SACRAMENTO, CA – Assemblymember John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) today announced the State Water Resources Control Board approved $25 million in clean water projects for the Monterey Bay Area.  The funds are to be split evenly between Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties and represent fully one-third of the grants approved statewide.  Projects in Monterey County will target seawater intrusion, Salinas Valley water supplies and fish habitats.  Projects in Santa Cruz County will target water supplies, wastewater and stormwater treatment/disposal, desalination and habitat restoration.  Funding is through Proposition 50, the Water Security, Clean Drinking Water, Coastal and Beach Protection Act of 2002.

“This is a major investment in the Monterey Bay Area by the state,” said Assemblymember Laird.  “Because of the obvious need for the funding and the high level of cross-Bay and cross-agency collaboration, I was proud to advocate for these projects in writing and through direct communication with key state decision-makers.”

“This grant will enable more coordination and capacity to address our highest water resource needs, said Karen Christensen, executive director of the Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District.  “This effort represents an unprecedented partnership among multiple jurisdictions.  Together, we will implement high priority water supply, water quality and habitat restoration projects throughout our region.”

“These funds are sorely needed for key infrastructure improvements, especially in the Salinas Valley,” said Curtis Weeks, general manager of the Monterey County Water Resources Agency.  “This award by the state shows how successful collaboration among Monterey Bay Area agencies can be.”

About the MontereyCountyProjects*

The Monterey County Water Resources Agency’s projects include the Salinas Valley Water Proposal, Water Quality and Fish Habitat Monitoring Program, Well No. 33, Booster Station and Reservoir, and Soledad Recycling/Reclamation Projects. The Salinas Valley Water Proposal and Fish Habitat Monitoring Program include the following: modification of Nacimiento Dam spillway, modification of operations of Nacimiento and San Antonio reservoirs, increased recharge of the Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin, diversion of a portion of water released from the two reservoirs, and modification of project operations to include benefits to critical in-stream flows to support steelhead fisheries in the Salinas River Watershed. The Well No. 33 project will relocate a seawater-intruded well and incorporate a booster and reservoir(s) to the Ord Community distribution system. The Soledad Recycling project will recycle wastewater and reduce discharge of nutrients to the Salinas River.

About the Santa CruzCountyProjects*

The Santa Cruz County Integrated Regional Water Management Proposal will be a joint effort of seven partner agencies in Northern Santa Cruz County. They will carry out 15 high-priority projects that were identified through the 2005-2006 planning process. The agencies will advance the State's goal of promoting a new model for water management by addressing multiple statewide priorities and advancing the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board’s goals for healthy functioning watersheds.

*State Water Resources Control Board: http://www.swrcb.ca.gov/press/docs/2007/07_005.pdf

Additional Contacts

• Karen Christensen, executive director the Santa Cruz County Resource Conservation District, ed@sccrcd.org or 831-464-2950.

• Curtis Weeks, general manager of the Monterey County Water Resources Agency, weeksc@co.monterey.ca.us or 831-755-8906.