DEPARTMENT
Hetch Hetchy Water and Power
AGENDA NO.
6a
MEETING DATE
January 9, 2024
AGENDA ITEM
Public Utilities Commission
City and County of San Francisco
Calendar: Consent Calendar
Contract/Project Manager: Cheryl Sperry
Approve Contract No. CS-1412, Undertaking Water and Power Resource Studies, Mutual Aid, and Support Services within the Tuolumne River Watershed
Summary of
Proposed
Commission Action:
Approve Contract No. CS-1412, Undertaking Water and Power Resource Studies, Mutual Aid, and Support Services within the Tuolumne River Watershed Memorandum of Understanding with Modesto Irrigation District and the Turlock Irrigation District in the amount not to exceed $2,000,000, with a duration of four years.
Background: The Modesto and Turlock Irrigation Districts (Districts) perform maintenance on their respective canal flow gauging stations. These gauges are needed to calculate the natural flow of the Tuolumne River. Hetch Hetchy Water and Power, Modesto Irrigation District ( MID) and Turlock Irrigation District (TID) are the three water and power operat ors on the Tuolumne River basin; therefore, coordinated efforts for basin hydrology and meteorological conditions are vital and beneficial to all three parties. Additionally, MID and TID are neighboring utility entities that can provide support services in periods of emergencies when one party’s resources may be insufficient.
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) recognizes the prior water rights of the Districts to the natural daily flow of the Tuolumne River as provided in the 1913 Raker Act (Act) (38 Stat. 242) . To carry out the water accounting required by the Act, S ection 9(i) requires the City to locate and construct, at its expense, suitable gauging stations for accurately measuring the natural daily flow of the Tuolumne River, including flows diverted into Districts’ main canals at La Grange Diversion Dam.
This M emorandum of Understanding (M OU) will allow the SFPUC to reimburse the Districts for certain stream gauging activities and to permit the SFPUC and the Districts to jointly pay for services involving collaborative monitoring, research, mutual aid, and other activities provided by MID, TID, the SFPUC, and/or third party consultants.
On July 14, 2020, by Resolution No. 20- 0140, this Commission awarded a predecessor MOU to the Modesto and Turlock Irrigation Districts. This MOU will further the historic cooperation with MID and TID to secure valuable mutual aid and other services , including repair activities, that support each Agenda Title: CS-1412, Undertaking Water and Power Resource Studies, Mutual Aid, and Support Services within the Tuolumne River Watershed
Commission Meeting Date: January 9, 2024
participant’s water supply , power generation , and power transmission activities.
Funding and Costs: Funding Source: Hetch Hetchy Water and Power Operating budget current and future appropriations.
Schedule: Estimated Start Date: July 1, 2024
Estimated End Date: June 30, 2028
Duration: four years
Environmental
Review:
Stream gauging activities (such as maintenance and repair) under this contract do not constitute a “project” under the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines section 15378(a) because there would be no physical change in the environment. C ollaborative monitoring, research, mutual aid, and other activities authorized under this contract do not involve any commitment to any specific project that may result in a physical change in the environment. The SFPUC will not fund or initiate any activity under this contract until the
proposed work is reviewed and any appropriate environmental review under the CEQA, if required, has been completed.
Agenda Title: CS-1412, Undertaking Water and Power Resource Studies, Mutual Aid, and Support Services within the Tuolumne River Watershed
Commission Meeting Date: January 9, 2024
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
City and County of San Francisco
RESOLUTION NO.
WHEREAS, The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) owns and operates the Hetch Hetchy Water and Power system on the Tuolumne River and its tributaries upstream of Don Pedro Reservoir; and
WHEREAS, The Modesto and Turlock Irrigation Districts ( Districts) own and operate water supply and hydroelectric facilities on the Tuolumne River, including Don Pedro Dam and Reservoir and La Grange Diversion Dam; and
WHEREAS, The City recognizes the prior water rights of the Districts to the natural daily flow of the Tuolumne River in the 1913 Raker Act (Act) (38 Stat. 242), and in order to carry out the water accounting required by the Act, section 9(i) requires the C ity to locate and construct, at its expense, suitable gauging stations for accurately measuring the natural daily flow of the Tuolumne River, including flows diverted into Districts’ main canals at La Grange Diversion Dam; and
WHEREAS, An agreement is needed to allow the SFPUC to reimburse Districts for certain stream gauging activities conducted under auspices of the Act, and to permit the SFPUC and the Districts to jointly pay for services involving collaborative monitoring, research, mutual aid, and other activities provided by MID, TID, the SFPUC, and/or third party consultants; and
WHEREAS, T he SFPUC’s total cost of services for gauging station operation and maintenance expenses, consulting services and direct services over the term of this agreement shall not exceed $2,000,000; and
WHEREAS, Services are anticipated to begin on July 1, 2024 and end June 30, 2028 and the duration of this contract is four years; and
WHEREAS, Stream gauging activities (such as maintenance and repair) do not constitute a “project” under the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines s ection 15378(a) because there would be no physical change in the environment ; and c ollaborative monitoring, research, mutual aid, and other activities authorized under this contact do not involve commitment to any specific project that may result in a physical change in the environment; and the SFPUC will not fund or initiate any activity under this contract until the proposed work is r eviewed and any appropriate environmental review under the CEQA, if required, has been completed; and WHEREAS, Funds for Contract No. CS-1412, Undertaking Water and Power Resource Studies, Mutual Aid, and Support Services within the Tuolumne River Watersh ed, will be available from the Hetch Hetchy Water and Power Operating budget current and future appropriations; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Commission hereby approves Contract No. CS-1412, Undertaking Water and Power Resource Studies, Mutual Aid, and Support Services within the Tuolumne River Watershed, a Memorandum of Understanding with the Modesto and Turlock Irrigation Districts for an amount not-to-exceed $2,000,000, and with a duration of four years.
I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was adopted by the Public Utilities Commission at its meeting of January 9, 2024
Secretary, Public Utilities Commission