California Floods: Be Aware, Be Prepared

November 4-9 is California Flood Preparedness Week, and Zone 7 is part of a statewide effort to increase public awareness about flood threats and how to prepare appropriately.

“In the last 20 years, every one of California’s 58 counties has experienced a federally declared flood disaster resulting in loss of lives, homes, precious possessions and costing billions of dollars,” notes a proclamation recently adopted by Zone 7’s Board of Directors.

“Zone 7 residents have endured multiple numbers of flood events including the historic floods of 1955 and 1958,” it adds. “In recent history, Zone 7 applied for and received federal and state financial assistance for repair and damage from flood events during 1995, 1998 and 2005.”

During California Flood Preparedness Week, local, state and federal agencies across California work together to inform the public about the dangers of flooding, how to prepare their homes and families for a flood, and plan for recovery.

• To view the state's flood preparedness website, click here.
• To learn about Zone 7's flood protection program, and about the agency's multi-benefit Stream Management Master plan, click here.

Questions?

For stream/channel-related issues, call Zone 7 at 925-454-5000.
For questions regarding storm drains, or on where to obtain free emergency sandbags, call:

• City of Dublin Public Works, 925-833-6630
• City of Livermore Water Resources, 925-960-8100
• City of Pleasanton Operations Services, 925-931-5500
• Alameda County Public Works, 510-670-5500

Zone 7's flood control program is part of its regional water resources management program and aims to protect life, property and habitat from damage and destruction within a 430-square-mile area. The agency maintains 37 miles of flood control channels and access roads. Key operations and maintenance activities include: emergency repairs, routine maintenance and repairs, clearing debris from channels and access roads to maintain flow capacity, vegetation management along channels, inspections to ensure the system is in good working condition to receive and pass storm waters, and rehabilitation or improvements to existing facilities. Zone7 also manages the Development Impact Fee Program that provides funding from new development for planning, design and construction of new flood control projects to mitigate for the additional flows from development.

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day- October 26, 2013

Keeping our water free from chemicals is one way to help ensure the health and safety of our water sources. Research has shown that pharmaceuticals—including prescription drugs—are present in our nation’s water and may cause environmental harm. Although there is no current evidence that these pharmaceuticals in the environment are responsible for any negative health effects in humans, keeping our water clean is an important public health goal. 

Prescription drugs that languish in medicine cabinets create a public health and safety concern because they are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) works with state and local law enforcement agencies to host National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days. The purpose of this day is to provide a venue for people to safely dispose of potentially dangerous expired, unused, or unwanted prescription drugs, so they don’t put the drugs in the trash or flush them down the toilet (where they could eventually end up in our water). It also helps prevent pill abuse and theft.

The service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. This event is on Saturday, October 26, 2013 from 10:00am-2:00pm.

Local drop-off locations:

• Dublin Police Services, Parking Lot, 100 Civic Plaza, Dublin
• Livermore Police Department, 1110 S. Livermore Avenue, Livermore
• Pleasanton Police Department, 4833 Bernal Avenue, Pleasanton
• San Ramon Police Department, 2401 Crow Canyon Road, San Ramon
• Camp Parks Police, 790 5th Street, Dublin 

Updates

Here are a couple of updates on previous posts:

• Stoneridge Drive Bridge Construction

The slope embankment under the new Stoneridge Bridge passed compaction tests last week. Remaining work ongoing. Opening set for November.

• Creek Cleanup

Thank you Tri-Valley Creeks to Bay Clean-up and Monitoring Volunteers! One-hundred and fifty-four clean-up volunteers removed 1,736.5 gallons of trash and 235.6 gallons of recyclables from eight creek spots. Thirty monitoring volunteers from Altamont Creek Elementary, and Livermore and Granada High Schools assessed creek health at Alameda Creek Park and Robertson Park.Here are some of my photos:

Zone 7 Kicks Off the Living Arroyos Program

Living Arroyos was initiated in July 2013 as a partnership of the City of Livermore, Urban Creeks Council, and Zone 7 Water Agency. The goal of the partnership is to restore and enhance urban stream and riparian (streamside) habitats while continuing to protect drinking water supplies and maintaining current levels of flood protection. And since people, especially children, need contact with nature in order to be happy and healthy, Living Arroyos seeks to re-integrate the region’s streams and its human communities so that residents of the rapidly urbanizing Tri-Valley area can have opportunities to experience real, functioning nature near at hand.

Join us for our program kickoff planting party and BBQ. Volunteers will be planting acorns along Arroyo Mocho in Livermore. Saturday, October 19, 2013 from 9am-12pm. There will be a free BBQ lunch for registered volunteers. To register or find out more about the program, please visit http://livingarroyos.org/.

Urban Creeks Council serves as the managing partner of the program. Community members and Apprentices are the backbone of the labor force that carries out the work of restoration and ongoing habitat management. Program activities will focus on the more than 45 miles of streams controlled by Zone 7 and the City of Livermore as seen in the map below.

Pool/Spa/Fountain Maintenance Tip Sheet

Fall's in the air, and it's time to prepare pools and spas for the end of the season. Check out Alameda County Clean Water Program's new Pool Maintenance Tip Sheet for best practices on pool cleaning, waste water disposal and more! Click here for the tip sheet.

Stoneridge Drive Extension/Bridge Construction Update

As many of you know, construction is underway on the Stoneridge Drive Extension in Pleasanton which includes building a bridge over the Arroyo Mocho.  There is an expected opening date of sometime this fall. I was able to take a tour last week of the bridge construction.

Zone 7 Water Agency owns and maintains 37 miles of local flood-protection channels, about a third of all the Valley's channels and creeks, including the Arroyo Mocho. Zone 7's flood control facilities are integrated into many programs. During storm events, the channels carry flood waters out of the Valley, protecting life and property. During dry periods, the arroyos are used for groundwater recharge, placing high-quality water in the underground reservoir for storage until the community needs it during droughts. The arroyos are also used as riparian habitat. Many of these channels also have maintenance roads that, through Agency agreements with the cities, have been opened up for recreational trail use. To ensure that its flood-protection channels are ready for the next big storm event, Zone 7 conducts routine maintenance such as inspections, embankment and drain structure repairs, vegetation management, silt removal and pest control.  

As part of their construction plan, the City of Pleasanton requested an easement over the Arroyo Mocho from Zone 7 to construct and maintain the bridge structure.  The Zone 7 Board voted on 3/21/12 in favor of granting the easement.  Zone 7 wanted to ensure that they had continued access to the channel to continue flood control activities.

Zone 7’s primary interest is the bank, the access road, and the underlying channel. Zone 7 has a construction inspector who monitors construction activities along the channel and access roads. The developer submits compaction test results to Zone 7 to confirm compliance with specifications. Bridge and channel work were delayed this week as slopes failed compaction tests. 

The area currently not passing the compaction tests is the south bank slope underneath the bridge. In addition to re-compacting this slope, the contractor also needs to complete erosion control measures before October 15th.

Zone 7 staff will continue to monitor construction and quality assurance testing. I will keep you posted. 

 

Some of my photos from the tour:

 

Standing on north bank looking at construction under the bridge



Standing on north bank looking south

Standing on north bank looking at construction under the bridge

Standing on the bridge looking west

Spotted an egret, standing on south bank, west of the bridge, looking towards north bank

Standing on sidewalk just before bridge looking north/east

standing on south bank, east of the bridge looking north

Standing on the bridge looking east

 

Tri-Valley Creeks to Bay Clean-Up

Tri-Valley Creeks to Bay Clean-Up is Saturday, September 14! This event is part of Coastal Cleanup Day, a statewide and international effort to clean trash and debris from beaches, bays, creeks, rivers, and lakes.

One-hundred and ninety-two volunteers collected 1,037 pounds of trash and 288 pounds of recyclables from six Livermore sites on Tri-Valley Creeks to Bay last year. 

Due to limited space, please pre-register. It's easy - just choose one of the cleanup sites, and contact the Site Coordinator to sign up and obtain the required waiver form(s). Bring the signed and completed waiver form(s) with you to the event.

Cleanup Sites:
1. Arroyo Mocho at Robertson Park - Site Coordinator, Patti Cole at (925) 960-2400
2. Arroyo Las Positas at Northfront Road (near Northfront Trailhead Park) - Site Coordinator, Lynna Allen at (925) 960-8143
3. Altamont Creek and Arroyo Las Positas at Bluebell Drive (near Springtown Golf Course) - Site Coordinator, Lynna Allen at (925) 960-8143
4. Arroyo Las Positas at Heather Lane (near Springtown Golf Course) - Site Coordinator, Lynna Allen at (925) 960-8143

Note: Volunteers under 18 years of age must have the waiver forms signed by a parent or guardian. Volunteers under 13 years of age must be accompanied and supervised by an adult, and may not volunteer at the Robertson Park site.

For more details, visit www.trivalleycreeks.org/events/creeks-to-bay-cleanup or contact Lynna Allen at (925) 960-8143.

Alamo Creek Trail- Temporary Closure Notice

Zone 7 Water Agency will close a stretch of the Alamo Creek Trail in Dublin from September 3-10, excluding the weekend, so that crews can conduct maintenance work along the flood control channel.

The trail closure will take place between Dublin Boulevard north to the Iron Horse Trail at the confluence of Alamo Creek and San Ramon Creek. The closure is meant as a safety precaution both for trail users and for work crews using heavy equipment on the channel's maintenance road.

To minimize disruption to regular trail users, the trail will be made available to the public on Saturday and Sunday, September 7 and 8.

Zone 7 owns and maintains 37 miles of flood control channels in its service area, including the cities of Dublin, Livermore and Pleasanton. Zone 7's flood control facilities are integrated into many programs. During storm events, the channels carry flood waters out of the Valley, protecting life and property. During dry periods, the arroyos are used for groundwater recharge, placing high-quality water in the underground reservoir for storage until the community needs it during droughts. The arroyos are also used as riparian habitat. Many of these channels also have maintenance roads that, through Agency agreements with the cities, have been opened up for recreational trail use.

Zone 7 Awarded Local Groundwater Assistance Grant

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has awarded more than $4.7 million in grants to 26 public agencies from the Local Groundwater Assistance Program. Grant funding is provided by Proposition 84, the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006.

The program helps local agencies perform groundwater studies, monitoring, and management activities. Funded projects include installation of monitoring wells, groundwater recharge investigations, data gathering and development or update of groundwater models, preparation of groundwater management plans, and other programs to assist local agencies in managing groundwater in California.

The objective of Zone 7's proposed project is to upgrade and improve Zone 7's groundwater model of the Livermore Valley Groundwater Basin for use in evaluating groundwater and salt management strategies and alternatives, as well as for the development of specific project plans that involve groundwater supplies, aquifer storage, and constituent transport. The DWR grant was in the amount of $200,000, 80% of the project's total cost.

Zone 7 is currently updating its Salt and Nutrient Management Plan to meet requirements of the State Water Resources Control Board's Recycled Water Policy, and to include local land and water development plans. The use of a reliable groundwater model would be helpful in predicting the effects of these future plans, and to further develop Zone 7's ongoing and future salt management strategies.

Celebrating the Central Dublin Recycled Water Project

I was pleased to attend the Central Dublin Recycled Water Project Celebration today at Dublin's Kolb Park hosted by the Dublin San Ramon Services District. The Central Dublin Project was DSRSD’s first major retrofit of older facilities, bringing a supply of recycled water to four schools and three parks. Contractors installed 1.5 miles of recycled water distribution pipes under residential streets last fall and converted sprinkler systems at the parks and schools in early 2013. The Central Dublin Project is projected to distribute an additional 44.3 million gallons of recycled water per year, saving enough potable water to serve another 433 households. Zone 7 was proud to partner with DSRSD on this project, providing $39,000 from state water conservation grants to retrofit the sprinkler systems at the schools. A fact sheet from DSRSD with more information about the project and its benefits is available here.

Dublin Mayor Tim Sbranti, Zone 7 Director Angela Ramirez Holmes, and DSRSD VP Georgean Vonheeder-Leopold

Recycled water is wastewater that has been cleaned through primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment.  The process follows strict standards set by the California Department of Public Health, including disinfection to remove pathogens. According to these standards, tertiary-treated recycled water is safe for all human contact except drinking. Recycled water distribution systems are completely separate from potable water systems and are colored purple for easy identification. DSRSD requires new developments to be plumbed, from the start, for recycled water irrigation at parks, schools, golf courses, commercial areas, and other large landscapes. Older neighborhoods in the DSRSD service area are being retrofitted as funding becomes available.


Graphic courtesy of DSRSD

 

 

Zone 7's 2012 Annual Report Released

Zone 7 Water Agency's 2012 Annual Report is now available online. It relates the plans, programs and other activities that were initiated, managed and completed over the year to further the goals of providing a reliable supply of high-quality water and an effective flood-protection system to the Livermore-Amador Valley.

Among other things, the report -- entitled "We're All About Water" -- highlights the significance of Zone 7's strong commitment to Integrated Water Resources Management as a tool to manage water resources and facilities in a holistic, cohesive fashion.

The report highlights key activities and accomplishments in 2012 in the areas of:

• Agencywide enhancement: Updated Strategic Planning priorities and adopted Vision and Values statements.
• Water supply, reliability and quality -- Continued to support Bay Delta Conservation Plan efforts aimed at achieving the co-equal goals of restoring the Delta ecosystem and securing water supply reliability for 25 million Californians, including those in Zone 7's service area; partnered with other Bay Area water agencies to study a Regional Desalination Project; expanded water conservation programs; was prominently featured in a national trade publication for the Mocho Groundwater Demineralization Plant.
• Financial accountability -- Continued cost efficiencies to hold the line on water rates; achieved significant energy cost savings through participation in PG&E's peak-day pricing program; continued to pursue separation from Alameda County as a means to streamline operations and reduce administrative costs.
• Flood protection -- Made significant progress on  Stream Management Master Plan (SMMP) projects, including planning the Arroyo Mocho's Stanley Reach Riparian Restoration and Channel Enhancement Project and creating hydrologic and hydraulic models of the agency's watershed area to help update projects identified in the SMMP; continued work on a sediment study to better understand the magnitude of sediment transport within the Upper Alameda Creek Watershed area.
• Environmental stewardship -- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions by curtailing energy use during summertime peak demand; worked with other jurisdictions to move from planning toward implementation of the East Alameda County Conservation Strategy.
• Maximizing public benefits through partnerships -- Collaborated with local partners on two projects that helped link our communities with biking and pedestrian trails along Zone 7 flood control channels.

The entire report is available by clicking here. Also available on the Zone 7 website is our recently released Consumer Confidence (Water Quality) Report for 2012.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.  It is an honor to serve you.

Zone 7's E-News May 2013

Annual Review of Sustainable Water Supply

"The Integrated Planning section recently completed the 2013 Annual Review of Sustainable Water Supply for Zone 7. Among other things, it concludes that Zone 7 has sufficient water supplies to meet projected water demands over the next five years, with or without water conservation.

 'However, Zone 7's long-term water supply is at risk and subject to a very uncertain future due to court rulings and biological opinions associated with the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and climate change,' the report states. It was alluding to the fact that imports from the State Water Project make up more than 80 percent of Zone 7's existing supply, conveying Sierra snowmelt through the Delta to aqueducts delivering water to the Livermore-Amador Valley."

This article and more from this month's e-newsletter can be found here Zone 7 E-News May 2013.

To get these updates directly to your inbox, please sign up at www.zone7water.com

 

 

May is Water Awareness Month

The California Water Awareness Campaign's (CWAC) mission is to increase public awareness about the need for all Californians to use water wisely.  Formed in 1987 during a drought, the Campaign began with water conservation as its main theme. Since then, the theme has expanded to include the role that water plays in agriculture, industry, the environment, and daily life.  The CWAC annually reaches millions of schoolchildren, residents, and businesses who want to keep California's water healthy and flowing.

Zone 7 is a member of the campaign and supports the 2013 California Water Awareness Campaign effort.  The campaign's goal is to increase community perception that it is important not to waste water- even when we are not in a drought- and to encourage them to adopt water-efficient behaviors and implement water-saving technologies to help ensure adequate future water supplies.  Zone 7 continues to work with our water retailers on general programs to promote water awareness.

While California has made great stride in water conservation and efficiency in recent years, the collective impacts of drought, climate change, increased population demands, court ordered supply reductions and potential natural disasters make it clear that all water users will have to do much more in the coming years.

Learn more at the Campaign's website here.

Zone 7 Events and Rebates

Saturday, May 18, 2013, 10-11:30am. "Lose Your Lawn"
Find out how you can easily convert your lawn into a Bay-Friendly garden. Bay-Friendly Qualified Landscape Designers will share examples of successful transitions to edible landscapes, wildlife habitats and urban retreats. All of the designers have extensive experience converting lawns into varied landscapes and can answer your questions about what comes next. This is a free workshop, no pre-registration required at Western Garden Nursery, 2756 Vineyard Avenue, Pleasanton.

Buying a high-efficiency washer or need a new toilet? Check out all of the rebates offered by Zone 7 here.

Look for Zone 7 stormwater-pollution awareness booths at your local farmer's market.

Earth Day- Easy Ways to Help with Rebates and Safe Disposal of Unwanted/Expired Medications

One of Earth's most precious natural resources, and one that we in the United States may take for granted: fresh, clean, safe water. According to UNICEF (the United Nations Children's Fund), nearly 4,000 children die each day due to unsafe water and a lack of basic sanitation standards. Moreover, 783 million people worldwide do not have access to clean drinking water.

Water Conservation and Rebates
Earth Day is a great time to think about wise water use for a more sustainable environment. See the water conservation page of Zone 7’s website to learn about water-saving tips as well as rebate programs for water-efficient toilets, clothes washers, irrigation controllers and lawn conversions!

Prescription Drug Safe Disposal
Keeping our water free from chemicals is one way to help ensure the health and safety of our water sources. Research has shown that pharmaceuticals—including prescription drugs—are present in our nation’s water and may cause environmental harm. Although there is no current evidence that these pharmaceuticals in the environment are responsible for any negative health effects in humans, keeping our water clean is an important public health goal.

To help keep our water free from prescription drugs, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) works with state and local law enforcement agencies to host National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day. The purpose of this day is to provide a venue for people to safely dispose of unused prescription drugs, so they don’t put the drugs in the trash or flush them down the toilet (where they could eventually end up in our water). This year's event is on Saturday, April 27, 2013 from 10:00am-2:00pm.

Local drop-off locations:
Dublin Police Services, Parking Lot, 100 Civic Plaza, Dublin
Livermore Police Department, 1110 S. Livermore Avenue, Livermore
Pleasanton Police Department, Lobby, 4833 Bernal Avenue, Pleasanton
San Ramon Police Department, 2401 Crow Canyon Road, San Ramon
(Camp Parks Police, 790 5th Street, Dublin are having a drop-off on Friday, April 26 from 10-2)

Reduce Home Water Use During Fix a Leak Week!

Wise water use is a goal that we are striving toward in Pleasanton, which takes a collective effort by all of us to accomplish. We have numerous programs dedicated to water efficiency, including one that uses recycled water to irrigate the Sports Park, which requires 86 million gallons of water to maintain every year!

The average American family can waste more than 11,000 gallons of water every year due to dripping faucets, running toilets, and other household leaks. In conjunction with World Water Day on Friday, March 22, the City will host “Fix a Leak Week”. Pleasanton residents can visit the city’s Utility Billing counter at 3333 Busch Road throughout March to see the Fix a Leak display and to pick up free dye strips for silent toilet leaks. The dye strips can be placed into the toilet tank and within 20 minutes if any blue color leaches into the bowl, you will know there is a leak.

For more information, please call (925) 931-5513 or visit www.PleasantonWaterConservation.com for a list of all our Water-Efficiency programs.

 

-from City of Pleasanton

Do Your Part! Be Water Smart!

Check out Zone 7's Water Pyramid! It consists of 144 one-gallon jugs - the average amount of water used per capita per day in Livermore Valley. 

 

For some ways you and your family can save water, please visit: http://zone7water.com/images/pdf_docs/conservation/conservation_tips1.pdf

 

 

Current California Reservoir Conditions

Looking forward to summer at your favorite lake?  I know that I am!

Electronic reservoir level readings are available at the link below...

http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/products/rescond.pdf

Hoping for a wet March!

We need rain!

February was the second dry month in a row both locally and in the Sierras.  San Francisco reported that the January-February rainfall was the lowest recorded since before the Civil War.  California Department of Water Resources reported that it was the driest January-February on record. 

First Snow Survey of 2013 Shows Wet Conditions

Snow surveyors today reported that water content in California’s mountain snowpack

is well above average for the date.

Manual and electronic readings today record the snowpack’s statewide water content at 134 percent of average for this time of year. That is 49 percent of the average April 1 measurement, when the snowpack is normally at its peak before the spring melt.

The snowpack normally provides about a third of the water for California’s homes, farms and industries as it slowly melts into streams, reservoirs and aquifers in the spring and early summer.

 

“We are off to a good water supply start for the new year, but we have to remember that we have seen

wet conditions suddenly turn dry more than once,” said DWR spokesman Ted Thomas. “We know from experience that California is a drought-prone state, and that we must always practice conservation.”

 

Electronic readings indicate that the water content in the northern mountains is 133 percent of normal

for the date and 50 percent of the April 1 seasonal average. Electronic readings for the central Sierra

also show 133 percent of normal for the date and half the April 1 average. The numbers for the southern Sierra are 131 percent of average for the date and 44 percent of the April 1 average.

 

In addition to above average water content in the snowpack, early storms this season have replenished

California’s reservoirs.

Lake Oroville in Butte County, the State Water Project’s principal reservoir with a capacity of 3.5

million acre-feet, is at 71percent of capacity, 113 percent of average for the date. Shasta Lake

north of Redding, the federal Central Valley Project’s principal storage reservoir with a capacity of

4.5 million acre-feet, today is at 73 percent of capacity, 115 percent of normal for the date.

(An acre-foot is 325,851 gallons, enough to cover one acre to a depth of one foot).

Electronic reservoir level readings are available on the Internet at:

http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/products/rescond.pdf

 

Electronic snowpack readings may be found at:
http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/snow/DLYSWEQ

 

*Information taken from DWR Press Release January 2, 2013

 

Zone 7's ENews January 2013

Flood Protection System Withstands Heavy Rains

The Valley’s well-managed flood protection system performed well during three major storm events that took place in late November and early December. Other than very minor flooding at Livermore’s Las Positas Golf Course (which is designed to handle it) and on a street in the Springtown area, the region’s flood control system of creeks and culverts worked as expected to convey flood water out of the Valley. Most localized flooding was due to backed-up street gutters. Considering the magnitude of rain, which at its peak dropped a whopping 0.61 inches in a single hour on Dec. 2, that’s impressive!

This article and more from this month's e-newsletter can be found at the link below:

http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=eab2963028f145e6852ce1949&id=07cf7d848f

To get these updates directly to your inbox, please sign up at www.zone7water.com

Rainfall Report A Good Start for Local Water Year

      Rainfall at Pleasanton's California Irrigation Management Information System's (CIMIS) Station 191 shows that through the end of December, rainstorms provided a good start for the local water year (about 180% of average for this time of year):