Chart presented by the Water Replenishment District at the South Gate Community Town Hall meeting, October 27, 2011 showing a summary of the Central Basin Municipal Water District’s surcharges on replenishment water that are paid through WRD’s replenishment assessment.

Estimated Central Basin Municipal Water District surcharges and fees paid thru WRD RA based on $2,262,600 in Central Basin Municipal Water District surcharges and fees to WRD in FY11/12, resulting in $9.31 per acre-foot on WRD’s FY11/12 RA (assuming 243,000 acre-feet of total pumping). Estimated Central Basin Municipal Water District surcharges and fees paid through WRD RA calculated by multiplying $9.31 by the most recent fiscal year, FY10/11, pumping totals. Costs consist of $90 per acre-foot Central Basin Municipal Water District Surcharge on 21,000 acre-feet of estimated WRD water purchases plus $31,050 per month Water Service Charge.

WRD’s comprehensive network of monitoring wells in the Central Basin to be incorporated into statewide groundwater monitoring program.

The California Department of Water Resources has officially designated the Water Replenishment District of Southern California as the Groundwater Level Monitoring Entity for Central Basin and West Coast sub-basin under the California Statewide Groundwater Elevation Monitoring (CASGEM) Program. The CASGEM program is a statewide groundwater monitoring program that will make groundwater information readily and widely available. WRD has established a large network of monitoring wells in the Central Basin and regularly analyses both water levels and water quality in the area.

“WRD is pleased that DWR recognizes the expertise and experience of its staff to provide the groundwater information,” stated WRD Board President Sergio Calderon. “For over 50 years, the District has prepared and published an annual Engineering Survey and Report which contains current and historical data on groundwater production, the annual and accumulated overdraft, groundwater levels, and detailed information on groundwater conditions. Additionally, WRD’s Hydrogeology Group prepares and publishes an annual Regional Groundwater Monitoring Report, first issued in1972, which relies on the District’s nearly 300 depth-specific monitoring wells at over 50 different locations.”

“WRD also appreciates support by the Central Basin Water Association and the West Basin Water Association that the District be named as the area’s groundwater monitoring entity,” commented WRD GM Robb Whitaker. “The Water Associations are important stakeholders and the District works closely with them to ensure that the Central and West Coast groundwater basins are protected.”

NGWA Announces 2011 Groundwater Industry Awards

Today the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) announced its recipients for 2011. One of NGWA’s Outstanding Ground Water Project Award’s will be presented to the Water Replenishment District of Southern California (WRD). WRD will receive the “Ground Water Protection Award” for its exceptional Regional Groundwater Monitoring Program. The awards will be presented at the 2011 NGWA Ground Water Expo in November.

For over 50 years, WRD has been managing the groundwater replenishment and water quality activities for the Central Groundwater Basin and West Coast Groundwater Basin in south Los Angeles County. The analyses of information from the WRD Regional Groundwater Monitoring program helps the District plan and implement projects and programs to increase recycled water use, prevent seawater intrusion and capture and conserve stormwater.

The WRD Regional Groundwater Monitoring Program includes 300 dedicated monitoring wells where groundwater levels and groundwater quality are tracked and analyzed The District compiles an annual report to convey the groundwater monitoring results to the public and regulatory agencies. This report can be accessed online at www.wrd.org.

“The foresight WRD had 50 years ago to keep track of groundwater conditions is paying huge dividends today,” Board President Sergio Calderon said. “We now operate one of the more sophisticated groundwater database programs in the country. Among other things, that contributes to robust groundwater management to assure a safe and reliable groundwater supply for the future”.

Downey Beat, August 15, 2011 by Bethania Palma

Local cities are calling for an investigation into what one councilman called “shenanigans” by the Central Basin Municipal Water District that include rate increases, travel by board members and business dealings with contractors politically tied to state legislators.

Downey Councilman Mario Guerra said last week that the 11 cities making up the Southeast Water Coalition joint powers authority asked Assemblyman Ricardo Lara, state chair of the legislative audit committee, to look into how Central Basin is using taxpayer dollars.

“We’re requesting an audit of our citizens’ funds when it comes to water and what’s going on with Central Basin Municipal Water District,” he said Tuesday.

Guerra said the coalition sent the letter June 30 but hasn’t received a response from Lara, D-South Gate. Coalitions plan to renew their request.

“We don’t understand why,” he said. “Eleven cities have put their names together to say Honorable Lara, please investigate this for the state. Our taxpayers are paying for this, so we want an audit.”

Lara’s spokeswoman couldn’t be reached for comment Friday.

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The Central Basin Water Association has expressed concerns over the Central Basin Municipal Water District’s groundwater storage plan. In a letter dated August 10, 2011, Association President Paul Rowley stated “CBMWD’s claim of sole authority over storage ignores the important role that must be played by the water producers, WRD, the court, and the Watermaster”

The entire letter will be posted here.

First of 3 parts

Dear Mr. Hill,

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on Central Basin Municipal Water District’s (“CBMWD”) proposal to control storage of water within the Central Groundwater Basin (“Central Basin”). As you know, the Central Basin Water Association represents numerous groundwater producers within the Central Basin, in the aggregate owning or controlling approximately 93% of the groundwater rights there. Our membership is very interested in this proposal because it is concerned about any program that jeopardizes the usefulness of the Basin for storage, the rights of the local producers, or the operation of the Central Basin Judgment. Our members are also concerned about managing the overall cost of basin operations. Ultimately, our membership and its customers bear the burden of water management mistakes.

CBMWD apparently plans to assert complete control over Central Basin groundwater storage. At the scoping meeting on July 27, 2011, you asserted your agency’s plan to “allow” groundwater storage only upon “prior agreement” with CBMWD. In response to questions, you stated that “whether (the pumping community) likes it or not,” CBMWD intends to assume control over all storage activities in the Basin and will move forward with this project over any objections. This appears to be a predetermination of the project’s usefulness, necessity, and lack of negative impact, and calls into question CBMWD’s stated goal of seeking meaningful comment. lt also undermines any pretense of consideration of a “no project” alternative.

Despite CBMWD’s apparent attitude, the Association intends to offer its comments and to remain actively involved in your process. At this time, the Association is opposed to any program that would place control of groundwater storage in the hands of a single agency outside court supervision under the existing Central Basin Judgment.

Unfortunately, beyond the mere statement that CBMWD plans, by various means, to acquire and store water, no “project” is proposed in your materials. The fact that CBMWD’s permission would be required before others may store water is clear enough. No other detail or analysis is provided in what amounts to a public relations release disguised as a Notice of Preparation. Although CBMWD has stated that more specificity in these areas would jeopardize the CEQA process, and although the District has extended the comment period, the project remains so completely undefined as to make substantive comment impossible. As the July 27 scoping meeting progressed, however, it became apparent that CBMWD is really soliciting suggestions concerning what its eventual project should entail, and we will comment in that context.

We note at the outset, however, that a comprehensive Central Basin storage program is already under consideration in the courts. That program would create a participative, locally-based and orderly process for groundwater storage, under the supervision of the court as a part of Central Basin’s court-administered “physical solution.” You are mistaken in your assertion that the proposal has been rejected by the court. In fact, no court has considered the substance and merits of the Central Basin proposal, and we await clarification from the Appellate Court to the effect that the trial court has the authority to do so. Only then will that proposal, which was developed in a collaborative process over many months, be vetted before a court. Any competing proposal by CBMWD in this area is premature and should await the clarification we have all sought through the ongoing legal process.

Continued in Part II

WRD TO THE RESCUE…SQUIRT IS HERE!

New Educational Water Conservation Animation Makes Saving Water Fun

The Water Replenishment District (WRD), the groundwater management agency for the Central Groundwater Basin, announced today the launch of its new animated Squirt educational water conservation series www.wrd.org/safe.

Squirt is the latest WRD water hero to aid in the District’s groundwater protection efforts in the Central Water Basin and West Coast Water Basin.

“We are enthused about the new Squirt series” said WRD Board President Sergio Calderon. “This animation will allow us to share our mission, vision and story with children in a creative way, and will help us continue to keep the public informed, educated and excited about what we are doing to protect our most precious treasure, groundwater.”

Throughout the year, WRD will release new episodes as Squirt looks out for groundwater contamination and provides tips for more efficient water use. Videos, printed materials and other educational materials will be made available for use in schools located in WRD’s Service Area.

Squirt is part of WRD’s water conservation outreach program that will help Californians meet the statewide mandate to reduce water consumption 20 percent by 2020.

The Water Replenishment District of Southern California is the regional groundwater management agency that protects and preserves the quantity and quality of groundwater for two of the most utilized urban basins in the State of California, with a service area that is home to over ten percent of California’s population residing in 43 cities in southern Los Angeles County with a publicly elected Board of Directors including Willard H. Murray, Jr., Robert Katherman, Lillian Kawasaki, Sergio Calderon, and Albert Robles.

For more information about the Water Replenishment District please visit www.wrd.org.

One Hundred Years Ago the groundwater story of the Central and West Coast Basins (CWCB) of coastal Los Angeles County was very different than it is today.

Figure 1-Typical flowing well in Artesia in the early 1900s. Reprinted with permission from Veronica L. Bloomfield.

At that time, the basins were so full of water that much of the Central Basin had flowing artesian wells, giving names to cities such as Artesia and Fulton Springs (later Santa Fe Springs). Of the nearly 3,500 wells that were in operation in the CWCB in 1904 (compared to 500 wells today) nearly half were flowing artesian wells such as that pictured in Figure 1. The high groundwater levels a hundred years ago also provided natural protection against seawater intrusion, a condition which does not exist today and is the source of many problems for the basins. Figure 2 is a groundwater elevation contour map for the year 1904, showing the areas of flowing artesian wells (shaded regions) and natural groundwater elevations all above sea level.What else was going on 100 years ago? National events included the following: Teddy Roosevelt was the 26th President; there were only 45 states; the construction of the Panama Canal began; and the first ice cream cones were introduced at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. There were only 8,000 cars in the country and the maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph. The average U.S. worker made $200 to $400 per year. A first-class postage stamp cost 2 cents, a loaf of bread was 5 cents, a quart of milk 6 cents, and a Sears Roebuck refrigerator cost $27.50 (holds 125 lbs of ice!).

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The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is hosting a webinar to help L.A. residents better understand future rate increases under two scenarios for the city’s water infrastructure.

The webinar for residential customers, set for 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, is expected to feature live presentations by LADWP General Manager Ronald O. Nichols and other water and power executives, followed by a question-and-answer session and comment period.

One of the two scenarios being considered by the DWP to maintain the flow of water in L.A. would pay for only the “bare basics” of what the city needs, said James McDaniel, DWP’s senior assistant general manager for water.

“It’s stuff we absolutely have to have to meet our basic requirements, stripping out anything that isn’t critical to keeping the lights on and the water flowing,” he said.

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The Water Replenishment District (WRD) hosted its first Procurement Policy Roundtable for local chambers within WRD’s service area.

As part of WRD’s ongoing efforts to increase local and small business participation, representatives were on hand to learn about WRD’s Small Businesses Enterprise Outreach Program, as well how to do business with the District.

The purpose of WRD’s Small Business Enterprise Outreach Program is to encourage and promote broad-based participation in contracting activities and to stimulate participation by bidders who might otherwise be left out of the District’s procurement activities.

“The District takes great pride in creating forward thinking procurement policies that encourage local and small business participation,” stated WRD Board President Sergio Calderon. “It is in everyone’s best interest to create a positive business environment that contributes to the local economic engine of Southern California.”

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The Water Replenishment District of Southern California (WRD) and the West Basin Municipal Water District (West Basin) today signed a historic agreement to supply 100% of a seawater barrier with recycled water, eliminating the need for imported water. By using recycled water where imported drinking water has historically been used, the project will save 5.5 billion gallons of drinking water each year, enough to serve 136,000 people for one year.

“The project is a great example of public agency partnerships and cooperation that bring value and benefit to the communities we serve. Without this agreement between WRD and West Basin this project would not be built,” said Albert Robles, President of the Board of Directors of the Water Replenishment District of Southern California.

“West Basin is a world leader in producing various types of recycled water, and it is appropriate that we are the agency to bring the seawater barrier supply to 100% recycled water,” said Edward C. Little, President of the Board of Directors of the West Basin Municipal Water District.

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