December, 2002 needs through the year Salinas Valley 2030. Water Project MCWRA has prepared an Engineer’s Report to WHAT IS THE SALINAS document an assessment VALLEY WATER methodology developed by PROJECT? MCWRA for a special assessment that could fund the The Salinas Valley Water proposed project. This report Project (SVWP) includes: is available at the Agency’s office or at the Salinas Valley 1. Operation and Water Coalition’s website: maintenance of the Nacimiento and San www.salinasvalleywatercoalition.or g Antonio reservoirs, 2. Modification of the spillway at Nacimiento Dam, and 3. Installation of the Salinas WHAT DOES IT DO FOR River Surface Diversion YOU? Facilities.

The Monterey County Water  It will restructure the Resources Agency (MCWRA) manner in which Zone 2 would implement the project and 2A assessments are to meet the water supply goals currently applied so that of the Salinas Valley, which future assessments will include: be proportional to benefit.  Halting seawater intrusion;  It will restructure the  Continuing conservation of existing Zone 2 and 2A winter flows for recharge to form one new Zone of the Salinas Valley basin for the operation and through summer releases;  Providing flood protection; maintenance of both  Improving long-term reservoirs --- this is hydrologic balance based on the fact that between recharge and the reservoirs are withdrawal; and operated as a system,  Providing a sufficient and therefore should be water supply to meet water considered as one system.

1 in fact receive no special  It identifies and benefit.” recognizes that the lands within the Salinas Valley The Salinas Valley Water benefit differently from Coalition, its Board of the operations of the Directors and its Members existing of reservoirs have worked very hard and it recognizes that the these past five years in an lands will benefit effort to change the manner differently from the in which Zone 2 and 2A proposed ‘new’ Salinas waterstandby and Valley Water Project, availability charges are and therefore, should be assessed. As you know, all assessed only lands within Zones 2 and 2A proportionate to benefits are assessed the same received. amount --- this is from one end of the Valley to the The proposal is consistent other. The with the requirements of ‘new’ zone changes all of this! Proposition 218. Proposition 218 was adopted by the voters of COST ALLOCATION COMMITTE California and amended the E California Constitution as of July 1, 1997. Proposition Representatives of the Salinas 218 states that “no Valley Water Coalition have assessment shall be imposed participated in the various on any parcel which exceeds MCWRA activities pertaining the reasonable cost of the to the issues surrounding proportional special benefit Zones 2/2A as well as the conferred on that parcel. development and Only special benefits are implementation of the Salinas assessable, and an agency Valley Water Project. This has included participation in shall separate the general the Settlement Committee benefits from the special established by Judge Silver, benefits conferred on a the Ad-Hoc Assessment parcel. Parcels within a Committee and the Cost district that are owned or Allocation Committee, all in an used by any agency, the effort to evaluate and better State of California or the understand the Agency and its United States shall not be administrative and operational exempt from assessment systems, and to develop a new unless the agency can and proportional form of demonstrate by clear and assessment(s) to replace the Agency’s existing Zone 2 and convincing evidence that 2A water standby charges. those publicly owned parcel

2 The Cost Allocation The distribution of costs Committee made the following according to benefit – recommendation to the and the recognition of a MCWRA Board of Directors difference in benefits -----we are anticipating that among lands from one the Board of Directors will end of the valley to the adopt this recommendation at its December 19th meeting and other end are what we forward it to the Board of have worked many Supervisors for their many years toward. As consideration and approval. you know all lands The recommendation consists within the Salinas Valley of: have historically been charged the same for the 1. A new zone – Zone 2C operation of the will be created. The reservoirs. While the assessments for this benefits have not been Zone will include 1) the uniform, the charges operation and have. Zone 2C changes maintenance of the two all of this and lands will existing reservoirs – now be assessed Zones 2/2a—along with according to benefit 2) the assessments for received as required per the Spillway Prop. 218. Modification and 3) the assessments for the Zone 2C costs will be Diversion Structure and, distributed according to 4) an assessment for the following ratio of administration. There benefits conferred to will be one zone with lands for the operation four separate new of the reservoirs. The assessments as detailed zone ratios are: below. (please note that the current Pressure Area: 5.7 waterstandby charges Eastside: 3.1 for Zones 2 and 2A will Forebay: 2.7 Upper cease to exist once this Valley: 2.6 new zone and Extended Upper Valley assessments are [these area areas approved by the voters) surrounding the 2. Zones 2/2a will remain reservoirs] solely for the collection Below: 2.9 Above San of ad-valorem taxes Antonio: 2.7 currently in place –these Arroyo Seco: 1 are NOT to be confused 3. Costs for the proposed with the water standby Spillway Modification and availability charges component of the Salinas which will cease to exist.

3 Valley Water Project maintenance of the zone [SVWP] will be boundary and litigation distributed according to costs. This will be a the Benefit Matrix for uniform assessment on all the Spillway lands within Zone 2C of Modifications. The zone $0.97 per irrigated acre. ratios are: There will be a cap on the total amount of dollars that Pressure Area: 6.3 can be collected and held in Eastside: 4.8 reserve --- this is to prevent Forebay: 2.5 Upper the Agency from building a Valley: 2.3 ‘war chest’. This is Extended Upper Valley discussed further below. Below: 2.8 Above San Antonio: 4.0 6. The Agency has Arroyo Seco: 1 prepared a draft 4. Costs for the proposed resolution to be adopted rubber dam component by the Board of of the SVWP will be Directors and the Board distributed according to of Supervisors. This the Benefit Matrix for Resolution addresses the Diversion Structure. many of our outstanding The zone ratios are: issues. It is proposed that this Resolution will Pressure Area: 1.2 be adopted along with Eastside: 1.0 the cost allocation recommendations from ALL capital costs the CAC. The following associated with this summarizes the component will be paid Resolution: solely by the Pressure and Eastside areas. The a) Reiterates the three operation and guiding principles maintenance costs for adopted by the CAC: the Diversion Structure (1) consolidate zones 2 and the pumping station and 2a, (2) facilities shall will be paid by those be paid for in proportion receiving delivered to the benefits received, water (currently Zone and (3) proposed or 2B). future projects shall be 5. Administration: In paid for in proportion to addition to the above additional benefits assessments, the committee received. has proposed a separate assessment to costs b) Modifies existing associated with the CSIP/SVRP Resolution

4 to state: “Once all interests, have worked debt……has been together to develop the retired, 2Y and 2Z recommendation before the Assessments shall be MCWRA. The SVWC eliminated ad all believes we each have given “something” up, but also operation and believe that the end produce is maintenance worth supporting. In this requirements for the work, each has expended CSIP/SVRP shall be considerab le time and supported through Zone resources engaging consultants 2B Assessments and and working with Agency staff Water Delivery to develop useful, factual, Charges.” information supported by HURRAY!!!! This scientific data. We believe the means the $4.00 and recommendation, the matrix $8.00 (plus CPI increase) and the ‘draft’ resolution supports the findings, are will go away once all equitable and reflect debt has been paid for understandable and these projects. proportional cost-benefit analysis. We encourage your c) Once the Revenue support. Bonds used for construction of the The Monterey County Board Nacimiento of Supervisors will hold a hydroelectric Plant public hearing on the Salinas are paid in full, all Valley Water Project January revenue, including 14, 2003. Your ballot will be mailed to the County’s 20% you around January 20, 2003. share, shall be retained by the Does this sound too Agency. Once this confusing to you? Do you begins, surplus have questions? Do you revenue up to want to hear more? Please $200,000 per year join the Coalition for its shall be assigned to annual Membership the CSIP/SVRP --- meeting January 28th and with the balance of have your questions the revenue to be answered. The Agency will assigned to the be making a presentation on Capital Asset the Salinas Valley Water Management Plan Project and will also answer for the Agency’s two your questions about the reservoirs. Project as well as any about your ballot. WATCH FOR Representatives from one end YOUR NOTICE WITH of the Valley to the other, each MORE INFORMATION – with differing opinions and

5 COMING TO YOUR scheduled to be released for DOORSTEP THE FIRST comment sometime the first OF JANUARY! part of the new year. The Coalition is monitoring the COMING UP NEXT? GPU because of serious concerns regarding the Monterey County Board of water policies being Supervisors will have a new presented within the GPU. member as of January 7, We will keep you informed 2003 --- someone familiar to and ask for your continued many many of us ---Mr. support as we move through Butch Lindley. He will be this new year. the new District 3 Supervisor. We welcome WISHING EVERYONE A ‘Butch’ to the Board of HAPPY HOLIDAY AND Supervisors and look THE BEST OF THE NEW forward to working with YEAR! him. We have been waiting a long time! Published by Salinas Valley Water Coalition Nancy Isakson Government Affairs Consultant Phone 624-2377 * Fax 624- 2799 Email [email protected]

As Butch comes into office, Supervisor Lou Calcagno leaves District 3 to take the seat of Supervisor for District 2. We thank Supervisor Calcagno for his representation of District 3 and his support on those issues near and dear to us.

MONTEREY COUNTY GENERAL PLAN

The rewrite of the draft General Plan Update is

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