Salinas Valley Water Project Description

DRAFT ENGINEERS' REPORT

Cost Allocation Committee Recommendations

Letter to Board of Supervisors dated 1/14/03- Re:  Salinas Valley Water Project Engineer Report and Authorization of Ballot Proceeding Pursuant to Proposition 218

WHAT IS THE SALINAS VALLEY WATER PROJECT?

The Salinas Valley Water Project (SVWP) includes: 

1. Operation and maintenance of the Nacimiento and San Antonio reservoirs,

2. Modification of the spillway at Nacimiento Dam, and

3. Installation of the Salinas River Surface Diversion Facilities.

The Monterey County Water Resources Agency (MCWRA) would implement the project to meet the water supply goals of the Salinas Valley, which include:

• Halting seawater intrusion;

• Continuing conservation of winter flows for recharge of the Salinas Valley basin through summer releases;

• Providing flood protection;

• Improving long-term hydrologic balance between recharge and withdrawal; and

• Providing a sufficient water supply to meet water needs through the year 2030.

MCWRA has prepared an Engineer's Report to document an assessment methodology developed by MCWRA for a special assessment that could fund the proposed project.

WHAT DOES IT DO FOR YOU?

• It will restructure the manner in which Zone 2 and 2A assessments are currently applied so that future assessments will be proportional to benefit.
   

• It will restructure the existing Zone 2 and 2A to form one new Zone for the operation and maintenance of both reservoirs --- this is based on the fact that the reservoirs are operated as a system, and therefore should be considered as one system.
   

• It identifies and recognizes that the lands within the Salinas Valley benefit differently from the operations of the existing of reservoirs and it recognizes that the lands will benefit differently from the proposed 'new' Salinas Valley Water Project, and therefore, should be assessed only proportionate to benefits received.

The proposal is consistent with the requirements of Proposition 218. Proposition 218 was adopted by the voters of California and amended the California Constitution as of July 1, 1997. Proposition 218 states that "no assessment shall be imposed on any parcel which exceeds the reasonable cost of the proportional special benefit conferred on that parcel. Only special benefits are assessable, and an agency shall separate the general benefits from the special benefits conferred on a parcel. Parcels within a district that are owned or used by any agency, the State of California or the United States shall not be exempt from assessment unless the agency can demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that those publicly owned parcel in fact receive no special benefit."

The Salinas Valley Water Coalition, its Board of Directors and its Members have worked very hard these past five years in an effort to change the manner in which Zone 2 and 2A waterstandby and availability charges are assessed. As you know, all lands within Zones 2 and 2A are assessed the same amount --- this is from one end of the Valley to the other. The 
'new' zone changes all of this!