IMP Amendment #1

Amendment #1 - The text of the document signed by Inyo and LADWP.

**Text below summarizes Amendment #1; extracted from the Agenda Request Form for the 12 June 2007 Inyo Board of Supervisor's Meeting**

The Interim Management Plan was reviewed and approved by your Board on March 13, 2007. It is a multi-year agreement that describes the groundwater management of LADWP’s operations. The intent of the Interim Management Plan is to reduce the staff requirement for both agencies, and redirect staff time and effort to revisions of the groundwater management techniques. Existing groundwater management techniques are specified in the technical appendix to the Long Term Water Agreement (the “Green Book”). The Interim Management Plan functions as an overlay to the Long Term Water Agreement, and preserves the existing components of the Green Book.

Exempt wells identified in the Interim Management Plan (Exhibit B) may be operated as necessary to supply the designated use, and pumping from the well for the designated purpose will not be limited even if this operation of the well will prevent attainment of the applicable wellfield target level for the following April 1. However, the exempt pumped water will count towards the wellfield total during a runoff year. If the operation of a well or wells identified in Exhibit B prevent the attainment of the applicable wellfield target level for the following April 1, no well in the wellfield, other than those identified on Exhibit B, will be operated.

LADWP has requested an addendum to the IMP in which three additional wells would be added to the exempt well list:

• Well 349: The well is in the Taboose-Aberdeen wellfield, and supports a small pond adjacent to the Owens River. The pond is a mitigation project for impacts to Big Seely Spring, and is identified in the 1991 EIR as Mitigation Measure 10-14. The well is used for export when in ON status. When in OFF status, Well 349 is operated with a timer to maintain the water level in the pond. Up to 900 acre-feet per year have been supplied to the mitigation project while Well 349 has been in OFF status.

• Well 248 and Well 249: The wells are located in the Laws wellfield, and are used to fill the McNally Ponds if water diverted from the Owens river is not already available in the McNally Canals. Historically, the water has been supplied to the project in non-drought years when Owens River water is available in the canals. The McNally Ponds are an Enhancement/Mitigation project as well as a mitigation project under the 1991 EIR (Mitigation Measure 10-18).

The staff of the Water Department recommends that your Board:

• Exempt Well 349 for the amount of water necessary to maintain the mitigation project. The Water Department has requested LADWP review the water usage for the mitigation project, and provide the County with a better estimate of the water needs for the mitigation project. Based on the regression models outlined in the IMP, the impact of pumping 900 acre-feet per year on the wellfield indicator water levels is estimated to reduce the water levels by approximately 0.20 feet. If the pumping volume is reduced, the estimated impact will be reduced a corresponding amount. If the Board does not approve this exemption, the LADWP Board may find that the mitigation project is infeasible when Well 349 is in OFF status, and discontinue the mitigation project if it finds based on substantial evidence that no other feasible alternative exists.

• Do not exempt Wells 248 and 249 at this time. In past drought years, the Board of Supervisors has requested that LADWP do not supply the McNally Ponds with pumped groundwater. The concern is that pumping will lower water tables in the Laws area. Staff therefore recommends that pumping not be used to fill the McNally Ponds; rather, the McNally Ponds should be supplied with surface water when it is available.

• Instruct staff to modify Exhibit B of the IMP—“List of Exempt Owens Valley Wells for this Agreement” to include exempting Well 349 for the amount and purpose of supplying the mitigation project.

• Authorize the Chair to sign the addendum.