REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
June 9, 2016
FROM: THOMAS C. ESQUEDA, Director
Department of Public Utilities
SUBJECT
Title
RESOLUTION - Authorizing payment to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for the purchase of Tier 1 and Tier 2 Unreleased Restoration Flows from Millerton Lake.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
The Administration recommends the City Council authorize payment to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Bureau) to purchase Tier 1 and Tier 2 Unreleased Restoration Flows (URFs) from Millerton Lake.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City relies on both groundwater and surface water to meet daily water supply needs of approximately 130,000 water accountholders. During calendar years 2013, 2014, and 2015, the City delivered 47.8, 42.5, and 36.4 billion gallons of water to the community, respectively.
For Water Year 2016-2017, the Bureau's San Joaquin River Restoration Program (SJRRP) Administrator announced the availability of additional water supply from Millerton Lake through URFs. Each year the SJRRP Administrator determines the water supply required for the SJRRP, and if all of the water allocated to the SJRRP is not required, the SJRRP Administrator may issue a declaration announcing that URFs may be released to Friant Division Contractors from Millerton Lake.
This Resolution is required by the Bureau for the City to accept URFs. The Administration recommends that the Fresno City Council adopt the attached Resolution to take delivery of Tier 1 and Tier 2 Unreleased Restoration Flows from Millerton Lake for a purchase price of $60 per AF for Tier 1 and $133 per AF for Tier 2. All of these types of water supply are incorporated into the City's 9D contract which has been approved previously by the Fresno City Council. This is a time-sensitive action for the City.
BACKGROUND
On December 22, 2010, the City entered into a contract (9D Contract) with the Bureau providing for a Class 1 allocation of Central Valley Project (CVP) Water (Project Water) from Millerton Lake. ...
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