TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Bruce Moe, City Manager
FROM:
Erick Lee, Interim Public Works Director
Lou Vargas, Utilities Division Manager
SUBJECT:…Titlee T
Consideration of the Revised Beach Cities Enhanced Watershed Management Program (EWMP) and Reasonable Assurance Analysis (RAA) and Authorization for the City Manager to Approve Submittal of the Revised EWMP and RAA to the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (Interim Public Works Director Lee).
AUTHORIZE REPORT SUBMITTAL
Line
____________________________________________________
Re
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to approve submittal of the revised Beach Cities Enhanced Watershed Management Program to the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board) by the regulatory deadline of June 30, 2021.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
No immediate fiscal impact associated with this action. However, future construction of the identified projects could have a fiscal impact in Fiscal Year 2022-2023 and thereafter. Construction award recommendations will come back to City Council once the actual costs are known following preliminary design and engineering of these projects.
As indicated in the Enhanced Watershed Management Program, the City is required to meet the water quality standards with reasonable assurance via the projects in the plan and ultimately via monitoring at the compliance point. If funds cannot be secured to construct the projects by the compliance deadline, the City can request the Regional Water Board for a consideration of a time schedule order to obtain more time to obtain the funds and construct the projects.
BACKGROUND:
Following adoption of the 2012 Los Angeles Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permit (MS4 Permit), the Cities of Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, and Torrance, together with the Los Angeles County Flood Control District (LACFCD), collectively referred to as the Beach Cities Watershed Management Group (Beach Cities WMG), agreed to collaborate on the development of an Enhanced Watershed Management Program (EWMP) for the Santa Monica Bay (SMB) and Dominguez Channel areas within their jurisdictions. This EWMP is intended to facilitate effective, watershed-specific Permit implementation strategies in accordance with the MS4 Permit and summarizes the SMB and Dominguez Channel-specific water quality priorities identified jointly by the Beach Cities WMG. The EWMP outlines the program plan, including specific strategies, control measures and best management practices (BMPs) necessary to achieve water quality targets (Water Quality-Based Effluent Limitations [WQBELs] and Receiving Water Limitations [RWLs]), and describes the quantitative analyses completed to support target achievement and Permit compliance.
On June 26, 2015, in accordance with the MS4 Permit, the Beach Cities WMG submitted a draft EWMP to the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board). Following public review and comment, as well as multiple reviews by Regional Board, the Beach Cities EWMP was approved by the Regional Board on April 18, 2016.
In accordance with the MS4 Permit-required adaptive management process, as well as other relevant changes within the Beach Cities area, two focused updates to the EWMP have occurred since its original approval in April 2016: one in March 2018, and a second in August 2019. In addition to regularly modifying the EWMP as new information arises, the Beach Cities WMG is required to submit a revised EWMP with an updated Reasonable Assurance Analysis (RAA) for review and approval by the Regional Water Board Executive Officer by June 30, 2021. In December 2020, the City adopted a Resolution for the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Cities of Manhattan Beach, Torrance, Redondo Beach, and Hermosa Beach, and Los Angeles County Flood Control District for updating the Enhanced Watershed Management Program (EWMP) and Reasonable Assurance Analysis (RAA) for the Beach Cities Watershed Management Group.
On June 23, 2020, the City Council approved a resolution to adopt the MOU No. 2 (attached), which allows Manhattan Beach to utilize the Proposition 12 Santa Monica Bay Restoration Grant to fund several Beach Cities Green Street Projects identified in the EWMP.
Under the MOU No. 2 agreement, the future cost sharing for grant and match funding for construction of the Beach Cities Green Street Project will be determined based on each City’s proportionated share of the construction costs based on contractors’ bids and must be approved by amendments to this MOU.
DISCUSSION:
The original Beach Cities EWMP prepared in 2015 and last updated in 2019, has been revised by the Beach Cities WMG in conformance with the MS4 Permit requirements. Since the Beach Cities EWMP was first approved in 2016, advancements have been made in understanding the hydrologic characteristics of the Beach Cities watershed areas to inform the revised RAA hydrologic and water quality modeling to determine a cost-effective implementation strategy to meet applicable water quality standards (i.e., TMDL waste load allocations [WLA] and Basin Plan Objectives) and targets. Notably, the updated RAA incorporates local water quality data, control measure performance data, and other relevant information gathered by the Beach Cities WMG through December 31, 2020, to more accurately reflect the actual water quality and flow conditions in the Beach Cities EWMP area. Additionally, the Beach Cities WMG has gained invaluable experience and insight with respect to implementation of the EWMP, both the opportunities and challenges of successfully implementing effective stormwater projects.
The revised Beach Cities EWMP has been updated in the following critical ways:
• Incorporation of newly available, EWMP-specific data. The Beach Cities WMG has been implementing a Coordinated Integrated Monitoring Program since 2016 to cost-effectively coordinate the collection of watershed-specific stormwater quality and flow data, resulting in five years of outfall and receiving water monitoring data from the Beach Cities EWMP area. Additionally, Santa Monica Bay Beaches Bacteria (SMBBB) Coordinated Shoreline Monitoring data has been collected consistently since 2005. The revision of the Beach Cities EWMP incorporates both sets of applicable data to allow a more-definitive determination of whether MS4 outfalls are causing or contributing to receiving water exceedances.
• Utilization of the recently updated, County-wide RAA modeling tool. The revised RAA uses the newly released, LACFCD-developed Watershed Management Modeling System 2 (WMMS 2) platform for consistency with the majority of RAAs across Los Angeles County.
• Calibration and Validation of the RAA model. The default WMMS 2 model has been calibrated and validated using Beach Cities outfall, receiving water, and shoreline monitoring data collected through June 30, 2020, to best reflect the baseline hydrology and water quality conditions within the Beach Cities EWMP area.
• Identification of new, multi-benefit regional projects. The revised EWMP emphasizes regional and distributed multi-benefit projects, amplifies other environmental objectives, and increase Safe Clean Water (Measure W) funding potential. New projects have been identified to substitute for regional projects in the original EWMP that were determined to be infeasible. In other instances, project scopes have been modified or expanded, including regional green streets, that seek to enhance water quality, and maximize community benefits.
The revised EWMP evaluates the stormwater runoff management volumes necessary to meet water quality objectives and identifies six future capital projects to be constructed which support the City of Manhattan Beach in meeting this goal. These projects include:
• 28th Street Storm Drain Infiltration Project
The project will be located north of Ocean Drive, South of Manhattan Avenue, between 26th Street, and 27th Street. This project is one of the two priorities for the Santa Monica Bay Watershed Management. This project will capture stormwater flows within the 28th Street drain system. The project has been designed to capture and infiltrate runoff from approximately 1,520 acres. The drywell project design, underground chamber structures, will capture excess storm water runoff and infiltrate it into highly permeable sandy soil, reduce flooding during rain events, capture pollutants, bacteria, and nutrients, and protect water quality. This project is expected to capture up to 81.9 acre-feet of stormwater runoff in 24-hours (24-hr management volume capacity). Expected completion date October 2024.
The estimated design and construction cost is $17.7 million. $17.6 million has been approved by the South Santa Monica Bay Watershed Area Steering Committee for Safe Clean Water Regional Program funding. The City submitted an application for a Prop 68 Urban Flood Protection Grant for $4.9 million, and for Prop 1 Stormwater Implementation Grant funding. The estimated Operation and Maintenance (O&M) cost is $155,000 per year and $50,000 for water quality monitoring for 3 years.
This project has been identified by the office of Supervisor Hahn to be outside the limits of the property that had originally been purchased by Willa Bruce in the early 1900s.
• Artesia Boulevard Green Street Project [part of Beach Cities Joint Green Street Regional Project]
The project will be located along the northern side of Artesia Boulevard between South Herrin Street and South Redondo Avenue. The project has been designed to capture and infiltrate runoff from approximately seven acres. The drywell project design, underground chamber structures, will capture excess storm water runoff, reduce flooding during rain events, infiltrate local groundwater, capture pollutants, bacteria, and nutrients, and protect water quality. This project is expected to capture 85% stormwater runoff during a 24-hours rainfall event.
The estimated design and construction cost is $5 million for all four cities. $2 million for design and construction has been awarded to the Beach Cities Group through Proposition 12 Santa Monica Bay Restoration Grant by a successful application to the California State Coastal Conservancy and Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission. Funding through the Safe Clean Water Regional Program will be requested for the balance of the construction cost after the preliminary design is complete and an engineer’s estimate is available. The estimated Operation and Maintenance (O&M) cost is $20,000 per year. The expected completion date is October 2023.
• 19th Street Green Street Project [part of Beach Cities Joint Green Street Regional Project]
The project will be located along 19th Street between Sepulveda Boulevard and Pine Avenue. The project has been designed to capture and infiltrate runoff from approximately 31 acres. The porous paving project design, permeable street surface, will capture excess storm water runoff, reduce flooding during rain events, capture pollutants, bacteria, and nutrients, and protect water quality. This project is designed to capture 85% stormwater runoff during a 24-hours rainfall event. This design is expected to capture up to 22.4 acre-feet of stormwater runoff per year.
The estimated design and construction cost is $5 million for all four cities. $2 million has been awarded to the Beach Cities Group through Proposition 12 Santa Monica Bay Restoration Grant by a successful application to the California State Coastal Conservancy and Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission. The estimated Operation and Maintenance (O&M) cost is $20,000 per year. The expected completion date is October 2023.
• Fulton Playfield Infiltration Project, in Redondo Beach. Although proposed to be constructed outside the City of Manhattan Beach, the City has a small 25-acre tributary area to the proposed Fulton Playfield Project in Redondo Beach. This minority share of the tributary area amounts to five percent of the overall project tributary area and so the City could be asked to contribute five percent of the cost to meet its estimated 1.3 acre-feet of 24-hour management volume out of the total 26 acre-feet 24-hour management volume for that project. Estimated capital cost based on the project concept is $2 - 2.6 million, and Manhattan Beach’s share is estimated at $100,000 - 130,000. O&M cost is estimated at $45,000 for the overall project, with Manhattan Beach’s share at approximately $2,250 per year. This is anticipated to be a relatively cost-effective project due to the existing flood control basin below the park which will be utilized for storage.
• Aviation Boulevard Distributed Dry Well Infiltration between 33rd Street and Marine Avenue. The project concept proposes eleven drywells This project is expected to capture up to 5.2 acre-feet of stormwater runoff in 24-hours (24-hour management volume capacity). The estimated design and construction cost is $2.13 million and the estimated Operation and Maintenance (O&M) cost is $35,000. (Proposed)
• Alondra Park Multi-Benefit Stormwater Capture Project, in the County’s Unincorporated Alondra Park area. Although proposed to be constructed outside the City of Manhattan Beach, the City has a 356-acre tributary area to the Alondra Park Project. This share of the tributary area amounts to seven percent of the overall project tributary area. While the project has secured Safe Clean Water funding to cover construction costs, the City could be asked to contribute to the cost for O&M on this project, which has been estimated at $300,000 annually with the City’s share being approximately $15,000 per year.
In 2018, the Beach Cities WMG secured $2M in Prop 12 Santa Monica Bay Restoration Grant funding and the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission to fund the design and construction of the join Beach Cities Green Street Project. The members of the Beach Cities WMG have executed a cost sharing MOU to jointly fund the matching design and construction cost not covered with the Grant funding.
The potential funding sources for the EWMP projects include Measure W (Safe, Clean Water Program) and grants.
Measure W (Safe, Clean Water Program)
Measure W was successfully passed by Los Angeles County voters in November 2018, creating the Safe, Clean Water Program to provide local, dedicated funding for stormwater and urban runoff to increase local water supply, improve water quality, and protect public health within the Los Angeles Basin. The program currently generates approximately $285 million per year. The majority of this funding goes directly back to the cities via two programs:
• The Municipal Program - 40% of the annual revenue goes directly to cities via the Municipal Program. The Municipal Program funding can be used for eligible activities such as project development, design, construction, effectiveness monitoring, operations and maintenance. The total annual municipal revenue projected for the Beach Cities WMG combined is approximately $3.4M, with $410,000 of this being received by Manhattan Beach to be used for water quality improvement projects and programs.
• The Regional Program - 50% of the annual revenue is divided across nine watershed areas (including the South Santa Monica Bay Watershed Area, which includes the Beach Cities Area). The South Santa Monica Bay Watershed Area is estimated to receive up to $18.4 million annually to fund regional projects and programs.
PUBLIC OUTREACH:
The Beach Cities WMG set up an interactive website (BeachCitiesEWMP.com) that includes a high-level overview of the EWMP and relevant documents. In addition, a public webinar was held covering the revised EWMP on May 19, 2021, with a particular focus on the projects. The City has had more than three virtual stakeholder meetings on the 28th Street Infiltration Project as well as a virtual public outreach event, which was advertised on social media, in local print media, and through direct mailers. The City has also developed a 28th Street Infiltration Project website, which includes a project description, graphics, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and periodic updates. Project-specific outreach is also underway for the Artesia Blvd. and 19th Street Green Street Projects.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to approve submittal of the Revised EWMP to the Regional Board.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Revised Beach Cities Enhanced Watershed Management Program (EWMP) (2021)
2. MOU - Beach Cities Green Streets Project
3. Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board Letter to Permittees