DECEMBER 2023 UPDATE
Chino Basin
Watermaster DECEMBER 2023 UPDATE
DECEMBER
2023
FEATURED ARTICLE: LEVERAGING CHINO BASIN STORAGE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PARTIES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS
Welcome to the December 2023 Update! Greetings and welcome to the final issue of the Chino Basin Watermaster update for 2023. As the year comes to a close, it’s a time for reflection and celebration of all that we have accomplished. We want to express our sincere gratitude for the overwhelming response and active engagement we’ve received throughout the year and in the last couple months with the publication of this newsletter.
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... it’s a time for “ reflection and
celebration of all that we have accomplished.
Our goal is to foster understanding and inspire action, and your feedback and active participation play a crucial role in our collective journey. As we bid farewell to this year, we are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. Your unwavering dedication and passion for the preservation and effective management of the Chino Basin’s invaluable water resources inspire us daily. In the coming year, we look forward to continuing our mission
Long Term Studies, Analyses, and Planning • Safe Yield Recalculation • Simulate the Effects of a ‘Run on Storage’
with renewed vigor, addressing the challenges and seizing the opportunities that come our way. In this December update, we will provide an overview of leveraging the Basin storage and the subsequent benefits and a comprehensive overview of the advancements in the Safe Yield Reevaluation. These updates will keep you informed and engaged in our shared mission.
• Develop Water Quality Management Program
Once again, thank you for your support, and may this holiday
• Storage Management Plan Review
future!
season be filled with joy, reflection, and hope for a promising
• Study How the Groundwater Basin Can Be Used to Firm Up the Reliability of Local Supplies • Develop Storage & Recovery Master Plan
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Featured Article
Leveraging Chino Basin Storage for the Benefit of the Parties and Other Stakeholders
Garrett Rapp, PE Project Manager for 2025 SYR
The Chino Basin has extensive space
Since the Peace Agreement and
to store water. This storage space can
the OBMP, Watermaster and the
be leveraged for the benefit of the
parties have made several efforts to
parties or other outside stakeholders
encourage and facilitate Storage and
to store water for use in dry years,
Recovery Programs for the benefit of
improve water quality, or provide other
the parties and the basin. Watermaster
benefits for stakeholders. Watermaster
approved the only storage and recovery
and the parties have recognized the
agreement (i.e., an agreement with
potential benefits of using the Basin’s
Watermaster to carry out a Storage
storage space for decades and have
and Recovery Program) to date when it
implemented rules to govern its use.
approved Metropolitan Water District’s
Through the Peace Agreement and the
Dry-Year-Yield Program (DYYP) in 2004.
2000 Optimum Basin Management
To implement the OBMP and facilitate
Program (OBMP), the Chino Basin
Watermaster’s other obligations,
has developed a roadmap for
Watermaster has evaluated the use
adaptive management of the Chino
of storage in the basin, including
Basin, including encouraging the
the implementation of Storage and
development of Storage and Recovery
Recovery Programs. However, the Chino
Programs1.
Basin has been lacking comprehensive guidelines to better facilitate Storage and Recovery Programs.
1The Peace Agreement defines a Storage and Recovery Program as the use of available storage capacity in the Chino Basin by any person to store supplemental water in the basin and have the right to export the stored water for use outside the basin, subject to Watermaster’s direction and control pursuant to a storage and recovery agreement. 4
The SRMP will make it easier for local or outside agencies to develop and implement these programs and for Watermaster to review and approve these Programs for the benefit of all parties in the Chino Basin. During the process to update the
of interested stakeholders, define the
OBMP in 2019 and 2020, the parties
objectives of the SRMP, and develop
expressed the need to develop a more
a scope. Watermaster hosted a kick-
comprehensive framework to guide
off meeting to convene the Storage
the development of future Storage and
and Recovery Master Plan Committee
Recovery Programs and provide a clear
(Committee) on November 15, 2023 to
roadmap for Watermaster to evaluate,
initiate these first steps. The objectives
define mitigation, and approve storage
of this meeting were to develop an
and recovery agreements. Watermaster
understanding of the proposed scope
and the parties identified the
and schedule of the SRMP process and
development of a master plan – called
the expected future engagement from
the “Storage and Recovery Master Plan”
the Committee and to gather feedback
(SRMP) – to achieve these objectives.
on the objectives and the proposed
Watermaster and the parties included
scope of work. Some questions
the development of a SRMP as an
discussed included:
activity under the 2020 OBMP Update. The Storage and Recovery Master Planning process is meant to help develop, implement, and optimize Storage and Recovery Programs to increase water-supply reliability, protect or enhance the Safe Yield, and improve water quality in the Chino Basin. The SRMP will make it easier for local or outside agencies to develop and implement these programs and for Watermaster to review and approve
• Why do the parties want to conduct Storage and Recovery Programs? • What are the parties’ objectives for Storage and Recovery Programs? • What were the obstacles to implementing Storage and Recovery Programs in the past, what are the current obstacles, and how can we overcome them in the future? • What are the benefits desired by the parties and how should they be quantified?
these Programs for the benefit of all
The technical memorandum explaining
parties in the Chino Basin.
the SRMP development process in more
The first steps in developing the SRMP are to assemble a committee
detail and the presentation materials from the November kick-off meeting can be found HERE. The November
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“The first steps in developing the SRMP are to assemble a committee of interested stakeholders, define the objectives of the SRMP, and develop a scope.” kick-off meeting resulted in a robust
• Preparing the SRMP
discussion on these questions and
• Submitting a formal Request for
other related issues. Watermaster is
Proposals to potential partners
currently gathering additional feedback
interested in developing Storage
from the Committee and incorporating
and Recovery Programs in the Chino
the feedback into a revised scope and
Basin
schedule that will be presented to the Committee.
place in parallel with several other
While the scope of work is still being
planning activities in the Chino Basin,
refined, it is expected to contain the
and its findings are predicated on other
following steps:
studies including the 2025 Safe Yield
• Issuing an informal “request for
Reevaluation. This process is expected to
interest” to parties or outside
take multiple years, and the final SRMP
agencies to understand the desired
is expected to be completed sometime
benefits, potential operations, and
in Fall 2025.
other information that may guide the development of the SRMP • Defining conceptual alternatives for Storage and Recovery Programs at various scales • Adding more detail to these conceptual alternatives, including developing high-level cost estimates, general facility plans, and evaluations of impacts to the Basin to define potential mitigation measures
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The development of the SRMP is taking
Watermaster’s Function:
Collaborative Approach
Watermaster administers and enforces
Watermaster values
the 1978 Judgment and implements an
teamwork, collaborating
Optimum Basin Management Program,
with experts and staying
working with diverse stakeholders to
connected with stakeholders
preserve Chino Basin’s groundwater.
and governing agencies.
CHINO
BASIN WATERMASTER
Quality and Transparency
Vision for Success
Watermaster is committed
Watermaster’s vision is to add value,
to high-quality work and
promote transparency, and educate
transparency, aiming to educate
stakeholders, ultimately benefiting
stakeholders on Judgment provisions for effective resource
their customers through efficient resource management.
management.
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Meeting and Workshop Schedule 2025 Safe Yield Reevaluation Pursuant to the April 28, 2017 Safe Yield Court Order
Audience:
Technical Peer Review Committee
COMPLETED
Aug. 30, 2023 9:00am
General Stakeholders
COMPLETED Hydrogeologic Conceptual Model
Review the structure of the 2020 CVM, discuss the updates made to the HCM based on information gathered since 2020 SYR, and gather feedback on changes. • 2022 Safe Yield Reset Methodology TM • Agenda
Oct. 24, 2023 9:00am
Scenario Design #1
Discuss the process to develop an ensemble of projection scenarios, gather input from the Parties on drivers of and uncertainties in future water demands and supply plans. Includes discussion of potential extreme scenarios for effort to evaluate of future extremes.
February 2024
Scenario Design #2
Review draft TM describing proposed water demand and supply plan scenarios, discuss recommendations on climate scenarios to use in model ensemble, and gather feedback.
• Scenario Design TM #1 • Presentation
March 2024
Calibration #1
Present initial results on model calibration and recommended subset of calibration realizations. Gather feedback on recommendations.
February 2025
Scenario Results
Review the initial results of the model ensemble, discuss initial interpretations of the results, and gather feedback.
May 2024
Scenario Design #3
Review updated draft TM from scenario design workshop #2, discuss MPI/undesirable result thresholds for interpreting future model results.
April 2025
May 2024
Calibration #2
Summarize calibration workshop #1 and feedback gathered since then. Present updates and draft TM that will be published between calibration workshops #1 and #2.
Draft 2025 SYR Report
Review the draft 2025 SYR Report and gather feedback. Dates of future meetings subject to change.
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What’s Coming Up... “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt
JANUARY 31 The Water Quality Committee (WQC) Meeting The Water Quality Committee (WQC) is meeting in January to continue efforts to
WATERMASTER STAFF
develop a Water Quality Management Program
Edgar Tellez Foster, PhD Acting General Manager etellezfoster@cbwm.org
Alexandria Moore Executive Assistant I Board Clerk amoore@cbwm.org
draft Emerging Contaminants Monitoring Plan
Ruby Favela Quintero Administrative Analyst rfavelaquintero@cbwm. org
conditions to support the development of a
Justin Nakano, MPA Water Resources Technical Manager jnakano@cbwm.org
Jordan Garcia Senior Field Operations Specialist jgarcia@cbwm.org
the discussion of the goals and objectives that
Frank Yoo Data Services and Judgment Reporting Manager franky@cbwm.org
Erik Vides Field Operations Specialist evides@cbwm.org
years. The meeting will be held at 10 am at the
Anna Truong Nelson, CAP, OM, TA Director of Administration atruongnelson@cbwm. org
Alonso Jurado Water Resources Associate ajurado@cbwm.org
(WQMP). The meeting will review and discuss a
that can be used to fill data gaps and prepare an initial characterization of water quality
WQMP, and serve as a framework for future monitoring. The meeting will also continue
will form the basis for the scope of the WQC in developing the WQMP over the next few
Watermaster offices at 9641 San Bernardino Road, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730.
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