1999 AGN NOV 16 Misc Add 1 - Laserfiche WebLink

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�p`�EV MUpj��A San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District \m 1350 SOUTH "E" STREET - P. O. BOX 5906 - SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA 92412-5906 -(909) 387-9200 I954 • ��FAX (909) 387-9247 October 19, 1999 via US Mail Henry Garcia GEORGE A. AGUILAR City Manager RECEIVED Civic Center Division II 650 N. La Cadena Drive Division IV Colton, CA 92324 fkx' Subject: Opportunities in the Santa Ana River Wash UTY G;F C01 ON IT` MANAGER Dear Mr. Garcia: The San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District (District) has joined a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) including the City of San Bernardino and the Inland Valley Development Agency. The purpose of the JPA is to investigate the possibility of deriving an economic benefit from the infrastructure required to mitigate the City's high groundwater problem. The current concept under investigation involves use of surface infrastructure such as lakes and streams instead of traditional infrastructure such as steel tanks and pipelines. This aboveground infrastructure would provide the City with the economic benefits associated with shoreline development while mitigating the dangers associated with high groundwater. This design concept may be possible within and/or along the Santa Ana River adjacent to the City of Colton. For several years, the District, in conjunction with the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA), has been developing a project which would improve the quality of the groundwater beneath the City of Colton. The SAWPA project, known as "Project 16", generally involves removing lower quality water from the Colton and Riverside North groundwater basins and delivering the water to the Orange County Water District via the Santa Ana River. Once the lower quality water has been removed, the basins can be refilled with higher quality water to improve the overall groundwater quality. To regulate the flow of the pumped groundwater to Orange County, a reservoir will likely be required. Rather than using traditional infrastructure for this reservoir, the water could be delivered to a surface reservoir which would provide the City of Colton with valuable shoreline. Conceptually, the District has investigated the possibility of creating a surface reservoir(s) in the Santa Ana River channel or adjacent to the channel using inflatable rubber dams. Inflatable dams were selected as a possible alternative in the river channel because they can be deflated during the flood season. If the surface reservoir(s) is not located in the river channel, other more traditional design approaches may also be available for the dam(s). SAWPA has secured a placeholder for various projects in the proposed Water Bond 2000. Included in this proposed Bond is $11 million for Project 16. Even if voters do not approve the Water Bond, there may be other funding opportunities for Project 16. The priority given to obtaining funding for the water project will be largely dependent upon the level of support obtained from the City of Colton. My staff has prepared a presentation which outlines the concepts presented in this letter. The presentation consists of a 13 -minute videotape and a 15 -minute PowerPoint presentation. It is my understanding that you have scheduled this presentation for the regularly scheduled meeting of the Colton City Council on November 16, 1999. Enclosed are one copy of the videotape, 15 copies of the PowerPoint presentation, and 15 copies of a brief handout. Until then, if you have any questions or desire any other information, please do not hesitate to contact Bob Tincher directly at 387-9215. Sincerely, eorge A i Director Directors and Officers EDWARD B. KILLGORE GEORGE A. AGUILAR PAT MILLIGAN MARK BULOT Division I Division II Division III Division IV STEVE COPELAN G. LOUIS FLETC14ER Division V General Manager and Chief Engineer