Yavapai County Water Advisory Committee: May 20, 2009 Regular Meeting
Agenda Item 4: Coordinators Report and TAC Report
______
AGENDA ITEM #4:
Coordinators Report and TAC Report
Budget:
From preliminary “April 2009 Financial Report”: Account balance (March 31, 2008): $; YTD Deductions: $. (County Fiscal Year begins July 1).
Recent expenditures: (USGS $25,000; NAU approx $17,500 pending)
Coordinator Updates:
WAC Agendas/Speakers:
Anticipated presentations include:
Scenarios – Population & Water Use Estimates for USGS regional model: Hoyt Johnson (H3J Consulting)
USGS Northern Arizona Regional Groundwater Flow Model – Update and Results: Don Pool/Jim Leenhouts (USGS)
Verde Valley Surface Water Modeling, NAU – Rob Ross/Charlie Schlinger/Abe Springer (NAU)
The WAC has indicated that speakers must be directly relevant to WAC projects, in order to maintain focus on defined WAC objectives. The following list is from 2008. While interesting, many of the topics may not meet the “WAC-Project relevance test”. The TAC has not reviewed this list.
Agenda Items under consideration:
1. USGS Model Report (Don Bills and Jim Leenhouts) – Update on completed model and timeframe for scenarios
2. ADWR Verde Programs (Leslie Graser, ADWR) (Will need further definition Need to link to a need of the WAC (e.g. Monitoring in Verde Basin, General Programs Review, RWI, Conservation, etc)
3. Scenario Development Project (Hoyt Johnson, H3J Consulting, TAC first)
4. CYHWRMS – Update/Progress report (Phase 1 Results) (Leslie Meyers, Reclamation)
5. LDIG Report Presentation
6. Conservation Easements and Purchase of Development Rights
7. TAC issues (e.g. USGS Model interpretation; Adequacy rulemaking issue paper; science/monitoring results, etc.)
8. “Conservation Survey Results and next steps” (Shaun Rydell, City of Prescott)
9. “Conservation effort by Coalition” (e.g. Intent and findings, and applicability to the rest of the County)
10. Legal Issue (Federal position, State Process)
11. Agua Fria Needs assessment and plans (TAC first)
12. Phase II Verde Valley Surface System - NAU work (TAC first)
13. City and Town Updates
14. Monitoring – Data, Maps, Needs, Plans (review WAC sites and others) (TAC)
15. TNC, VRBP, UVRWPC, and other groups. Verde River Ecological Flows Study (Jeanmarie Haney, TNC)
16. “HCP’s follow up” – USFWS John Nystedt, Brenda Smith
17. Water Quality (e.g. arsenic updates)
18. Colorado River Water Issues (NAMWUA – Herb Dishlip)
19. Coconino Plateau WAC issues (regional planning)
20. ADWR Water Adequacy follow up
Reclamation Appraisal Level Water Supply Study (WAC, ADWR, USBR)
The Technical Working Group (TWG) continues to compile the Demand Analysis Table. Upon completion of the table, the unmet future demands will be estimated. The most recent efforts have been associated with agricultural use. Current efforts are also associated with methods by which to determine present available supply.
The WAC website has information on the study (http://www.co.yavapai.az.us/Content.aspx?id=20562)
Currently, the working group is gathering the information to complete the demand analysis table. In order to determine and document the amount and location of potentially unmet future demand, each planning area contact(s) has been queried on the population (2006 and 2050); current supplies and demand, and future demand. The TWG has discussed exempt and non-exempt wells, irrigation, municipal and private water suppliers, etc. The table development is necessarily an iterative process and several issues will be addressed and documented during its construction such as, what is meant by GPCD? What is a current supply? Is the table consistent and defensible?
A sheet for tracking staff time on the project was distributed to the TWG (For tracking in-kind service contributions). This time will count as in-kind services (cost share). The ADWR has contributed $150,000 in cash to the project (it is not spent yet, but is in a dedicated account at Reclamation). The budget will be reconciled after each year of the study. The Cost Share Agreement was signed in July, 2008.
Meetings of the TWG will typically be on the first Thursday of each month at 10:30 AM in either Cottonwood or Prescott (usually a video link will be established between the County Buildings). The next meeting is scheduled for June, 2009 in the Cottonwood County Building at 10:30 AM.
Local drought Impact Group (LDIG) (WAC, Coop Ext, Yav County, ADWR, NRCS)
No Change from previous month: A draft of the Preparedness report has been circulating in the preparedness committee and should be made available for review soon.
The acting steering committee consists of Jeff Schalau (Chair of Education Participant Group; County Extension), Nick Angiolillo (Chair of Preparedness Group; County Emergency Management), Bob Adams (Chair of Monitoring Group; NRCS) Crystal Frost (ADWR), Tom Thurman (BOS), John Rasmussen (WAC Coordinator), Bob Arambula (NRCS), and Kresta Faaborg (NRCS). The primary meeting topics have been the nature of the participant groups, participant group goals/strategies, state involvement, and next steps.
Education: Cooperative Extension Position (Project WET and other Programs)
No Change from Previous Meeting: A workshop for private well owners was held on February 2, 2009. The workshop was organized and conducted by Edessa Carr and Jeff Schalau of the University of Arizona Yavapai County Cooperative Extension’s Prescott office.
A U of A sponsored website for well owners was advertised: www.wellownerhelp.org. The website has a great deal of information for well owners including, but not limited to water quality testing, the “well owners guide” and a link to the “Arizona Wells” website www.sahra.arizona.edu/wells where information about registered wells in the state can be found.
Northern Arizona Regional Groundwater Flow Model (NARGFM) (USGS)
The steady state version of the model is complete (matching predevelopment conditions). The USGS is doing some sensitivity analysis on portions of the model. The USGS is attempting to have the transient model and model report complete by late summer 2009. Following this, scenario runs will occur and be reported to the WAC and others.
WAC is preparing a set of scenarios for some of the initial models runs. One scenario is complete, and work on additional scenarios is complete and a report is in preparation. The report will be reviewed by the TAC. Also, the additional scenarios will be presented and explained to the WAC prior to submittal to the USGS.
In addition to testing and evaluating the model as constructed, the primary purpose of the initial runs will be to provide decision makers with some preliminary results and a sense of the models capabilities. More detailed runs and analyses will occur after the model report is assembled.
Long-term Scenario Development Project (H3J Consulting - Hoyt Johnson)
The project for the next scenarios is and the report is in preparation. It will be on the next TAC agenda with the intent to bring to the WAC immediately following. All results and products will be reviewed by TAC and WAC prior to distribution. The WAC will receive a detailed project summary sometime in the next few months.
Verde Valley Geospatial Database – Phase II and Phase III (Rob Ross, Dr. Abe Springer, Dr. Charlie Schlinger NAU)
The TAC received an update by Rob Ross and Abe Springer at this months TAC meeting (March 5, 2009). The model is under construction. Model software has been determined (HEC-RAS in WMS (watershed modeling system), and population of the model has begun. Data is being obtained related to elevation profiles, stream bed characteristics, stream cross sections, and flow.
Flow monitoring devices have been or will be installed soon on inputs and returns from some of the ditches (Eureka, Diamond S, OK, and Verde).
The WAC has approved continuing with the third phase of the project in FY 10. The Coordinator has communicated with the NAU team regarding the concerns of the WAC on permission with the ditch companies and the Pecks Lake diversion. It appears that the appropriate communication is and will continue to occur between the study team and the ditch companies. Also, the NAU team is looking for an additional pressure transducer to monitor the Pecks Lake diversion at no additional cost to the WAC. If one is not available, spot measurements can be taken to obtain useful information.
Sustainable Planning (e.g. “Conservation Subdivisions”) (County Planning & Zoning)
The latest draft documents are available on the County website (Sustainable Planning Committee Information (http://www.co.yavapai.az.us/Content.aspx?id=36224))
An “Open Space and Sustainable Development Option 4/3/09” and a “Cluster and Open Space Option 4/3/09” will be discussed in joint session with the Board of Supervisors and Planning and Zoning Commission on April 13, 2009.
The purpose of the development options is “to provide an alternative, voluntary method of land division that encourages sustainable development and the preservation of open space through flexible lot sizes and locations of single-family residential dwellings”
Please contact Margie Bryan () at the County for more information on meeting dates and agendas (e.g. to be added to the email list).
SB 1575 Water Adequacy Rules (ADWR)
No change from previous month: Rule making has been suspended
The ADWR website contains information on the Water Adequacy Rules such as presentations and reports (http://www.azwater.gov/dwr/default.htm). Clarkdale has adopted the rules. No other cities in Yavapai County or Yavapai County have taken action on the issue.
The informal comment period ended on November 14, 2008. Text of recent email is below. A comments and responses document was also distributed along with draft rule language.
Legislative Updates
WAC member Ton Whitmer (ADWR) has provided regular Legislative updates via email. These have been distributed to the WAC and the WAC email list. A recent summary is reproduced below.
5-18-09 email:
§ The big news breaking today is that the Clean Elections Committee has voted to 4-1 to remove Rep. Quelland from office and issued fines totaling $45,500. Rep. Quelland’s attorney says that they are attempting to negotiate a settlement that would avoid removal from office and it is being reported that he will remain in office pending that appeal.
§ You might recall HB 2088 which would take $20 million slated to go into the land conservation fund and distribute among ADWR, Parks, Land, Water Banking Authority, and Game and Fish to fill in sweeps or cuts taken by the legislature in FY 09. It was finally voted on in the House on Wednesday and failed to garner enough votes for passage. The bill required a ¾ majority vote because the Growing Smarter legislation was passed by initiative and is therefore voter protected under Proposition 105. HB 2088 only got 36 yea’s out of the 45 it needed.
§ HB 2310 (subdivision public reports), which was amended in COW with language the Department proposed, passed 3rd read in the House on Wednesday by a vote of 34-24-2.
§ Yesterday the Governor signed legislation that closed a $650 million shortfall in the FY 09 budget. The budget fix includes $250 million in federal stimulus money and a delayed payment of $100 million to the universities. It also includes a temporary suspension of a $300 million cash payment to K-12 that will be offset by school district cash balances in excess of their legal spending authority.
§ Next week there will be special session called by the Governor to address the Arizona Supreme Court’s recent decision striking down the State’s school voucher program for disabled students. The fix will utilize a corporate income tax credit, followed later by an individual tax credit.
§ There is nothing new to report on the budget.
-end 5-18-09 email-
Water organizations:
Upper Verde River Watershed Protection Coalition http://www.uvrwpc.org/
Documents, Minutes and Agendas can be found on the website.
The next Coalition Board meeting will be June 24, 2009 at 2:00 PM at Prescott City Hall.
The next regularly scheduled TAC meeting is June 10, 2009, 1:00 PM at the Gladys Gardner Conference Room at the County Administrative Services Building in Prescott (this is the usual 2nd Wednesday). A meeting the Safe Yield Subcommittee will follow the TAC meeting at 2:30 PM. (The monthly Safe Yield workgroup meetings will typically be held at 2:30 on TAC meeting days, following the TAC meetings)
Grant Writing Services RFP: The Coalition has prepared an RFP for on-call service for grant writing. The RFP is available on the website by April 13 and will have a one month response window.
Conservation: The conservation program is progressing. It appears the Prescott conservation coordinator (Shaun Rydell) will be involved with the Coalition conservation efforts.
This is the primary focus of the Coalition at this time (see background materials and minutes from August Board meeting http://www.uvrwpc.org/). (“Regional Water Conservation Program Development and Recommended Implementation Plan, Final report September, 2008”)
Currently, the emphasis is on a regional message: using the water smart logo area-wide; a set of information cards (including at least one for exempt wells); audits of government facilities; media information campaign; and working with Shaun Rydell of the City of Prescott. The budget for this is $100,000 of existing funds. Grants will be pursued if possible.
Recharge: At the March meeting, the Coalition Board approved a “Recharge & Source Capture Pilot Projects Study”. Two pilot projects will be planned: one on a developed area of land (such as a mall or big box store) in a location that may be conducive to recharge; and another on undeveloped land to develop concepts for innovative source water capture. This is the next phase of the overall recharge goals of the Coalition (after the recently completed mapping phase). Future large-scale implementation is yet to be determined.
The hydrologic monitoring task is on hold.
The Safe Yield Workgroup meets directly following the Coalition TAC meetings. The purpose is examining and creating recommendations regarding safe-yield in the AMA. The workgroup is examining their process and prioritizing tasks for addressing safe-yield. Currently, concepts such as districts are being discussed.
The members of the working group are the TAC members plus Howard Mechanic, representing Citizens Water Groups; Joanne Oellers, representing Environmental Concerns; Dirk Stingham, representing Private Water Companies; Jabe Willis, representing Private Wells owners, Steve Conrad, representing Growth Interests (Paul Daly is alternate); Charles Hildebrandt, Landscape and Nursery; and Agriculture is not represented at this time. Regular meetings will be held on same day as the Coalition TAC meetings (please confirm dates and time via website, above).