ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
MEETING DATE: May 14, 2025 AGENDA CATEGORY: Consent - Miscellaneous TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Dawn Spangler, Fiscal & Administrative Services Officer II DATE: April 28, 2025
SUBJECT: Appropriate Integrated Regional Water Management Implementation Grant funds to the Water Resources Department.
Appropriate $442,860.93 in grant funding to Fiscal Year 2023-24 and $4,448,535.07 in FY 2024-25 to the Water Resources Capital Improvement Budget.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommend approval of the appropriations.
BACKGROUND:
The City in collaboration with Arvin-Edison Water Storage District, Rainbird Valley Mutual Water Company and Oildale Mutual Water Company submitted a Proposition 1 Round 2 Kern County Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Grant Proposal to fund four water supply projects that improve water reliability, ground water supply, and water quality in Kern County.
In February 2023, California’s Department of Water Resources (DWR) released its final funding recommendations for the IRWM Grant Program. $6,243,505 was awarded to the Kern County IRWM Region to implement water related projects (t he “Projects”). The grants terms affected the City in two ways: (1) City must perform as Grant Administrator, a task for which it shall receive $71,500 and (2) City shall receive $1,352,109 towards the Kern River Canal Backup Weir Reconstruction Project. City, as Grant Administrator, will coordinate the distribution of funds to the Local Project Sponsors (“LPSs”).
The LPS’s projects include (1) the Frick Unit In-Lieu Project sponsored and executed by Arvin Edison Water Storage District, (2) the Weldon Reg ional Water Project – Water Transmission Line to Rainbird Valley Mutual Water Company (RVMWC) sponsored and executed by RVMWC, and (3) the Oildale Mutual Water Company (OMWC) Meter Installation Project sponsored and executed by OMWC.
On June 12, 2023, City executed Grant Agreement No 4600015080 (the “Grant Agreement”) with DWR.
The grant agreement provides funds not to exceed $6,243,505.
On August 9, 2023, the council approved the grant agreement which enable d the implementation, facilitate the disburseme nt of Grant funding, and enabled the reconstruction of the Kern River Weir Backup Canal. The council approved subgrantee agreements with the three local project sponsors as well as approved the $1,352,109 appropriation for the Kern River Canal Backup Weir Reconstruction Project.
The Water Resources department is requesting that the remaining grant funds be appropriated to the Water Resources Capital Improvement Budget. $442,860.93 is to be appropriated to Fiscal Year 23/24 to cover the grant reimbursements to the three local project sponsors that were made in FY 23/24 . $4,448,535.07 to be appropriated in FY 24/25.
FISCAL IMPACT:
All funds appropriated to be received for IRWM Grant Program. No fiscal impact to the general fund.
COUNCIL GOAL:
Reliable Infrastructure
ATTACHMENTS:
N/A