Page 16 - Beaumont Basin Watermaster - 2015 Annual Report
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Section 2
Watermaster Activities
Discussion Regarding the Allocation of Unused Overlying Production to Appropriator Parties
[Memorandum 15-12]. Minutes for the June 3, 2015 meeting were not available.
Draft Budget for Fiscal Year 2015-2016 [Memorandum 15-13]. A draft budget was
presented for consideration at the August 5, 2015 Watermaster Committee meeting.
Items Discussed During the August 5, 2015 Regular Watermaster Committee Meeting
Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2015-16 [Memorandum No. 15-14]. The budget was
presented by Member Zoba; however, no formal action was taken as the discussion was
moved to the October 7, 2015 meeting.
Evaluation of Groundwater Conditions and Operating Safe Yield for 2014 [Memorandum No.
15-15]. Mr. Harder presented a summary of the groundwater conditions and Operating Safe
Yield that were presented in the Annual Report. Mr. Harder addressed questions and
indicated his concerns for a widening discrepancy in storage levels in the northwest portion
of the modeled area.
Presentation of the Consolidated Annual Report and Engineering Report for Calendar Year
2014 [Memorandum No. 15-16]. Mr. Blandon presented information from the report
including accomplishments of the Committee in 2014, groundwater conditions, production,
and recharge, transfers and adjustments of rights, accounting of storage, and water quality
in the basin.
Proposed Groundwater Storage Agreement for the Morongo Band of Mission Indians
[Memorandum No. 15-17]. Several presentations were initially made on this proposed
groundwater storage agreement, starting with the Tribe’s engineers, Mr. Steven Johnson of
Stetson Engineers, Inc., followed by the Tribe’s legal counsel, Mr. Scott Summers, and Mr.
Harder, as part of the Watermaster Committee engineering support team. Mr. Harder raised
significant concerns regarding accounting methodology of water losses, water quality, and
the lack of permeability of the bedrock formation in the proposed area of recharge. After a
significant discussion on the proposed recharge project, a motion to continue discussion on
this issue at the October 7, 2015 meeting was passed. As part of this motion, additional
information from the Tribe, including the development of a work plan, was requested.
Overview of Oak Valley Production Wells and Proposed Adjustments to Historical
Groundwater Production [Memorandum No. 15-18]. Mr. Blandon stated that the Final
Annual Report for 2014 be revised to reflect the significant changes in groundwater
production from the Oak Valley Partners production wells.
Status Report on the Installation of Water Level Monitoring Equipment at Twelve (12) Sites
in the Beaumont Basin [Memorandum 15-19]. A status report was presented and questions
answered. Mr. Blandon indicated that additional sites needed to be identified to increase the
number of monitoring sites to 18.
Discussion Regarding Overlying Users Revised Production Rights [Memorandum No. 15-
20]. Mr. Montoya recommended that the Committee lodge the 2014 Safe Yield Study with
the Riverside County Superior Court to show that the Committee is meeting its central
Beaumont Basin Watermaster 2015 Annual Report – Final – December 2016 2-4
