Yuba County IRWMP Update
Project Solicitation Form

The Yuba County IRWM region is accepting projects to be considered for inclusion in the IRWMP Update. In order for your project(s) to be considered for inclusion, you must complete this Project Solicitation Form. If you have multiple projects, you must complete a separate form for each project. If you have a project or projects in the original plan, you still must fill out this form. It is essential for the RWMG to have consistent and current information for all projects, both new and existing. This will prove of particular importance when the RWMG goes through the project review and selection processes.

Completed Project Solicitation Forms should be sent via email to Tania Carlone at .

  1. Project Sponsor Contact Information

Lead Agency/Organization / Stockholm Environment Institute-US
Name of Primary Contact(s) / David Purkey
Mailing Address / 400 F St, Davis, CA 95616
Email Address /
Phone (###)###-#### / (530)753-3035
Project Partners/Collaborators / YCWA
  1. General Project Information

Project Title / Robust decision support for Yuba IRWMP: Embedding water resources modeling within participatory planning for the Yuba
Project Total Budget / USD 240,000 (2 years)
Project Funding Match with sources of non-State of California match funding indicated (minimum 25% match requirement unless project meets critical water needs of a disadvantaged community then match may be waived) / USD 240,000 (2013 and 2014), California Water Foundation
Project Funding Request (This amount should equal the total budget minus secured funding match) / USD 240,000
(Assuming project start after August 2014)
Can a detailed cost estimate be provided upon request? / Yes
Project Location: / Yuba region
Latitude
Longitude
Could you provide a map of the project location including boundaries upon request? / Yes
Project Location Description:
County / Yuba, Sierra counties (within Yuba-Bear watersheds)
City/Community / All towns and cities within watershed
Watershed/subwatershed/
Region-wide / Yuba-Bear watersheds
Groundwater Basin / Yuba North and Sout sub-basins
Project Type
(highlight in gray all the apply) / Planning
Facility Construction
Restoration
Study/Assessment
Monitoring
Best Management Practices
Acquisitions
Demonstration/Pilot Project
  1. Project Description

The proposed project aims to leverage and deploy the Robust Decision Support (RDS) process that has been tested with a core group of RWMG members and 2013 and 2014. The RDS process is based on Robust Decision Making, intended to bring about the coupling of the Yuba IRWMP Plan Update with comprehensive water resources modeling capabilities within a formal framework known as XLRM. This framework was introduced in a RWMG presentation in September 2013; since then a participatory vulnerability mapping exercise has been completed with the Core Working Group (the report is available with the IRWMP facilitators and can also be provided by SEI on request). The main outcomes of this work were(i) a quantitative realization of the main vulnerabilities (climate and regulatory) of the Yuba region across multiple sector objectives, and (ii) a quantitative and cognitive understanding (enriched by novel visualizations of model results) of trade-offs among different sectors.

In 2014, SEI is working with the group to evaluate a selected few projects from within the IRWMP list, as well as new projects, given the objectives, metrics and uncertainties that the CWG identified.

The proposed project intends to further this work described above, by using the process and the enhanced WEAP water resources model that the process helped evolve, in evaluating the selected projects in the implementation phase – what are the trade-offs, co-benefits and overall impacts of projects on reducing Yuba regional vulnerabilities into the future? .

  1. Project Rationale/Issues Statement

Briefly describe (maximum of 200 words) how the project addresses one or more of the region’s identified issues. See attachedGoals, Objectives, Issues and Conflicts Draft Chapter.

  1. Goals/Objectives/PerformanceMetrics

Identify the goals and objectives addressed by the project and provide a one to two sentence explanation of how the project contributes to the attainment of the goals and objectives. Additionally, identify the performance metrics that will be used to measure project success.See attached Goals, Objectives, Issues and Conflicts Draft Chapter.

Goals Addressed by the Project
Goal 1: Ensure adequate and reliable water supply that meets the diverse needs of the region
Goal 2: Protect, restore, and enhance water quality for water users and in support of healthy watersheds
Goal 3: Preserve and restore watershed health and promote environmental stewardship
Goal 5: Protect public safety through emergency and drought preparedness and integrated flood management
Goal 6: Address climate vulnerabilities and reduce greenhouse gas emissions / The WEAP water resources model for the Yuba that we have built so far addresses these specific goals to a large extent; therefore the assessment capacity for these goals and related objectives already exists.
In some cases, for example, water quality related, this proposed project will add additional capacity to the model.
We note here that in some cases (water quality is a good example) the model’s capabilities are not limited by the software, but by the state of knowledge and data. We look forward to collaborating with other members who might have this knowledge that we can endogenize.
Objectives Addressed by Project
What performance metrics will be used to demonstrate that objectives are being met? Wherever possible, provide a quantitative measurement reflecting successful project outcomes. / The same performance metrics as we have used so far, which forma subset of the large list in the IRWMP, will be used, with additions as appropriate.
We note here that the performance metrics are model outputs right now, and will continue to be so.
  1. Resource Management Strategies

Based on your understanding of Resource Management Strategies (RMS) in the table below, indicate which RMS are employed by the project by providing a one to two sentence explanation of how the project incorporates the strategies. If you are uncertain of whether a particular RMS applies, let us know and we will work with you to determine the applicability of the strategy.For your reference, see attached Draft RMS Chapter.

Reduce Water Demand
Agricultural Water Use Efficiency / Model currently estimates agricultural water demand, irrigation application and runoff, and is therefore ideally positioned to address this aspect.
Urban Water Use Efficiency / Urban centers are represented in the model and their changing demand through efficiency measures can be easily included.
Improve Operational Efficiency and Transfers
Conveyance-- Delta / Delta transfers are included in the model
Conveyance—Regional/Local / Irrigation canals are included in the model
System Reoperation / System re-operation is being evaluated right now, so this capacity also exists.
Water Transfers / Delta transfers and groundwater substitution transfers are included in the model
Increase Water Supply
Conjunctive Management and Groundwater / Already included.
Desalination / Can be included easily.
Precipitation Enhancement / Can be included if credible knowledge is available.
Recycled Municipal Water / Is included and can be adapted easily.
Surface Storage-- CALFED / Can be included easily
Surface Storage-- Regional/Local / Can be included easily
Improve Water Quality
Drinking Water Treatment and Distribution / Representation can be improved in the model
Groundwater and Aquifer Remediation / Can be implemented easily.
Matching Water Quality to Use
Pollution Prevention / Would require substantial inputs from collaborators.
Salt and Salinity Management / Would require substantial inputs from collaborators.
Urban Runoff Management / Can be implemented.
Practice Natural Resources Stewardship
Agricultural Lands Stewardship / Would require substantial inputs from collaborators.
Economic Incentives (Loans, grants, and water pricing) / Would require substantial inputs from collaborators.
Ecosystem Restoration / Would require substantial inputs from collaborators.
Forest Management / Would require substantial inputs from collaborators.
Land Use Planning and Management / Would require substantial inputs from collaborators.
Recharge Areas Protection / Would require substantial inputs from collaborators.
Water-dependent Recreation / Would require substantial inputs from collaborators.
Watershed Management / Would require substantial inputs from collaborators.
Improve Flood Management
Flood Risk Management / Impacts if levees are being incorporated in the model
  1. Statewide Priorities

Indicate the statewide priorities that the project addresses by highlighting in gray all those bulleted items that apply. Ultimately, you will be required to demonstrate how your project concretely addresses these priorities. Therefore, please carefully select priorities where you have relative certainty of their application.

Drought Preparedness

  • Promote water conservation, conjunctive use, reuse and recycling
  • Improve landscape and agricultural irrigation efficiencies
  • Achieve long term reduction of water use
  • Efficient groundwater basin management
  • System interties

Use and Reuse Water More Efficiently

  • Increase urban and agricultural water use efficiency measures such as conservation andrecycling
  • Capture, store, treat, and use urban stormwater runoff (such as percolation to usable aquifers, underground storage beneath parks, small surface basins, domesticstormwater capture systems, or the creation of catch basins or sumps downhill of development
  • Incorporate and implement low impact development (LID) design features, techniques, and practices to reduce or eliminate stormwater runoff

Climate Change Response Actions

  • Adaptation to Climate Change: Advance and expand conjunctive management of multiple water supply sources
  • Adaptation to Climate Change: Use and reuse water more efficiently
  • Adaptation to Climate Change: Water management system modifications that address anticipated climate
  • Adaptation to Climate Change: Establish migration corridors, re-establish river-floodplain, hydrologic continuity, re-introduce anadromous fish populations to upper watersheds, enhance and protect upper watershed forests and meadow systems
  • Reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions: Reduce energy consumption of water systems and uses
  • Reduction of GHG Emissions: Use cleaner energy sources to move and treat water
  • Reduce Energy Consumption: Water use efficiency
  • Reduce Energy Consumption: Water recycling
  • Reduce Energy Consumption: Water system energy efficiency

Expand Environmental Stewardship

  • Expand environmental stewardship to protect and enhance the environment by improving watershed, floodplain, and instream functions and to sustain water and flood management ecosystems

Practice Integrated Flood Management

  • Better emergency preparedness and response
  • Improved flood protection
  • More sustainable flood and water management systems
  • Enhanced floodplain ecosystems
  • LID techniques that store and infiltrate runoff while protecting groundwater

Protect Surface and Groundwater Quality

  • Protecting and restoring surface water and groundwater quality to safeguard public and environmental health and secure water supplies for beneficial uses
  • Salt/nutrient management planning as a component of an IRWM Plan

Improve Tribal Water and Natural Resources

  • Improve Tribal Water and Natural Resources and include the development of tribal consultation, collaboration, and access to funding for water programs

Ensure Equitable Distribution of Benefits

  • Increase the participation of small and disadvantaged communities in the IRWM process
  • Develop multi-benefit projects with consideration of affected disadvantaged communities and vulnerable populations
  • Contain projects that address safe drinking water and wastewater treatment needs of DACs
  • Address critical water supply or water quality needs of California Native American tribes within the region

Climate Change Adaptation (maximum 200 words)
Our current work already includes climate projections of importance to the community- we have included two projections from the latest 5th Climate Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5), and developed two narrative climate regimes based on pale-climate reconstructions (please see our report)

GHG Emissions Reduction (maximum 200 words)
Our modeling framework can easily include the energy and emissions aspects of different strategies (again, provided that data, typically energy intensity, is available)- in other research we have included this aspect.

  1. Project Status and Schedule

The project is in a well-developed stage, as we will be leveraging almost two years of work supported by the California Water Foundation, as mentioned above.

For Conceptual Projects Only: The Project is currently in the Conceptual Stage: YES (highlight in gray if applicable)

Note: If the project is in the conceptual stage only, do not fill out the following table.

Project Stage / Description of Activities in Each Project Stage / Planned/Actual Start Date / Planned/Actual Completion Date
Planning / Jan 2016 / Dec 2017
Design
Environmental Documentation (CEQA/NEPA) / N/A
Permitting / N/A
Tribal Consultation (if not applicable, indicate by N/A) / N/A
Construction/
Implementation / N/A
  1. Project Technical Feasibility

Provide any related documents that describe and confirm the technical feasibility of your project.

  1. List the water planning documents that specifically identify this project.
/ Please see attached report
  1. List the adopted planning documents the proposed project is consistent with (e.g., General Plans, UWMPs, GWMPs, Water Master Plans, Habitat Conservation Plans, etc.)
/ Please see attached report
  1. List technical reports and studies supporting the feasibility of this project.
/ Please see attached report
If you are an Urban Water Supplier:N/A
  1. Have you completed an Urban Water Management Plan and submitted to DWR?

  1. Are you in compliance with AB1420?

  1. Do you comply with the water meter requirements (CWC Section 525)?

  1. If the answer to any of the questions above is “no,” do you intend to comply prior to receiving project funding?

If you are an Agricultural Water Supplier:N/A
  1. Have you completed and submitted an AWMP?

  1. If not, will you complete an AWMP prior to receiving project funding?

If the project is related to groundwater:
  1. Has GWMP been completed and submitted for the subject basin?

  1. If not, will the GWMP be completed within one year of the grant submittal date?

GHG Reduction Considerations for Project Design and Alternatives

IRWM Guidelines suggest that common emissions sources from projects are related to:

  • Operations of construction equipment
  • Passenger vehicle trips during construction and operation
  • Transportation of construction materials and equipment
  • Transportation of material inputs for O&M
  • Transportation of material outputs or production
  • Generation of electricity used for operation of projects
  • Waste generation and disposal of materials during construction and operation

Reduction strategies during project design and project mitigations under CEQA/NEPA review could include any of the applicable measures listed below:

Project construction-related transportation

  • Offer local contractor preference and local purchase of construction materials where possible to reduce transportation-related emissions
  • Encourage or require carpooling within construction contracts
  • Encourage use of B20 fuels in construction equipment and other diesel machinery
  • Restrict inappropriate OHV use, particularly in sensitive or restored areas where project investments have been made

Project construction-related emissions

  • Encourage or require recycling of construction waste, such as brick, concrete, lumber, metal, and dry wall, as may be required within Shasta County from the proposed Lumber Waste Diversion Ordinance
  • Pursue projects in this Plan that would use biomass from fuels reduction projects
  • Capture sequestration opportunities with forest, sage-steppe, riparian, and grassland revegetation, stabilization, and restoration projects

Water supply and water efficiency improvements

  • Select project components and upgrades, such as pumps, based on energy efficiency
  • Schedule pumping to reduce peak hour (12:00 to 5:00, highest carbon output) energy use
  • Select projects that offer the best water conservation options among project choices (e.g., greatest reuse/recycling, greatest reduction in leakage or evaporation per mile)
  • Install solar generation equipment for pumping and other energy-generation needs to reduce both emissions and long-term O&M costs
  • Increase conservation/reduce water use (and thus the energy and emissions related to its delivery) with increased metering, favorable rate incentives for conservation, and education within utility bills

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