Log Boom Installation

Description

OVERVIEW The United States of America, acting through the Department of Interior, Reclamation, acquired certain lands for the purpose of constructing, operating, and maintaining Bradbury Dam as part of the Cachuma Project. The Cachuma Project receives most of its water from storm runoff from tributaries and flood flows from the highly variable Santa Ynez River. Due to the historically dry climate of the area, Lake Cachuma serves as an extremely important water source for the South Coast. Water users often rely on remaining surplus storage from past seasons to supplement their water needs. Lake Cachuma provides municipal, industrial, and agricultural water for the South Coast. Surface water supplies from the lake provide the primary source of drinking water for the City of Santa Barbara, Goleta Water District, Carpentaria Valley Water District, and Montecito Water District. Water is diverted through the North Portal Intake Tower of the Tecolote Tunnel (located near the southeast corner of the lake) for use by the South Coast areas via the South Coast Conduit. The Intake Tower, Tunnel, and South Coast Conduit are Operated and Maintained on behalf of Reclamation through a separate O&M contract with the Recipient. On July 8, 2017 a wildfire (Whittier Fire) started on Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) land and burned approximately 18,500 acres of Federal and private lands within the Santa Ynez Watershed directly adjacent to Lake Cachuma. In collaboration with State, local, private, and other Federal agencies, Reclamation formulated The “Lake Cachuma Post-Fire Action Plan” to identify actions that will help protect the Lake Cachuma and the Santa Ynez River watershed from impacts associated with the Whittier Fire. This plan was developed into a proposal and was submitted under the 2017 Western Watershed Enhancement Program (WWEP) Request for Proposals. Reclamation received $85,750 in funding to address post-fire related issues in the watershed near Lake Cachuma. One of the projects that will be funded in the plan includes the installation of log boom barriers to protect the Intake Tower from post-fire debris-flow runoff. Reclamation has since formed a partnership with the recipient to address areas of key concern as it relates to post-fire treatment of the watershed and protection of valuable infrastructure. The Recipient has already taken proactive measures to reduce sediment and debris flows from the burn area with the installation of fiber rolls and hay bale barriers in vulnerable areas near the Intake Tower. In addition, the Recipient has partnered with the County of Santa Barbara for the use of their existing log boom barrier, which the County had originally obtained in 2007 in response to the Zaca Fire. RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT The Recipient shall carry out the Scope of Work in accordance with the terms and conditions stated herein. The Recipient shall adhere to Federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and codes, as applicable, and shall obtain all required approvals and permits. RECLAMATION INVOLVEMENT No substantial involvement on the part of Reclamation is anticipated for the successful completion of the objectives to be funded by this award. It is anticipated that Reclamation’s involvement will consist of standard federal stewardship responsibilities such as monitoring project performance, technical assistance at the request of the recipient, etc. Reclamation did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria: (4) UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS Single Source Justification Description: On March 1, 2003, Reclamation and the Recipient entered into an Operation and Maintenance Contract No. 14-06-200-5222R to perform operation and maintenance of the Tecolote Tunnel and South Coast Conduit System. Per the terms of the O&M Contract, the Recipient maintains the Intake Tower, Tunnel, and South Coast Conduit. The Recipient has been the only O&M partner of these facilities and has the necessary knowledge and experience to perform the task outlined in this SOW STATUTORY AUTHORITY Public Law 111-11 pursuant to Section 9504(a), Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009, (Public Law 111-11), as amended, Section 1(H). The following section, provided in full text, authorizes Reclamation to award this financial assistance agreement: SEC. 9504. WATER MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENT. (a) AUTHORIZATION OF GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS (1) AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY.—The Secretary may provide any grant to, or enter into an agreement with, any eligible applicant to assist the eligible applicant in planning, designing, or constructing any improvement— (A) to conserve water; (B) to increase water use efficiency; (C) to facilitate water markets; (D) to enhance water management, including increasing the use of renewable energy in the management and delivery of water; (E) to accelerate the adoption and use of advanced water treatment technologies to increase water supply; (F) to prevent the decline of species that the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service have proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) (or candidate species that are being considered by those agencies for such listing but are not yet the subject of a proposed rule); (G) to accelerate the recovery of threatened species, endangered species, and designated critical habitats that are adversely affected by Federal reclamation projects or are subject to a recovery plan or conservation plan under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) under which the Commissioner of Reclamation has implementation responsibilities; or (H) to carry out any other activity— (i) to address any climate-related impact to the water supply of the United States that increases ecological resiliency to the impacts of climate change; or (ii) to prevent any water-related crisis or conflict at any watershed that has a nexus to a Federal reclamation project located in a service area.

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