To: Board of Directors, Sonoma County Water Agency
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Water Agency
Staff Name and Phone Number: Jessica Martini-Lamb 707-547-1903
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Fifth
Title:
Title
Russian River Estuary Water Quality Studies
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize Sonoma County Water Agency’s General Manager to execute the Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement for Study of Russian River Estuary Circulation and Water Quality Monitoring with the Regents of the University of California, on behalf of its Davis campus Bodega Marine Lab, in a form approved by County Counsel. The amended agreement increases the amount by $370,000, and extends the agreement term by two years for a new not-to-exceed agreement total of $1,145,000 and end date of December 31, 2024. (Fifth District)
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Executive Summary:
The Regents of the University of California, on behalf of its Davis campus Bodega Marine Lab (University) will continue providing a monitoring program to evaluate water quality, flow dynamics, and visual observations of coastal processes of the estuary and outlet channel. Monitoring data collected under the amended agreement will be used to evaluate the impacts of changes in estuary management. This item requests an extension to the term of the agreement and adds additional budget to allow work to continue.
Discussion:
HISTORY OF ITEM/BACKGROUND
On September 24, 2008, the National Marine Fisheries Service (Fisheries) issued a Biological Opinion for Water Supply, Flood Control Operations, and Channel Maintenance conducted by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water), and the Mendocino County Russian River Flood Control and Water Conservation Improvement District (Biological Opinion). Fisheries found that Sonoma Water’s artificial breaching management practices were likely to jeopardize the continued existence of threatened steelhead and adversely modify their critical habitat.
The Biological Opinion’s Reasonable and Prudent Alternative 2 requires that Sonoma Water collaborate with Fisheries to modify estuary management to reduce marine influence during the summer to promote a higher water surface elevation and improve water quality in the estuary to enhance rearing habitat for steelhead. As required by the Biological Opinion, Sonoma Water develops and implements yearly adaptive management plans which lay out the beach management measures that will be pursued by Sonoma Water between May 15 to October 15 of each year to promote and maintain freshwater lagoon conditions preferred by rearing steelhead.
Since the original agreement in 2014, University has continued to provide a monitoring program to collect data used to evaluate the impacts of changes in estuary management. The monitoring program is ongoing.
Sonoma Water entered into the subject agreement for water quality monitoring, dated October 10, 2014, in the amount of $360,000 and term end date of September 30, 2017.
A first amended agreement, approved by the General Manager of Sonoma Water on January 22, 2018, extended the agreement term to October 15, 2018.
A second amended agreement, approved by the General Manager of Sonoma Water on October 9, 2018, extended the agreement term to October 15, 2019.
A third amended agreement, approved by the Board on September 17, 2019, increased the agreement amount by $415,000 for a new not-to-exceed total of $775,000 and extended the agreement term to May 31, 2022.
A fourth amended agreement, approved by the General Manager of Sonoma Water on June 2, 2022, extended the agreement term to December 1, 2022.
SELECTION PROCESS
University is a research entity specializing in estuarine water quality, flow dynamics, and coastal processes. Sonoma Water conducts management activities in the Russian River Estuary, and the current permit with the California Coastal Commission (Commission) requires that an outside consultant provide additional monitoring services and advisement. Commission staff were satisfied that the University would be able to provide the required services and continued advisory role in the water quality monitoring. Therefore, University was the only firm contacted and was selected to perform the work. Its familiarity with the Russian River Estuary from work on a previous agreement with Sonoma Water and its involvement in California coastal lagoon research were important factors in the selection process. Additionally, University’s close proximity to the project site will help reduce costs associated with mobilization and travel.
SERVICES TO BE PERFORMED
Under the proposed amended agreement, University will continue providing data to the monitoring program that evaluates water quality, flow dynamics, and visual observations of coastal processes of the estuary and outlet channel in compliance with the Biological Opinion.
The term of the agreement is being extended and additional budget funds added so University can continue providing monitoring data. The additional cost is $370,000 for a new not-to-exceed agreement total of $1,145,000. The new end date is December 31, 2024.
The amended agreement includes authorization for the General Manager to make changes to lengthen time schedules or make minor modifications to the scope of work, which do not increase the amount paid under the agreement, in a form approved by County Counsel.
The amended agreement includes two options for Sonoma Water to extend the agreement for a period of one year each by providing written notice to University thirty days in advance of the expiration date of the amended agreement and of the first extension option.
County’s Strategic Plan: N/A
Sonoma Water Strategic Plan Alignment:
Water Supply and Transmission System, Goal 1: Protect drinking water supply and promote water-use efficiency.
This work supports Sonoma Water’s Strategic Plan, Goal 1, Strategy 1, Action 5: Continue to implement the Reasonable and Prudent alternatives for the Russian River Biological Opinion which is supported through the Biological Opinion’s Reasonable and Prudent Alternative 2 requiring Sonoma Water to collaborate with Fisheries to modify estuary management to reduce marine influence during the summer.
Prior Board Actions:
09/17/2019: Approved amended agreement between Sonoma Water and University for monitoring services. Added $415,000 for a new not-to-exceed agreement total of $775,000 and end date of May 31, 2022.
10/07/2014: Approved agreement between Sonoma Water and University for monitoring services. Cost $360,000; term end September 30, 2017.
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY 22-23 Adopted |
FY23-24 Projected |
FY 24-25 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
$160,000 |
$160,000 |
$50,000 |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
$160,000 |
$160,000 |
$50,000 |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
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Fees/Other |
$160,000 |
$160,000 |
$50,000 |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$160,000 |
$160,000 |
$50,000 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Budgeted amount of $160,000 is available from FY 2022/2023 appropriations for the Watershed Planning and Restoration fund. FY 2023/2024 and FY 2024/2025 appropriations will be budgeted in those fiscal years.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
None
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None