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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12 Tahoe Sierra Integrated Regional Water Management Plan MOUAgenda Item #12 T o: From: Date: Subject: Board o f Directors Steven Poncelet April 15 , 2015 Consideration of Adop tion of the T ahoe Sierra Int eg rated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP) Memorand um o f Unde rstanding ACTION 1. WHY T HIS MAT T ER IS BEFORE T HE BOARD This item is before the Board to sol i d ify an d accept the Tahoe Sierra Integrated Regiona l W ater Management Plan (IRW MP). 2. HIST ORY The State of Cal i fornia created Integrated Regi onal W ater Management Plans (IRW MP's) to encourage regional strate gi es for management of water resources and to provide a mechanism to apply for fundi ng, through competi tive grants, for projects that protect communi ties from drought, p rotec t and i mprove water quality, and improve l ocal water securi ty. The existi ng Ta hoe S i erra IRW MP i s a set of coordi nated strategi es for management of water resources speci fic to the Tahoe Si erra region. The IRW MP membership incl udes a spectru m of publi c agencies, speci al districts, non-profit or ganizati ons, an d educational institutions. T he main functi on of the Tahoe-Si erra IRW MP i s to access State fun ding specifical l y targeted at IRW MP's (e.g. Prop 84, new water bond, etc.). IRW MP's are managed by the planning divi sio n of the Cal i forni a Depar tment of W ater Resources (DW R) and are subject to speci fic rules and requirements. There are numerous IRW MP's acr oss California which d efined g eographic regions. The Tahoe Sierra region incl udes the Truckee River W a tershed (including Lake T ahoe) and the Carson River watershed , whi ch contai ns a por ti on of Al pine, El Dorado, Placer, Si erra, and Nevada Counties. There are dozens of participants in the Tahoe Sierra IRW MP i ncludi ng the fol lowing from Truckee-Tahoe: T ahoe City PUD, Squaw Valley PSD, South Tahoe PUD, Truckee River W atershed Council, and Town of Truckee. 3. NEW INFORMAT ION Staff has been fol l owi n g the activities of the Tahoe Si erra IRW MP fo r the past few years and sees potenti al opportunities to ac cess grant fundi ng for the water uti l i ty, especial l y with the passage of the new State water bond,. Potential fundi ng could support projects that protect/improve water s uppl y and /or quality, water conservati on programs, and educati o nal program. Jo i ni ng the Tahoe Si erra IRW MP is the fi rst step i n pursui ng these State funds. Joining the Tahoe Si erra IRW MP i s a ccomplished by signing the current Steven Poncel et Mi chael D. Holley Public Information & Conservati on Manager General Manager Joining the Tahoe Si erra IRW MP i s a ccomplished by signing the current Memora ndum of Unde rstanding (MOU) reg ardi ng th e Tahoe Sierr a IRW M Pl an Revised December 1, 2014 (Attachment 1). The MOU faci l i tates the i mplementati on of the Tahoe Sierra IRW MP and rules for par ticipation, wi thdrawal from the MOU, etc. It is i mportant to note that signing the MOU does no t abridge any decisi on-maki ng authoriti es of the signa tory, nor confli ct wi th any leg al obligation of the signatory, i ncludi ng those under contracts, l i censes, permits, regulations, and statues. Furthermore, the MOU is not an obligati on of funds, and does not control or limi t pursuit of funding for a ny future project of any signatory. It is expected that the si gnatori es to the MOU wi l l contribute staff time necessary to meet the goal s of the MOU. The MOU references the existi ng Ta hoe Sierra IRW MP Plan which was too l arge to attach to this do cket, but can be found at http://tahoesierrairwm.com. Adoption of the IRW MP needs to be done by resolution. Draft Resoluti on 2015-04 is i ncluded as Attachment 2. 4. FISCAL IMPACT Joining the Tahoe Sier ra IRW MP requi res n o di rect financial commitment but does require some staff ti me to attend a few meeti ngs a yea r and participate in the Tahoe Sierra IRW MP process. Joini ng the Tahoe Sierra IRW MP could contribute grant funds to the District ranging for $10's to $100's of thousands. 5. RECOMMENDAT ION Adopt Resolution No. 2 015-04 and authori ze the G eneral Manage r to execute th e Memora ndum of Understanding with the Taho e Sierra IRW M Pl an Revised December 1, 2014 between the Di stri ct and named applic ants.