City Council Agenda Report
Meeting Date: May 7, 2024
From: Todd Dusenberry, General Manager of Public Utilities Department: Public Utilities
Submitted by: Adriana Ramos, Management Analyst
Subject
Participation in the Election of Members of the Central Basin Water Rights Panel of the Central Basin Watermaster
Recommendation
A. Authorize the City of Vernon’s participation in the Election of Members of the Central Basin Water Rights Panel of the Central Basin Watermaster; and B. Authorize the City Administrator or the City Administrator’s designee to nominate and vote for members for the Central Basin Water Rights Panel.
Background
In 1909, the introduction of the deep-well turbine pump increased groundwater development.
However, with the increase in population, industry, and agriculture, the Central Basin's groundwater demand exceeded its natural replenishment, causing the depletion of groundwater aquifers. This led to the formation of the Central Basin Water Association in 1950 and a similar association for the West Coast Basin. These associations established the Central and West Basin Water Replenishment District (CWBWRD) in 1959, now known as the Water Replenishment District of Southern California (WRD). Its objective is to replenish and maintain groundwater basins by purchasing imported water, recharging the basins, and halting seawater intrusion.
In 1962, the CWBWRD filed a court case seeking to obtain quiet title to extraction rights to the use of groundwater. An interim agreement was approved in 1962, curtailing extractions by parties withdrawing groundwater from the basin. By October 1965, the case was finalized, and the Department of Water Resources (DWR) was appointed as the Watermaster, and the final Judgment became effective on October 1, 1966. The Judgment has undergone three amendments since its inception. The first amendment took place on March 21, 1980, facilitating a transition in the administrative year from a water year to a fiscal year. The second amendment was made on July 9, 1985, modifying the annual budget, exchange pool provisions, and carryover and overproduction provisions. It also defined carryover and provided exemptions for extractors of contaminated groundwater.
The third amendment was made on December 23, 2013, defining storage, creating storage provisions, and allowing water rights holders to have direct input into how the Judgment is administered and enforced. The City Council of the City of Vernon (City) supported this amendment by adopting Resolution No. 2013-92 on November 5, 2013. This Judgment confirmed the DWR's retirement and mandated the creation of a new Watermaster with three separate bodies serving different functions.
The Watermaster is composed of the Administrative Body, the Water Rights Panel, and the Storage Panel:
1. Administrative Body – WRD was appointed by the Judgment as the Administrative Body to assist the Court in the administration and enforcement of the provisions of the Judgment, including Watermaster accounting and reporting functions.
2. Water Rights Panel – This Panel enforces issues related to pumping rights within the adjudication and is made up of seven Central Basin water rights holders. Six Panel members are elected by other water rights holders with similar water rights, and the seventh Panel member is elected at large by all water rights holders.
3. Storage Panel – This Panel includes the Water Rights Panel and the WRD Board of Directors, which together review and approve storage projects within the Basin.
In July 2014, all three bodies of the Watermaster began their duties. Currently, the cities of Downey, Lakewood, Long Beach, Signal Hill, and Paramount, as well as Golden State Water Co. and Montebello Land and Water Co., make up the Water Rights Panel. WRD is accepting nominations to fill three Water Rights Panel positions for a four-year term starting on July 1, 2024.
1. A member of the Panel who is elected by Parties to the Judgment (Parties) with Allowed Pumping Allocation (APA) less than 5,000 feet and who is not a member of the Small Water Producers Group.
2. A member of the Panel who is elected by Parties with APA of at least 5,000-acre feet but less than 10,000-acre feet.
3. A member of the Panel who is elected by all Parties holding APA.
The City is a Party to the third amendment and has the right to participate in the election process of members to the Central Basin Water Rights Panel of the Central Basin Watermaster. The City can also nominate and vote for members in Sections 2 and 3, as noted above.
The election is scheduled for May 9, 2024. If approved by the City Council, staff will submit the nominations to the WRD before the May 9, 2024 deadline.
Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact associated with this report.
Attachments
None.