Office of the Secretary Manager

Kittitas Reclamation District Board of Directors Meeting

May 1, 2018 Minutes

The Board of Directors of the Kittitas Reclamation District (KRD) met in Regular Session on May 1, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. Attending the meeting were Division Four Director and Chairman Larry Bland, Division Two Director and Vice Chairman Ed Wakkuri, Division One Director Mark Hansen, Division Three Director Fred Schnebly, Division Five Director Paul Weaver,  Secretary Manager Urban Eberhart, Assistant Manager Kevin Eslinger, Field Supervisor Bob Main, Treasurer Stacy Berg , Lands Clerk & RRA Specialist Keli Bender, Legal Counsel Jeff Slothower and United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) Field Office Manager Chad Stuart. Also, in attendance was KRD land owner Janeice Jump.

The agenda was approved with the addition of an executive session for reasons consistent with RCW 42.30.110(1)(g) and RCW 42.30.110(1)(i):(i), (ii), and (iii). The motion was made by Director Hansen and the second was made by Director Schnebly. The motion passed unanimously.

The minutes for the April 3, 2018 Board Meeting were approved with a motion made by Director Hansen and the second was made by Director Schnebly. The motion passed unanimously.

USBR Field Office Manager Chad Stuart addressed the board, reporting that the snow surveys were scheduled for later in the week however the forecast for 2018 was that there would be sufficient water. In the USBR Area Office, Kerrie Mathews replaced Bill Ferry. He also reported that at Lake Kachess there has been some seepage that has been going on for approximately 20 years. The study of this has resulted in a recommendation that corrective action is necessary to correct the problem. When the dam was constructed the outlet was built in a u-shape without tapered edges like we see in current construction. Due to the straight sides, when the pipe was laid they were unable to tamp down the material which caused some loose material around the pipe which over time has caused some voids. There are currently no pool restrictions and it is believed to not be at risk. To correct the problem the districts will be impacted by a 15% of the construction costs that will be spread over a long-term loan. The timeline to begin the repair work is a minimum of 2 years.

Mr. Eberhart also mentioned briefly that a tour occurred last week with Chad Stuart, Dawn Wiedmeier, Pacific Northwest Regional Director Lorri Gray, Commissioner Brenda Burman, Washington State Director of Agriculture Derek Sandison, and several others. The first day included a tour of Kachess Dam, Cle Elum, and KRD. On the second day they toured Roza Diversion Dam, and lower valley sites.

Public Comment: No comment.

Water Master Report: As of May 1, 2018, the reservoirs storage is 117% of average. Precipitation at the reservoirs from April 1, 2018 to date is 26.43 inches which is 193%. Precipitation for the water year to date is 225.80 inches, or 115% of average. The NRCS Snotel sites are reporting 106% of average in the upper sites and 102% of average on the lower sites.

Maintenance Report: Mr. Eberhart reported that the system is up and running. The maintenance process is continuing.

Secretary Manager’s Activity Report: Mr. Eberhart reported that on April 11, he and Wendy Christenson went to Portland to provide several briefings on the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan to multiple federal agencies.

The following week Mr. Eberhart went to the Marine Fisheries Advisory Committee Columbia Basin Partnership Meeting in Portland, OR. 

KRD Consultant Walter Larrick and Trout Unlimited Director Lisa Pelly assisted KRD with presentations to State Legislators who came to tour the upper basin on April 19 and 20^th.

On April 20^th Mr. Eberhart and others met with the Eaton Family to discuss the Wymer Site as a possible integrated plan storage location. There were conversations regarding the location and how their cattle operation would be affected.

KRD co-sponsored the Earth Day Central Washington University (CWU) Salmon Run on April 21^st.

Mr. Eberhart, Peter Dykstra and Paul Jewell were invited by The Nature Conservancy to participate in a Floodplains by Design Workshop in Seattle on April 24^th. The concept of the workshop was to take complex information and condense it into a story telling fashion so that the speaker can more effectively communicate to an audience.

Mr. Eberhart attended the Ruckelshaus Center Board Meeting that was held in Seattle on April 27^th.

A request was made for Mr. Eberhart to travel to Washington DC on May 5-12^th to work on the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan and May 19-25^th for Family Farm Alliance. A motion was made by Director Wakkuri to approve the travel to Washington DC for both requests. A second was made by Director Hansen, the motion passed unanimously.

A resolution was presented by Mr. Eberhart to change the WaterSmart Grant application from drought resiliency to water efficiency. Director Schnebly made a motion to approve the resolution. A second was made by Director Wakkuri, the motion passed unanimously.

Treasurer Berg requested permission to attend a Payroll Law Class in Yakima, WA on May 14^th. Director Hansen made a motion to approve the training. A second was made by Director Wakkuri, the motion passed unanimously.

The KRD is in the process of finalizing a scope of work for the Upper Yakima System Storage Study. Under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN) $2.5 million dollars has been allocated for work that includes drilling, geology and preparing for National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA).

The 2018 WaterSmart Water Marketing Project is progressing and the KRD is working with a contractor in Denver, CO. KRD and Trout Unlimited (TU) are continuing to provide the proper documentation as it is requested.

Kittitas County Conservation District (KCCD), USBR, and KRD continue with Manastash Discussions.

The North Branch Canal Phase II is operational and water is flowing through the recently lined area however the project is not complete. The remaining work is scheduled to be completed by Spring of 2019.

The North Branch Canal Lining Project Phase III is scheduled to begin construction in the fall of 2018. The KRD is attempting to obtain additional funding to complete the project.  

The USBR and the KRD are continuing to work on language for the South Branch Kiosk.

The bid announcement for the South Branch Canal Lining Phase 1 Design Contract Package is expected to be announced by July 1^st. This project is slated to begin in the fall of 2018. The KRD is expected to be awarded $2 million dollars from the Washington State Department of Ecology and anticipates an additional $500,000 through the USBR. As part of this project the KRD will also be working on the connection from the 13.8 pipeline to the Manastash Water Ditch Association (MWDA) as a way to deliver the saved water from the South Branch Lining Project into MWDA.  

Jacobs Engineering is completing a scope of work on the South Branch Canal Lining Phase II.  

The KRD is working with Jacobs Engineering on the inspection report for the Yakima Pressure Tunnel.

On May 2, Mr. Eberhart will be meeting with a reporter from the New York Times.

Treasurer’s Report: The Directors’ monthly payroll vouchers were presented for signatures. Summary Vouchers for the March 2018 expenses and the April 2018 payroll which included check numbers 42155-42244, direct deposit numbers 9901376 through 9901392 in the sum of $1,802,082.47 were approved with a motion made by Director Wakkuri and the second was made by Director Schnebly. The motion passed unanimously.

Old Business: Mr. Eberhart reported that the debris removal at Hayward and Sheep Dip Siphons are complete. Director Weaver made a motion to change the not to exceed cap on the emergency removal of gravel and cobble from the siphons resolution #2018-2.1 to $17,320.50. The second was made by Director Wakkuri, the motion passed unanimously.

Director Weaver made a motion to change the not to exceed cap for the Yakima Pressure Tunnel repairs to $223,585.15. The second was made by Director Wakkuri, the motion passed unanimously.  

New Business: Assistant Manager Eslinger reported there was an incident on the KRD right of way adjacent to Sunrise Dr. While a KRD employee was working in the area, he had parked his KRD truck on the KRD right of way. He left it running and exited the vehicle. Meanwhile, someone had parked a vehicle blocking Sunrise Dr and a second subject, Steve Johnson was unable to pass. Mr. Johnson then entered the KRD vehicle that was on the KRD right of way, without permission. In an attempt to move the KRD vehicle so he could pass, he hit a guardrail and damaged the door of the KRD vehicle, causing approximately $5,000 damage. Both insurance companies have been notified at this time.     

Other Business: The Board adjourned to Executive Session at 1:49 p.m. for 30 minutes per RCW 42.30.110(1)(g) and RCW 42.30.110(1)(i):(i) there was a motion made by Director Hansen and a second made by Director Wakkuri. The motion passed unanimously. Executive session was extended for 10 minutes. The Board returned to Regular Session at 2:29 p.m. with a motion made by Director Wakkuri and the second was made by Director Schnebly. The motion passed unanimously.

All business having been concluded the meeting was adjourned.

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Mr. Bland KRD Board of Directors Chairman

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Mr. Eberhart KRD Secretary Manager