Reclamation Ditch Watershed Will Get New Impact Fee 

To Maintain Today's Level 

of Flood Control

Monterey County and the City of Salinas are working toward a 218 vote for long-term, flood control improvements within the 157 Square mile Reclamation Ditch watershed known as "Zone 9."  MAP OF RECLAMATION DITCH WATERSHED 

The shorter term, first step in that direction will be a new fee on new IMPERVIOUS surfaces added to the watershed. 

Review this scanned in version of the power point presenation: RECLAMATION DITCH SYSTEM WATERSHED 

                                                                                                                                                IMPACT FEE PROGRAM 

Read a 2006 Memorandum of Understandings between 

the County of Monterey & the City of Salinas - Original 2006 MOU

HERE are some of the points covered by Manuel Quezada, Civil Engineer and Alex Huliniki, Outreach, Monterey County Water Resources Agency presenting this project to the MCFB Water Committee in January 2010. 

• MCWRA is conducting community outreach showing a fly-over video of the 1998 flooding of the Reclamation ditch area from south to north of Salinas and ending at the Potrero Road tide gates in Castroville. 
• The Reclamation ditch is approximately 22 miles of main channel and a series of lakes that provide storage for the system within a 157 square mile watershed designated as "Zone 9".  
• The county believes that the Reclamation ditch system requires additional channel capacity to accommodate anticipated increases in runoff volumes from new, planned impervious surfaces. 
• The method proposed to deal with this need as a first step is an IMPACT FEE, administered at the permit level, for any new impervious surfaces (ex. buildings, parking lots, cement equipment yards) to be built within the 157 sq. miles of Zone 9.  For example, UniCool has plans to develop 257 acres in the zone.  Through building designs and/or materials used it will be possible to reduce the runoff and therefore the total amount of impact fee charged. 
• Since the IMPACT FEE funds are calculated to only maintain the current level of flood control with the new, expected development, a second step for long-term flood protection is also planned. That will occur through a Prop. 218 vote to create a new assessment on all Zone 9 residents and businesses including agricultural lands.

The MCFB Water Committee will :

1. Monitor this process and consider participation with the Rec Ditch Public Advisory Committee (REDIPAC) which has not met for several years. 
2. Discuss with RCD/NRCS and the water agency the opportunity to encourage the installation of small scale stormwater catchment systems in upland areas where they would also serve a beneficial purpose for cattle operations as water sources.

Tuesday, February 02, 2010 06:09:21 PM