Office of the Secretary Manager

Kittitas Reclamation District Board of Directors Meeting

September 5, 2017 Minutes

The Board of Directors of the Kittitas Reclamation District (KRD) met in Regular Session on September 5, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. Attending the meeting were Division One Director and Chairman Mark Hansen, Division Four Director and Vice Chairman Larry Bland, Division Three Director Fred Schnebly, and Division Two Director Ed Wakkuri, Secretary Manager Urban Eberhart, Assistant Manager Kevin Eslinger, Treasurer Stacy Berg, GIS IT / Water Quality Specialist Roger Satnik, Lands Clerk & RRA Specialist Keli Bender and Legal Counsel Jeff Slothower. Also attending was land owner Janeice Jump.

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

The minutes of the August 8, 2017 meeting were approved with a motion made by Director Bland and the second made by Director Wakkuri. The motion passed unanimously.

Water Update: Mr. Eberhart presented the current water supply information from the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR). Regular flip flop starts today, even though there has been some tapering of the upper river flows over the last week at about 50 to 100 cfs per day, lowering the Yakima River. Today is the first day KRD is going to start carrying water for flip flop. This usually happens the weekend after the Labor Day Weekend which is after most of the recreational river floaters are done for the year. There was 50 cfs dropped at Taneum earlier today and an additional 50 cfs will be dropped by the end of the day. The water will increase to 200 cfs by the end of the week, pushing as much as we can to the Wipple Wasteway. The operational comments were in the system status sheet for review.  

Summary Vouchers for the July 2017 expenses and the August 2017 payroll which included check numbers 41408 through 41489 and direct deposit numbers 9901183 through 9901201 and 9901206 in the sum of $245,799.40 were approved with a motion made by Director Schnebly and the second made by Director Wakkuri. The motion passed unanimously. The Directors’ monthly payroll vouchers were presented for signatures. Director Schnebly made a motion to approve the vouchers, a second was made by Director Bland. The motion passed unanimously. The checks were distributed accordingly.

Maintenance Update: Mr. Eslinger reported that stockpiling of the cleaning spoils from the KRD pump lateral has been completed. General spraying and mowing is continuing.

Public Comment: No public comment.

Secretary Manager’s Activity Report: The 2017 Tributary Supplementation Program is fully operational as of last week. The KRD added Big Creek which is the final tributary in the group that the KRD is supplementing. Currently Big Creek is receiving 6 cfs, Little Creek 12 cfs, Spexarth 3 cfs, Manastash 28 cfs, Tillman 3 cfs, Tucker 3 cfs and Taneum is at 50 cfs because of pass through flow for flip flop.

The KRD held the first Tributary Supplementation Meeting on August 16, 2017. As a result of the discussions from that meeting KRD has purchased additional temperature monitoring devices. The intent for the temperature gauges is to determine a baseline for temperatures of the canals. Walt Larrick and Joel Hubble are assisting KRD with the scientific information that is being collected at this time. 

Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE) has provided funding to allow for an upgrade to the Tillman Creek Delivery. KRD is replacing the PVC pipe with 6-inch steel piping.  The structure in the lower part of the project is complete and the upper portion is being installed at this time.

Walter Larrick and Joel Hubble met with Mr. Eberhart in Yakima to discuss the Columbia Basin Partnership Prototype for Mid-Columbia Steelhead. There will be a significant amount of work being done for Mid-Columbia Steelhead in the Upper Yakima Basin and the KRD will be associated with several of the projects. Mr. Eberhart continues to work with the group that is focusing on recovery prototypes for the Mid-Columbia Steelhead as well as four other fish species. One of the goals is to achieve Mid-Columbia Steelhead delisting through efforts that include work through the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan in the Upper Yakima Basin.

The office of Columbia River released an RFP for a Water Marketing Study. The request had several references to KRD. Discussions have begun with others to allow the KRD to have the ability to provide input as part of the project. Legal Counsel Slothower encouraged KRD to take part so that the District could provide important input on water marketing in the Yakima River Basin.

A press release was issued today stating KRD was awarded $198,990.00 for the federal portion of a Water Marketing Study.

The State Capital Budget has not been resolved to date. For all intents and purposes KRD is not planning to see this resolved before the 2017 construction season. If the 2 Million dollars that is currently slated for KRD is approved in the budget it is expected to be used in the 2018 construction projects.

The United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) has granted KRD with an Assistance Agreement of $5,649,504 for the NB Canal Lining Project Phase II. 2 Million dollars will be available immediately out of the federal fiscal 2017 year and an additional 1 Million dollars is expected to be available in January 2018. KRD would like to go out to bid in September for a $3 Million-dollar NB Lining Project. Director Bland made a motion to approve the signing of the USBR Assistance Agreement for $5,649,504. Director Wakkuri made the second and the motion passed unanimously. Director Schnebly made a motion to approve the advertising for the $3 Million-dollar construction by mid-September. Director Bland made the second and the motion passed unanimously.

KRD is working with Jacobs Engineering to develop the scope of work and a budget for the SB Lining Project Phase II.

KRD is scheduling Jacobs to do the work at the Easton Dam Drum Gate in November.

Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN) has grant money available. KRD has asked USBR to apply for $5 Million-dollars to fund the Upper Yakima River System Storage Assessment.

Jacobs is working on a scope of work for the first phase of the Yakima Pressure Tunnel. Initial information will be collected by a robotic camera that will be used in the tunnel. The camera uses LIDAR to take exact measurements. The camera was originally designed to go down manholes and work within sewer systems and is believed to be the safest alternative to obtain the measurements. A rope entry team may also be required.

Discussions are continuing with KCCD, USBR, and KRD on the Manastash related issues.  

Kittitas County Weed District has been driving down the canals to observe patron’s property for violations. Legal Counsel Slothower stated that it is legal for the Weed District to access the canal property or patron’s property. However, they should be providing KRD notice when they intend to do so, for safety and operational reasons. The statute requires that the Weed Board make a reasonable attempt at notifying the KRD that they will be on the property. Legal Counsel Slothower recommended KRD have a discussion with the Weed Board to develop some protocols and coordinate with KRD Maintenance to identify safety concerns.

Legal Counsel Slothower reported on the progression of delinquent accounts and asked the board for direction on the next steps they would like to be taken within the process. The statute clearly allows KRD to collect the assessments and legal fees that are accrued. The board recommended that legal counsel continue with the collection process.

The Memorandum of Understanding with Kittitas County regarding tax title property covers existing property that Kitittas County owns and they will coordinate with KRD to collect the assessments when they sell the property. Director Schnebly made a motion to approve the memorandum, Director Wakkuri made the second. The motion passed unanimously.

Mr. Eberhart asked the board to accept a contract that was drafted for Joel Hubble to provide some consulting work for KRD. Director Bland made a motion to accept the contract and the second was made by Director Schnebly. The motion passed unanimously.

The Board adjourned to Executive Session at 1:55 p.m. for 20 minutes per RCW 42.30.110(1)(i):(iii) the a motion made by Director Bland and a second made by Director Wakkuri. The motion passed unanimously. The Executive Session was extended by 10 minutes. The Board returned to Regular Session at 2:25 p.m. with a motion made by Director Schnebly and the second was made by Director Wakkuri. The motion passed unanimously.

Other Business: No new business

All business having been concluded the meeting was adjourned.

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Mr. Hansen KRD Board of Directors Chairman

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Mr. Eberhart KRD Secretary Manager