HomeMy WebLinkAbout1960-03-01; Municipal Water District; MinutesMINUTES OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF BQARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE CA&SBAD MUNICIPAL WATER
DISTRICT HEI;I) MARCH 1, 1960 at 2 :00 P .M. AT 2698 STATE STREET, CARLS-, CALIFORNU.
President Kelly called the meeting to order at 2:05 P.M. with Directors Carnohan, Greek
and Coe answering roll call. Absent: Director Maerkle. Attorney Swirsky, Pipeline
Superintendent Tucker, Engineer Short, Reporter Larry Liedman of the Blade-Tribune,
Fire Chief Hardin and City Manager Slater of the City of Carlsbad, and office secretary
were also present.
President Kelly stated this special meeting had been called to go over and discuss
water storage problems and that the Engineer and Pipeline Superintendent had gone out
to the proposed Squires Dam Site; the proposed reservoir site by San Marcos Tank No. 1,
and checked Calavera Lake, and that he would turn the meeting ,over to the Engineer for
his report.
The Engineer said dthat as the Board of Directors knew, the District had TWO problems:
One, the immediate problem of attempting to serve the rapidly growing agricultural needs
this summer; and the other problem is for longer range storage. He said he felt that
the proposed Squires Dam Site appeared to offer quite a bit of advantage, but had not
been able to get his studies far enough along at this time to have anything,definite
regarding that site, except to say it does appear to have advantages,
With respect to the immediate problem for this summer, the Efigineer said he had come to
certain conclusions and thought he had a recommendation to offer which, while not loo%,
is nevertheless an acceptable solution. This situation is caused primarily by the
rapid expansion of consumer demand on a fluxuating basis, not on a uniform flow basis,
and we have to take our water on a uniform basis. The City of Carlsbad for the most
part can take on a uniform basis, so it is not the City who creates this immediate
storage problem. It is an agricultural problem mostly and the solution to this problem
rests in a type of solution that the people who create it should have to pay for it's
solution.
A rather considerable sume of money could be spent in providing a system for utilizing
the water on a consumer deman basis, but the costs involved to construct additional
facilities, or rejuvenate existing facilities are not practible for a single summer's
use. Particularly, if we don't know if this will fit into a long range program.
If we do not construct additional facilities or rejuvenate existing facilities, we are
going to have water losses. Through the day we would have to take enough water from
our supplier and out of our existing storage to meet our maximum demands. Then at
night when our storage is fully replenished, there would be waste of some water. It
would mean taking more water from our supplier than we are actually going to put to
beneficial use. However, the Engineer stated he felt this would not create any problem
from the standpoint of our supplier, being just a temporary measure for the summer.
The Engineer said he felt all of the foregoing could be handled by regulating the rules
and regulations of this District so that the people who are taking this constant flow
of water would pay for the surplus, and provide for a rate adjustment. He said his
recommendation, in principle only as the details would have to be worked Out, is that
those customers with reservoir capacity which enables them to take a minimum flow equal
to 50% of their maximum four hour period, pay just the basic rate. Customers who do
not have storage capacity to comply with this basic rate would pay a premium for water,
to pay the additional cost of the water we'll have to buy to meet the demand, plus any
additional operating cost this would involve, plus a surcharge which would be calculated
to create a certain surplus to help provide the necessary future storage facilities.
Details would have to be studied to figure out what this premium would be.
Lengthy discussion followed regarding putting this water into Calavera Lake, and ways
and means of handling it, and if there was overflow how it could be salvaged. In
order to use Calavera Lake it might be necessary for modification of 8" by-pass, or
it may be possible to work it by operating main gate valve. It was felt that the City
would have no objection to our spilling water into Calavera Lake as long as it wouldn't
cost the City anything. Spilling it into Calavera Lake offers some chance of recorvery
to the community as a whole and to the mutual benefit of everybody.
The City Manager asked the Engineer how much water is contemplated to be taken from the
Authority each day, The engineer replied it was pretty hard to answer but he would
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guess it may amount to as much as 10 or 12 acre feet a day. It would fluxuate because
on hot days it would be high, then again may have some cool days, but he felt this
could be worked out with the Authority.
The Engineer stated there were three elements of cost: One, cost: of waste of water;
Two, operating cost involved; and three, would like to build up a surplus to help on
future storage facilities. With this type of solution, there would be a cost between
the water users of between $10,000.00 or $20,000.00. If the District attempts to
provide the immediate additional facilities the cost would be around $lOO,OOO.OO.
He felt the only other alternative would be to run out of water, which would be the
most expensive solution yet for it would mean lost crops, lose of revenue, and ruin
the reputation of the District.
The Engineer said he would get together with the Pipeline Superintendent and go over
water usage for last smer and work out what this premium rate will be. This should
be done before advising the people involved so that there would be something definite
to give them.
After discussion, the Board requested that the Engineer prepare the foregoing and
have it ready to present at the next.Regular Meeting, March 15, 1960.
At this time the Attorney advised the Board of Directors they should clarify the term
''waste". The word *'waste'l would indicate it was not being charged for, and it is
absolutely necessary that any water from the District would have to have some benefit
to them. As a policy matter not able to do it when you say "waste", and there must
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be some benefit out of this water that can be justified.
The Engineer agreed the term ''waste'' should not be used because essentially there would
be benefit received in that in order to get enought water to the irrigators to grow
crops it will be necessary for the District to buy more water than it can sell.
The meeting was declared adjourned at 3 : 10 P .M.
1 President of the Board of Djrectors
CiULSBAD Id'LIXECIPAL MATEX DISTRICT
ATTEST :
& R&
Secretary of the Board of Directors
CkUSB&I MUNICIPAL WTER DISmCT
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