HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-17 Stage 1 Water EmergencyRESOLUTION NO. 2009-17
RESOLUTION OFT CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
WHEREAS,
1. Lake Mendocino and the Russian River are one current source of water for the City of
Ukiah and the primary source of water for other domestic and agricultural users of water in
Mendocino and Sonoma Counties; and
2. Average rainfall through March for the area contributing run-off to Lake Mendocino
is 42 inches and the rainfall total through March 2009 is 23 inches; and
3. There have been below average rainfall and reduced storage in Lake Mendocino in
2004, 2007 and 2008; and
4. Average rainfall for April - June is 4.8 inches; and
5. Even average rainfall for the remainder of the rainy season cannot compensate for the
extremely low rainfall this year; and
6. Lake Mendocino held approximately 53,000 acre feet on April 1, 2009, with a Lake
level of 727.63 feet; and
7. The average Lake storage in April is 84,448 acre feet, the Lake storage in April 2007
was 66,617 acre feet and the average Lake storage in October is 55,854 acre feet, more water at
the end of the dry summer season than is currently stored in the Lake; and
8. The historically low water storage level in Lake Mendocino this year is part of a
statewide water shortage caused by inadequate rainfall which has prompted Governor
Schwarzenegger to declare a statewide emergency under the Emergency Services Act due to
these drought conditions; and
9. Mendocino County has declared a local emergency due to drought conditions under
the Emergency Services Act; and
10. On April 6, 2009, the State Water Resources Control Board ("SWRCB") has
approved an Urgency Change Petition filed by the Sonoma County Water Agency ("SCWA") to
reduce in-stream flows in the Russian River to 75 cfs from April 6-June 30, 2009 and to as low
as 25 cfs for the period July 1-October 2, 2009, if cumulative total inflow to Lake Mendocino is
equal to or less than 25,000 acre feet for the period April 1-June 30, 2009; and
11. The order approving temporary changes to the minimum in-stream flows required by the
appropriative rights permits issued to SCWA is subject to several conditions, including a condition
requiring the SCWA to submit a plan by May 6, 2009, to the SWRCB to "obtain the cooperation
and participation of agricultural and municipal Russian River water users to reach a water
conservation goal of 25 percent in Sonoma County and 50 percent in Mendocino County for the
period of April 6, 2009 until the expiration of this order (October 2, 2009)"; and
12. A local emergency under the California Emergency Services Act (Government Code
§8550 et seq.) is defined in Section 8558(c) as the duly proclaimed existence of conditions of disaster
or of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property within the territorial limits of the City caused
by such conditions as drought which are or are likely to be beyond the control of the services,
personnel, equipment, and facilities of individual local governments and which require the combined
forces of other political subdivisions to combat; and
13. The historically low rainfall and water storage in Lake Mendocino qualifies as a local
emergency under the statutory definition; and
14. In a declared local emergency, local agencies may provide mutual aid as needed pursuant
to agreements or resolutions, state agencies may provide mutual aid to local agencies pursuant to
agreement or at the direction of the Governor, costs incurred by the City in providing mutual aid
pursuant to agreements or resolution constitute a charge against the state, when approved by the
Governor in accordance with adopted regulations, and the City Council may promulgate orders and
regulations for the duration of the emergency to provide protection for life and property (see
Government Code 8631-86-34); and
15. In a declared local emergency, the City Council must review the state of the emergency
not less than every 21 days after first declaring the emergency; and
16. Under Ukiah City Code Section 3602, the City Council may by resolution declare a
water emergency, specify the degree of emergency and place into effect the appropriate provisions of
Division 4, Chapter 1, Article 11 of the Ukiah City Code pertaining to a Water Shortage Emergency;
and
17. In a Stage I water emergency the Mayor shall issue a proclamation urging citizens to
institute such water conservation measures on a voluntary basis as may be required to reduce
water demand to coincide with available supply; and
18. The City Council has already authorized the development of a groundwater well on
an emergency basis to provide the City with an additional water source this summer that does not
rely on the Russian River or water stored in Lake Mendocino; and
19. Stage II and III water emergencies impose various mandatory conservation measures
on City residents, including a prohibition on "nonessential water use" in a Stage II water
emergency and a limit on the daily use of water by different classes of water user in a Stage III
emergency; and
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20. The City can declare a Stage II or Stage II emergency, if voluntary measures or less
sever mandatory measures does not achieve an adequate reduction in the use of Russian River
water or in water use generally to meet the available supply;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Ukiah hereby:
1. Declares a local emergency due to drought under the Emergency Service Act.
2. Declares a Stage I Water Storage Emergency under Ukiah City Code Section 3602.
3. Directs the City Manager:
a. to identify and encourage the use as a Russian River water user of voluntary
measures to reach a water conservation goal of 50 percent for the period of April 6, 2009 to
October 2, 2009 ("Conservation Period"), and to report back to the City Council at each City
Council meeting field during that same time period on the measures identified, the means used to
encourage their use, the amount of water use reduction, and the status of the emergency
conditions;
b. to notify the City Council, if the City Manager determines that a Stage I Water
Emergency is not reducing water use to match the available supply and to recommend a Stage II
or III emergency, if necessary to achieve that level of water use;
c. at City Council meetings during the Conservation Period to recommend
temporary rules or orders to supplement or modify mandatory conservation measures in a Stage
II or III Water Storage Emergency to reduce water use to the available supply and to achieve the
conservation goals in Order WR 2009-0027-DWR issued by the Division of Water Rights of the
State Water Resources Control Board;
c. to work with other local governments in the County, including the incorporated
cities and county water districts, to preserve as much water as possible for use during the dry summer
months and for the fall return of Chinook Salmon to the Russian River; and
d. to coordinate mutual aid efforts to address the local emergency between and among
political subdivisions in Mendocino and Sonoma Counties and state agencies.
PASSED AND ADOPTED on April 15, 2009, by the following roll call vote:
AYES: Councilmembers Landis, Thomas, Crane, Rodin, and Mayor Baldwin
NOES: None
ABSTAIN: None
ABSENT: None 7t~
ATTEST)
f
i Lindai ~Bro ity Clerk
Philip E. aldwin, Mayor
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