacts
associated with increasing groundwater production. The studies are currently being finalized and
the results will be presented to Council in July of 2001.
Decommissioned Water Supply
As a historical note, there is an old water supply system located on upper San Luis Creek that was
used for many years to provide water to the City of San Luis Obispo. A portion of the facilities
include a small dam on San Luis Creek near Stage Coach Road.. The dam was built by City forces
around 1910 and provided water from this upper area of San Luis Obispo Creek until about 1975.
The small dam has silted in and the water rights available from this source have been lost due to
lack of use of the water. The dam is currently an impediment to fish access to areas above the dam.
The City's Natural Resources Program staff are currently pursuing grant funding from the State of
California for the removal of the dam. The agreements with the Department of Fish and Game
relative to the funding are nearly complete and funding in the amount of$310,000 is anticipated in
the near future. Following approval of the grant, design work will be initiated and filing of
applications for necessary regulatory permits will be undertaken. The removal of the dam will
provide fish passage and access to areas above the dam which have good habitat for steelhead and
other species. It is currently anticipated that construction may commence in the spring/summer of
2002.
III. WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM
Water conservation has played an ever increasing role in the City's over-all water supply
development and management strategies since 1985. With the adoption of the Urban Water
Management Plan (UWMP) in November 1994 (recently updated and adopted on April 24,
2001), the policies regarding water conservation will provide the essential foundation in
sustaining long-term water supply dependability by using our existing supplies more efficiently.
In September 1991, the Council approved and authorized the Mayor to sign the "Memorandum
of Understanding" (MOU) with the California Urban Water Conservation Council regarding
urban water conservation and the implementation of the sixteen (now consolidated to fourteen)
"Best Management Practices" (BMPs). A summary of the BMPs and implementation progress
was presented as part of the UWMP update. The MOU acts as a road map for the City's long-
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2001 Water Resources Status Report
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term water conservation program and signifies a commitment to the implementation of the
BMPs.
The Water Conservation Program is divided into three primary components:
1. Water hardware retrofitting
2. Technical assistance
3. Public education and information
The following is a summary of the water conservation program's key components:
Water Hardware RetroM inQ Summary
With the adoption of the UWMP in 1994, bathroom retrofitting has been identified as a
significant water demand management strategy and integral part of the City's overall
management plan. As of April 2001, approximately 28,500 bathrooms (toilets) out the estimated
39,000 toilets have been retrofitted
Table 5: Summary of Toilet Retrofit Activity O of tonets> either through the Retrofit Rebate,
Retrofit Upon Sale and/or the Water
Year Retrofit Water Offset Offset Programs. This represents an
Rebate annual estimated water savings of
2000 136 31167 approximately 950 acre feet. Table 5
summarizes the toilet retrofit activity during the year 2000. As indicated in Table 5, a vast
majority of the toilets replaced during the year 2000 were.through the.Water Offset Program
(Retrofit to Build).
Technical Assistance
The Utilities Conservation Office offers technical assistance to water customers via free indoor
and outdoor water audit. The audits include indoor and outdoor leak detection services,
irrigation system evaluation, landscape plant material information and other information on how
to use water efficiently. The requests for audits are typically received from people experiencing
high water bills, residents participating in the low income assistance program, or customers
requesting a utility bill adjustment through the Utility Billing Adjustment Committee.
The Water Audit Program has been very active this last fiscal year due mainly to the follow-ups
to high meter read investigations, an activity the office assumed during the last fiscal year. For
the last several years, the office has averaged about 250 audits per year. As of May 24`s of this
year, the office has performed approximately 430 audits for 2000/01 fiscal year. A majority of
these have been a direct result of high read investigations which required follow-up surveys.
These water audits often reveal problems which are then corrected by the property owner, which
results in lower water use and associated billing charges.
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2001 Water Resources Status Report
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Public Information & Education
In its ongoing effort to educate the public on efficient resource utilization, the Utilities
Conservation Office provides informational brochures on a variety of water conservation and
recycling topics upon request. Additionally, staff has produced a quarterly newsletter which
focuses on current information regarding water, wastewater and solid waste issues. Additional
information has been distributed through paid media advertising and public service
announcements. The current,emphasis in the water conservation program's information and
education campaign is efficient irrigation practices. Six irrigation workshops have been
presented during the past fiscal year and have been well received by the community.
In addition to the above programs, the Utilities Department has implemented a water education
program within San Luis Obispo Coastal School District. The start-up of the water education
program began in November of 1999. The program targets third and fourth grades, to compliment
the study of water within the school district. Teachers have been enthusiastic about the new
program,particularly the field trip to the Water Reclamation Facility.
During this school year 9 Class Presentations and 8 Field Trips were given throughout the
schools within the city. The class presentations were 45 minutes and covered the subjects of: Water
Cycle,Water Treatment, Water Use, Water Conservation, and Water Reclamation. The classroom
presentation is a prerequisite for the field trip.
The department's hope is that the conservation education programs are lively, fun and
interesting, so that the teachers will continue to want to use the presentations, water education
toolkits and tours as a way of enhancing their current water education curriculum. The benefits
are immediate and long-term. Instilling water awareness in children leads to increased parental
water awareness. It also positively affects future generations: these students are tomorrow's
adults and they will have the information to make informed and appropriate decisions about
water. It is expected that demand for the programs and field trips in the upcoming year will be
similar to this last year.
New Water Conserpation Pro-eram
Because of the City's affiliation with the California Urban Water Conservation Council
(CUWCC), valuable information regarding water conservation program development and
implementation is available. Most of the nation looks to California, and more specifically to the
CUWCC and the BMPs when developing water efficiency programs. Given this fact, the City's
water conservation program uses the CUWCC information to determine if the implementation of
a new program will provide dependable water savings in a cost effective manner.
One such program planned for implementation as part of the 2001-2003 Financial Plan is the
recently added BUT number six concerning a rebate program for high-efficiency washing
machines. This would be a pilot program to determine if the long term water savings warrant an
l��
2001 Water Resources Status Report
Page 11
ongoing program. The preliminary information supplied by the CUWCC indicate that such a
program will yield long term water savings in a cost effective manner.
Additionally, a new program has been initiated which will target large landscape water users. A
data base of all designated landscape irrigation customers has been created and sorted in order of
water use. Using the City's Geographic Information System and landscape water budgeting
software, an estimated water budget will be established for each account. Staff will then monitor
and track the water use of these accounts to see if it exceeds the water budget. If in fact the
customer is exceeding the "target" water use, staff will contact the customer and offer a free
irrigation consultation and audit. In addition, staff has developed a new landscape workshop
which will focus on irrigation system repair and maintenance. This will compliment the existing
landscape workshop that focuses on plant, soil and water application relationships.
IV. PROJECTED WATER SUPPLY SITUATION
Reservoir Storayne.Curve
The Reservoir Storage Curve is integral to the City's annual water plan analysis. It is a computer
model used to estimate the City's future reservoir storage based on historical drought weather
patterns, water use projections, reservoir data and available groundwater supplies. The model is
used to forecast the City's water supply position and to make certain water policy recommendations.
The model also assumes implementation of Stage I conservation when supplies are projected to last
only three years. Stage II and III conservation measures are implemented when water supplies are
estimated to last only 2 years and 1 year, respectively (as shown on Figure 4). The curve has been
updated to reflect the City s current storage and the policies contained in the Urban Water
Management Plan.
The model predicts current water supplies would last until June of 2008. (Figure 4), under a set of
assumptions that represent the average weather conditions during the worst four years of the
drought period from 1986-91.
V. SUMMARY
With both reservoirs nearly full, the City is currently in a favorable water supply situation. Even
with this favorable short-term outlook,the City still needs to develop additional supplemental water
supplies to meet the goals of the General Plan. Based on the cost projections for developing new
water supplies, it is evident that water conservation will continue to be a crucial element of the
City's water resources planning in the future. With the multi-source water policy, a number of
supply projects under development, strong water conservation program and other related policies
which were adopted as part of the W.M.E., the City is pursuing a direction which will create a
reliable supply of water to meet the current and future needs of the community.
Attachments: 1. Definitions
2. Figures 1-5
J
Definitions
Safe Annual Yield:
The maximum quantity of water which can be delivered from the water
source each year during a critical dry period(i.e. historical drought period).
Acre Foot:
* 1 acre foot = 325,851 gallons
* Enough water to cover a football field with 1 foot of water
* Enough water to serve approximately 3.5 average single family homes (in San Luis
Obispo)per year
Gallons per Capita per Day(gpcd):
Calculation= Total Acre Feet x 325.851
City Population x 365
Present Water Demand:
Calculation= 145 gpcd x Current City Population x 365
325,851
Salinas Reservoir:
Maximum Storage Capacity= 23,842.9 acre feet
Minimum.Pool= storage amount when water extractions must cease=2,000 acre feet
Surface Area=730 acres
Drainage Area= 112 square miles =71,700 acres
Whale Rock Reservoir:
Maximum Storage Capacity=40662 acre feet
Minimum Pool= storage amount when water extractions must cease=2,000 acre feet
Surface Area=594 acres
Drainage Area=20.3 square miles= 13,000 acres
Figure 1
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