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NOTICE OF PETITION FOR TEMPORARY URGENCY CHANGE

State Water Resources Control Board

John P. Caffrey, Chairman

Division of Water Rights

901 P Street • Sacramento, California 95814• (916) 657-0765 FAX (916) 657-1485

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2000 • Sacramento, California • 95812-2000

Internet Address: http://www.swrcb.ca.gov

NOTICE OF APPLICATION T030769

REQUESTING TEMPORARY URGENCY PERMIT

TO DIVERT UP TO 550 ACRE-FEET OF WATER

TO THE SEASIDE GROUND WATER BASIN FOR A

PILOT INJECTION AND STORAGE PROJECT

 

Notice is hereby given that on August 24, 1998

Monterey Peninsula Water Management District

c/o Darby Fuerst

P.O. Box 85

Monterey, CA 93942-0085

filed with the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), a Petition for Temporary Urgency Permit under Water Code section 1425 et seq. Monterey Peninsula Water Management District (MPWMD) proposes to divert up to 550 acre-feet (AF) of water from the Carmel River from December 1, 1998 through May 31, 1999 for a conjunctive use pilot project (Project). MPWMD’s application proposes to divert water from Carmel River and inject it at a new well located in the Seaside area to provide groundwater recharge.

 

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT:

MPWMD proposes to divert water from the Carmel River during the period of December 1, 1998 through May 31, 1999 for the Project. The Project is intended to evaluate the feasibility of injecting, storing, and later extracting surface water from underground storage in the Seaside Groundwater Basin (Seaside Basin). MPWMD believes that a conjunctive use program diverting excess water from the Carmel River to groundwater storage in the Seaside Basin should provide increased yield from the Seaside Basin. The SWRCB issued Temporary Urgency Permit 20963 to MPWMD on March 6, 1998 to divert up to 403 AF of water from Carmel River to the Seaside Basin. MPWMD diverted 20.67 AF of water at a maximum rate of 1.1 cfs to the Seaside Basin from May 12 through May 31, 1998 pursuant to Permit 20963. During MPWMD’s diversion Carmel River mean daily flow ranged between 310 and 205 cfs, as measured at the Highway 1 gaging station.

The Project would divert a maximum of 3.34 cubic feet per second (cfs) or 1,500 gallons per minute, not to exceed a total of 550 af of water, during excess winter flow periods from the Carmel River

to underground storage in the Seaside Basin. At no time will water be diverted for the Project

if flow reaching the Carmel River Lagoon (Lagoon) is less than 40 cfs, as measured at the

Carmel River Highway 1 gaging station. To further preclude jeopardizing Carmel River Steelhead, MPWMD has agreed with inclusion of the following conditions, as measured at the Carmel River, Highway 1 gaging station:

Application 30769 -2-

 

 

January to March - Normal or Wetter Years – When an attraction event is projected, maintain

200 cfs to the Lagoon for the duration of the attraction event. Following an attraction event,

maintain migration flows of 200 to 60 cfs to the Lagoon, depending on estimated natural

recession rates. Following the migration period, maintain 40 cfs to the Lagoon.

January to March – Below Normal Years – Same flow requirements as Normal or Wetter Years.

January to March - Dry Years – Same flow requirements as Normal or Wetter Years except that:

  1. Whenever an attraction event is projected, maintain 200 cfs to the Lagoon in January, 100 cfs in February, or 75 cfs in March for the duration of the attraction event.
  2. Following the migration period, maintain 40 cfs to the Lagoon

The Project will utilize existing diversion, treatment, and transmission facilities owned and operated by California-American Water Company (Cal-Am) to divert and transport water to the Seaside Basin. MPWMD has identified San Clemente Dam and Cal-Am wells in Carmel Valley as the following

22 PODs where water may be taken from the Carmel River:

Common Name

Projected Section

Township

Range

Base & Meridian

San Clemente Dam

24

17S

2E

MD

Canada

17

16S

1E

MD

San Carlos

17

16S

1E

MD

Cypress

22

16S

1E

MD

Pearce

22

16S

1E

MD

Schulte

23

16S

1E

MD

Manor #2

23

16S

1E

MD

Begonia #2

24

16S

1E

MD

Berwick #7

24

16S

1E

MD

Berwick #8

24

16S

1E

MD

Scarlett #6

19

16S

2E

MD

Scarlett #8

19

16S

2E

MD

Stanton

30

16S

2E

MD

Los Laureles #5

29

16S

2E

MD

Los Laureles #6

29

16S

2E

MD

West Garzas #4

33

16S

2E

MD

Garzas Creek #3

33

16S

2E

MD

Panetta #2

3

17S

2E

MD

Panetta #1

3

17S

2E

MD

Robles #3

10

17S

2E

MD

Russell #4

14

17S

2E

MD

Russell #2

14

17S

2E

MD

The diverted water will be transported through the existing Canada de la Segunda pipeline to the injection well site located in the Seaside Basin. The injection well site in the Seaside Basin is located 100 feet south and 1,200 feet west of the NE corner of projected section 23, T15S, R1E, MDB&M,

Application 30769 -3-

 

 

within the NE ¼ of the NE ¼ of said section. The well is 460 feet deep, 12 inches in diameter, and has a 3.5 AF per day injection capacity.

Pilot scale injection testing will be performed to determine the rate of injection, fate of injected water, and possible chemical interaction between the injected water and the native groundwater. Some of the injected water will be pumped and used for municipal purposes within the service boundary of MPWMD. The diverted water will be beneficially used by MPWMD to further the state policy of encouraging conjunctive use of surface water and groundwater supplies. During the water year in which diversions are made for the Project, Cal-Am production from the Seaside Basin shall not exceed 4,025 AF (Cal-Am production during Water Year 1996-1997).

MPWMD’s February 1997 Reconnaissance-level Feasibility Study for Seaside Basin Injection/Recovery Project (Report) indicates that more than 550 AF is available during

wet and average water years. However, MPWMD may have to reduce its proposed diversion

if the 1998-1999 season is dry or critically dry and flow in Carmel River is not sufficient to

supply the full 550 AF.

The Seaside Basin has an approximate area of 24 square miles. The basin underlies the

City of Seaside and a portion of the former Fort Ord Military Reservation. The historic

depletion of the Seaside groundwater basin since the 1950’s is approximately 7,000 Af and the groundwater level of the basin has dropped from about 40 feet above mean sea level (MSL) to approximately 10 feet above MSL. MPWMD will manage the water diverted and stored in the Seaside Basin using flow meters and monitoring wells. MPWMD’s Report states that modeling of water quality and interactions of Carmel River water and Seaside groundwater are satisfactory with no adverse interactions likely to occur.

 

COMPLIANCE WITH CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT

MPWMD is the Lead Agency under the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). MPWMD has prepared a Proposed Notice of Exemption, pursuant to CEQA section 15626 (Statutory Exemption for feasibility and planning studies). The City of Seaside also prepared an Initial Study and Notice of Intent to Issue a Negative Declaration for the Seaside Basin Pilot Injection Well project on December 23, 1997, and circulated the Notice of Determination on January 20, 1998. The SWRCB, as a Responsible Agency, will consider both of these documents during the environmental review of this application. If you have any information which indicates that the proposed project will have a significant effect upon the environment please send this information to the MPWMD. Copies of this information should also be sent to Mr. Rick Medina, City of Seaside, 440 Harcourt Ave, Seaside CA 93955-0810 and to Mr. Steven Herrera, SWRCB, Division of Water Rights, P.O. Box 2000, Sacramento CA 95812-2000.

 

SWRCB\'S STATUTORY PROVISIONS

Pursuant to Water Code sections 1425 et seq., the SWRCB is authorized to issue temporary urgency permits, allowing the change of a point of diversion, the place of use, or the purpose of use of the

 

Application 30769 -4-

 

 

water. The SWRCB may issue a conditional permit after completing an evaluation sufficient to determine that the proposed temporary urgency changes comply with the following:

1. The applicant has an urgent need for the water proposed to be diverted and used;

2. The water may be diverted and used without injury to any other lawful user of water;

3. The water may be diverted and used without unreasonable effect upon fish, wildlife, or other

instream beneficial uses; and

4. The proposed diversion and use are in the public interest, including findings to support

permit conditions imposed to assure that water is diverted and used in the public interest,

and may be made without injury to any other lawful user of the water, and without

unreasonable effect upon fish, wildlife, or other instream beneficial uses.

Pursuant to the requirements of section 1425 above, the SWRCB is seeking information to assist in the evaluation of the proposed temporary permit. Any person may file comments, objections and/or recommendations concerning MPWMD\'s application for temporary permit. The materials must address the issues that the SWRCB must evaluate, as set forth above. If the SWRCB cannot satisfy, in a timely manner, the provisions of section 1425 et seq., then the SWRCB may schedule and notice a hearing regarding the proposed temporary urgency permit.

Materials filed in response to this notice must be submitted in writing by 4:00 p.m. on

October 30, 1998 at the addresses listed below. Due to the brief noticing period, interested parties

are encouraged to file comments, etc., by FAX or to notify the following contact persons by telephone of any materials that will be submitted. However, an original copy of all materials

must be received for the SWRCB to consider your concerns.

Monterey Peninsula Water Division of Water Rights

Management District c/o Robert J. Been

c/o Darby Fuerst P.O. Box 2000

P.O. Box 85 Sacramento, CA 95812-2000

Monterey, CA 93942-0085

Phone: (408) 649-4866 Phone: (916) 657-2203

FAX: (916) 649-3678 FAX: (916) 657-1485

Please address questions about this notice to Robert Been at (916) 657-2203. If you have any questions regarding Project details, please contact Darby Fuerst, Andy Bell, or Joe Oliver of MPWMD at (408) 649-4866.

Dated: October 7, 1998

HARRY M. SCHUELLER, Chief

Division of Water Rights

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