Border
Environment Cooperation Commission
Bard
Water District Water Conservation District
1.1 Project Type
The project falls into the BECCs priority area of water conservation. The project consists of canal lining in the Bard Water District service area.
1.2 Project Location
Bard Water District (BWD) operates and
maintains the Reservation Division of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamations Yuma
Project, located in the Bard Valley of southeastern California. The Yuma Project is one of the USBRs oldest
projects, being constructed in the first decade of the 20th century. The 14,676 acres of irrigated farm land in
Bard Valley include 7556 acres of land on the Quechan
Indian Reservation and 7120 acres of private land.
The
Reservation Main Canal Improvement Project consists of concrete or pipe lining
and rehabilitation of approximately 19.8 miles of existing unlined canals as
well as replacement of deteriorated structures. The lining of the canal laterals will significantly conserve
water by reducing water loss by seepage.
An additional 11.1 miles of unlined canals are to be line as a separate
project financed by the US Bureau of Reclamation.
The
Project is located in Imperial County, California (about 4 miles from
Winterhaven, California) and is within 10 miles of the Mexican Border.
The
need for the project is based on conserving water through the replacement of
unlined canals with concrete lined canals, which will reduce seepage losses,
and by replacement of irrigations structures which will increase water
efficiencies and service to water users.
The canals to be improved have been selected based on evaluations of a
combination of their existing conditions, maintenance needs, and operational
constraints.
Project beneficiaries are Bard Water District members (lands within the Reservation Division of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamations (USBR) Yuma Project) and the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe
1.3 Project
Description and Work Tasks
The
Reservation Main Canal Improvement Project will be designed and constructed
within 36 months of certification by BECC.
Design is already under way, with 60% complete plans for 2004 projects
and 30% plans for 2005 and 2006 projects to be submitted prior to
certification. Final design and
contract documents for each phase will be completed prior to construction of
each years projects.
The
construction of the Project will be completed by fall of 2006 within 36 months
from certification. The project is
divided into three one year segments (2004, 2005, and 2006). Year 3 construction will be funded entirely
by the USBR. However, for certification
purposes, only the projects identified in Years 1 and 2 will be considered with
a total value of $8 million dollars. The canal improvements for each of these
years are as follows.
Year
1 (2004) consists of the improvement of:
Reservation Main Canal (RC-4)
Supai Canal (SU-2)
Supai Pipeline (SU-1)
Reservation Main Canal (RC-5)
Pima Canal (PI-1)
Pueblo Canal (PU-1)
Reservation Main Canal (RC-6)
Navajo Canal (NA-1)
Molley Canal (ML-1)
Hoopa Canal (HP-1)
Reservation
Main Canal (RC-7)
Klamath
Canal (KL-1)
Maricopa
Canal (MA-1)
Year
1 totals 10.6 miles of newly lined canal and the replacement of 52 turnouts and
14 checks.
Year
2 (2005) consists of the improvement of:
Reservation
Main Canal (RC-2)
Reservation
Main Canal (RC-3)
Papago
Canal (PA-1)
Bannock
(BN-1)
Bannock
(BN-2)
Supai
Pipeline (SU-3)
Pueblo
Pipeline (PU-2)
Waco Canal (WA-2)
Moqui Canal (MO-1)
Moqui Canal (MO-2)
Moqui Canal (MO-3)
Moqui Canal (MO-4)
Moqui Canal (MO-5)
Vomicil
Canal (VO-1)
Cocopah
Canal (CO-2)
Cocopah
Canal (CO-3)
Cocopah
Canal (CO-4)
Year
2 totals 9.2 miles of newly lined canal and the replacement of 47 turnouts and
14 checks.
The
following information for the Year 3 (2006) canal improvements is for information
only and will be funded separately by the USBR.
Year
3 (2006) consists of the improvement of:
Head of the Reservation Main Canal (RC-1)
Osage
Canal (OS-1)
Acoma
(AC-1)
Acoma
(AC-2)
Waco
Pipeline (WA-1)
Reservation Main Canal (RC-8)
Titsink Canal (TI-1)
Yaqui
Canal (YA-1)
Pontiac
Canal (PO-1)
Pequod Canal (PQ-1)
Kawia Canal (KW-1)
Mohave Canal (MJ-1)
Mohave Canal (MJ-2)
Mohave Canal (MJ-3)
Mohave Canal (MJ-4)
Year
3 has a total of 11.1 of miles newly lined canal and the replacement of 33 turnouts
and 25 checks.
Description of
the Sponsor
The
Bard Water District is a California water district, incorporated under the laws
of the State of California. It has been
contracted with the USBR for the repayment, operation and maintenance of the Reservation
Division of the USBR Yuma Project. BWD
has an elected board of governors consisting of 5 members. BWD employs approximately 15 employees.
1.4 Conformance with International Treaties and Agreements
A signed statement from Bard Water District will be submitted stating that the project conforms to International Treaties. The most pertinent treaty is the 1944 Mexican Treaty and the subsequent Minutes dealing with the Colorado River. This project has the potential to eliminate groundwater drainage problems (caused by the existing unlined canal system) and thus improve the quality of flows in the Colorado River, which will assist in compliance with the water quality requirements of the Treaty.
2.1 Human Health and Environmental Need
The Reservation Main Canal Improvement
Project will have significant water savings.
An estimate of the water savings, based on the findings in the study
Irrigation District Efficiencies and Potential Water Savings in the Lower Rio
Grande Valley of Texas.
In general, irrigation water savings are
achieved in two ways (1) elimination of transmission losses (which will be
achieved on this project through concrete lining of existing dirt canals) and
(2) providing water flows at the right quantity and at the right time.
The estimate for water savings from seepage is 5,911 Acre-Feet per year. Significant additional water savings will also occur due to the overall greater delivery efficiencies of the concrete lined canals, the ability to completely drain the canals, and improved speed of irrigation, but are not easily quantified.
2.2 Environmental Assessment.
A Notice of Exemption has been filed with
Imperial County. No environmental
assessment is needed as the project qualifies for a categorical
exemption under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Class
2-Replacement or Reconstruction. The
project will be constructed entirely within existing canal rights-of-way and
will not include the acquisition of any new lands for rights-of-way.
The primary impact of this project will be a reduction of seepage of irrigation from the canals to groundwater. While this reduction is significant in water conserved, the overall impact on the groundwater levels in the Bard Water District will be negligible. The area has an excess of groundwater, caused by proximity to the Colorado River and from farming activities. Any effect, of the Reservation Main Canal Improvement Project on the reduction in seepage losses from canals would be limited to a reduction in this groundwater pumping by an amount equal to the amount of reduction in seepage.
2.3 Compliance with Applicable Environmental and Cultural Resource Laws and Regulations
To
date, BWD has advised the USBR and has presented the plan at a regularly
scheduled Board of Governors meeting.
The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and private
landowners will also be involved in the planning process. Formal presentations will be made to local
agencies, potentially including the NRCS, the USBR, and the Quechan Tribal
Council during October 2003.
Technical Feasibility
3.1 Appropriate Technology
The
Reservation Main Canal Improvement Project consists of canals selected based on
evaluations of a combination of their existing conditions, maintenance needs,
and operational constraints.
The two basic alternatives for improving the
water use efficiency of earth-lined canals are to either concrete line or
pipeline the canals. Other alternatives
such as lining with HDPE or other synthetic liners may work well for
rehabilitating existing concrete lined canals but have not yet been proven for
long term duration for use directly in earth lined canals. Based on a cost comparison of pipelining
versus concrete lining, concrete lining is much more effective, with the
complete costs of concrete lining typically about the same for only the
purchase (and not installation of) equivalent sized pipe. Therefore, the great majority of the
improvements for Bard Water District have been identified as concrete lining
projects with the exception of the completion of the pipelining of the Supai
(SU-3) and Pueblo Canals and the pipelining of the high public use area of the
Supai (SU-1) and Waco Canals. The
continuation of the Supai (SU-3) and Pueblo pipeline will reduce the demand of
the Reservation Main Canal and allow for greater flow downstream. The pipelining of the Supai (SU-1) and Waco
Canals will increase the system safety.
Detailed plans and specifications are
being developed for the projects to be constructed under the Reservation Main
Canal Improvement Project. Enclosed
herewith for projects are canal summary plan sheets for each of the canals to
be improved. These sheets provide
details of the canal alignments provide typical canal cross sections and
provide information on structure replacements and modifications.
By October 24, 2003, Bard Water District
will submit to BECC 60 percent complete design documents for the following
canals scheduled for construction in 2004:
2004 Improvements
Reservation Main Canal (RC-4)
Supai Canal (SU-2)
Supai Pipeline (SU-1)
Reservation Main Canal (RC-5)
Pima Canal (PI-1)
Pueblo Canal (PU-1)
Reservation Main Canal (RC-6)
Navajo Canal (NA-1)
Molley Canal (ML-1)
Hoopa Canal (HP-1)
Reservation
Main Canal (RC-7)
Klamath
Canal (KL-1)
Maricopa
Canal (MA-1)
By October 24, 2003, Bard Water District will also submit to BECC 30 percent complete design documents for the following canals scheduled for construction in 2005 and 2006:
2005
Improvements
Reservation
Main Canal (RC-2)
Reservation
Main Canal (RC-3)
Papago
Canal (PA-1)
Bannock (BN-1)
Bannock
(BN-2)
Supai
Pipeline (SU-3)
Pueblo
Pipeline (PU-2)
Waco
Canal (WA-2)
Moqui
Canal (MO-1)
Moqui
Canal (MO-2)
Moqui
Canal (MO-3)
Moqui
Canal (MO-4)
Moqui
Canal (MO-5)
Vomicil Canal (VO-1)
Cocopah Canal (CO-2)
Cocopah Canal (CO-3)
Cocopah Canal (CO-4)
The 30 percent complete design documents for the 2006 Improvements are for information only. This project will be funded separately by the USBR.
2006 Improvements
Head of the Reservation Main Canal (RC-1)
Osage
Canal (OS-1)
Acoma
(AC-1)
Acoma
(AC-2)
Waco
Pipeline (WA-1)
Reservation
Main Canal (RC-8)
Titsink
Canal (TI-1)
Yaqui
Canal (YA-1)
Pontiac
Canal (PO-1)
Pequod
Canal (PQ-1)
Kawia
Canal (KW-1)
Mohave
Canal (MJ-1)
Mohave Canal (MJ-2)
Mohave Canal (MJ-3)
Mohave Canal (MJ-4)
3.2 Operation and Maintenance Plan
Operation
and maintenance is an ongoing task performed by Bard Water Districts
personnel. Operations are supervised by
a water master and manned by ditch riders.
No increase in personnel is anticipated due to the improvements, and
similarly, no decrease in personnel is expected, though individual workloads
may decrease due to the operation of lined versus unlined canals.
Maintenance
of the system is presently supervised by a maintenance and construction
superintendent and by field supervisors, who supervise field maintenance and
construction crews. The canal
improvements will result in less maintenance performed on the 30.9 miles of
canals to be improved (as lined canals require much less maintenance than
earthen canals, especially with regards to aquatic weed control.) No increase or decreases are predicted in
maintenance personnel.
O&M will continue to be funded by annual assessments to landowners, as is presently in place for the existing canal system. The canal improvements will result in now increase in future O&M expenses (and should result in long term savings of O&M expenses.)
3.3 Compliance with Applicable Design Regulations and Standards
The design for the
improvements is underway by a registered professional engineer in the State of
California. The design for the project is consistent with the U.S. Bureau of
Reclamation guidelines for water conservation.
4.1 Financial Feasibility
Bard Water District, a water
district formed under the laws of the state of California, was formed in to
operate and maintain the Reservation Division (Bard Unit and Indian Units) of
the U.S. Bureau of Reclamations Yuma Project.
Located on the Colorado River near Yuma, Arizona, the members of Bard
Water District farm about over 15,000 irrigable acres, with principal crops
grown being lettuce and other produce crops in the fall and winter months and
dates, wheat, cotton, hay and melons in the spring and summer months. Being
constructed in the first decade of the 20th century, The Yuma Project is one of
the USBRs oldest projects and is greatly in need of repair. The BWD Reservation Main Canal Improvement
Project consists of the rehabilitation of existing unlined canals (replacing
the unlined and badly deteriorated canals with concrete lined ones) as well as
replacement of deteriorated structures.
The lining of the canal laterals will significantly conserve water by
reducing water loss by seepage.
Financial
Statements - Historical.
Attached are Bard Water Districts Annual
Financial Statements for the last 5 years (1998 through 2002). Bard Water District receives annual revenue
from its members (landowners of in the Bard Unit), reimbursement for operation
and maintenance of the Indian Unit from the USBR, and funds from the sales of
electrical power from its share (11.65%) of the Siphon Drop Hydroelectric Power
Plant, and from occasional reimbursable work performed for members and others.
Financial Statements -
Pro Forma.
Bard Water District has received approval from
its Board of Directors to provide matching funds for the North American
Development Banks Water Conservation Investment Fund grant from a combination
of use of its cash contributions (to be raised through the sales of municipal
bonds) and through the use of its employees and equipment for in-kind services.
The sales of bonds require an election to be
held and the holding of the election has been authorized by a resolution of its
Board of Directors dated October 22, 2003.
The bond election will be held in late February, 2004. For the bond election to pass, 2/3 of the
votes must be in favor of the sale, with votes determined based on assessed
valuation of properties in the Bard Unit.
Based on the public meetings held to date, there is strong support among
the major property owners of the Bard Unit for passage of the bond
election.
Pro forma financial statements have prepared by
BECCs financial consultant based on Bard Water Districts financial
statements. It is understood that the
pro forma results confirm Bard Water District's ability to fund the project
through a combination of reserves and in kind services.
Financial Structure of
the Project.
Below
is tabulated the financial schedule and contributions by BECC and Bard Water
District for the Project. Bard Water
District has substantial in-house labor and equipment resources to contribute
to the construction of the project and intends to provide these throughout the
course of the project.
Capital Improvement Plan/Budget.
The project requires no land or equipment
purchases to construct the project (though Bard Water District may purchase
some equipment during the duration of the project, such would not be purchased
exclusively for use on the Project.)
Operations & Maintenance Budget -
Historical.
The attached annual financial statements include
the operations and maintenance budgets for Bard Water District for the last 5
years. These budgets, except for
reimbursable works performed for other agencies and for adjustments for
inflation, remain essentially constant from year to year.
Operations & Maintenance Budget - Pro
Forma
The operations and maintenance budget for future
years is expected to remain reasonably in line with past budgets. If any changes occur due to the project, it
is anticipated that O&M costs may decrease due to the lower maintenance
costs of lined versus unlined canals. A
pro-forma O&M budget, if required, will be developed by BECCs financial
consultant.
Sensitivity Analysis
The Project is not generally sensitive to
financial developments. O&M
assessments have remained relatively constant for considerable periods and are
anticipated to do so in the future.
Financial Break-Even Analysis
This Project will bond sales and in-kind
services. The BECCs financial
consultant has completed the break-even analysis.
Demographic and Economic Information of
the Proposed Service Area.
The Bard Valley has stable demographics, with
such dominated by an agricultural economy dependent on winter produce and
summer field crops. The agricultural
economy has existing for most of the last century and has expended recently due
to value-added processing of the produce crops. There is very little urbanization occurring.
Fee/Rate Schedules - Historical.
Historical user fees (O&M assessments) are
included in the attached annual financial statements. For the last 5 years these have remained constant at a rate of
$45.00 per acre of assessed land, which entitles the land owner to 5 acre-feet
of water per year.
4.2 Fee/Rate Model
It is anticipated that the O&M assessments will increase to a rate of $63.50 per acre of assessed land in order to provide for payback of the bonds. While the present $45/acre rate is among the lowest of water rates in the area, increasing the rate to $63.50/acre will result in a rate similar to several of the other local District and is not considered excessive (as confirmed by comments at the public meetings.) It is the general consensus that the increase in water rates will be well worth it in terms of value provided by lined canals.
4.3 Project Management
The project will be managed by the
personnel listed in the attached organizational chart. In addition, Bard Water District employs
James Davey, PE (James Davey and Associates) for engineering services. Mr. Davey, assisted by Mr. Ron Derma,
Manager of Bard Water District, will oversee the design and construction administration
of the Project, including documentation of all BECC requirements.
5.1 Comprehensive Community Participation
Plan
Required for
certification by the Border Environmental Cooperative Commission (BECC) is the
fulfillment of a public participation process to promote community
understanding of and support for the proposed project. In order to fulfill this
requirement, the Project Steering Committee proposes to carry out the following
public participation plan.
The
Public Participation Plan has been developed per BECC certification
requirements and is designed to provide a framework for the sponsor and
steering committees to conduct public participation for the Bard Community
Center, located at 1250 Bard
Road Winterhaven, CA 92283, and intends to include all sectors of the community
in carrying out project public participation to comply with the BECC Step II
application for certification.
The Plan elements include the formation of a
steering committee, contacting local organizations, public access to project information
and holding two public meetings. Additionally, The BWD will submit a Final
Public Participation Report with all of the supporting documentation that
demonstrates the scope and success of the Plan as well as community support for
the project.
5.2 Local
Steering Committee
The
following is a list of names of organizations and/ or individuals that were
invited to serve on the committee:
|
NAME |
REPRESENTS |
|
Jake
Colvin |
Bard
Water District Board Member |
|
Gus
Nunez |
Bard
Water District Board Member |
|
Evelyn
Berryman |
Bard
Water District Board Member |
|
Keeny
Escalante |
Vice Chairman of
Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe |
|
Mitchell
Driskill |
Attorney, Bard Water
District |
|
Sam
Cobb |
Southern
Low Desert RC&D Council |
|
Cindy
Hoeft |
US
Bureau of Reclamation |
|
Joyce
Lobeck |
Yuma
Daily Sun |
Other local residents will be added as needed. The steering committee formation meeting was held on September 16, 2003.
5.3 Meetings
with Local Organizations
Per BECC
requirements, local organizations will be presented with the project proposal
and other pertinent project information. The Local Steering Committee will
identify local organizations that will be impacted by the project and request
their support, assist in developing community understanding for the project by
disseminating project information and solicit public support.
5.4 Public
Access to Project Information
The Preliminary Engineering Report and draft Project Certification
Document for the project have been available at the public viewing locations
designated below beginning thirty days prior to the first BECC public
meeting. The documents have been
available for viewing both during and after regular business hours (24-hours
per day) at the Bard Water District Offices, 1473 Ross Road, Winterhaven, CA,
92283
|
Viewing Locations |
Contact Name / Phone |
Physical
Address |
|
James Davey & Associates |
Jim Davey, PE (928) 782-7926 |
204 S. 1st Ave Yuma AZ 85364 |
|
Bard Water District |
Ron Derma, Manager (760) 572-0704 |
1473 Ross Road Winterhaven, CA, 92283 |
In
addition, notices of availability of project information will be included in
public meeting notices that will be published in the Yuma Daily Sun, and posted
at the locations identified below. The
first BECC public meeting notice will be published in the Yuma Daily Sun a minimum
of thirty-days prior to the meeting.
All notices will be provided in English and in Spanish if necessary.
5.5 Public
Meetings
Public
meetings were held on October 13th and 15th, 2003 to
discuss the project per BECC requirements. The
first meeting was a general information meeting to provide the general public
with an update of proposed the project and what the BECC Step II application is
designed to accomplish. The second meeting focused on
the financial aspects of the project, such as the NADB financial analysis. The project sponsor and steering committee
recognize that the possibility exists that more than two public meetings may be
necessary for this project.
An
exit survey was prepared for distribution and
collection at the end of each BECC public meeting. The exit survey inquired whether the project, its purpose, its
necessity, the costs involved, and the funding sources had all been adequately
explained. Additionally, it asked
whether the public supports the project and possible rate increases, and
provided extra space for any comment that participants wished to express. The completed surveys will be included in
the Final Comprehensive Public Participation Report.
First BECC Public Meeting
The
first BECC public meeting was a general information meeting to provide the
public with an update of the proposed project, to explain what the BECC
Certification Document is designed to accomplish, and presentation of the
environmental documentation.
The
meeting notice was advertised in the Yuma Daily Sun, September 12th,
2003. The date for this meeting was
October 13th, 2003 at the Bard Community Center 1250 Bard Road
Winterhaven, CA 92283. Copies of the
notice were mailed to interested parties and posted in the locations identified
in the previous section. The notice
indicated that copies of the Preliminary Engineering Report and draft Project Certification Document were
available for review at the locations identified in Section 5 of this Public
Participation Plan. The project fact
sheets described in the previous section were distributed at the public
meetings.
At
the opening of the meeting a sign-in sheet was distributed to all
attendees. Meeting minutes were taken
for later transcription into typewritten minutes, and photographs used to further
document the public meetings. At the conclusion of the meeting the exit surveys
were distributed and completed surveys collected.
The
meeting notice, proof of publication, list of individual notice recipients,
sign-in sheets, project fact sheets, meeting minutes and copies of photographs
were provided in the First BECC Public Meeting section of the Final
Comprehensive Public Participation Report. The completed exit surveys were
provided in the Supporting Documentation section.
Second Public Meeting
The second BECC public meeting focused on the financial aspects of
the project, such as the NADB financial analysis and financial impact to the
customers. The
date of the second meeting was October 15th, 2003 at the Bard
Community Center 1250 Bard Road, Winterhaven, CA 92283.
The
meeting notice was advertised in the Yuma Daily Sun, September 12 th
2003. Copies of the notice were mailed
to interested parties and posted in the locations identified in the previous
section. The notice indicated that
copies of the Preliminary Engineering Report and draft Project Certification
Document were available for review at the locations identified in this Public
Participation Plan.
The
project fact sheets for the second meeting, described in the previous section,
were distributed at the public meeting.
At
the opening of the meeting a sign-in sheet was distributed to all
attendees. Meeting minutes were taken
for later transcription into typewritten minutes, and photographs used to
further document the public meetings. At the conclusion of the meeting the exit
surveys were distributed and completed surveys collected.
The meeting notice,
proof of publication, list of individual notice recipients, sign-in sheets,
project fact sheets, meeting minutes, copies of photographs, and completed exit
surveys were provided in the Second BECC Public Meeting section of the Final
Comprehensive Public Participation Report.
6.1 Definition and Principles
The project complies with BECCs definition of Sustainable Development: Conservation oriented social and economic development that emphasizes the protection and sustainable use of resources, while addressing both current and future needs, and present and future impacts of human actions. The project will positively impact the area and sustainable life of the areas residents through the conservation of water which is becoming a scarce resource and critical for sustainability of life and economic growth. Through elimination of water loss through seepage and in some cases evaporation, the project provides a positive impact on the overall environment by conserving and effectively using a limited water supply resource. Local residents will benefit from better agricultural yields within a sustainable development framework and from a better quality of life within a mature conservation scheme, being careful not to compromise water and soil resources for the future, considering that modernization and technical improvements within the Districts operational system provide a net positive effect. The required public review process ensures that residents in the influence areas of the project participate in the development process fully aware that the decisions they make will focus on the sustainable management of environmental resources to achieve a better environmental and socio-economic improvement in their community.
6.2 Institutional and Human Capacity Building
The Water Security, Clean
Drinking Water, Coastal and Beach Protection Act (Water Code Section 79500 et
seq.) authorizes the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to provide
grants for canal lining and related projects necessary to reduce Colorado River
water use pursuant to the California Colorado River Water Use Plan adopted by
the Colorado River Board of California. The objective of the grants is to
invest in projects that further the ability of all Californians to live within
California's basic apportionment of 4.4 million acre-feet per year of Colorado
River water pursuant to the Colorado River Water Use Plan.
The
Agricultural Water Conservation Program of the Safe Drinking Water, Clean
Water, Watershed Protection and Flood Protection Act (Water Code Section 79157
et seq.) authorizes the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) to make
loans to local public agencies and incorporated mutual water companies to
finance feasible, cost effective agricultural water conservation projects or
programs to improve water use efficiency.
Eligible
projects may include, but are not limited to:
·
Lining or piping of ditches
·
Automating canal structures
·
Improvements to water distribution system
controls
·
Tailwater or spill recovery systems
·
Major improvements or replacement of leaking
distribution systems
·
Purchasing and installing water measurement
devices
·
Capital improvements for on-farm irrigation
The
Department of Water Resources, with other State and federal agencies, local
water and irrigation districts, resource conservation districts, educational
and research institutions, growers, consultants, and others, is finding
cost-effective ways to manage irrigation drainage water efficiently without
harming agricultural production. As a result, more growers and local agencies
are improving their irrigation and drainage management practices to control the
drainage problem.
The
NADB Water Conservation Investment Fund (WCIF) will complement, with grant
funds, the capital investments required by the District for the rehabilitation
of canals or replacement with pipelining of 19.8 miles of canals. The use of
WCIF grant funds allows the District to fully finance and improve its
infrastructure in order to reduce water conveyance losses. An additional 11.1
miles of unlined canals are to be lined as a separate project financed by the
US Bureau of Reclamation.
Bard
Water District has received approval from its Board of Directors to provide
matching funds for the North American Development Banks Water Conservation
Improvement Fund grant from a combination of use of its cash contributions (to
be raised through the sales of municipal bonds) and through the use of its
employees and equipment for in-kind services.
The
operations and maintenance budget for future years, is expected to remain
reasonably in line with past budgets.
If any changes occur due to the project, it is anticipated that O&M
costs may decrease due to the lower maintenance costs of lined versus unlined
canals.
For the last 5 years, user fees have remained
constant at a rate of $45.00 per acre of assessed land, which entitles the land
owners to 5 acre-feet of water per year.
It is anticipated that the O&M assessments
will increase to a rate of $63.50 per acre of assessed land in order to provide
for payback of the bonds. While the
present $45/acre rate is among the lowest of water rates in the area, increasing
the rate to $63.50/acre will result in a rate similar to several of the other
local District and is not considered excessive (as confirmed by comments at the
public meetings.) It is the general
consensus that the increase in water rates will be well worth it in terms of
value provided by lined canals.
The projects will be managed by the District and will be
constructed and operated in conformance with Federal, State and NADB
requirements. The process for the
development of the projects has followed a planning and public participation
process that developed alternatives and associated costs, solicited public
input, established priorities based on input of the stakeholders and proceeded
according to the priorities established in the planning process.
The
majority of the improvements for Bard Water District have been identified as
concrete lining projects with the exception of the completion of the pipelining
of the Supai (SU-3) and Pueblo Canals and the pipelining of the high public use
area of the Supai (SU-1) and Waco Canals.
The continuation of the Supai (SU-3) and Pueblo pipeline will reduce the
demand of the Reservation Main Canal and allow for greater flow downstream. The pipelining of the Supai (SU-1) and Waco
Canals will increase the system safety.
No
increase in personnel is anticipated due to the implementation of the project,
and similarly, no decrease in personnel is expected, though individual
workloads may decrease due to the operation of the canal lined versus unlined
canals. No increase or decreases are predicted in maintenance personnel.
O&M
will continue to be funded by annual assessments to landowners, as is presently
in place for the existing canal system.
6.3 Conformance with Applicable Local and Regional Conservation and Development Plans
The
Water Conservation Field Services Program (WCFSP), was implemented by the
Bureau of Reclamation in 1996 to actively encourage water conservation, assist
districts with their responsibility to develop conservation plans, and complement
and support State and other conservation programs.
The
Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (RRA), Section 210 (P.L. 9777-293) states the
following:
·
Section 210 (a) of the RRA requires the
Secretary of the Interior to encourage water users to adopt water conservation
measures.
·
Section 210 (b) of the RRA requires each
district who has a water service contract with the Bureau of Reclamation, to
develop and implement a water conservation plan containing: (1) definite goals;
(2) appropriate water conservation measures; and (3) a time schedule for
meeting the water conservation goals.
·
Section 210 (c) of the RRA directs the Secretary
of the Interior to coordinate with and involve others in water conservation
efforts.
The project is in conformance with the
California Water Plan Update 2003, which recommends agricultural water
conservation through the improvement of Irrigation Districts water management
practices.
The
project is also in conformance with the California's "4.4 Plan",
which is an ongoing effort to reduce California's use of Colorado River water
to 4.4 million acre-feet per year. The plan is so named because California is
only entitled to take 4.4 million acre-feet of water from the river each year,
but regularly exceeds its allocation by about 20 percent.
The
project is also in conformance with local conservation efforts already
developed by the District. Conservation of water is stressed and penalties are
assessed for the overuse of water.
The proposed project is in conformance with
the planning and conservation plans considered in the State and Federal
regulations mentioned above.
6.4 Natural Resource Conservation
The objective of the
project is to conserve water through the replacement of unlined canals with
concrete lined canals and pipeline, which will reduce seepage and, in some
segments, evaporation losses; and by replacement of irrigations structures,
which will increase water efficiencies and service to water users. The canals to be improved have been selected
based on evaluations of a combination of their existing conditions, maintenance
needs, and operational constraints.
The project has potential for significant
water savings. A preliminary estimate
was done, based on the findings in the study Irrigation District Efficiencies
and Potential Water Savings in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas, The
initial estimate for water savings from seepage is 5,911 Acre-Feet per year for
the 19.8 miles of canal lining to be funded by the WCIF grant. With the additional 11.1 miles of canal
lining to be funded by the USBR, a total of 9,225 Acre-Feet per year will be
conserved. Additional water savings
that may also occur due to the overall greater delivery efficiencies of the
concrete lined canals, the ability to completely drain the canals, and improved
speed of irrigation has not yet been quantified.
In general, irrigation
water savings are achieved in two ways (1) elimination of transmission losses
(which will be achieved on this project through concrete lining of existing
dirt canals) and (2) providing water flows at the right quantity and at the
right time.
6.5 Community Development
The implementation of the project not only helps
California to live within its water allocation, but also will enable farmers to
maintain current agricultural production, and will contribute to extend the
availability of water required to fulfill the future agricultural needs.
Project beneficiaries are Bard Water District members (lands within the Reservation Division of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamations (USBR) Yuma Project) and the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe.
List of Available Documents
1.
Certification
document
2. Financial Feasibility Study
3. Preliminary Engineering Report