A Few Things

Part 1: The Public Trust, Montecito, and the Sources of Our Water

Water is a Public Trust Resource. The Public Trust Doctrine, codified with private entities and competes with other SWP contractors. This means by Roman Emperor Justinian in 535 AD, affirms the public’s fundathere is no guarantee our water will be available when we need it, and puts mental right to water as a common resource. This right was reiterus at risk of a “highest bidder” scenario in times of drought. ated in Britain’s Magna Carta, and later enshrined in the constitutions of the Our issues are not unlike other districts all over California. Developing U.S. and California. When considering our local water policy, sources, and local and regional supplies of water is the future and doing so has bigger planning, it’s important to remember that the principles of the Public Trust implications than we realize. supersede any individual’s or entity’s documented claim to fresh water. Desalination is reliable, and technology is lowering the cost and improving

Fresh water in Montecito is most reliable from our local sources: Lake the environmental impacts. Control of the facility, distribution of the water Cachuma and Jameson Lake, with a small amount from district wells drawit supplies, and mitigation of the environmental impacts will be local. We ing from our fractured (and therefore weak) groundwater basin. Near-term would be wise to also explore potable recycled water, as is happening sucfuture sources currently under consideration are a share of the desalinated cessfully elsewhere in the state. In 2022, our debt for the local branch of the water produced by the City of Santa Barbara and non-potable recycled water SWP pipeline will be paid off, freeing up $1.8 million of the MWD budget (for landscaping). Local sources have two key benefits: low cost and local annually. Montecito and our neighboring districts continue to make excellent control. Ratepayers like you and me have a voice in how local sources are gains at conservation. We have options, and the eyes of the entire State are managed. on us.

Montecito is also under contract with the State Water Project, whose source is the San Francisco Bay Delta watershed (also known as the California Delta). The infrastructure that delivers State water to Montecito is controlled by the Department of Water Resources (DWR). Montecito has no influence over the cost of SWP deliveries or how much of our allocation we receive. With the resources, intellectual capital, and engaged But it would be a gross understatement to say that State water is unreliable and extremely expensive. citizenry we have living right here, shouldn’t Montecito Santa Barbara voters rejected State water in a 1979 ballot measure. Yet in the drought year of 1991, misinformation and fear swayed enough voters be the district to set the standard for all of California? for a new State water ballot measure to narrowly pass. Under the terms of our SWP contract, we pay for our full 3,000 acre-foot allocation whethThere is no good reason why it can’t be so. We started er we receive any water or not. In 2014, we received only 5% of our State water allocation, effectively paying $30,000 per acre foot. While 2014 was an Earth Day, let’s step up, take a leadership role and show extreme year, the numbers averaged from 1998 to 2015 aren’t much better or anywhere near what voters were led to believe: our four South Coast the entire state it can be done. districts (Montecito, Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Carpinteria) received on average only 28% of our allocation, and paid billions more than we expected. A quick look at MWD’s current budget will tell you all you need to know about how this has adversely affected ratepayers in Montecito. Nearly 40% With the resources, intellectual capital, and engaged citizenry we have livof total operating expenses pay for less than 10% of our water. ing right here, shouldn’t Montecito be the district to set the standard for all of

The average effective cost per acre-foot of State water delivered to California? There is no good reason why it can’t be so. We started Earth Day, Montecito from 2010 to 2015 was $15,132. During that same time period, let’s step up, take a leadership role and show the entire state it can be done. water from Lake Cachuma cost $310/AF. Desal is expected to cost approxiIn Part 2, I’ll explain why the San Francisco Bay Delta watershed is so importmately $2,500/AF. ant to Montecito, and how we’re in a leadership position to make history in

Our local problems with State water don’t end with outrageous costs California – again. and lack of reliability. In good water years, we cannot locally store State water to keep for future periods of drought. This year, Lake Cachuma has Longtime Santa Barbara resident Carolee Krieger leads C-WIN’s efforts to design been at about 80% of capacity. Its sources of that water (rain, runoff, State) and implement collaborative and lasting solutions for California’s fresh water resourcare carefully tracked. Should rain fill the reservoir, it’s the State water that es. Santa Barbara 1st District Supervisor Naomi Schwartz named Krieger Woman of gets taken off the books in the amount that spills from Lake Cachuma. Our the Year in 1997. She has been featured in Mother Jones, Bloomberg, and an Emmyarrangements to store portions of our State water elsewhere in the state are nominated PBS broadcast about the impacts of almonds on water supply. •MJ

Montecito Tide Guide

Day

Thurs, July 2 Fri, July 3 Sat, July 4 Sun, July 5 Mon, July 6 Tues, July 7 Wed, July 8 Thurs, July 9 Fri, July 10

Low

2:43 AM 3:29 AM 4:13 AM 4:55 AM 5:36 AM 6:16 AM

Hgt

-0.6 -1.1 -1.4 -1.4 -1.2 -0.9

High

9:03 AM 9:57 AM 10:45 AM 11:30 AM 12:14 PM 12:57 PM 6:55 AM 12:20 AM 1:03 AM

Hgt

3.7 3.8 3.9 3.9 3.9 3.9 -0.5 5.2 4.6

Low

01:45 PM 02:33 PM 03:18 PM 04:03 PM 04:46 PM 05:31 PM 01:41 PM 7:35 AM 8:14 AM

Hgt

2 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 0 0.4

High

08:14 PM 08:57 PM 09:38 PM 010:19 PM 011:00 PM 011:40 PM 06:20 PM 02:27 PM 03:14 PM

Hgt

6.5 6.7 6.6 6.5 6.2 5.7 2.6 3.9 4

Low