HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Water Resources - December 21, 2009
CITY OF BOULDER, COLORADO
BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING SUMMARY FORM
Name of Board / Commission: Water Resources Advisory Board
Date of Meeting: December 21, 2009
Contact Information of Person Preparing Summary: Laurel Olsen-Horen, 303-441-3266
Board Members Present: Robin Byers, Kelly DiNatale, William DeOreo, Susan lott, Chuck Howe
Board Members Absent: None
Staff Present: Ned Williams, Director of Public Works for Utilities
Carol Ellinghouse, Water Resources Coordinator
Bronwyn Weygandt, Utility Billing Supervisor
Lee Rozaklis, AMEC Earth and Environmental, inc.
Laurel Olsen-Horen - Board Secretary
WHAT TYPE OF MEETING (BOLD ONE) REGULAR SPECIAL [QUASI-JUDICIAL]
Agenda Item 1 - Call to Order [7:03 p.m.]
The meeting was called to order
Agenda Item 2 - Approval of October 19, 2009 and November 16, 2009 Meeting Minutes [7:07 p.m.]
October minutes approved with changes: Iott, IIowe seconded; motion passes 5:0
November minutes approved with changes: Iott, DeOreo Seconded; motion asses 5:0
Agenda Item 3 - Public Participation and Comment. [7:19 p.m.]
Public Comment: None
Agenda Item 4 - Matters from Board and Staff [7:20 p.m.]
Matters from Board:
• Discussion of article re: drinking water quality in New York Times; distribution of water use
tracking sheet; water waste ordinance; update on South Platte Basin Roundtable (ibcc.state.co.us).
• Would like to know the City's response on helping with individual meter/submetering retrofits for
HOAs per Ann Blonston's E-mail. to WRAB. What was the E-mail requesting from WRAB?
Matters from Staff: [7:41 p.m.]
• Delinquent and No-Pay Account for Utilities: [handout presented to Boardl The City has not
seen an increase in water shut offs due to the economy, nor has it seen an increase in NSF checks,
but there was an increase in certifications to the county due to homeowner's walking from their
properties.
• Gray Water Systems have been installed throughout the City.
• Update on City Council agenda item for January 5s' meeting: Draft Environmental Impact
Statement on Gross Reservoir Enlargement, and two IGAs that City staff are working on to
develop in-stream flow program on South Boulder Creek should the enlargement be approved.
• February 2010 WRAB meeting to be held at City Yards
Agenda Item 5 - Update on Boulder's Water Yields, Operations Models and Reliability Criteria
Ellinghouse and Rozaklis presented item to board. [8:07 p.m.]
[Power Point presentation]
Executive Summary from Packet Materials:
Since the late 1980s, Boulder has used the Boulder Creek Watershed Model (BCWM) to estimate the yields
of its water rights for general planning purposes. The BCWM was developed for the city by Hydrosphere
Resource Consultants (now AMEC Earth and Environmental) as part of the City's 1988 RWMP and has
been refined on an on-going basis. Lee Rozaklis with AMEC Earth and Environmental will provide a
presentation to WRAB on the BCWM and how it is used to model the city's water supply system.
Public Comment: None [9:04 p.m.]
WRAB discussion included: [9:05 p.m.]
Are the city's drought levels prescribed to the criteria? Can the Board have a one-on-one tutorial at a future
date to implement further understanding? Maybe look into three different levels of demand. Such as the
one, two, and five year droughts, to check how efficient the systein is and whether it matches with the
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criteria. Board would like a summary table of the key tables of the model to see the water that is used in the
different groups, ie physical yield perspective. Constraints on modeling budget. Effects of Carter Lake lI
pipeline.
Conclusion and next steps: Continue with this discussion at a later time.
Agenda Item 6 - Recommendation on Financing the Boulder Canyon Hydro Project [9:12 p.m.]
Ellinghouse, and Williams presented item to board.
Executive Summary from Packet Materials:
In Aug. 2009, city staff submitted an application for rehabilitation of the city's Boulder Canyon Hydro
(BCH) facility to the Department of Energy (DOE) under a grant offering for modernization of
hydroelectric facilities through the Recovery Act stimulus funding program. On Nov. 4, 2009, the city
received notice that its application had been accepted for negotiation of an award of $1,180,000 toward the
total project cost of $5,155,000. Therefore, the amount to be paid by the City if the grant is accepted is
$3,975,000.
A decision regarding the city's acceptance of the grant and the funding source for the city's portion of
project costs must be made soon because of a grant requirement that the rehabilitated hydro project be on-
line by Dec. 2011. This drives a very tight schedule that requires design of the project to begin in Jan. 2010
so that construction can be completed in two years.
WRAB discussion included: [9:22 p.m.]
How is the city paying for the other portions of the grant? Board would like to know why we can't tap the
undesignated reserves? Has the City looked at all the options of public/private partnership investors? City
doesn't want to jeopardize any municipal water rights, or bonding capacity. Can the City use the
undesignated reserve fitnds for this project rather than any of the four options the City has given in
Attachment B? Can the City add in to the WWTP bond issue in 2010 for the extra $1.8 million in order to
leave the CIP fiords alone? Board agreed to rule out option four. Board likes the project's benefits, but is
unsure of the best way to finance.
Public Comment:
None
Conclusion and next steps:
Motion: Motion moved by DiNatale, seconded by Lott: Motion to recommend to City Council
acceptance of DOE grant funding for Boulder Canyon Ilydro Modernization. Suggests that the City
should look at using existing CIP funds for this project, and the funds for the CIP projects displaced
should be rolled into the 2010 bond issue.
Vote: 5:0 Motion passes
Agenda Item 7 - Recommendation on WRAB Goals to City Council [10:03 p.m.]
Executive Summary:
Water Resources Advisory Board's list of items for City Council to consider in the upcoming year.
WRAB Discussion Included:
Board liked the overall view of the list. Would like to strike out number six on the list; Nederland IGA as
it's already completed. Valmont Butte disposition needs to come from City Council rather from WRAB.
Public Comment:
None
Motion: Motion moved by DeOreo, seconded by Howe: Move to forward the amended list of WRAB
goals and recommendations to City Council for their consideration.
Vote: 5:0 Motion passes
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Agenda Item 8 - Discussion on future schedule. [10:21 p.m.]
• Next regular meeting (January 19, 2010) is a special meeting date due to the Martin Luther King
Jr. holiday.
• Tentatively scheduled to bring back next addition of Drought Response Plan and Guiding
Principles in January.
• Update of flood mapping study of Boulder Creek tentative for January.
• In Feb. there will be a presentation on CWCB's Colorado Supply Availability Study
• Tentatively plan a revisit of tonight's presentation by Lee Rozaklis for February's meeting.
• Get Carol Ellinghouse's input on any budget constraints re: the reliability study, and how
extensive are they? What is it costing us?
• Board members need to send out any questions regarding Lee's presentation to the Board
Secretary.
Agenda Item 9-Adjournment. [10:30 p.m.]
Motion: Motion moved by DeOreo, seconded by: Iott;
Vote: 5-0 Motion Passes
Meeting adjourned at: 10:30 p.m.
Date, Time, and Location of Next Meeting: Tuesday, 19 January 2010; IP Street Conference Room
The next WRAB meeting will be Tuesday, 19 January 2010 7 p.m., regular meeting, at the IP Street
Conference Room, unless otherwise decided b staff and the Board.
APPROVED BY: ATTESTED:
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An audio recording of these minutes is available on the Water Resources Advisory Board web page.
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Decemher 21, 2009
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