DEPARTMENT
Hetch Hetchy Water
AGENDA NO.
6a
MEETING DATE
April 9, 2024
AGENDA ITEM
Public Utilities Commission
City and County of San Francisco
Approve Joint Funding Agreement: Consent Calendar
Contract/Project Manager: Chris Graham
Approve Contract No. CS-1415, Joint Funding Agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey for Hydrologic Monitoring and Stream and Reservoir Gauge Maintenance on the Tuolumne River and its Tributaries
Summary of
Proposed
Commission Action:
Approve Contract No. CS-1415, Joint Funding Agreement with the U.S.
Geological Survey, for Hydrologic Monitoring and Stream and Reservoir Gauge Maintenance on the Tuolumne River and its Tributaries, for an amount contributed by the S an Francisco Public Utilities Commission not to exceed $1,938,680 and with a duration of four years and 11 months.
Background: Under the 1913 Raker Act (38 Stat. 242), the City and County of San Francisco (San Francisco) is responsible for accurately measuring natural flow in the Tuolumne River at or above La Grange Dam, and into and out of certain reservoirs, as well as other points designated by the U.S. Department of the Interior. It is also responsible for mainta ining hydrographic records , as the U.S. Department of the Interior may direct, which are to be open to inspection by interested parties .
As the department with jurisdiction over the water
system, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) has taken on this responsibility.
The U.S. Geological Survey ( USGS), a federal agency within the U.S.
Department of the Interior, works with local, state, and other federal agencies to collect water resources data at more than a million sites across the country, including rivers, lakes,
and reservoirs, through regular monitoring and
operation and maintenance of gauging instruments that measure stream flow and characterize hydrology. The USGS, which is recognized for its third-party independence, reliability, and scientific expertise in hydrologic monitoring, has an established cooperative “Water Resource Investigations” program to advance this work with agencies that are responsible for water resources management and policy. The USGS incorporates the water information that is collected through the program in partnership with other agencies, in real - time, into a national database that is publicly accessible on the USGS website for use by citizens, public agencies, and scientists.
In order to meet its obligations under the Raker Act, S an Francisco has for more than 100 years partnered with the USGS to collect water resources data on the Tuolumne River and its tributaries. In most recent years, it has implemented a cooperative Water Resource Investigations program with the Agenda Title: CS-1415, Joint Funding Agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey for Hydrologic Monitoring and Stream and Reservoir Gauge Maintenance on the Tuolumne River and its Tributaries Commission Meeting Date: April 9, 2024
USGS, and entered into a series of Joint Funding Agreements with the USGS under which it contributes funding to cover the cost of necessary field and analytical work related to this program. Most recently, on October 22, 2019, by Resolution No. 19- 0204, the Commission
approved a Joint Funding
Agreement with the USGS for the Tuolumne River and its tributaries for an amount contributed by the SFPUC not to exceed $2,182,525 and with a total duration of five years.
The SFPUC’s Water Enterprise also maintains a separate J oint Funding Agreement with the USGS for the Alameda and Peninsula watersheds to maintain hydrologic records that are critical to required reporting of SFPUC water rights, informing the SFPUC’s reservoir and water management operations, and ensuring the SF PUC meets federal and state minimum instream flow requirements.
Description of
Agreement:
This Agreement will allow the SFPUC to continue a cooperative Water Resources Investigations program with the USGS to meet San Francisco’s obligations under the Raker Act, including the measurement of natural flow in the Tuolumne River at or above La Grange Dam, and the maintenance of hydrologic records on the Tuolumne River and its tributaries.
Funding and Costs: Funding Source: Hetch Hetchy Water and Power operating budget as appropriated through the City and County of San Francisco’s budget process and subject to approval during the City and County of San Francisco’s budget cycle and certification by the Controller.
Total Not-To-Exceed Contract Amount: $1,938,680
Schedule: Estimated Start Date: November 1, 2024
Estimated End Date: September 30, 2029
Duration: Four years and 11 months
Environmental
Review:
This action does not constitute a “project” under the California Environmental Quality Act Guidelines section 15378 because there would be no physical change in the environment, as this approval is solely for continued funding to operate the existing stream and reservoir gauging network.
PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
City and County of San Francisco
RESOLUTION NO.
WHEREAS, Under the 1913 Raker Act (38 Stat. 242), the City and County of San Francisco (San Francisco) is responsible for accurately measuring the natural flow on the Tuolumne River at or above La Grange Dam, and at other points on the Tuolumne River or its tributaries, and to maintain hydrographic records , as the U.S. Department of the Interior may direct, which are to be open to inspection by interested parties; and WHEREAS, The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a federal agency within the U.S.
Department of the Interior, works with local, state, and other federal agencies to collect water resources data at more than a million sites across the country, including rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, through regular monitoring and operation and maintenance of gauging instruments that measure stream flow and characterize hydrology, and i s recognized for its third -party independence, reliability, and scientific expertise in hydrologic monitoring; and WHEREAS, The USGS has an established cooperative “Water Resource Investigations” program to advance this work with agencies that are responsible for water resources management and policy, and it incorporates the water information that is collected through the program in partnership with other agencies, in real-time, into a national database that is publicly accessible on the USGS website for use by citizens, public agencies, and scientists; and WHEREAS, For more than 100 years, San Francisco, by its San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC), has entered into agreements for hydrologic monitoring and stream and reservoir gauge maintenance with the USGS , including agreements implementing a cooperative Water Resource Investigations program for the collection of water resources data on the Tuolumne River and its tributaries, and it relies on the independence and expertise of the USGS to fulfill its obligations under the Raker Act; and
WHEREAS, Most recently, on October 22, 2019, by Resolution No. 19- 0204, the Commission approved a Joint Funding Agreement with the USGS for the Tuolumne River and its tributaries for an amount contributed by the SFPUC not to exceed $2,182,525 and with a total duration of five years; and
WHEREAS, The SFPUC’s Water Enterprise also maintains a separate Joint Funding Agreement with the USGS for the Alameda and Peninsula watersheds to maintain hydrologic records that are critical to required reporting of SFPUC water rights, informing the SFPUC’s reservoir and water management operations, and ensur ing the SFPUC meets federal and state minimum instream flow requirements; and
WHEREAS, The estimated cost of services for the SFPUC under the new, proposed Joint Funding Agreement for the Tuolumne River and its tributaries is $1,938,680; and WHEREAS, Services are anticipated to begin November 1, 2024 and end September 30, 2029, and the total duration of this agreement is four years and eleven months; and WHEREAS, This action does not constitute a “project” under the California Environmental Quality Ac t Guidelines s ection 15378 because there would be no physical change in the environment, as this approval is solely for continued funding to operate the existing stream and reservoir gauging network; and
WHEREAS, Funds for this agreement will be available from the Hetch Hetchy Water and Power operating budget; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Commission hereby authorizes the General Manager of the San Francisco Public Utilities C ommission, or the General Manager’ s designee, to execute the CS- 1415, Joint Funding Agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey, which will allow the SFPUC and USGS to continue a cooperat ive Water Resources Investigation program for hydrologic monitoring and stream gauge maintenance on the Tuolumne River and its t ributaries, in the form on file with the Commission Secretary, for an amount not to exceed $1,938,680, and with a total duration of four years and 11 months.
I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was adopted by the Public Utilities Commission at its meeting of April 9, 2024.
Secretary, Public Utilities Commission