To: The Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors
From: Warren Lai, Public Works Director/Chief Engineer
Report Title: Reimbursement Agreement to Provide Funding for Installation of a C-Band Radar for a Precipitation Forecasting System, Countywide. (100% Flood Control District Funds)
Recommendation: Recommendation of the County Administrator
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Acting as the governing body of the Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (FCD), APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Chief Engineer, or designee, to execute a Reimbursement Agreement to provide funding in the amount of $16,667 for the installation of a C-band radar for a precipitation forecasting system with Sonoma County Water Agency, Alameda County Water District, East Bay Dischargers Authority, Central Contra Costa Sanitary District, Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, and the Zone 7 Water Agency.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total cost share for the FCD contribution to the Reimbursement Agreement will be a one-time cost of $16,667, funded by 100% Flood Control District Funds. Project No. 7505-6F8106
BACKGROUND:
On July 28, 2020, the Board approved the FCD to enter into a “Planning Agreement to form the San Francisco Bay Area Advanced Quantification Precipitation Information System Project Local Partner Agencies Committee” (LPAC Agreement) with multiple local agencies to coordinate the regional San Francisco Bay Area Advanced Quantitative Precipitation Information System (AQPI) project, which will provide early notification of more precise rainfall location, intensity, and quantity data by installing four X-band radars and one C-band radar in the region. The “Advanced Quantitative Precipitation Information C-Band Cost Reimbursement Agreement” (Reimbursement Agreement) is for the installation costs of the C-band radar.
The LPAC Agreement did not assign future costs for implementation of the AQPI project, so the parties to the LPAC Agreement agreed to develop this Reimbursement Agreement to allocate costs for installation of the C‐band radar to each of the participating agencies. A majority of the installation costs were funded by a State grant, which was managed by the Sonoma County Water Agency along with the design, permitting, and construction of the C-band radar. The Sonoma County Water Agency’s costs that exceeded grant funding were then distributed amongst the participating agencies, so the FCD’s share of the costs is $16,667.
The FCD recommends approval of the Reimbursement Agreement and associated cost share. The Reimbursement Agreement was reviewed and approved as to form by County Counsel.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If the Reimbursement Agreement is not approved, the FCD will not be able to contribute $16,667 to this important regional AQPI project and may not have as much influence on how the system is ultimately operated.