REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 25, 2024
FROM
LUTHER SNOKE, Chief Executive Officer, County Administrative Office
SUBJECT
Title
Appointment of Pool Committee Member to the Chino Basin Watermaster
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve appointment of Greg Zarco, Chino Airport Manager, to act as San Bernardino County’s representative on the Non-Agricultural and Appropriative Pool Committees of the Chino Basin Watermaster.
(Presenter: Luther Snoke, Chief Executive Officer, 387-4811)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this appointment will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
On December 5, 2023 (Item No. 23), the Board of Supervisors appointed Kyle Benoit, Chino Airport Manager, to act as San Bernardino County’s (County) representative and Maureen Snelgrove, Assistant Director of Airports, to act as the alternative representative on the Non-Agricultural and Appropriative Pool Committees of the Chino Basin Watermaster (Watermaster). A replacement representative is being recommended as Kyle Benoit is no longer an employee of the County. No change is being made to Ms. Snelgrove as the alternative representative.
Management of the Chino Basin aquifer is subject to the judgment entered in the case of Chino Basin Municipal Water District v. City of Chino, et. al., San Bernardino Superior Court case No. 164327 effective as of July 1, 1977 (Judgment). The Judgment established the Watermaster to be comprised of three stakeholder groups, called Pools.
Corresponding separate Pool Committees were formed as:
• Overlying Agricultural Pool Committee (dairymen, farmers, and the State of California);
• Overlying Non-Agricultural Pool Committee (area industries); and
• Appropriative Pool Committee (local cities, public water districts, and private water companies).
Each Pool Committee is responsible for developing policy recommendations for the administration of its particular Pool.
The Judgment identifies the County as having specific water rights as follows:
1. Overlying Non-Agricultural Rights associated currently with water used for the Chino Airport; and
2. Agricultural Rights associated with water used at facilities at Prado Regional Park and County-owned properties leased to agricultural users in the Chino Basin.
Additionally, the portion of Prado Regional Park used for the 1984 Olympics shooting contestants,
and now by a concessionaire operating a shooting park, were determined by Watermaster to be an appropriative and not an agricultural use (i.e., water must be purchased for this use).
As a holder of water rights and a user, the County is entitled to appoint a representative to each of the three Pool Committees - Agricultural, Non-Agricultural, and Appropriative - to speak on behalf of the County’s interests. These appointments are made every two years or when representatives change for a Pool.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Maria Insixiengmay, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 23, 2024; County Administrative Office (Trevor Leja, Assistant Executive Officer, 387-4811) on May 24, 2024; Airports (Brett Godown, Director, 387-8812) on May 23, 2024; Finance (Erika Rodarte, Administrative Analyst, 387-4919) on May 24, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on May 28, 2024.