ITEM 10: CONSIDERATION OF APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION TO PROVIDE A STATE REVOLVING FUND (SRF) LOAN TO THE CHARLESTON DRAINAGE DISTRICT FOR THE DRAINAGE WATER RECIRCULATION AND RECOVERY PROJECT (LOAN NUMBER C-06-6053-110)
DISCUSSION: The Charleston Drainage District (District) submitted a loan application for a Drainage Water Recirculation and Recovery Project (Project). The amount of the loan request is $400,000.
The proposed Project will consist of the construction of 3.4 miles of pipe and the associated pumping to recirculate subsurface drainage water with fresh irrigation water from the Delta-Mendota and San Luis Canals. The system will be designed to recycle approximately 800 acre-feet of drainage water annually with irrigation water at an acceptable salinity level of 600 parts per million (ppm) total dissolved solids (TDS) and boron levels not to exceed 0.7 ppm. The average salinity in the Delta Mendota Canal for crop years 1993, 1994, and 1995 is 329, 422, and 264 ppm respectively. The average salinity in the San Luis Canal for the same years is 321, 379, and 253 ppm respectively. A study done for the District determined that increasing the salinity of irrigation water to 600 ppm during recycling will not significantly affect crops and will still maintain a positive salt balance although there may be some impact to crops from increased boron concentrations.
The Project will help meet water quality standards by reducing the amount of selenium and salts discharged into the San Joaquin River. The Project will conserve the fresh water supplies by replacing them with reclaimed subsurface drainage water. The District discharges its drainage into Salt and Mud Sloughs which are tributaries to the San Joaquin River. The Project will reduce the amount of salt discharged to the San Joaquin River by approximately 2,000 tons per year.
The SWRCB should also consider declaring the drainage problem area in
the San Joaquin Basin a priority nonpoint source problem in order to make
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency nonpoint source control funding available
to the area.
The District is a member of the San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority
(Authority) which entered into a Use Agreement with the U.S. Bureau
of Reclamation on November 3, 1995 for interim use of the San Luis Drain
to discharge subsurface drainage water into the San Joaquin River.
A condition of the Use Agreement is that the Authority meet specific monthly
and annual load values for selenium in the San Joaquin River.
The reduction in volume of subsurface drainage flows will help the Authority
manage selenium loading to the San Joaquin River and is expected
to reduce salinity as well.
The District completed a Negative Declaration on December 17, 1997 to comply
with the California Environmental Quality Act requirements. The District
is on a fast track schedule to complete the Project by summer of 1998. For
this reason, staff recommends the Project be placed on the Statewide Project
Priority List for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 1998.
POLICY ISSUE: Should the SWRCB:
1. Place the Project on the Statewide Project Priority List for FFY 1998?
2. Approve an SRF loan for $400,000 to the District for construction of the Project?
FISCAL IMPACT: According to SWRCB Resolution No. 97-001 (Approval of a Staff Proposal to Better Manage the SRF Repayment Account), the SWRCB may approve preliminary loan commitments against the current FFY account and against 125 percent of future repayment funds based on scheduled loan dates.
The SRF account balances, anticipated repayment amounts, and project approvals under consideration by the SWRCB in January 1998 are as follows:
| Loan No. | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | |
| SRF Account | Repayment | Repayment | ||
| Repayments: | $69,327,530 | $68,384,074 | $68,994,744 | |
| 125% Repayments: | $85,480,093 | $86,243,430 | ||
| FFY 97 Carryover: | $28,688,539 | |||
| FFY 98 Fed. Cap. Grant: | $77,774,121 | $14,679,936 | ||
| 1996 Bond Funds: | $47,292,822 | |||
| Previous Commitments: | -$110,588,323 | -$147,452,850 | -$84,895,000 | |
| Subtotal: | $65,201,867 | -0- | $1,348,430 | |
| City of Alameda | 4007-410 | -$2,300,000 | ||
| City of Gustine | 4488-110 | -$2,000,000 | ||
| City of Rialto | 4686-110 | -$24,000,000 | ||
| Charleston Drainage Dist. | 6053-110 | -$400,000 | ___________ | __________ |
| Balance: | $36,501,867 | -0- | $1,348,430 |
RWQCB IMPACT: Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: That the SWRCB:
1. Places the Project on the Statewide Project Priority List.
2. Approves an SRF loan of $400,000 to the District for construction of the Project.
December 22, 1997 DRAFT
WHEREAS:
1. The Charleston Drainage District (District) has requested an SRF loan of $400,000 for the Drainage Water Recirculation and Recovery Project (Project).
2. The Project will reduce the volume of salt and selenium loading to the San Joaquin River and will conserve and supplement fresh water supplies.
3. The District completed a Negative Declaration to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
The SWRCB:
The undersigned, Administrative Assistant to the SWRCB, does hereby certify that the foregoing is a full, true, and correct copy of a resolution duly and regularly adopted at a meeting of the State Water Resources Control Board held on January 22, 1998.
Maureen Marché
Administrative Assistant to the Board