REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
January 5, 2021
FROM
LEONARD X. HERNANDEZ, Chief Executive Officer, County Administrative Office
SUBJECT
Title v
Appointment of Pool Committees Member and Alternative to the Chino Basin Watermaster
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Appoint Steven Raughley (Administrative Analyst) to act as the County of San Bernardino’s representative and Amanda Meere (Government Relations Analyst) to act as the County’s alternative representative on the Agricultural, Non-Agricultural, and Appropriative Pool Committees of the Chino Basin Watermaster.
(Presenter: Leonard X. Hernandez, Chief Executive Officer, 387-5425)
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 these appointments will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
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 Chino Basin Watermaster 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 administration of its particular Pool.
The Judgment identifies the County of San Bernardino (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 most 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 contests
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.
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors appoint Steven Raughley, Administrative Analyst for the County Administrative Office, to act as the County’s representative on the three Pool Committees, and Amanda Meere, Government Relations Analyst for the County Administrative Office, to act as the County’s alternate representative on the three Pool Committees. Bob Page (Registrar of Voters) and Andy Silva formerly served as the representative and alternative representative, respectively, on these Pool Committees.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on December 15, 2020; Finance (Stephenie Shea, Administrative Analyst, 387-4919) on December 16, 2020; and County Finance and Administration (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on December 16, 2020.