Joint Study Session on EIR, Summertime Curtailment, Earth Day Booth and more

The City of Santa Cruz (City) and Soquel Creek Water District (District) will hold a special joint study session Tuesday, May 7 at 7PM at the City Council Chambers to receive information on the scwd² Regional Seawater Desalination Project Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) which is expected to be released in mid-May.  This primer will be comprised of presentations on:

• ‘Water Shortage Challenges facing the City and District’ –  An update that addresses shortages during drought conditions, reduction to existing surface water withdrawals to protect fish and other threatened/endangered species, and protection of the groundwater basin from seawater intrusion.
• ‘The EIR and How to Participate’ – A general overview of how the document is laid out, the review period, and how the community can participate (environmental findings will not be discussed at this meeting).
• ‘What about the Vote?’–  An overview of how the EIR process, certification, and formation of a project are prerequisites to a formal vote on the construction of the desalination plant for City of Santa Cruz residents.

This meeting is open to the public. More information will be made available on the project website in May.

Soquel Creek Water District, as a result of below-normal rainfall conditions for the past two years,  is expected to issue a Stage 2‐ Water Shortage Warning for their customers at the April 16^th  Board of Directors meeting. Under its water shortage contingency plan, the District will aim to achieve a 15% demand reduction during the summer season by asking customers to reduce water use, promoting water conservation, and enforcing its water waste ordinance. If initiated, curtailment would be May 1-October 31, 2013.

“With our only water supply coming from rainfall that is stored in underground aquifers,” said Taj Dufour, Soquel Creek Water District Interim General Manager, “it is important for our customers to reduce their use and to recognize that below normal rainfall means less recharge and increases our vulnerability to seawater intrusion.”

The City of Santa Cruz issued its third Water Supply Outlook for this season on March 25, requesting that the Water Commission recommend City Council adopt a resolution  on April 23 declaring a Stage 1 Water Shortage alert for 2013, pending an improvement in local water conditions.  If initiated,curtailment would be May 1-October 31, 2013. Stage 1 includes both voluntary and mandatory measures aimed at achieving a 5 percent reduction goal for the season. The water year is currently classified as “dry”, but this is assumed to be upgraded to “normal” in the coming weeks as cumulative runoff in the San Lorenzo River increases.