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Regular-General Government # 43.
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| Board of Supervisors |
County Administrator |
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| Subject |
| Receive update on drought response strategies; adopt a resolution proclaiming a Local Drought Emergency in the unincorporated area of Yolo County; adopt a resolution urging a 25% voluntary conservation target in the Wild Wings County Service Area (CSA) and confirming the authority of the Director of Emergency Services to implement mandatory restrictions within the Wild Wings CSA if necessitated by water supply conditions; and adopt a budget resolution appropriating $50,000 in General Fund Contingency funds for drought relief, including use as local matching funds if the state implements a drought relief program to assist private landowners with drought-impacted wells. (General fund impact: $50,000) (4/5 vote required on budget resolution) (Nunes/Carey) |
| Recommended Action |
- Receive update on Drought response strategies;
- Adopt resolution proclaiming a Local Drought Emergency in the unincorporated areas of Yolo County (Att. C);
- Adopt resolution urging a 25% voluntary reduction in water use within the Wild Wings County Service Area in response to the drought emergency and confirming the authority of the Director of Emergency Services to implement emergency orders and regulations imposing mandatory restrictions as necessitated by water supply conditions (Att. D); and
- Adopt a budget resolution appropriating $50,000 in General Fund Contingency funds for drought relief, including use as local matching funds if the state implements a drought relief program to assist private landowners with drought-impacted wells (Att. E). (4/5 vote required on budget resolution)
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| Strategic Plan Goal(s) |
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Thriving Residents |
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| Reason for Recommended Action/Background |
The 2021 Drought is adversely affecting multiple reservoirs, counties and water purveyors throughout the State of California. An unusually dry winter coupled with a reduction in run-off from the snow pack throughout California is contributing to lower levels in current reservoirs, streams and canal systems. Effects on the groundwater systems and agricultural water deliveries have led multiple counties throughout the State to proclaim local emergencies for the 2021 Drought, as well as the Governor of the State of California issuing a State-level proclamation. At this time, 50 out of 58 counties have either directly proclaimed a state of emergency at the local level or have been included in the Governor’s drought proclamation. Further, on July 8, 2021, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-10-21, which calls upon all Californians to voluntarily reduce their water usage by 15 percent from their 2020 levels. Executive Order N-10-21 recognizes that actions now to conserve water and extend local groundwater and surface water supplies will provide greater resilience if the drought continues into future years.
Current Status of Region
Multiple water purveyors have already seen reductions in their water rights which have led to a reduction in water deliveries from current surface water systems. Five out of the twelve major California reservoirs are currently below 50% of their historical water storage capacity for July. Salinity barriers have already been installed in the Delta to protect fish habitat. Since the State of California is the only State in the Nation with an engineered water delivery system providing water throughout the entire state, all of the factors listed above contribute to the effects of the 2021 Drought in Yolo County.
Yolo County has several methods of water delivery to individuals throughout the County:
- Municipal water systems - typically have water rights that allow them to access surface water allocations and, in many cases, have existing groundwater wells under their direct control. This provides many options to a jurisdiction for maintaining water supplies while maintaining water quality.
- County Services Areas/Community Services Districts – also known as community drinking water systems, they will frequently get water from a groundwater well system and sometimes will have access to surface water allocations which can be used to provide water for agriculture and/or residences in the unincorporated areas of Yolo County.
- Privately owned groundwater wells – are installed on individual parcels and can provide water for agricultural and/or household needs.
As the drought progresses, groundwater wells are beginning to see the effects of the drought season. Wells are beginning to go dry due to lowered groundwater elevations leaving landowners without access to water. This is particularly problematic when a groundwater well is dedicated to a household as it leaves those living in the home without access to water for hygiene and drinking purposes.
Wells can recover slightly from the amount of water being pumped out daily during evening hours when well pumps are not active. However, Yolo County has seen a steady decline in the amount of groundwater elevation recovery in recent months. Groundwater elevations are not "bouncing back" when pumps are shut off. There has also been a decline in groundwater levels in certain areas of the County going back to 1977. Both of these factors coupled with an increase in the number of groundwater wells since the 2015 drought and an increase in the population since the 1977 drought can attribute to low or non-existent water levels in groundwater wells.
Wild Wings County Service Area
Of particular concern are the wells in the Wild Wings County Service Area (CSA). There are two operating wells serving the Wild Wings community and, as of early spring 2021, both wells were approximately 18 feet lower than the same time last year. One of these wells, the Canvasback Well, which serves the Wild Wings golf course and also serves as the Wild Wings community back-up water supply, had to be turned off as the pump could no longer properly operate the well. A temporary, alternative water supply has been implemented in coordination with the Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. The primary well (Pintail Well) serving the Wild Wings community has just 3-4 months to shutoff based on projections using recent water level data.
Drought Response Strategies
The 1977 drought was one of the most devastating on record throughout the State of California. Since that time, the population of the State of California has increased by 17.35 million people and the population of Yolo County has doubled. Along with changes in farming throughout the County that have seen higher water needs for specific crops it is highly probable that the effects of the 2021 drought will be more severe.
The Office of Emergency Services and Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District have partnered together to begin collecting data regarding the effects of the drought on local groundwater systems. It is apparent that there is a reduction in groundwater accessibility in the central part of the County. The presentation accompanying this agenda item will provide information to the public and the Board of Supervisors regarding the current situation and some of the typical Emergency Response strategies that could be needed in the future as the drought continues.
The Office of Emergency Services is exploring ways to fill gaps left by current State and Federal assistance programs and at this time is requesting a budgetary set aside of $50,000 of funding, for 1) use in emergency drought response and, 2) to provide local matching funds in the event the State revives the drought relief program it provided in 2015. The requested budget resolution is provided as Attachment E to this staff report.
Previous Drought Response
During the 2015 drought, the State provided California Disaster Assistance Act (CDAA) funds to homeowners to assist with emergency drought-related costs. This year, the State has indicated CDAA funds will be considered if a local jurisdiction demonstrates a need. While there is no guarantee of reimbursement, the County will request CDAA funds to cover at least 75% of the cost of aboveground storage tanks serving individual properties with impacted wells (and/or other similar resources).
Attachment A is a program that was approved by the County during the 2015 Drought Response.
Attachment B is a copy of CalOES' Water Systems Resource Guide outlining the various funding options available. The County would look for ways to provide assistance where there are gaps in these options, hence the request for the set-aside funding to provide a local match for State drought relief program costs.
Attachment C is the Resolution proclaiming a Local Drought Emergency to encourage water conservation consistent with Executive Order N-10-21 and authorize other conservation measures in this early stage of the 2021 Drought. While Yolo County is currently named in the Governor’s Drought Proclamation, additional items are listed in the local proclamation to address local Drought effects. The proposed emergency proclamation applies through the unincorporated areas of Yolo County, but not within the cities. The Board can later extend the proclamation to the incorporated areas if warranted.
Attachment D is the Resolution focused on the unique water situation affecting the Wild Wings CSA, as discussed above. The resolution calls for a 25% voluntary reduction in water use as compared to 2020 monthly levels for the Wild Wings CSA. The 25% conservation target is based upon the current well conditions and water level data. The resolution also recommends various water conservation actions, such as limiting watering to three days per week during certain hours. If voluntary conservation and outreach efforts are unsuccessful in achieving a 25% reduction in water use (or changing conditions necessitate further conservation), the resolution confirms the authority of the Director of Emergency Services (the County Administrator) to implement mandatory water restrictions in the Wild Wings CSA through emergency regulations or orders.
Attachment E is the Budget Resolution to set-aside funding for a drought relief program. As indicated above, staff expect this funding will provide local matching funds for a state program. If necessary to address emergency water needs for individual households, however, the County Administrator (as the Director of Emergency Services) may apply this funding to provide resources for residents without access to potable drinking water. |
| Collaborations (including Board advisory groups and external partner agencies) |
| Water Resources Association of Yolo County, Natural Resources Division, Office of Emergency Services, Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District |
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| Fiscal Impact |
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| Source of Funds for this Expenditure |
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Explanation (Expenditure and/or Revenue) |
| Further explanation as needed: |
The $50,000 allocation is to respond to current gaps that have been identified for private well owners to sustain a minimum access to water for basic hygiene needs while waiting for a replacement well on their property. The $50,000 will satisfy the local match as the County attempts to leverage California Disaster Assistance Act (CDAA) funding which has a 75% state cost and 25% local match.
Declaring a local drought emergency will provide increased opportunity for potential state and federal aid to address drought impacts in Yolo County as drought conditions are expected to deteriorate in coming months. |
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