HomeMy WebLinkAbout05/04/1993, COMM 1 - WATER 1 - :-;SETINGAGENDA
DATE ITEM # .
COMMUNICATION ITEM
March 26, 1993 O/i Dero us A ❑ FYI
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TO: Honorable Mayor and Council Members �p�TAO
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FROM: Dave Romero Q e[mwORIo• ❑ POLUCECK
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SUBJECT: WATE 2 Ca U7ILDIIL
As I review the General Plan and related environmental documents, I have become
increasingly aware of the constraints we place on every aspect of our planning process by
the figures we choose for safe annual yield and for water demand. Every aspect of our
planning process would be simpler if we did not constrain ourselves by figures which I do
not believe are truly reflective of our actual situation.
The Safe Annual Yield figures are fairly well established at 7357 AFY, however, this does
not include about 1500 AFY which we obtained for three years from well supplies, and
could obtain again with the addition of treatment facilities. We must also bear in mind that
Safe Annual Yield reflects yield under"the worst drought of record,"which we may just have
seen. For all other times the average annual water.yield is Sreater than the Safe Annual
Yield.
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The demand side of the equation is much more difficult to define. Prior to the drought our
City was consuming around 8400 AFY, and during the drought around 4700 AFY. With the
easing of rationing, this figure rose to 5300 AFY in 1992. I submit that with the heavy rains,
the 1993 figure will be in that same magnitude.
Salinas Dam spilled early in this rainy season and has continued to spill all these months,
wasting thousands of acre feet of water to the ocean. With relatively small consumption in
1993, it is unlikely that we will draw the water level much below spillway level, and with
even normal rainfall we are likely to see Salinas Dam spill much water into the ocean again
next year. Whale Rock Dam is now 2/3 full and is unlikely to be drawn down much from
that level until the next drought. If we have average rainfall years, it will probably continue
to fill, since we use it so sparingly.
The critical question for us today is"what consumption" levels do we expect to reach until
supplemental supplies are obtained either from raising the Salinas Dam spillway or from
Nacimiento?" Should be consider on the one hand that the high water rates, the retrofit
program and the conservation ethic that has been endorsed by many of our citizens will
keep our water consumption in the 5500-6000 AFY range for the next several years. Or
should be assume that our citizens will get used to the high water rates, will use the water
saved by retrofit in some other way and forget the need for conservation and return to an
8000-8500 AFY level of consumption very quickly?
COMMUNICATION ITEM TO COUNCIL Page 2
March 26, 1993
J,
The issue is so critical to our planning process that we should immediately direct a Utilities
Department staff study to arrive at figures that represent a reasonable scenario for water
consumption for the next 8 - 10 years: It is my belief that such a study will show that
expected consumption for the next several years will be less than Safe Annual Yield and far
short of average annual yield, thus removing what I believe are artificial constraints in our
planning process.
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