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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-05-05 WUCFD MINUTESWATER UTILITIES COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT (APACHE JUNCTION WATER COMPANY) CITY OF APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA REGULAR MEETING MAY 5, 2009 The regular meeting of the District Board of the Water Utilities Community Facilities District (Apache Junction Water Company), City of Apache Junction, Arizona, was held on May 5, 2009, at the Apache Junction City Council Chambers pursuant to the notice required by law. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Insalaco called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m. ROLL CALL Board Members Present:Chairperson Insalaco Vice Chairperson Eck Mrs. Robin Barker Mr. Douglas Coleman Mr. Rick Dietz Mr. Jeff Serdy Mr. Chip Wilson Staff Present:George Hoffman, District Manager Kathleen Connelly, District Clerk Frank Blanco, Water District Director David Fern, Utility Director Donna Meinerts, District Treasurer Giao Pham, District Engineer Others Present:Bryant Powell, Assistant City Manager Hazel Randall, District Admin. Asst. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF APRIL 21, 2009 ) )Chairperson Insalaco called for a motion. Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of May 5, 2009 Page 1 of 9 Mr. Dietz MOVED THAT THE MINUTES OF APRIL 21, 2009, BE APPROVED. Mrs. Barker SECONDED THE MOTION. VOTE:Unanimous. The motion carried. PRESENTATION BY EAST VALLEY WATER FORUM ON REGIONAL GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT PLAN )Water District Director Frank Blanco introduced Teresa Makinen, the director of East Valley Water Forum, and Doug Toy, a professional engineer who is the subject matter expert. Ms. Teresa Makinen briefed the board on the item.During the briefing, she advised that this area was called Maricopa East.There was a brief discussion at that time during which the board voiced their dissatisfaction with that name as this area is not in Maricopa County but in Pinal County, and that they would like the name changed to something more appropriate. Mr. Doug Toy briefed the board on the technical aspects of the groundwater model and oriented them to the current, existing conditions and the projections they made. Vice Chairperson Eck asked what would happen if they contain or trap the water further north.All the water goes south so the aquafirs there stabilize.The southern water then seems to head directly west. Mr. Doug Toy stated the water will naturally flow towards the lower elevations.The water levels will tend to move towards the west. Vice Chairperson Eck commented even if they fill a large lake or pond it will go that way. Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of May 5, 2009 Page 2 of 9 Mr. Doug Toy stated that is correct.They probably could not build a lake.They are talking about several hundred feet deep. It would be very difficult to trap.They could, by drilling wells, create a local cone of depression.It is a localized area where the groundwater is drawn down and then some of the water will start running into the cone.In Apache Junction, you have the bowl within a bowl, and once the bigger comes down low enough, it cannot feed into the little bowl.Anything that then happens in the little bowl is magnified.Today, as the water level in the bigger bowl is above the little bowl, the water is actually flowing in from the west and the south.But the aquafir material the district has is not real conducive to very rapid flow. Vice Chairperson Eck commented they need to have a very good treatment plan for the long term. Mr. Doug Toy stated the plan concludes that the whole eastern side of the valley needs to be looking at some sort of surface water treatment. Mr. Dietz asked if the larger bowl was created by the bedrock or mountain coming through which then inhibits the east -west flow.He asked if that is the purpose of the larger bowl. Mr. Doug Toy stated it is. Mr. Dietz commented when he first showed the blue at the beginning in one mile squares, it showed the bedrock area prohibiting the water from going east to west.It in essence created a larger bowl. Ms. Teresa Makinen stated it did create a bowl on the west side and a bowl on the east side. It is the natural geology that takes place that we have no control over. Mrs. Barker commented she thinks they should just tunnel right through it and let it be two-way traffic from now on. Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of May 5, 2009 Page 3 of 9 Mr. Doug Toy stated the west valley would love that. Mrs. Barker stated she is sure they would.The more their population grows, the more they draw, which draws the small bowls down because they are drawing more on that side.Their population has got to have something to do with it. Vice Chairperson Eck asked if there is a West Valley Water Forum.He does not see Glendale, Surprise or other West Valley cities on this. Ms. Teresa Makinen stated their group is just East Valley water providers for the east Salt River Valley sub -basin.There is a West Valley group but it is different than ours; it revolves around the Central Arizona Project.It is called the West CAP.The members are those that have access to Central Arizona Project water.They are not like ours where it is every single water provider. Vice Chairperson Eck asked if they do any type of volunteer work for non -potable water for orphanages and places like that. Ms. Teresa Makinen stated they do not do those.They are a group of East Valley water providers that got together initially because they saw they have common challenges.They were looking for opportunities and ways to manage water together as they are neighbors.They have an impact on each other. Vice Chairperson Eck asked if she knew who might be doing that at this time. Ms. Teresa Makinen stated she did not. Mr. Serdy asked if the Gila River affects us at all or if it goes a different direction. Mr. Doug Toy stated the Gila River does not affect Apache Junction as you are so far away. Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of May 5, 2009 Page 4 of 9 The Gila River affects Chandler.However the Gila River Indian Community manages their well field which affects Chandler. Mr. Serdy commented that Queen Creek comes close to us but it all goes to the Gila River. Mr. Doug Toy stated the Gila River comes through south of the Town of Queen Creek.There is a very small area connected to the Pinal County Basin.The water that travels through there is insignificant.The water does not flow very easily in those areas. Assistant City Manager Bryant Powell asked why the relationship of the agricultural use for the wells that are cranking up in north Mesa is going up so much and so rapidly over the last 10 to 15 years.He asked if the district recharge should be policymaking and working with the sewer district for our future water to make sure our recharge is over the little bowl. Mr. Doug Toy stated that is correct. District Manager George Hoffman asked if the current site for the sewer district recharge over the little bowl is in the right place.He thought they were having issues with water mounding. He does not know what strata they are talking about. Mr. Doug Toy stated the water levels rose in north Mesa since 1980 because when agriculture retires, they stop pumping.The cities then have to furnish them surface water.The groundwater pumping is replaced with river water. Vice Chairperson Eck commented when he worked for Mesa they had a well go off and it was next to the Central Arizona Project plant.He asked his partner why they were worrying about it as they were next to the plant.His partner explained the entire area on the northeast side was well water and all recharge credits.They had to use it for recharge credits.They do not lose much there as there is not a lot of desert there.Not much is lost to the sun in Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of May 5, 2009 Page 5 of 9 evaporation.It is all in the citrus.It is unique the way they use it. District Manager George Hoffman commented he is looking to see if the sewer district recharge is occurring in the small bowl. Ms. Teresa Makinen stated the key points that came from their modeling and discussion is that recharge is important, they need to match future recharge to future pumping, the balanced aquafir in the East Salt River Valley Sub -basin is attainable by 2025, groundwater in some sub- basins is limited, and areas with surface water supplies are in good condition.Many times the recharge that takes place is not in the same area where the pumping takes place.When looking at Superstition Vistas, if they do not have access to surface water, then groundwater needs to be pumped.The recharge that takes place on their behalf takes place in a location that is in reasonable proximity to where they are using the water.The year 2020 becomes important for the natural ins and outs in the aquafir and something needs to be done differently by that point.They will have to change the way they think after that. In 2100, the natural flow that was taking place from east to west where the groundwater would normally go will now be drawn to the east because of the natural divide, even though there is a future recharge project at Superstition Mountain.It is planned for 56,000 acre feet per year.Even though all that is being recharged, the cone depression will still be taking place because of all the groundwater being pumped.It is not far from where Mr. Hoffman is speaking of. There was general discussion as to where the little bowl was located. Ms. Teresa Makinen stated she sat down with Brian Hall to determine what could be done to manage that cone of depression.First they reduced the pumping in the water district and in Arizona Water but it had little to no effect.They then moved the wells which is not necessary legal and that had very little effect.They tried to do different things including moving the pumping closer to the recharge project and it had little effect. Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of May 5, 2009 Page 6 of 9 District Manager George Hoffman commented there are miles and miles of dams running along the Central Arizona Project Canal.He asked if there is any technological merit in looking into stormwater for recharge. He added it sounds like this is best case modeling.There is some literature out there suggesting that the Colorado River Compact was based on wet years.It appears they may have been wetter than average and that is not even counting climate change. Mr. Doug Toy stated using stormwater is technologically feasible for recharge but it is very expensive for the amount of water that you yield.The problem with the stormwater is you only get it when it rains. The district will have to consult with its hydrologist to determine if the recharge site is sited in the correct place to make sure it is within the small bowl. Ms. Teresa Makinen stated their next steps are drought scenarios.They wanted to consider the normal years first.Water information is very personal.It takes awhile to get the collaboration going and they did not want to take on the elephant first thing.They are currently working on the drought scenarios. Vice Chairperson Eck commented it is great information to have and they appreciate it.The district gets caught up in just getting water to a person's residence.This other stuff is challenging. Mr. Coleman commented he is serious about the name change.It really bothers him.He would like to see it changed from Maricopa East. Ms. Teresa Makinen suggested she and Frank call the people at Arizona Department of Water Resources on that. DISTRICT MANAGER REPORT None. DISTRICT DIRECTOR REPORT Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of May 5, 2009 Page 7 of 9 None. DISTRICT TREASURER REPORT None. DISTRICT LEGAL COUNSEL REPORT None. ADJOURNMENT adjourned the meeting at 6:48 p.m. ) Chairperson Insalaco ACCEPTED THIS 2ND DAY OF JUNE , 2009, BY THE CHAIRPERSON AND DISTRICT BOARD OF THE WATER UTILITIES COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT (APACHE JUNCTION WATER COMPANY), CITY OF APACHE JUNCTION, ARIZONA. SIGNED AND ATTESTED TO THIS 2ND 2009. ATTEST: Kathleen Connelly District Clerk DAY OF JUNE W S. Insalaco Ch'airperson WATER UTILITIES COMMUNITY FACILITIES DISTRICT MINUTES CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the foregoing minutes are a true and correct copy of the minutes of the regular meeting of the Water Utilities Community Facilities District of the City of Apache Junction, Arizona, held on the 5th day of May, 2009.I further Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of May 5, 2009 Page 8 of 9 certify that the meeting was duly called and held and that a quorum was present. Dated this 8th day of May, 2009. Kathleen Connelly District Clerk Water Utilities Community Facilities District Meeting Minutes of May 5, 2009 Page 9 of 9