Status of Inyo/LA Water Agreement

The Owens Valley Monitor 2002-2003

Status of Inyo/Los Angeles Water Agreement

In June 1997, the Inyo/Los Angeles Water Agreement went into full effect. Although Inyo County and LADWP had instituted the groundwater management provisions of the Agreement in 1989, many of the Agreement’s provisions remained to be implemented. The following is a report on the status of the Water Agreement’s commitments.

Groundwater Management: Inyo County and LADWP are to manage water resources within the County to avoid certain described decreases and changes in vegetation and to cause no significant effect on the environment which cannot be acceptably mitigated while providing a reliable supply of water for export to Los Angeles and for use in Inyo County.	By agreement of the Inyo/Los Angeles Standing Committee, implementation of groundwater management pursuant to the Agreement commenced in the fall of 1989.
New Wells & Production Capacity: LADWP may replace existing wells and construct new wells in areas where hydrogeologic conditions are favorable and where operation of such wells will not cause a change in vegetation that would be inconsistent with the agreement. The agreement and EIR describe 15 new wells that LADWP proposes to construct in the Owens Valley.	LADWP has constructed one of the 15 wells allowed under the Water Agreement in Lone Pine. The Technical Group must establish management for the well before it can be operated. There is no schedule for construction of the 14 new wells described in the EIR. LADWP constructed a new well to replace the town water supply well in Big Pine.
Cooperative Studies: LADWP may provide funding for the costs of conducting studies related to the effects of groundwater pumping on the environment of the Owens Valley.	Several studies approved by the Standing Committee are underway. See report on pages 11-12 for details concerning these studies.

Groundwater Pumping on the Bishop Cone: Before LADWP may increase groundwater pumping on the Bishop Cone, or construct new wells on the Cone, Inyo and LADWP are to develop an audit procedure for determining the exact amount of water annually used on LA-owned land on the Cone. LADWP pumping on the Cone must be in strict adherence to the provisions of the "Hillside Decree."	The Standing Committee adopted a Bishop Cone audit procedure, and the audit has been performed by ICWD since 1996. Other than replacement wells, there is no schedule for constructing new wells or increasing groundwater pumping on the Bishop Cone. In 1998, a Superior Court judge entered a "Memorandum of Judgment" in Matlick v City of Los Angeles.
Groundwater Recharge Facilities: LADWP may construct groundwater banking and groundwater recharge facilities in the County. The 1991 EIR describes certain groundwater recharge facilities in Laws and Big Pine, which may be constructed.	LADWP has not proposed constructing the groundwater recharge facilities in Laws and Big Pine described in the EIR.
Enhancement/Mitigation Projects: All existing E/M projects will be maintained, unless the County and LADWP agree to modify or discontinue them. New projects may be implemented by the agencies. The agreement provides that E/M projects will be supplied by designated E/M wells unless otherwise agreed. Special considerations apply to E/M projects identified as mitigation in the 1991 EIR.	All E/M projects that have been implemented are being maintained. See page 16 for the status of E/M projects identified as mitigation.
Lower Owens River: See report on page 13.	See report on page 13.
Town Water Systems: LADWP will transfer to Inyo County, or another Owens Valley public entity or entities, ownership of the water systems in the communities of Lone Pine, Independence, and Laws. Prior to transferring the systems, evaluations of each system will be performed by a mutually agreed upon consultant, and if necessary, work will be done to upgrade the systems. LADWP will provide free water, up to specified amounts for each town.	The County contracted with a private company to assume the operation, maintenance and billing for the systems in July 1999. Pursuant to an agreement with LADWP, the County completed upgrades of the systems in December 2002, using funds provided by LADWP. LADWP will transfer ownership of the systems to the County once a transfer agreement between the agencies is completed.
Salt Cedar Control: LADWP is to provide funding to Inyo County to implement a saltcedar control program: $750,000 during the first three years of the program; thereafter, $50,000 per year adjusted upward or downward in accordance with the consumers price index.	Inyo County initiated the saltcedar control program in 1997. Saltcedar populations have been cut, treated and mapped from north of Bishop to south of Independence. During the past few years, the program focused its efforts on the Lower Owens River. See page 1. In 2002, LADWP paid the County $53,406 for saltcedar control.
Park Rehabilitation, Development, & Maintenance: LADWP is to provide up to $2 million to Inyo County to rehabilitate existing County parks and campgrounds and to develop new recreational facilities. LADWP is to make an annual payment of $100,000 (adjusted upward or downward in accordance with the consumers price index) to the County to maintain existing and new recreational facilities.	At Inyo County’s request, LADWP has provided $1,087,914 for park improvement projects. Los Angeles has also provided the annual payment to the County for parks operation and maintenance. The County has developed a plan and schedule for the park improvement projects. In 2002, LADWP paid the County $114, 009 for park maintenance.
Owens River Recreational Use Plan: As part of the parks rehabilitation program, Inyo may develop a plan for recreational use and management of the Owens River from Pleasant Valley Reservoir to the Owens River delta.	Recreation in the Lower Owens River Project area will be addressed in the project EIS/EIR. The County does not currently plan to develop a recreation plan for the river from Pleasant Valley to the aqueduct intake.
General Financial Assistance to the County: LADWP is to make an annual payment to Inyo to assist the County in providing services to its citizens. The annual payment is to be adjusted upward or downward each year in accordance with a formula in the State Constitution for a assessment of Los Angeles-owned property in Inyo County.	Los Angeles has provided the annual payment to the County, and made a payment of $1,795,637 in July 2002. Funds provided by Los Angeles have been deposited into the County General Fund and expended on County services as directed by the Board of Supervisors.
Financial Assistance for Water Related Activities: LADWP is to make an annual payment to Inyo to assist the County in providing water and environmentally related services to its citizens. The annual payment is to be adjusted upward or downward each year in accordance with the consumers price index.	Los Angeles has provided the annual payment to the County, and made a payment of $1,062,697 in July 2002. Funds provided by Los Angeles have been expended to fund the Inyo County Water Department.

Big Pine Ditch System: LADWP is to provide up to $100,000 for reconstruction and upgrading of the Big Pine ditch system. LADWP is to supply up to 6 cfs to the ditch system from a new well to be constructed west of Big Pine.	Procedures and guidelines for implementing the project were approved by the Standing Committee in 1998. LADWP released a mitigated negative declaration addressing the project and modifications to the Klondike Lake E/M project on June 5, 2003.
Park & Environmental Assistance to City of Bishop: LADWP is to make an annual payment to the City of Bishop to assist the City in maintaining its park and for other environment-related activities. The payment of $125,000 is to be adjusted upward or downward each year in accordance with the consumers’ price index.	Los Angeles has provided the annual payment to the City of Bishop.
Release of City Owned Lands: LADWP is to sell 26 acres of surplus LA-owned land within the Bishop city limits and release 75 acres of LA-owned land for public or private development.	LADWP has sold the 26 acres within Bishop. The Board of Supervisors approved selected parcels in Owens Valley towns and County staff is working with LADWP to set a schedule for the phased release of these lands.
Additional Sales of City-owned Lands: LADWP will negotiate in good faith for the sale of additional surplus Los Angeles-owned land in or near valley towns for specific identified needs. Any such sales are to occur subsequent to those described above.	LADWP periodically examines its land inventories to determine additional properties to be sold at auction as surplus.
Lands for Public Purposes: Los Angeles will negotiate in good faith for the sale or lease of any Los Angeles-owned land for use as a public park or for other public purposes.	LADWP and the County successfully transferred ownership of the Lone Pine Film Musuem. LADWP has agreed to lease additional land to the County for the Dehy Park expansion project in Independence. The lease area will be expanded from 1.3 acres to about 4 acres.
Withdrawn Lands: Inyo will support passage of withdrawn land legislation pertaining to federally owned lands in the County.	There is no withdrawn land legislation pending.
Legislative Coordination: Except under certain circumstances, Inyo and LA are to refrain from seeking or supporting any legislation, administrative regulation, or litigation that would weaken or strengthen local or state authority to regulate groundwater or that would affect any provision of the agreement.	The legislative coordination policy has been followed by the County and the City of Los Angeles.

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