April 22, 2008

Largest Consumers of Groundwater Will Continue To Pay Their Fair Share

Coachella Valley's largest consumers of local groundwater soon will be paying a little more to help offset the costs of replenishing the aquifer's supply of water.

Only those who pump more than 25 acre-feet of water (an acre-foot is a little less than 326,000 gallons) annually will be directly affected by increases in the replenishment assessment charges replenishment assessment charge, which were approved unanimously Tuesday by Coachella Valley Water District's (CVWD) Board of Directors.

Replenishment is a key component of CVWD's Groundwater Management Plan for the entire Coachella Valley, along with conservation and substituting other sources for groundwater--such as recycled water or imported water.

Because of the plan, groundwater tables in Palm Desert are expected to drop only 20 feet between 1999 and 2035, instead of 200 feet, which is what occur without CVWD's management efforts.

Effective July 1, golf courses, several resorts, school districts, agriculture, water providers---CVWD, Indio Water Authority and the City of Coachella--utilities and other government entities within the boundaries of the water district will be billed a replenishment assessment charge that will be $2.11 to $7.24 higher per acre foot than current fees.

Water agencies, in turn, divide their replenishment assessment charge among their customers, which, at least with respect to CVWD, adds only a couple of cents every month to the typical domestic water bill.

Replenishment of the aquifer in the Upper Whitewater River Subbasin Area of Benefit, which encompasses a significant portion of western Coachella Valley, began in 1973 and is entering its 29th year. More than 2,000,000 acre feet of water have been returned to the aquifer at recharge ponds near Windy Point, west of Palm Springs.

The replenishment assessment charge for this area was increased 2.3%, to $93.78 an acre-foot. Most of the replenishment assessment charge is to offset certain costs associated with importing State Water Project Water to the Coachella Valley. The water is exchanged for Colorado River water from Metropolitan Water District, but expenses are those associated with importing the much more costly State Water Project water.

The board conducted public hearings for the three subbasin areas of benefit to allow for comments against or in favor of the replenishment assessment charge increases, and to collect and count protests. Protests were minimal and far short of what would have been needed to prevent board action.

A portion of the Upper Whitewater River Subbasin is within the boundaries of Desert Water Agency (DWA), which sets its own replenishment assessment charge. CVWD and DWA also work together to recharge the Mission Creek Subbasin Area of Benefit, which serves Desert Hot Springs, Sky Valley and portions of Indio Hills.

Replenishment there is beginning its sixth year and more than 56,000 acre-feet have been recharged into that aquifer subbasin since late 2002. The replenishment assessment charge was increased about 10 percent, to $79.60. Those who pump more than 25 acre-feet include CVWD, two resort facilities and two fisheries.

The replenishment assessment charge will go up 30 percent, but remains the lowest in Coachella Valley, at $10 per acre-foot for the Lower Whitewater Subbasin Area of Benefit. This subbasin is served by two pilot recharge facilities---at what is known as Dike 4 (since 1997) near Avenue 62, and in Martinez Canyon, since 2005.

When both facilities are fully operational, they each will replenish 40,000 acre-feet into the eastern valley's aquifer. Both began as pilot programs because it was necessary to ensure recharge could be accomplished in the area. A thick layer of clay---known as an aquitard---prevents recharge toward the center of the valley floor. The confines of the basin, however, create pressure within the aquifer that forces water throughout the subbasin.

Engineering reports on the region have concluded that recharge from Dike 4 and Martinez Canyon will raise groundwater tables in Indio by as much as 75 feet by 2040, by 95 feet in Oasis.