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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Water Resources Advisory Board - 07/16/2012 CITY OF BOULDER, COLORADO BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS MEETING MINUTES [Name of Board / Commission: Water Resources Advisory Board Date of Meeting: 16 July 2012 Contact Information of Person Preparing Minutes: Laurel Olsen-Horen; 303-441-3203 Board Members Present: Susan Iott, Kate Ryan, Chuck Howe, Vicki Schamhorst, Dan Johnson Board Members Absent: none Staff Present: Jeff Arthur, Director of Public Works for Utilities Bret Linenfelser, Water Quality and Envirorunental Services Coordinator Lisa Martin, Parks and Recreation Urban Parks Manager Jeff Dillon, Parks and Planning Superintendent Russ Sands, Water Conservation Program Manager Laurel Olsen-Horen, Board Secretary Meeting Type: Regular Agenda Item 1- Call to Order [7:03 p.m.] This meeting was called to order at 7:03 p.m. Agenda Item 2 - Approval of the 18 June 2012 Meeting Minutes: [7:04 p.m.] Motion to approve as amended by: Scharhorst; Seconded by: lott Motion Passes; 4:0 Agenda Item 3 - Public Participation and Comment [7:05 p.m.] Public Comment: Payson Sheets: Mr. Sheets is a representative of the Middle Boulder Creek Coalition. The proposed expansion of Eldora Ski Resort to Brian Mountain is of great concern. This area is unfragmented habitat, and any expansion of the resort would eliminate a wildlife corridor to connect with the wilderness nearby. If Eldora were permitted to expand all the way down to the creek, the following consequences could occur. 1) There will be increase sediment load from dirt access roads and run-off from the slopes. 2) Carbaryl is sprayed to help control the pine beetle and then runs into the creek. 3) Snowmax is added to increase the output of man-made snow which has potential environmental impacts. 4) Ski wax also has negative environmental impacts. Mr. Sheets would like to have WRAB inform City Council of all of the negative impacts to the area due to the proposed expansion. WRAB response: WRAB would like to know what Mr. Sheets would like rather than the proposed expansion. In 1997, the Forest Service stated that there would be no further expansion beyond the current boundaries, Mr. Sheets would like that declaration enforced. Agenda Item 4 Matters [7:05 p.m.] From the Board: Boardmember Schamhorst brought up the following matters: • Will be receiving her water meter and will keep the board informed on how they work. • Would someone from the board like to be a point of contact on the Eldora EIS effort? Staff will ensure all board members are well informed and kept up to date. Staff will focus on issues related to water quality and quantity. Board member Howe brought up the below matter(s): • Nederland trustees are meeting tomorrow night to discuss boating on Barker. The hope is that the Trustees will make a proposal to Boulder to allow for boating on Barker. • There is a natural hazards center on CU campus. They are currently holding their annual conference. Jerry Galloway, Denise Fort, Marcus Munch are presenting at the conference. • On Wednesday, Patty Limerick will be giving a discussion "A Ditch in Time" at the Library. • Weld County has made a proposal to have downstream users subordinate their water rights to help benefit the community. Board member Johnson brought up the below matter(s): • He is meeting with a graduate student about Open Space and farm land next Monday. • Also raised the Weld County water issue. Staff response: Boulder has leased around 3,500 acre feet for agricultural purposes which is approximately 20% of the city's annual water use. Board member Iott brought up the below matter(s): WRAB Minutes 16 July 2012 Pave No. 1 • CU is building a new recreation center on current fields, which will affect their stornnvater flow. How many stone drains do they have that lead to the creek? Does CU have a stormwater plan? Can staff ask CU to give a presentation to the WRAB on how low impact development will impact water quality? Staff response: CU has its own MS-4 permit that is separate from the City's and their PIFs tend to be covered with MOUs. Staff can ask if CU would be willing to come to a firture WRAB meeting. From Staff: • Flagstaff fire: Kossler Reservoir on Flaagstaff was able to provide water to help with the firefighting efforts during the Flagstaff Fire. The Fire Department requested certain pre- evacuation area residents to turn on their sprinkler systems to help with fire fighting efforts. City staff is going to revise any impacted water bills to take the lower of 2012 and 2011 and adjust their water bills to represent the lower of the two. • Seasonal flooding: Flooding occurred in the Fourmile Canyon bum area on the weekend of 7 July. City staff responded to the EOC during the active flooding. Staff plan on taking City Council up to the Fourmile burn area in the near future. • Month of Water Declaration: July has been declared as the Month of Water (and is also Smart Irrigation month nationally). • Water Conservation Fair 2012: The Annual Water Fair will be on Saturday, 21 July at the East Boulder Community Center. The city is emphasizing the "less is more" theme for water users this year. There will be a presentation for the Garden in a Box program, Xeriscape plants for sale, and various other topics to help the community understand concepts surrounding being more water wise. There will also be a couple of different examples for landscaping options. The city will also be sending out a survey to help track water usage. • City/CU MOU on Reuse: The city has received comments back from CU on the Williams Village MOU. The new agreement better specifies the notion that this would be a pilot project - five year trial. Either party has the ability to terminate the agreement with a 30-day notice. There will be a provision that will relieve the city of any obligation to deliver water for recirculation in the maximum monthly amount if, despite reasonable efforts, the city doesn't have sufficient water legally available. The board would like to know if CU would have to pay for any costs relating to pumping in water from the water source. The city shouldn't have to pay to bring in water that is designated for CU. The board would also like to see the final draft of the MOU prior to its implementation. • Arsenic update: As of June 2013, the city is required to achieve a very low level of arsenic at 0.023 µg/L, which the water treatment plant cannot currently meet (current arsenic levels are around 0.45 µg/L). The State Water Quality Control Division has recognized that this is a statewide issue. They are planning on having a hearing next April (2013), however, with the new permit regulations being implemented on June, 1, 2013, that doesn't give the city much time to come into compliance. The city requested a special hearing, which was granted and will be held on Oct. 9a'. The city requested a temporary modification under existing conditions, • The media asked about the impact of the beach closure at Boulder Reservoir on drinking water. The city is currently not pulling water from the reservoir. • Boulder Creek Flood study: Boulder County is close to getting their continents back to the city. The county hired a third party consultant, she, to assist with the data. • Civic Center update: Last week was the Civic Center Open House. This topic will be coming to WRAB at the August meeting. WRAB's focus will primarily be flood issues. • New Water Resource Coordinator: The water resource coordinator interviews will occur this Friday. There will be a reception to meet the candidates from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. at the Library Canyon Gallery. • Thunderbird Lake update: This item will be coming back to the WRAB likely in September as an informational item and then back in November or December for a final recommendation. Agenda Item 5 - Information item, Update on Implementation of Municipal Water Budgets for the Parks and Recreation Department's Irrigation Accounts Russ Sands presented item to the board. 18:20 p.m.] Executive Summary from Packet Materials: Following the implementation of water budgets for City of Boulder (city) water customers in 2007, the Utilities Division implemented water budgets for municipal accounts in 2008. Although municipal WRAB Minutes 16 July 2012 Page No. 2 accounts do not pay for monthly water use, city staff has developed more efficient operations to reduce usage in blocks 4 and 5. From 2008 to 2011 municipal accounts reduced water consumption by 14 percent when compared to customer accounts which have reduced consumption by 3 percent. In 2008, staff initiated a municipal water budget pilot study which concluded with the March 2011 Information Packet to City Council (Attachment A). The purpose of this Agenda Item is to address WRAB's recent request for an update on municipal water budgets with specific regards to the Parks and Recreation Department (Parks). Parks staff works with the Water Conservation Program to increase water use efficiency in city parks, reducing water consumption from 2008 to 2011 by 12 percent even though more than 30 acres of irrigable area have been added. WRAB Discussion Included: [8:40 p.m.] • What is the overarching goal for the Parks and Recreation department to achieve by utilizing the Category A, B, and C limitations? Staff response: the primary goal for the Parks and Rec department is to provide the community with viable turf facilities while also demonstrating to the community the possibility of maintaining healthy turf while not over using natural resources. • Would the city consider using artificial turf fields? Staff response: one of the factors for not using artificial turf is the heat emissions. Artificial turf can get extremely hot since it is plastic and has a large surface area. Agenda Item 6 Discussion on Future Schedule [8:56 p.m.] The August meeting will have the Civic Center Planning and the Instream Flow Programs update. September will have an update on Thunderbird Lake Agenda Item 7 Adjournment [9:18 p.m.] There being no further business to come before the Board at this time, by motion regularly adopted, the meeting was adjourned at 9:18 p.m. Motion to adjourn by: Howe; Seconded by: Johnson Motion Passes 5:0 Date, Time, and Location of Next Meeting: The next WRAB meeting will be Monday, 20 August 2012 at 7:00 p.m., at the 1P Street Conference Room located at 1720 13'x' Street, unless otherwise decided by staff and the Board. APPROVED BY: Board Chair Bondi Se el-arT l o/ls~i i. l5 Date Date An audio recording of the full meeting for which these minutes arc a summary, is available on the Water Resources Advisory Board web page. WRAB Minutes 16 July 2012 Page No. 3