BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT:
Title
Public Hearing on the Engineer's Report and the CEQA Emergency Exemption Determination for the Anderson Dam Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Order Compliance Project; Resolution Approving the Engineer's Report; and Project Approval for the Anderson Dam Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Order Compliance Project, Project No. 91864005 (Morgan Hill) (District 1).
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
A. Conduct Public Hearing on the Engineer's Report and the CEQA Emergency Exemption Determination for the Anderson Dam Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Order Compliance Project (FOCP);
B. Close the Public Hearing;
C. Approve the CEQA emergency exemption determination for the FOCP;
D. Adopt the Resolution APPROVING THE ENGINEER'S REPORT FOR THE FOCP; and
E. Approve the Project.
Body
SUMMARY:
The Anderson Dam FOCP is being proposed to comply with an Order from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which requires Santa Clara Valley Water District's (Valley Water) immediate implementation of interim risk reduction measures to protect the public from risk of dam failure due to seismic activity. The proposed FOCP would ensure compliance with the FERC Order by (a) allowing Valley Water to safely, reliably, and expeditiously drawdown Anderson Reservoir (Reservoir) level and maintain the Reservoir level at a required lower elevation; (b) minimizing risks associated with exceeding the restricted Reservoir level and an undersized outlet structure by constructing a new, low-level outlet; (c) prioritizing the interim downstream protection of residents and property; and (d) minimizing the public health and safety and environmental impacts of Reservoir drawdown.
I. Background
Anderson Dam was built in 1950 three miles east of U.S. 101 in the City of Morgan Hill. The dam is an earthen dam that is 235-feet high and sits along the Coyote Creek Fault as well as is parallel to the Calaveras Fault. Anderson Dam forms And...
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