Candidate for
Member, Board of Directors; Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District; Zone 7

Zone 7 provides wholesale water to the Cities of Livermore and Pleasanton, DSRSD, California Water Company, and agricultural water mainly to vintners in Livermore. As such,it is our duty to provide safe and reliable water, and we are obligated to plan 20 or more years in the future. We also provide flood protection for eastern Alameda County. Our responsibilities are long term, and short term interests and politics should not hinder our mission.

Since Zone 7 receives 80% of our water from the California Aqueduct (State Water Project), we have to ensure that the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) is enacted and constructed. ACWD and SCVWD water districts also obtain water from the California Aqueduct, Northern California also benefits from the SWP. The BDCP is a simple solution whereby water is diverted further upstream of the Sacramento River. BDCP only provides the currently entitled water. If the BDCP were in place right now, our groundwater basin would have been recharged to full capacity (our underground reservoir), the water level in Lake Del Valle could be maintained, and drought impacts weould be greatly reduced.

We also need to be independent from Alameda County. We are located in eastern Alameda County, and do not need the duplicity of effort from being tied to the County, which is a financial burden to Zone 7. If we become independent from the County, our options to provide the necessary services to the Tri-Valley are greatly enhanced, and the cost of managing and operating Zone 7 is reduced.

California as a whole and the Tri-Valley needs to inicrease water storage, thereby increasing water reliability during droughts. Zone 7 has 3 storage reservoirs. First is our groundwater basin. We recharge our GW basin when water is plentiful. However, due to restrictions on pumping from the Delta due to fish kills, our ability to fill our GW basin has been greatly hampered the past few years. If the BDCP is implemented, this issue will go away. Our second reservoir is Lake Del Valle, which we jointly share with ACWD and SCVWD. Lake Del Valle is filled via the South Bay Aqueduct, which obtains its water from the State Water Project. Again, if the BDCP were in place righ now, we can maintain a more reliable water level in the lake. As of now, Del Valle Regional Park is not accepting reservations past June since the water level in Lake Del Valle may be too low this year due to the drought.

Our third reservoir is the current and future Chain of Lakes (COL), which are the quarry pits between Livermore and Pleasanton. The COL is vital to the Tri-Valley for flood protection, water storage, recycled water, and recreation. With indepence from the County, Zone 7 can manage the COLs unhindered for the Tri-Valley residents.

If you elect a candidate for Director with an agenda, such as No-Growth or Pro-Growth, or other hidden agendas, you will not be serving the best interests of the Tri-Valley. As a Director for Zone 7, we make about $3,000 a year with no benefits. And we love our job. The Directors at Zone 7 do not have hidden agendas, we only want what is best for future generations of Tri-Valley residents.

Thank You