10.15.2018 WRAB Signed Minutes CITY OF BOULDER, COLORADO
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES
Name of Board/Commission: Water Resources Advisory Board
Date of Meeting: 15 October,2018
Contact Information for Person Preparing Minutes: Erika Lowe,303-441-3233
Board Members Present: Lesley Smith,Kate Ryan,Kirk Vincent,Ted Rose,Trisha Oeth
Board Members Absent:
Staff Present: Jeff Arthur,Director of Public Works for Utilities
Douglas Sullivan,Principal Engineer Utilities
Joanna Bloom,Source Water Project Manager
Kim Hutton,Water Resources Engineer
Kate Dunlap,Source Water Quality Program Coordinator
Erika Lowe,Board Secretary
Jody Jacobson,Administrative Services Manager
Laila Parker,Source Water Administrator
Mary Ann Nason,Water Conservation&Outreach Coordinator
Stephen Grooters,Water Engineering Project Manager
Douglas Sullivan,Project Manager/Principal Engineer-Utilities
Darroll Meddaugh,Water Source Operations Manager
Eric Johnson,Water Resources Facilities Manager
Ward Bauscher, Utilities Maintenance Manager
Bret Linenfelser,Water Quality&Environmental Services Manager
Amy Willhite,Water Resources Administrator
Jessica Pault-Atiase, Senior Assistant City Attorney
Emily Helverson,Assistant City Attorney I
Agenda Item 1—Call to Order 16:00 p.m.]
Agenda Item 2—Approval of the 20 August 2018 Meeting Minutes 16:01 p.m.]
August minutes were approved with a slight change.August minutes stated that September meeting was
going to be at the MSC,but the meeting was rescheduled to be held at Betasso Water Treatment Facility.
The September meeting didn't occur because there weren't enough board members for a quorum,so the
official meeting was cancelled,and some board members toured the facility. There are no minutes for
September 2018.
Moved by: Ryan Seconded by:Vincent
Vote: 5-0
Agenda Item 3—Public Participation and Comment 16:01 p.m.]
Public Comment: No public comment
Agenda Item 4—Information Item—Water Supply and Climate Change 16:02 p.m.]
Kim Hutton presented this item.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
In 2003,the City of Boulder(city) began considering climate change in its water supply
planning. In 2008, the city engaged in an innovative approach to simulate the effects of
climate change on municipal water supply and concluded that the city can reliably meet
water demands in all but the hotter and drier modeled scenarios. The city has since refined
its planning model with updated municipal demand data and improvements in hydrologic
and climate science and modeling techniques. The refined model allows staff to evaluate
whether projected build-out water demands can be reliably met under varied hydrology
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and climate scenarios. The city simulated historical baseline conditions and seven climate
change scenarios to determine water supply and demand changes in the year 2050. In the
baseline and four of the wetter climate change scenarios,build-out water demands can be
met reliably. In three of the drier scenarios, minor violations of the reliability criteria
occur, and modified system operations will be evaluated to determine if the water supply
system can adequately meet demands. The purpose of this item is to provide information
on potential climate change effects on municipal water supply and to provide WRAB
members an opportunity to ask questions.
WRAB Board Discussion Included:
• Question about the South Platte River water demands and how are they simulated
• Clarification questions about interpreting charts presented.Clarifying that all scenarios suggest
that more of the annual water`runoff volume will occur several weeks earlier in the year,in the
future,compared to what has been typical
• Question about how we're modeling a system, when some of it wasn't our system 100 years
ago(Barker Reservoir)
• Question about modeling of the Colorado River
• Questions about municipal indoor and outdoor demand assumptions.Would we look at outdoor
use policies to reduce demand?
• Questions about how much certainty there is in physical hydrology changes and how much
storage can be assumed.
• Questions about dust in snow pack and the impacts in peak flows. Questions about water rights
and whether tied to time of year,a change in peak flows could have an impact.
• Comments appreciating data collection and modeling being done.
• Question about whether there is work being done on climate change impacts to water quality.
• Question about getting information about upcoming related seminar.
Agenda Item 5—Information Item—Instream Flow Program 16:55 p.m.]
Joanna Bloom presented this item.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
"Instream Flows"are water rights protected by the State to ensure water is left in
Colorado's creeks and rivers for environmental benefit. Boulder has supported a successful
instream flow program on Boulder and North Boulder Creeks since 1990, and has been in
the process of identifying ways to establish a South Boulder Creek instream flow program
since the 1970's. Streamflows and river health are growing areas of public interest,
therefore the purpose of this item is to summarize the instream flow program and provide
WRAB members an opportunity to ask questions or request additional information.
WRAB Board Discussion Included:
• Question about if Wittemyer Ponds is near the location where Crestone is looking at
implementing drilling sites and whether those operations would impact water storage or
quality.
Agenda Item 6—Matters from the Board 17:17 p.m.]
• Budget question about tax revenue shortfall other departments are experiencing and given that
other departments are reviewing use fees,whether Utilities is also looking at its use fees and if
they are adequate.
Agenda Item 7—Matters from Staff 17:20 p.m.]
• South Boulder Creek Flood Mitigation Project: Update on status with City Council
o WRAB Discussion Included:
■ Question clarifying maps of revised options and dams.
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■ Question about whether pumping groundwater will be necessary in new
options.
■ Will evaluations for new options include a cost estimate and is there a make-
or-break cost?
■ Compliments to staff juggling the many requests and changes with this
project.
• Second Reading of Citywide Budget
• Invitation to celebrate Wonderland Creek Flood Greenways Project Thursday,Oct. 18.
Location might need to change.
• Request from City Council from board members on application questions that are asked of
new board applicants.
o WRAB Discussion Included:
■ Time and location information is wrong.
■ Question#5 about priorities after the 2013 flood is outdated.Could change it
to applicants' thoughts about balancing projects needed with limited funds
and expectations of equity.
■ Question#8 seems outdated. Application is long already;perhaps cut last
question.
• City Council retreat upcoming. Council looking for board input by December 21
Dec. 17 meeting to vote on recommendation.
• WRAB retreat scheduling
o WRAB Discussion Included:
■ Date options. Night meetings preferred,over dinner.
■ How to provide/deliver letter from board so that Council takes time to engage
with the information provided. Concern raised that it takes a lot of time and
weekend dates to form a recommendation that is taken lightly by Council.
• Joint Board Meeting on Alpine Balsam site on Oct. 25 at 5:45 in City Council Chambers.
Since Board hasn't discussed,representation would be individual and not of the board.
Agenda Item 8—Discussion of Future Schedule 17:48 p.m.]
• Aquatic Species—memo in October meeting packet
• Update of Comprehensive Stormwater Flood Master Plan—hard copies handed out.
Discussion on scoping the update of the plan scheduled for November.
• Biogas Efforts at WRRF Update-November
• Retreat Follow-Up in December
• Web Portal Update and possible testing in December
Agenda Item 9-Adjournment 17:56 p.m.]
Motion to adjourn by: Oeth Seconded by: Ryan
Motion Passes 5:0
Date,Time,and Location of Next Meeting:
The next WRAB meeting will be Monday,November 19,2018 at 6:00 p.m.,at the City's Municipal
Services Center,5050 Pearl St. Boulder CO 80301
APPROVED BY: ATTESTED BY:
Board Chair: v Board Secretary:
Date: Date:
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An audio recording of the fitll meeting for which these minutes are a summary is available on the Water
Resources Advisory Board web page.
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