HomeMy WebLinkAbout04.d. Adopt resolution in support of Walnut Creek Watershed Council and reaffirm $10,000 contributionCentral Contra Costa Sanitary District
BOARD OF DIRECTORS `
POSITION PAPER
Board Meeting Date: February 6, 2014
subject: ADOPT A RESOLUTION AND REAFFIRM A CONTRIBUTION OF $10,000
SUPPORTING THE WALNUT CREEK WATERSHED COUNCIL
Submitted By: Initiating Dept. /Div.:
Curtis W. Swanson, Director of Operations Operations
REVIEWED AND RECOMMENDED FOR BOARD ACTION.
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K. Alm R. Bailey
Counsel for the Distric General Mana er
ISSUE: The Board is requested to adopt a resolution and reaffirm a financial
contribution of $10,000 in support of the Walnut Creek Watershed Council.
RECOMMENDATION: Adopt a resolution and reaffirm a financial contribution of
$10,000 in support of the Walnut Creek Watershed Council.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS: A financial contribution of $10,000 to be used for a
supplemental environmental project that is agreed upon and mutually beneficial to the
District and the Walnut Creek Watershed Council.
ALTERNATIVES /CONSIDERATIONS: The Board could decide not to support the
Walnut Creek Watershed Council. A $10,000 contribution to the Walnut Creek
Watershed Council was part of a recent agreement with California River Watch. The
Board has previously supported the Alhambra Creek Watershed Council.
BACKGROUND: The Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation
District (CCCFCWCD) has been interested in having a Watershed Council in the Walnut
Creek watershed for many years. The CCCFCWCD would benefit by having a forum
for public comments and input on projects, planned system improvements and various
programs. Attempts have been made in the past to establish a Watershed Council, but
they have all failed. This latest effort has the largest and most diverse group of
interested parties and has a very high chance of success.
The Walnut Creek watershed is the largest watershed in Contra Costa County, totaling
150 square miles or 96,000 acres, and the largest watershed in the District's service
area. It includes portions of the cities of Concord, Lafayette, Martinez, Orinda, Pleasant
Hill, San Ramon and Walnut Creek, and the towns of Danville and Moraga, plus several
unincorporated county communities such as Pacheco, Alamo and Diablo.
The Walnut Creek Watershed Council is proposed as a voluntary, non - regulatory
stakeholder group that supports a healthy and sustainable Walnut Creek watershed.
The Watershed Council would work to protect and enhance the watershed and is
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POSITION PAPER
Board Meeting Date: January 6, 2014
subject: ADOPT A RESOLUTION AND AUTHORIZE A CONTRIBUTION OF
$10,000 SUPPORTING THE WALNUT CREEK WATERSHED COUNCIL
envisioned to facilitate actions that increase awareness of the watershed, implement
watershed projects and to be a forum for sharing information and activities that affect
the watershed. The Watershed Council would facilitate activities and actions in the
watershed and assist with the resolution of watershed -wide issues and provide public
education of watershed goals. The Watershed Council would also undertake
watershed -wide activities, such as shepherding projects funded on a watershed basis,
coordinating watershed -wide creek clean -up efforts, promoting training, and tracking
projects in the watershed, documenting watershed conditions, and working to secure
funding for watershed related activities and projects. Many of these activities and
projects are beneficial to the District and its mission to protect nearby waterways.
As part of an agreement with the environmental group, California River Watch, the
District agreed to make a $10,000 financial contribution to the Walnut Creek Watershed
Council to implement a supplemental environmental project. The specific supplemental
environmental project will be agreed upon between the Walnut Creek Watershed
Council and the District.
The following agencies have formally supported the Walnut Creek Watershed Council:
Contra Costa County, Contra Costa Resource Conservation District, East Bay Regional
Park District, the cities of Lafayette, Martinez, Orinda, Pleasant Hill, San Ramon and
Walnut Creek, and the town of Moraga.
COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: This matter was reviewed by the Budget and
Finance Committee on December 2 and 16, 2013, and January 6, 2014.
RECOMMENDED BOARD ACTION: Adopt a resolution and reaffirm a financial
contribution of $10,000 in support of the Walnut Creek Watershed Council.
Attached Supportinq Document:
1. Proposed Resolution
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RESOLUTION NO. 2014 -00(p
A RESOLUTION OF THE CENTRAL CONTRA COSTA SANITARY DISTRICT
WALNUT CREEK WATERSHED
WHEREAS, the Walnut Creek Watershed is the largest watershed in Contra Costa
County totaling 150 square miles and 96,000 acres in size, yet it does not benefit from a
Watershed Council like other watersheds in the County such as Marsh Creek, Alhambra
Creek, Rodeo Creek, Pinole Creek, Wildcat Creek and San Pablo Creek; and
WHEREAS, the Walnut Creek Watershed is the largest watershed in the Central Contra
Costa Sanitary District service area; and
WHEREAS, the Walnut Creek Watershed encompasses the boundaries of several
unincorporated County communities, the cities of Concord, Lafayette, Martinez, Orinda,
Pleasant Hill, San Ramon, and Walnut Creek and the towns of Danville and Moraga;
and
WHEREAS, a Watershed Council can be a valuable organization to foster coordination
and cooperation among the watershed stakeholders; and
WHEREAS, more than 25,000 acres in the watershed are owned and managed by
various entities for open space purposes that protect and preserve habitat value,
riparian vegetation, wildlife corridors, aesthetic vistas, stormwater quality and storage,
and recreational opportunities, and that also defines the communities in the watershed;
and
WHEREAS, the Walnut Creek Watershed Council is proposed as a voluntary, non -
regulatory stakeholder group that supports a healthy and sustainable Walnut Creek
Watershed. The Council would work to protect and enhance the watershed and is
envisioned to facilitate actions that increase awareness of the watershed, implement
watershed projects and to be a forum for sharing information and activities that affect
the watershed; and
WHEREAS, the Flood Control District has its largest flood protection system in the
Walnut Creek Watershed totaling 22 miles of channels and several detention basins
and there currently is no coordinating body for watershed assessment or comment on
proposed projects to existing or planned flood protection facilities; and
WHEREAS, the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Stormwater Permit
requirements (Municipal Regional Permit) for each of the municipalities and the County
in the watershed requires coordination on a watershed basis and the Watershed
Council could help coordinate and facilitate actions, such as creek clean ups, water
quality sampling and trash assessments, that benefit the entire watershed; and
WHEREAS, Central Contra Costa Sanitary District is under contract with the Contra
Costa Clean Water Program to perform stormwater inspections in ten incorporated
cities; and
Resolution 2014 -00&
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Central Contra Costa Sanitary District
WHEREAS, interested parties can participate in this Watershed Council by adopting this
resolution, and their voluntary participation is effective upon their passage of this
resolution; and
WHEREAS, the District will make a $10,000 contribution to the Watershed Council as
part of an agreement with California River Watch.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE Board of Directors of the Central
Contra Costa Sanitary District ( "District ") as follows:
THAT the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District adopts this resolution for the purpose
of supporting a Walnut Creek Watershed Council; and
THAT staff is authorized to attend Walnut Creek Watershed Council meetings and
report back to the Board of Directors about Watershed Council activities on an as
needed basis; and
THAT a financial contribution of $10,000 is reaffirmed for the Walnut Creek Watershed
Council to conduct a supplemental environmental project in the Walnut Creek
Watershed.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this sixth day of February, 2014, by the Board of Directors of
the Central Contra Costa Sanitary District by the following vote:
AYES:
Members:
NOES:
Members:
ABSENT:
Members:
David R. Williams
President of the Board of Directors
Central Contra Costa Sanitary District
County of Contra Costa, State of California
COUNTERSIGNED:
Elaine R. Boehme, CMC
Secretary of the District
Central Contra Costa Sanitary District
County of Contra Costa, State of California
Approved as to form:
Kenton L. Alm, Esq.
Counsel for the District