Agenda Item Wording:
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Consider confirmation of a letter of support for Tulare Irrigation District’s request for funding for the Seaborn Reservoir Project.
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Deadline for Action: N/A
Submitting Department: Administration
Contact Name and Phone Number: Rhett Anderson, 559-713-4530
Department Recommendation:
It is recommended that the City Council endorsement the letter of support for the Tulare Irrigation District (TID) request for community funding for the Seaborn Reservoir Project (Project).
Background Discussion:
A time-sensitive request from Tulare Irrigation District to support the District’s quest to secure funding for the Project was received between Council meetings. There was not time to bring the request to Council prior to the deadline. As with similar previous requests that were consistent with the Council’s legislative platform, staff prepared and the Mayor signed a letter of support. (Copy attached) Should the Council not concur with this action, the letter of support will be withdrawn.
The San Joaquin Valley (Valley) is one of the most productive areas for agriculture in the United States, and as a result of the significant agriculture that occurs here, water plays an essential role in the human, economic, and cultural health of the region.
The wellbeing of the Valley is primarily dependent on the precipitation that occurs in the Sierra Nevada Mountain range, which runs north and south along the eastern boundary of the Valley. Moisture that collects in this mountain range as snow and rain is released into the many waterways over the course of the year, which supplies water to the Valley floor. One of the primary collection points to the southern portion of the Valley is the Kaweah River, which supplies water to TID, and, on occasion, to the City of Visalia.
The Kaweah River, capable of producing 5,500 cubic feet per second (CFS) of water during peak production, flows from deep within the Sierra Nevada Mountain range, and collects into the Kaweah Reservoir. The location of the reservoir is at McKay Point and is the area in which the Kaweah River leaves the Kaweah Reservoir, commonly known as Lake Kaweah, and is divided into a number of the distributaries of Visalia, TID, and the City of Tulare. The Projects purpose is to capture some of these flows during significantly wet years, and storing water to use during the summer months when surface water supplies are less available.
The water captured in this reservoir during years of heavy precipitation would be used to mitigate the effects of periodical drought in the western United States, like what was observed in the 2021 water year. The capacity to store additional water resources would be used to supply water for irrigation when state allocations are low, as well as conduct groundwater aquifer recharge when municipal and irrigation demands have been met.
The Project consists of excavating a 260-acre area and supplying it with divergent surface flows from the Kaweah River. The capacity of a reservoir this size is capable of holding approximately 8,000 acre feet, or enough supplies to sustain approximately 12,000 homes in Visalia for one year, based on 2020 water use data. While Visalia is not directly impacted or involved in this project, the calculation provided is an indicator of the magnitude of the project. The Council has been supportive of other projects that would benefit the Kaweah Sub-basin.
The 2021 water year was the driest water years in Tulare County history, with just 8.11 inches of rainfall on average, the second driest water year occurring in the winter of 1976 to 1977, with just 9.12 inches of precipitation. Inversely, 2023 has been one of the wettest years in California recorded history. This project could have been used to store some of the excess water we experienced during the recent flood releases, and additionally held water off of the system during peak surges within the system due to heavy uncontrolled precipitation.
From when the Valley was first settled, groundwater wells have been used to supplement surface water supplies during times of drought. Over time, a dependence grew on groundwater as it was more predictable and reliable than winter precipitation. The preference by many for groundwater over surface water created overdraft in the Valley, accompanied by numerous negative impacts associated with overdraft of the groundwater aquifer. One of the more severe of these impacts is subsidence, which is being experienced by residents throughout the valley in one way or another. In order to combat the negative impacts of overdraft, a key component is to discontinue extracting more from the underground aquifer than can be replaced. This includes practices like groundwater allocations, water trading markets, and increasing surface capacity when excess surface supplies are available. This Project would, in theory, decrease groundwater dependency within the region, therefore preventing further subsidence, and ultimately move the Southern San Joaquin Valley towards a more sustainable future.
Fiscal Impact:
The fiscal impacts associated with the council approval of this Letter of Support are null.
Prior Council Action: N/A
Other: N/A
Alternatives: N/A
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
It is the recommendation of City Staff to confirm the letter of support for Tulare Irrigation District’s Seaborn Reservoir Project.
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Environmental Assessment Status: N/A
CEQA Review: N/A
Attachments: Letter of support