SCH Number 2017048270

Project Info

Title

Agreements Among The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the City of Los Angeles, and the California Department of Water Resources to Manage the

Description

The Metropolitan plants to enter into agreements to help manage the city of LA excess water supply using existing water management facilities. With the Southern Sierra snowpack currently at over 200% of normal, this excess supply if unmanaged could cause immediate danger to LA system in Owens Valley. On March 20, 2017, LA Mayor, Eric Garcetti, proclaimed a local emergency for the lands adjacent to the LA Aqueduct in Mono, Inyo, Kern, and LA Counties, and in the city of LA in preparation for the record levels of precipitation and snowpack in the Eastern Sierra. LA has constructed dust control measures that are likely to be damaged should uncontrolled flows occur and inundate dust control improvements in Owens Lake. In addition, this action would protect habitat for the Owens Tui Chub, an endangered species, that live just below the Long Valley Dam by alleviating the possibility of spillway overflow as a result of the high runoff conditions. Under these agreements, Metropolitan would take delivery of the excess water supply and receive the water at a combination of the Jensen Treatment Plant and an existing LA turn-in to the East Branch of the CA Aqueduct. Water delivered at the East Branch of the CA Aqueduct will be conveyed to Metropolitan using existing State Water Project facilities. Water delivered to the Jensen Treatment plant will be treated and delivered in Metropolitan's distribution system. Metropolitan would return water less losses to LA in the future using existing Metropolitan and LA facilities.

1 documents in project