PISMO BEACH COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Agenda Item #12.C
SUBJECT/TITLE:
WATER SUPPLY UPDATE; DECLARATION OF RESTRICTED WATER SUPPLY
CONDITION
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a Resolution declaring Severely Restricted Water Supply Conditions.
BACKGROUND:
On November 16, 2021 staff provided an update to the City Council on the City’s water supply and committed to return to the Council at the second meeting every other month to provide an update on the City’s water supply.
The staff report for that meeting can be found in the Access Pismo online public records portal1 or by scanning the QR Code at right.
Update on Water Supply
The City’s water supply portfolio is made up of three sources, State Water, Lopez Lake Water, and groundwater from the Santa Maria Groundwater Basin (SMGB).
Santa Maria Groundwater Basin
The SMGB is an adjudicated basin, and the City of Pismo Beach has the right to extract 700 acre-fee per year (AFY) from the basin. The part of the basin the City uses to extract its groundwater is managed by the Northern Cities Management Area (NCMA) Technical Group (TG), which is made up of staff from Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, Arroyo Grande, and the Oceano Community Services District.
The NCMA TG has established a “Deep Well Index Threshold” level of 7.5 feet as a level that can induce seawater intrusion into the basin if the basin remains below that level for an extended period of time. The most recent quarterly report, published on November 12, 2021, reflects data collected on October 5, 2021, and shows that the Deep Well Index Level (DWIL) was at 6.64 feet (0.86 feet lower than the Deep Well Index Threshold Level of 7.5 feet). In July 2021 the DWIL was 7.25 feet, or 0.25 feet below the Deep Well Index Threshold Level. In April 2021 DWIL the was 9.06 feet, or 1.56 feet higher than the Deep Well Index Threshold Level.
Lopez Lake
On August 24, 2021, the County Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution R-2021-183 enacting the Low Reservoir Response Plan (LRRP), and because the level in Lake Lopez is below 15,000 acre-feet (AF) Zone 3 agencies have reduced their entitlements by 10%.
The full list of recommend reductions in municipal diversions under the LRRP are shown in Table 1.
1 Full URL:
https://accesspismo.pismobeach.org/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=362819&dbid=0&repo=Laserfiche Council Agenda 1-18-2022 12.C-1
Table 1: LLRP recommended municipal diversion reduction targets.
Amount of Water In
Storage (AF)
Recommended Municipal
Diversion Reduction
Targets
Recommended
Municipal Diversion
(AFY) Targets for Pismo
20,000 0%892
15,000 10%802.8
10,000 20%713.6
5,000 35%579.8
1,700 100%0
As of January 12, 2022 Lopez Lake was at 14,942.8 AF, 179.8 AF higher than it was on November 2, 2021 in staff’s last reporting the City Council on November 16, 2021 when the lake level was 14,763.0. Current projections show if the area receives “average rainfall” between now and January of 2023, that storage in the lake will be approximately 10,000 AF in late September 2022 and 8,000 AF at the beginning of 2023, as shown in Figure 1 below.
Figure 1: Lopez Reservoir Storage Projections
Council Agenda 1-18-2022 12.C-2
State Water
On December 1, 2021 the Department of Water Resources released bulletin number 21- 07 setting initial 2022 State Water Project (SWP) available supplies on a basis that ensures the SWP long-term water supply contractors can meet their outstanding minimum human health and safety demands for water (health and safety allocation). This allocation is based on minimum unmet water demands to meet domestic supply, fire protection, and sanitation needs during the year. These health and safety needs are determined to be not more than 55 gallons per capita per day (gpcd), consistent with the recent State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) emergency curtailment regulations. Agencies with stored water, or other sources of water will not receive a SWP delivery at this time.
Current projections are that the County of San Luis Obispo Flood Control and Water Conservation District, to whom the City of Pismo Beach subcontracts SWP water from, will have approximately 12,000 AF of carryover water available for its subcontractors. To put this in context, the total State Water Subcontractors Table A allocations are 4,830 AF.
This means that the County has enough stored state water to make each of its subcontractors whole for approximately 2.5 years or until July of 2024, assuming there is not a spill at San Luis Reservoir, which would eliminate all stored water.
In light of the recent rains in the northern part of the state, and snow in the Sierras, staff is anticipating the SWP to increase allocations of state water in the coming weeks.
The City’s current water supplies are shown in Table 2 on the next pageTable 2.
Table 2: Current Pismo Beach Water Supplies
Source
Full
Allocation
(AF)
Percent of
Allocation Allocation (AF)
SMGWB* 700 30% 210
State Water 1,140 0% 0
Drought Buffer** 1,240 0% 0
Stored State Water 0
Lopez Water# 892 80% 713.6
Lopez Surplus 314.00
Total 2,692 1,237.6
*Santa Maria Groundwater Basin
**Drought buffer is an additional allocation of water that can only be delivered when State Water Deliveries are less than 100%. The total amount of State Water delivered including drought buffer cannot exceed 1,240 AF in a given year.
#Lake Lopez is projected to drop below 10,000 AF in August of 2022. At that time allocations from the lake would drop to 80% retroactively, therefore for planning purposes an 80% allocation is assumed.
As shown in Table 2, the City currently has 1,237.6 AF of water in its portfolio. The County of San Luis Obispo has 15,273 AF of unallocated State Water however, under the current delivery will receive no additional SWP water other than their stored water. The County Council Agenda 1-18-2022 12.C-3
has agreed to make its subcontractors whole using its stored SWP water which will bring the City’s total available water supply to 2,477.6 AF for 2022.
Precipitation
The City’s two local water supplies, Lopez Lake and the Santa Maria Groundwater Basin, are highly dependent on rainfall. Calendar year 2020 saw a significant short fall in precipitation, however and 2021 did see a small surplus of rain. Rainfall data for these years is shown in Table 3.
Table 3: Average and Actual Rainfall from January 2020 to December 2021
Month *Average
Rainfall (in)
2020
Rainfall (in)
Difference
(in)
2021
Rainfall (in)
Difference
(in)
Jan 3.59 0.61 -2.98 6.46 2.87
Feb 3.87 0 -3.87 0.03 -3.84
Mar 3.46 8.02 4.56 2.53 -0.93
Apr 1.13 1.72 0.59 0 -1.13
May 0.41 0 -0.41 0.1 -0.31
Jun 0.07 0 -0.07 0 -.07
Jul 0.03 0 -0.03 0.03 0
Aug 0.02 0 -0.02 0 -0.02
Sep 0.32 0 -0.32 0 -0.32
Oct 0.62 0.04 -0.58 1.95 1.33
Nov 1.7 0.49 -1.21 0.46 -1.24
Dec 2.57 1.21 -1.36 7.69 5.12
Total 17.79 12.09 -5.7 19.25 1.46
*Average rainfall from http://longrangeweather.com/
Water Conservation Rebates
The City first adopted water conservation rebates on August 19, 2014. At that time the water conservation rebate program included the following rebates:
Cash for Grass
High Efficiency Toilet
Rain Barrel
Washing Machine
Smart Irrigation Controller
Irrigation Retrofit
Commercial Urinal
Micro-Irrigation
Water savings and costs associated with the 2014 water conservation rebate programs are shown in Table 4, on the next page. This program ran out of funding and ended on in March of 2020. On March 16, 2021 the City Council reinstated the Cash for Grass and High Efficiency Toilet rebate programs and funded it with $15,000. A summary of the 2021 Rebate programs to-date are shown in Table 5, on the next page. Since 2014, the City Council Agenda 1-18-2022 12.C-4
has issued a total of 537 rebates, for a total of 56.71 AF/year, which is summarized in Table 6, on the next page.
Table 4: 2014 Water Conservation Rebate Totals
Rebate
Program
# of
Conversions
Rebate
Total Water Saving $/AF
Cash 4 Grass 119 $68,897.25 28.19 AF/year $2,444.03
Toilet 343 $27,125.00 20.45 AF/year $1,326.41
Rain Barrel 6 $300.00 0.18 AF/year $1,666.67
Washing
Machine 16 $2,400.00 0.31 AF/year $7,741.94
Smart Controller 5 $1,000.00 0.11 AF/year $9,090.91
Commercial
Urinal 20 $5,765.66 1.84 AF/year $3,133.51
Irrigation
Retrofit 0 $0 0 AF/year $0
Micro-irrigation 3 $1,066.25 0.55 AF/year $1,938.64
TOTAL 512 $106,554.16 51.63 AF/year $2,063.80
.
Table 5: 2021 Water Conservation Rebate Totals
Rebate
Program
# of
Conversions
Rebate
Total Water Saving $/AF
Cash 4 Grass
(Paid Out) 13 $10,057.50 4.00 AF/year $2,514.38
Cash 4 Grass
(Under
Conversion)
1 $1,106.75 0.44 AF/year $2,515.34
Toilet (Paid Out) 12 $1,200.00 0.71 AF/year $1,690.14
Toilet (Under
Conversion) 0 - - AF/year -
TOTAL 25 $12,364.25 5.15 AF/year $2,400.83
Table 6: 2021 Water Conservation Rebate Totals for All Programs Rebate
Program
# of
Conversions
Rebate
Total
Current Water
Saving $/AF
Cash 4 Grass 132 $80,061.50 32.63 AF/year $2,453.62
Toilet 355 $28,325.00 21.1 AF/year $1,338.61
Rain Barrel 6 $300.00 0.18 AF/year $1,666.67
Washing
Machine 16 $2,400.00 0.31 AF/year $7,741.94
Smart
Controller 5 $1,000.00 0.11 AF/year $9,090.91
Council Agenda 1-18-2022 12.C-5
Commercial
Urinal 20 $5,765.66 1.84 AF/year $3,133.51
Irrigation
Retrofit 0 $0 0 AF/year $0
Micro-
irrigation 3 $1,066.25 0.55 AF/year $1,938.64
TOTAL 537 $118,918.41 56.71 AF/year $2,096.59
Conclusion and Recommendation
Water Supply
Currently the City is under a Moderately Restricted Water Supply Condition, however based on the City’s current water supplies and the fact that without excess County SWP water the City would have a water deficit, staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution (Attachment 1) declaring a Severely Restricted Water Supply Condition. The water use restrictions associated with the Severely Restricted Water Supply Condition are:
A. Use of water which causes runoff onto adjacent properties, non-irrigated areas, private and public walkways, roadways, gutters, parking lots, or structures is prohibited.
B. Outdoor water use for washing vehicles, boats, paved surfaces, buildings, and other similar uses shall be attended and have hand-controlled water devices, which shut off the water immediately when not in use.
C. No water shall be used for cleaning driveways, patios, parking lots, sidewalks, streets, or other such uses except as found necessary by the city to protect the public health or safety.
D. Outdoor irrigation
1. Outdoor irrigation is prohibited between the hours of ten a.m. and four p.m.
2. Applying water to outdoor landscapes during and within 48 hours after measurable rainfall is prohibited.
3. Irrigation of private and public landscaping, turf areas and gardens is permitted at even-numbered addresses only on Mondays and Thursdays, and at odd-numbered addresses only on Tuesdays and Fridays. All customers are directed to use no more water than necessary to maintain landscaping.
E. Restaurants shall serve drinking water only in response to a specific request by a customer.
F. Using water in a fountain or other decorative water feature, except where the water is part of a recirculating system, is prohibited.
G. Use of potable water for compaction or dust control purposes in construction activities is prohibited.
H. Emptying and refilling swimming pools and commercial spas is prohibited except to prevent structural damage and/or to provide for the public health and safety.
Council Agenda 1-18-2022 12.C-6
Building Restrictions
The current triggers for the building restrictions are that on May 1st of each year the City’s water supply is evaluated and if the water supply as of May 1st is 15% greater than the previous year’s production, no building restrictions are called for, as shown in Figure 2 on the next page. The City’s current water supply is greater than 15% of last year’s and staff does not recommend that building restrictions be considered at this time. However, because the City’s water supply is in a deficit without additional water from the County, staff is including the building restriction flow chart to provide the Council with an opportunity to review and discuss the building restriction flow chart.
Council Agenda 1-18-2022 12.C-7
Figure 2: Flow Chart Illustrating Triggers for the Three-Tier Building Restriction System
Is total Water
Supply above
1,630 AF?
Is Lopez
above
10,000 AF?
Is State
Water Above
20%?
Is Lopez
above 5,000
AF?
Is Lopez
above 4,000
AF?
Tier I Tier II Tier III
Is State
Water Above
15%?
Is State
Water Above
10%?
Y
Y
Y Y Y
Y Y
N
N N N
N N
Is total Water
Supply above
1,130 AF?
Is total Water
Supply above
850 AF?
Y Y
N N N
SMGB below
trigger level for
6 consecutive
quarters?
SMGB below
trigger level for
10 consecutive
quarters?
SMGB below
trigger level for
3 of 4 previous
quarters?
N
Y
N
Y
N
Y
Y
N
Evaluate on May 1st of each year.
Is
total water
supply
15% above previous
year’s
production?
No Restrictions
Council Agenda 1-18-2022 12.C-8
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no direct fiscal impact from this report.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Do not declare a Severely Water Supply condition; provide staff with direction on how to proceed.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution
Prepared and Submitted by: Meeting Date: January 18, 2022 Benjamin A. Fine, P.E., Director of Public Works/City Engineer City Manager Approval:
Council Agenda 1-18-2022 12.C-9
RESOLUTION NO. R-2022-XXX
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PISMO BEACH,
CALIFORNIA DECLARING SEVERELY RESTRICTED WATER SUPPLY
CONDITIONS
WHEREAS, on June 1, 2021 the City Council adopted Resolution R-2021-049 declaring a Moderately Restricted Water Supply condition in accordance with the provisions of Municipal Code Section 13.24.040; and
WHEREAS, data collected on October 5, 2021, shows the Deep Well Index Level of the Santa Maria Groundwater Basin was at 6.64 feet (0.86 feet lower than the Deep Well Index Threshold Level of 7.5 feet); and
WHEREAS, Lopez Lake has remained below 15,000 AF and municipal deliveries have been reduced by 10%; and
WHEREAS, on December 1, 2021 the Department of Water Resources set initial State Water deliveries for 2022 will be based on “minimum unmet water demands to meet domestic supply, fire protection, and sanitation needs during the year” not to exceed 55 gallons per capita per day; and
WHEREAS, based upon the County of San Luis Obispo’s stored state water of approximately 12,000 AF, the County of San Luis Obispo and its subcontractors will receive no State Water under this directive; and
WHEREAS, without the County’s stored State Water the City of Pismo Beach would see a water deficit of approximately 500 AF.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Pismo Beach hereby declares a Severely Restricted Water Supply in accordance with the provisions of Municipal Code Section 13.24.050.
UPON MOTION OF Council Member , seconded by Council Member , the foregoing resolution was adopted by the City Council of the City of Pismo Beach this 18th day of January 2022, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTAIN:
RECUSED:
Approved: Attest:
________________________ ________________________
Ed Waage, Mayor Erica Inderlied, City Clerk
Council Agenda 1-18-2022 12.C-10
Attachment 1