Water Department
The Monitor 1998
Perspective Plans for the revegetation of approximately 1,300 acres identified for mitigation in the EIR were developed in large measure due to the efforts our new Revegetation Project Coordinator, Irene Yamashita. Under the tutelage of our new Saltcedar Project Coordinator, Brian Cashore, crews were recruited, materials purchased, and the first major dent was made in the population of saltcedar in the Owens Valley. Planning for the rewatering of the Lower Owens River moved ahead aided by the capable work of Environmental Project Coordinator, Leah Kirk. (It is now planned that the environmental review of the project will be completed in 2000, and that water will flow in the 60-mile channel by as early as 2001.) The department was immensely aided by the expansion of our Geographic Information System under our new GIS manager, Chris Howard. County Hydrologist, Randy Jackson, with much able help from our new hydrologist, Bob Harrington, greatly advanced our ability to predict water table fluctuations due to groundwater pumping. Our science program has improved with the promotion of Aaron Steinwand to Science Coordinator. With the invaluable assistance of Inyo County's Congressman, Jerry Lewis, the county obtained an additional $3 million in federal funds for the Lower Owens River Project. These funds, when combined with the $550,000 in federal funds already obtained through the Congressman's hard work, reduced the county's $3.75 million obligation for the project to $200,000. With the help of Congressman Lewis, this remaining obligation may be offset by additional federal funds obtained during 1999. With regard to groundwater pumping by the City of Los Angeles, under the Drought Recovery Policy adopted by the city and the county during the prolonged drought from 1987 to 1992, groundwater pumping in 1998-99 was again kept low (51,575 acre-feet) in order to promote water table recovery from the declines experienced during the drought. Under this policy, water tables have recovered to pre-drought levels in many areas of the valley, and are expected to rise in the other areas of the valley with the continuation of conservative management in 1999-2000. Intensive vegetation monitoring throughout the drought period, conducted under the watchful eye of Vegetation Scientist, Sally Manning, documented that vegetation conditions in most of Los Angeles' wellfields, declined below the vegetation baseline conditions set by the agreement. However, the monitoring has shown conditions improving to equal or greater than baseline conditions with the recovery of water tables combined with the return of average or above precipitation. Similar vegetation recovery is expected in the other areas as water tables return to pre-drought levels. Despite the demonstrated resiliency of the valley's groundwater dependent vegetation, uncertainty remains as to the ability of the vegetation to repeatedly rebound if future groundwater pumping causes significant fluctuations in water tables. Consequently, in June 1998, the Inyo/Los Angeles Standing Committee agreed to conduct cooperative studies that could affect future groundwater management. The Standing Committee also agreed that, while the cooperative studies are being conducted over a 3 to 5 year period, groundwater pumping will continue to be managed in an environmentally conservative manner. The Inyo/Los Angeles Technical Group is expected to present its recommendations for the cooperative studies and for a conservative groundwater management policy to the Standing Committee in 1999. In early 1998, Los Angeles proposed expanding its groundwater pumping beyond the Owens Valley floor to Owens Lake. Early in the year, Los Angeles announced that it planned to investigate the feasibility of pumping groundwater from Owens Lake to supply water to its dust abatement program on the lake. Any groundwater pumping by Los Angeles from anywhere in Inyo County is regulated by the agreement. Since Los Angeles has never previously pumped from the lake, a cooperative study was commenced to determine whether groundwater may be safely pumped from under the lake in both the short-term and the long-term. The county and the city, through the consultant Camp, Dresser & McKee, commenced a workshop process to document the public's concerns regarding the proposed pumping from the lake. The concerns expressed by the public will be used by the county and the city in setting the environmental controls that will govern any pumping from the lake. Concerns over groundwater pumping were not limited to actual or proposed pumping by Los Angeles during 1998. A private corporation, the Western Water Company, announced its intention to purchase property and/or water rights in the Olancha area. The company wants to pump groundwater and sell it to Los Angeles. Faced with this new situation, in early 1998, the county and Los Angeles agreed that the city would not purchase water extracted or diverted from Inyo County unless the county is satisfied that the purchase will not harm the economy or environment of the county. In the fall of 1998, the county adopted a comprehensive groundwater management ordinance that regulates water export projects, such as the project proposed by the Western Water, through a conditional use permit process. Under the ordinance, a project may not proceed unless the county finds it will not harm the environment or economy of the county. Although much was accomplished in 1998, many challenges remain. Cooperative studies to improve groundwater management must be identified, agreed upon, and conducted by the county and Los Angeles. A conservative groundwater management policy remains to be agreed upon by the Standing Committee. The environmental "rules" that will govern any groundwater pumping from Owens Lake must be established by the Standing Committee, and it must be determined whether any pumping can take place under the "rules." Western Water's proposed groundwater export project must be evaluated by the Water Department, and decisions must be made by the Inyo County Planning Commission as to whether or not a permit to allow the project to proceed should be issued. The environmental review process for the Lower Owens River Project must be completed before the project can be implemented. These activities and more (and perhaps others yet to be determined) will keep the folks at the Water Department busy in 1999 and during the coming years. |