CARPINTERIA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT CLIMATE ACTION PLAN · Carpinteria Valley Water District Climate Action Plan 12/18/2019 2 1.0 Carpinteria Valley Water District The Carpinteria Valley

CARPINTERIA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT

CLIMATE ACTION PLAN

Adopted December 18, 2019

Carpinteria Valley Water District

Board of Directors

Carpinteria Valley Water District Climate Action Plan 12/18/2019

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Contents

1.0 Carpinteria Valley Water District .......................................................................................................................................... 2

1.1 Legislative Framework............................................................................................................................................................ 2

1.2 Carpinteria Valley .................................................................................................................................................................... 3

1.3 District GHG reduction Goals ................................................................................................................................................ 5

2.0 District Emissions Inventory .................................................................................................................................................. 6

2.1 Electricity Use (Administration and Operations Buildings) .............................................................................................. 7

2.2 Natural Gas Use (Administration and Operations Buildings) ........................................................................................... 9

2.3 On-Road Transportation – Fleet ......................................................................................................................................... 10

2.4 On-Road Transportation – Commute ................................................................................................................................ 12

2.5 Water Production and Pumping – Electricity ................................................................................................................... 13

2.6 Diesel Use: Back-up generators and diesel equipment .................................................................................................. 15

2.7 Waste Generation ................................................................................................................................................................. 17

2.8 Overall Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Direct District Operations .................................................................................. 19

2.9 Emissions Reduction Targets ............................................................................................................................................... 20

2.10 External Greenhouse Gas Emissions ................................................................................................................................ 22

2.11 Overall Greenhouse Gas Emissions – External Sources ................................................................................................ 24

3.0 Climate Change Vulnerability .............................................................................................................................................. 22

3.1 Exposure ................................................................................................................................................................................. 26

3.2. Sensitivity and Potential Impacts ...................................................................................................................................... 34

3.3 Adaptive Capacity ................................................................................................................................................................. 38

3.4 Risk and Onset ....................................................................................................................................................................... 41

3.5 Adaptation Strategies ........................................................................................................................................................... 42

4.0 CAP Update Process.............................................................................................................................................................. 45

4.1 Monitoring, Evaluating, Updating the Plan ....................................................................................................................... 45

4.2 Public Involvement ............................................................................................................................................................... 45

5.0 Plan Development and Authorization................................................................................................................................ 46

5.1 Planning Team ....................................................................................................................................................................... 46

5.2 Inter-Agency Coordination .................................................................................................................................................. 47

5.3 Promulgation Authority ....................................................................................................................................................... 47

APPENDIX A -DISTRICT EMISSIONS INVENTORY DATA AND METHODOLOGY ................................................................... 49

APPENDIX B -Public Comments ................................................................................................................................................. 57


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1.0 Carpinteria Valley Water District

The Carpinteria Valley Water District (District) Climate Action Plan (CAP) is an inventory and estimate of

current greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and strategies and plans for the reduction of these emissions.

The CAP is structured to integrate with other local climate initiatives, include that of the City of

Carpinteria and County of Santa Barbara. The plan sets realistic and achievable goals that fit with the

District’s responsibility as the primary water purveyor in the Carpinteria Valley while remaining fiscally

responsible to its ratepayers.

Although the CAP relies on some estimates of GHG production, the District has used the best available

information in order to develop this plan. As information and technology change, these estimates will

be refined. The plan is a working document, with additional information needed by the District to

complete the current picture of GHG emissions from its operations. Sharing this plan with staff and the

wider Carpinteria community is necessary for the District’s goals to be achieved and for long-term

reduction in GHG production to occur.

1.1 Legislative Framework

The State of California has been a forerunner of legislation regarding GHG reductions. Major legislative

efforts include Executive Order S-3-05 (Schwarzenegger, 2005) sought reductions in GHG back to 1990

levels by 2020 and 80% below 1990 levels in 2050. The California Legislature re-iterated these goals in

Assembly Bill 32 (Nunez and Pavley, 2006) and Senate Bill 32 (Pavley and Garcia, 2016) and set targets

for 2020 (1990 levels) and 2030 (40% below 1990 levels) respectively. AB 32 also established a timeline

for the State Air Resources Board (CARB) to establish a scoping plan to determine California’s goals and

strategy for GHG reductions. This scoping plan was adopted by CARB in 2017.

Other significant legislation includes SB 97 (Dutton, 2007) which modified the States CEQA requirements

to include GHG production in environmental analyses and SB 375 (Steinberg, 2008) which required

transportation and infrastructure planning to address GHG and meet regional reduction targets. SB 350

(De Leon, 2015) requires the increase in renewable energy production in the State to 50% by 2030 as

well as increased building energy efficiency while SB 379 (Jackson, 2015) requires communities to

address climate change and resiliency into local planning processes.

Although the District has no jurisdictional control over land use planning and the like, it does, through

daily operations and long-term planning, influence land use planning through water availability. Water

production and movement is a significant energy demand within the State and within the Carpinteria

Valley. The District’s stated goal of reducing GHG emissions can help achieve local, regional and State

GHG reduction targets.


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1.2 Carpinteria Valley

The District is located on the coast of California 80 miles north of Los Angeles and 12 miles southeast of

Santa Barbara. The District’s service area encompasses an area extending along the south coast of the

County of Santa Barbara easterly from the Toro Canyon area to the Ventura County line. The Foothills of

the Santa Ynez Mountains lay to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south of the valley. The District’s

service area is approximately 11,098 acres (17.3 square miles).

The District is located on a narrow, moderately to gently sloping alluvial plain which extends from the

base of the Santa Ynez Mountains southward to the Pacific Ocean. Natural drainage of the plain is

provided by Rincon Creek, Gobernador Creek, Carpinteria Creek, Franklin Creek, Santa Monica Creek,

and Arroyo Paradon. Headwaters of each of these creeks are located in the Santa Ynez Mountains.

Climate within the District’s service area is Mediterranean-like in character. Summers are usually dry

with generally mild temperatures and the winters are cool and have light to moderate quantities of

precipitation (predominantly in the form of rainfall). Annual variation in climate conditions is minimal

within the District. However, unique topographic conditions in the Gobernador Canyon area of the

District can lead to frost conditions for approximately 5 days per year.

Average daily maximum air temperature varies between 64.9- and 77.1-degrees Fahrenheit with an

average of 70.8.1 Annual rainfall for the area is 18.83 inches. Annual average evapotranspiration (ETo)

for the area is 43.7 inches.2

The District is comprised of the City of Carpinteria and the surrounding agricultural lands that extend

into the lower foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains. The economy of the City of Carpinteria

(incorporated 1965), is based on travel and tourism, commercial and retail and some light industry and

research. Financially, the majority of the City’s annual budget comes from hotel occupancy taxes, sales

taxes and residential property taxes.3 The agricultural economy is dominated by avocado orchards,

container nurseries and covered nurseries growing orchids, cut flowers, vegetables and – recently –

cannabis.

Public schools within the District include two elementary schools4 (grades K - 5), a middle school (grades

6 - 8) and a high school (grades 9 – 12), as well as multi-year family school and a continuing education

high school. There are several private day schools in the Valley, as well as preparatory boarding school.

1 Western Region Climate Center, Santa Barbara, Station No. 047902, 2015. 2 California Department of Water Resources (CADWR), Santa Barbara CIMIS, Station No. 107, 2015. 3 City of Carpinteria, Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, 2017. 4 The Carpinteria Unified School District also serves the neighboring community of Summerland.


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There are approximately 875 mobile coach homes within the District, principally located in five mobile

coach parks. Several of these parks restrict children and young adults. There is a single large (70 unit)

assisted living / memory-care facility in the community.

The District provides potable water to 4,376 customers and provides fire service standby water for 129

customers. The majority of water services are residential (3,243 single-family and 351 multi-family

residences). Agricultural customers (389) and commercial accounts (213) are the next largest classes.

There are also 68 Public Authority accounts, 58 Industrial accounts and 54 dedicated landscape

accounts. Water service meters range from 3/4" to 6”, while fire services range from 2” to 10”. The

District also maintains 435 fire hydrants in the community.

The 2010 US Census5 identified 13,040 people in the City of Carpinteria, and an additional 2,450 people

in the unincorporated area of the District. Based on City demographics, 71% of the population is White /

Latino; females comprise 51% of the population; 21% of the population is under 18; people 65 years and

older account for 14% of the population; the median age is 39.5 years; 28% of households contain

children under 18; and 50% of households own their own home. The estimated population of the City in

2017 was 13,622 people. The District’s estimated population was approximately 15,500 people in 2017.

The District’s service area is approximately 11,098 acres, of which 1,660 acres are within the City of

Carpinteria. The City contains approximately 530 acres of residential development. Almost 43% (4,730

acres) of the District is undeveloped or native vegetation, including extensive oak and chaparral wooded

areas as well as a large, protected saltwater estuary. Coastline forms a continuous southern boundary to

the District. Figure 1.1 depicts the District’s service area.

Agricultural activities dominate the developed area outside the City boundary. In 20176 there were

approximately 1,820 acres of avocado, 144 acres of lemons, 138 acres of cherimoyas, and another 38

acres of persimmons, passion fruit, olives and stone fruits. Covered nurseries comprised 362 acres of

productive land, growing cut flowers, specialty lettuce, orchids, cucumbers, succulents and medicinal

marijuana. Open and ‘hoop house’ nurseries (282 acres) predominantly grow containerized ornamental

landscape plants and cut flowers. The District also contains 191 acres of field and row crops growing a

variety of produce and berries. Equestrian related land uses comprise 185 acres of land – including over

40 acres of polo fields.

Presently, the City of Carpinteria is near complete build-out, with between 200 and 250 residential units

remaining to be developed. Although limited residential development occurs outside the City, much of

the existing agricultural land is protected by County and State land use designations. The District has

installed new water services in recent years, most notably Lavender Court (2006-08, 48 meters);

Lagunitas (2012, 79 meters); Dahlia Court expansion (2013, 36 meters) and Casa De Las Flores (2013-15,

38 meters). All of these developments were within the City and were a result of land use change rather

than green field development. Community sentiment appears to favor a ‘very slow’ or ‘no growth’

5 https://factfinder.census.gov/faces/nav/jsf/pages/index.xhtml 6 Carpinteria Valley Water District Land Use Analysis, 2017


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development track for the area. Future development will likely be slow, with perhaps 3 to 6 new water

meters installed annually (on average).

With climate change driven changes to weather patterns expected, including drought, the District is

concerned about future water security and has begun developing an Indirect potable reuse project. This

project has been named Carpinteria Advanced Purification Project or CAPP. The project captures

wastewater currently treated to a secondary level by the Carpinteria Sanitary District and discharged

into the ocean. This water would be treated with full advanced treatment including Reverse Osmosis

and Advanced Oxidation and then injected into the groundwater basin for recharge and reuse. It’s

expected that the CAPP will provide up to 25% of the District’s water supply. The CAPP is different than

its existing supplies because it is a local drought proof water supply.

It’s estimated that the CAPP will require approximately 1,930 kWh/AF to operate.

1.3 District GHG reduction Goals

The District does not have broad land use authority that cities and counties possess and is therefore

limited in its impact on reduction of GHG to its own operations. At a minimum the District desires to be

consistent with State and local goals in reduction of GHG production. To that end the District set its

goals consistent with the goals set by Santa Barbara County in their 2015 Energy and Climate Action Plan

(ECAP). It should be noted that sufficient data was not available to make 2007 for a base year for the

District so it is assumed that 2014 will act as a base year assuming reductions or increases occurred

consistent with the County’s calculation between 2007 and 2014 in the categories of Transportation, Off

Road Equipment, Solid Waste and Water.

The goals set in the ECAP were for reduction below 2007 GHG levels at 2020 and 2030 and 2050 for a

reduction below 2007 levels of 15%, 31% and 74% respectively. The County wide goals of 15% reduction

below 2007 levels will be not be achieved in 2020. This CAP will focus on the 2030 goal of 40% below

2007 which is calculated to be 220 MTCO2e below the District 2014 baseline. This reduction is based

solely on GHG emissions associated with its daily operations and does not include emissions associated

with water treatment or State Water. Although the District could eliminate overall GHG emissions

significantly by not using State Water (see sections 2.10 and 2.11) the plan is an effort to mitigate

emissions from all sources. The District will rely on the City of Santa Barbara and Department of Water

Resources to establish reduction targets for these operations.


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2.0 District Emissions Inventory

Greenhouse gas emissions are generated through a number of processes at the District. These

include water production and pumping, fleet operations and employee commuting. Energy use

for these activities are known to the District and can be readily used to determine GHG

production. The inventory for these activities – what are referred to as “Direct District

Operations” - are presented in sections 2.1 through 2.8 below. In addition to a description of

actions to be taken, the reduction strategies are prioritized numerically with 1 being immediate

need or action necessary and 3 being lower priority given budget or operational constraints.

The District also relies on external agencies for the importation and treatment of water. The

Central Coast Water Authority conveys water from the California State Water Project from

Northern California to the District. This water is pumped from the Central Valley, treated and

pumped into Lake Cachuma. Water from Lake Cachuma is then delivered via gravity to the City

of Santa Barbara’ Cater Treatment plant. Energy use by these two entities is presented

separately in sections 2.10 and 2.11. These operations are outside the control of the District

and therefore are considered as fixed on a MTCO2e/ AF basis.

Additional information regarding data sources and how greenhouse gas emissions were

calculated can be found in Appendix A.


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Direct District Operations

2.1 Electricity Use (Administration and Operations Buildings)

Goal: To improve the efficiency of electrical use for lighting, cooling, operations and computer use.

During the base year (2014) electricity use in the Administration and Operations buildings generated

3.3% of total greenhouse gas equivalents (18.1 MTCO2e7) created by the District. Electricity use has

declined between 2014 and 2019, despite the introduction of air conditioning to both buildings (see

Figure 1). Much of the reduction can be attributed to changes in lighting associated with the Siemens

project LED lighting retrofit. Current GHG equivalents are 46.9% lower than 2014 (9.61 MTCO2e). Given

planned reduction strategies, 2030 energy use will be mostly met by solar energy.

Figure 1: Electricity Use Administration and Operations / Shepard Mesa Tank

Emissions Reduction Strategies:

Behavioral: Avoidance of electrical space heaters; light control; equipment power-down

District staff will be encouraged to reduce their reliance on electrical space heaters for spot

heating and to power-down unused equipment in the evening and on weekends. Minimal

lighting and increased use of occupant sensing light switches will contribute to lower electricity

use.

Priority: 1 – requires communication with staff

7 MTCO2e: metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent


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Solar Intertie: Connect Administration and Operations facilities to existing solar array

Currently the District’s 190 KW solar array is connected exclusively to the Headquarters well

facility. Connecting the Administration and Operations buildings to the array would permit the

District to use the arrays fully while the Headquarters well is offline or idle.

Priority: 1 – requires agreement with Southern California Edison and construction

Solar Array on Maintenance Center: Construct a 30-40 panel solar array over the vehicle shelter on the

operations building.

A new 30-40 panel solar array could provide ~ 30% to 40% of the electrical needs of the

Administration and Maintenance building. This option could be explored if the intertie to the

existing array is not feasible.

Priority: 3 - requires research, planning and financial scheduling

Solar array Shepard Mesa Tank: Construct a ~1 KW solar array with energy storage at the Shepard Mesa

Tank site to power lighting and radio equipment.

A small solar array with battery storage at Shepard Mesa would provide sufficient power to

reduce most energy costs at the site and provide for emergency power for radio equipment in

the event of power outages.

Priority: 2 – requires research, planning and financial scheduling

Community Choice Energy (CCE) – Renewable Energy: Adopt a low carbon energy portfolio when CCE

enrollment is completed for Santa Barbara County and the City of Carpinteria.

Adopting a renewable energy portfolio through CCE would permit the District to reduce its

carbon footprint on an incremental cost basis. This could permit faster reductions in GHG

equivalents given the District’s limited capital budget. Although energy costs per kWh would

increase, the overall budgetary impacts could be minimized by phasing in participation.

Priority: 1 – requires enrollment in CCE by City of Carpinteria and County of Santa Barbara of low

emission energy portfolio8. This is expected to occur in 2021.

8 On December 5, 2019 the City of Carpinteria and other County jurisdictions joined the Monterey Bay Community Power (MBCP) consortium. Low emission electricity will be available beginning 2021.


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Renewable Energy Feasibility Assessment: Develop, using a qualified Energy Consultant, a

Renewable Energy Feasibility Assessment.

In order to optimize its resources CVWD will be developing a Renewable Energy (RE)

Feasibility Study. This Study will analyze power needs at all District facilities, potential RE

projects, District sustainability goals, related costs, credit and funding opportunities and

determine feasibility of potential projects with priorities.

Priority: 1 – requires financial scheduling

2.2 Natural Gas Use (Administration and Operations Buildings)

Goal: To maintain low energy consumption for heating

Natural gas use for space and water heating at the Administration and Operations facility is minimal;

amounting to 0.8% of GHG equivalents in 2014 (4.6 MTCO2e) and 0.1% in 2019 (0.81 MTCO2e) (see

Figure 2). The District did experience a leak in its service line in 2017 and subsequently discontinued

service until a solution was identified and implemented. It is expected that natural gas use will increase

somewhat in FY 2020, but level off through 2030.

Figure 2: Natural Gas Use


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Behavioral: Thermostat Control

At times, staff will manually over-ride the automatic thermostat controls in order to compensate

for particularly cold days. This can be better control by a “smart” Thermostat. An upgraded

thermostat in the break room will permit staff to better manage temperatures in that room. The

thermostat in the Operations building should be up graded and relocated to a central area

where it can perform better. Zone heating may be implemented as well to use heating energy

more efficiently in the operations building.


Improved Building Energy Efficiency (Title 24): Operations Building Insulation / Furnaces and Ducting

The Operations building suffers from a lack of adequate wall and window insulation. The

concrete block walls are poor insulators as are the single-paned glass windows. Improving these

conditions (in conjunction with building upgrades) would reduce the poor energy performance

of the building. Additionally, the building ductwork should be sealed and insulated along with

its furnace. New ducting and venting should be evaluated to optimize use of heat.

Priority: 3 – requires further evaluation and financial scheduling and planning

2.3 On-Road Transportation – Fleet

Goal: To improve overall fleet fuel efficiency and reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT).

The District no longer provides a fleet vehicle for the General Manager or District Engineer. This has

resulted in a reduction in VMT for fleet vehicles for commuting (see Figure 3). In addition, overall

mileage on District vehicles for daily operations has also declined. This may be due to staffing

reductions and vehicle sharing. In 2014 Fleet vehicles accounted for 7.5% of GHG equivalents (41.18

MTCO2e) while in 2019 this contribution declined to 4.3% (23.51 MTCO2e). Commute VMT is discussed

in section 2.4 below.


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Figure 3: District Fleet and Commuting Vehicle Miles Traveled


Electric Vehicles: Begin replacing fleet vehicles with electric or hybrid vehicles

The District currently has two office automobiles and a light duty SUV. These vehicles could be

replaced through the Fleet Contract with electric or hybrid vehicles, thereby reducing GHG

production. In addition, the District has three 2013 medium duty Ford F150s that together

account for ~37% of all fleet GHG contributions. These trucks are used for commuting by on-call

personnel, which accounts for between one-third and one-half of the VMT on the trucks. Given

the mix of heavier duty utility vehicles available for operations use, the F150s could be replaced

by electric or hybrid commuting vehicles.

Priority: 2 – requires review of future fleet needs and financial scheduling

Electric Vehicles: Install an electric charging station

If the District does move to electric vehicles it will need to incorporate a charging station into its

plans. This should be tied into the solar array in the Operations yard.


Upgrade Existing Vehicles: Replace the 1999 Ford F350 Crew truck and 2005 Freightliner dump truck

The crew truck and dump truck contribute 10.6% of all fleet GHG equivalents, despite

accounting for only 4% of total fleet VMT. Replacing these vehicles with more modern, fuel

efficient vehicles is a District priority.


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Improved Fuel Economy: Replace older vehicles with more fuel-efficient vehicles

The District has 5 fleet vehicles that are over 15 years old. Replacing these vehicles with newer

vehicles will reduce GHG equivalent production. Fleet Vehicle are on a rotation schedule for

replacement every two to four years starting in 2018. This rotation allows the District to replace

older less efficient vehicles with newer lower emission vehicles as technology changes in the

automotive industry.


2.4 On-Road Transportation – Commute

Goal: To reduce total VMT for commuting vehicles

In the past 6 years, the District has experienced an increase in GHG equivalents associated with

commuting (2014: 27.66 MTCO2e; 2019: 44.31 MTCO2e). This is primarily a result of staff moving out of

Carpinteria or from recent hires living away from the community. Total VMT for commuting has

increased by ~77% from 77,000 VMT in 2014 to 136,000 in 2019. Emissions reduction strategies should

reduce personal commuting miles by 20% by 2030 (see Figure 3).

Emission Reduction Strategies:

Incentivized Carpooling: Provide financial incentives for staff to drive together

Although individual staff hours are somewhat variable, it is possible to coordinate carpooling

among staff. There are several parking facilities in western Ventura County and in the City of

Santa Barbara for carpooling. Incentives – financial or time – may induce carpool participation.

District management will poll staff to determine willingness / acceptance of the idea.

Priority: 1 – requires Management review of commuting using Fleet vehicles

Incentivized Transit: Provide financial incentives for staff to utilize transit alternatives

Ventura County Transit Commission operates a fleet of inter-city busses from Ventura County

cities to South Santa Barbara County. Although scheduled stops do not presently include

Carpinteria, the busses do travel both the US 101 and Carpinteria streets. In addition, there is

limited rail transit from Amtrak from Ventura to Carpinteria along the Southern Pacific Rail line.

The District may provide subsidies for the use of either service to incentivize use.

Priority: 2 – requires communication with staff and research into options

Telework: Provide opportunities for staff to work remotely

Most District staff need to be on-site to perform their duties (i.e. customer service, operations

and maintenance). However, approximately 8 staff members could reasonably work remotely

for at least one day per two week pay period. This arrangement could reduce staff commuting

by ~ 5% or 7,500 miles annually.


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Priority: 1 – requires Management review of staffing needs and opportunities

District-wide 9/80 Schedule: Expand the existing 9/80 work schedule for all employees

Currently 8 staff members work under a 9/80 works schedule (80 hours over 9 work days).

Expanding this program to all employees would reduce VMT by 10,500 miles annually or 7.5%.

Priority: 1 – requires Management review of staffing needs and opportunities

2.5 Water Production and Pumping – Electricity

Goal: To decrease energy use in water extraction and transport

Electricity use for groundwater extraction and pumping accounted for 69% of all GHG equivalent

production in 2014 (381.42 MTCO2e). This increased to 77.1% in 2019 (418.42 MTCO2e) (see Figure 4).

Headquarters and El Carro well have the largest electrical demand, followed by Foothill and Carpinteria

Reservoirs. The 2013-2018 drought is the primary factor in the increase in electrical usage over the

period. By 2030, projected energy demand will be relatively stable, but emissions are anticipated to

decline by 40% through CCE.

Figure 4: Electricity Use / Groundwater Production



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Community Choice Energy (CCE) – Renewable Energy: Adopt a low carbon energy portfolio when CCE is

available in South Santa Barbara County.

This strategy has the potential to greatly reduce the District’s GHG production. It will likely add

additional cost to operations but would require no infrastructure development or capital

expenditures. Both the County of Santa Barbara and the City of Carpinteria have approved

joining Monterey Bay Community Power, a Community Choice Energy Aggregator for its power.

It is likely that, once these agencies enroll in CCE power program, Power options for the District

will include 100% carbon free energy. Since the goal is to reduce pumping related GHG

production by 40% a portfolio that uses at least 40% carbon free energy can be utilized for

pumping.

Priority: 1 - requires City of Carpinteria and County of Santa Barbara enrollment in Monterey Bay

Community Power CCE. Expected in 2021.

Solar Array on Carpinteria Reservoir: Establish a 1 MW solar array on the Carpinteria Reservoir roof.

Phase 2 of the Siemens project is the exploration of a large solar array fitted to the roof of the

Carpinteria Reservoir. A sufficiently large array would offset energy use at the reservoir and

other electrical uses across the District operations under a Renewable Energy Credit Bill Transfer

agreement with Southern California Edison.

Priority: 3 – requires engineering, costing and financial scheduling

Energy Efficiency: Improve energy efficiency of pumps and motors

Newer, more efficient pumps and motors can help reduce energy usage, as can the

implementation of variable frequency drives (VFD) that regulate energy input into equipment

and reduce energy use on start-up and shut-down.


Water Use Efficiency and Conservation: Implement consumer water conservation and time of use

programs that limit pumping and distribution costs

As noted, groundwater production is the District’s largest energy use. Encouraging conservation

and restricting when water is used can permit the District to lower water production during

peak energy times, lower energy use and costs. Water Use Efficiency has been historically

viewed as a means to reduce water use for the purposes of water supply sufficiency particularly

during drought. This view has given way to a more integrated view of water use and resource

management. The District recognizes that each acre foot of water that does not go to

reasonable, efficient & beneficial use is a waste of water resources and contributes the

increased production of GHGs. The District has and will continue to commit significant resources

to drive efficiency in water use.

Priority: 1 – requires continued communication with consumers


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CAPP: Utilize Carpinteria Advanced Purification Project energy offsets

Project Solar energy production should be included where possible in the continued planning for

the Carpinteria Advanced Purification Project (CAPP). This will help offset the high energy

demand associated with the project. Additionally, the CAPP will offset other GHG production

because the water is produced locally and does not need to be conveyed long distances such as

with the State Water Project. The per acre foot power need for the CAPP is 1,930 kWh/AF which

is substantially higher than Cachuma Project Water and Local Groundwater power requirements

but two thirds of State Project Water power needs which uses 3,382 kWh/AF. Further offsets

can be achieved by using carbon free energy from the CCE portfolio to meet the District GHG

goals reduction goals.

Priority: 2 – Requires funding source for 50% of capital costs from grant funding sources.

Requires approval of the Board of Directors to implement the CAPP.

2.6 Diesel Use: Back-up generators and diesel equipment

Goal: Reduce diesel use and find alternate energy sources

The District relies on diesel fuel to power emergency back-up generators at the Administration and

Operations buildings, Headquarters well, Shepard Mesa pump station and the Foothill and Carpinteria

Reservoirs. In addition, the District has three vehicles (backhoe, skid-steer and dump truck) that use

diesel. Together, these items contributed ~2.6% of total GHG equivalents in 2014 (14.6 MTCO2e) and

2.9% of GHG in 2019 (15.49 MTCO2e) (see Figure 5). These three vehicles account for ~70% of GHG

emissions from diesel use.


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Figure 5: Diesel Fuel Use - Hours of Operation


Equipment Operation: Reduce vehicle idling and trips

Day to day operation of diesel equipment includes idling. To the extent possible staff will be

directed to reduce or curb this practice when possible. In addition, repeated trips on-road for

material can be reduced with improved project planning and practice.

Priority: 1 – requires communication / training of staff

Upgraded Generators: Begin replacing older generators as budgeting permits

The District maintains a 20+ year old mobile generator for Headquarters well. Replacing this

unit with a more modern and fuel-efficient model will assist in lowering GHG equivalents. The

generator used to supply emergency power for the Administration and Operations buildings

could be augmented by battery storage should an intertie be constructed, or a new solar array

installed on site.

Priority: 2 – requires analysis, funding and financial scheduling

Tools and Equipment: Replace diesel using equipment with electric or gasoline powered tools

To the extent possible, the District should strive to replace older diesel equipment with either

electric or gasoline powered equipment. The District could purchase an electric forklift / pallet

jack that would eliminate the need to off-load material using the back hoe and skid steer.


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2.7 Waste Generation

Goal: To reduce waste production and increase material recycling

The District generates a variety of waste materials – office and food waste, tree trimmings and brush,

concrete and asphalt, damaged pipes and valves and general construction debris. The District relies on

two waste haulers to remove various materials generated. Some materials are recycled – office

recyclables, concrete and asphalt and yard waste – while other material is deposited in landfills.

Currently, the respective volumes of waste generated by the District are largely guesswork. The

estimates for 2014 are 65.1 MTCO2e or 11.8% of total GHG while values for 2019 are thought to be 30.7

MTCO2e or 5.7% of total GHG (see Figure 6). Recycled materials have not been included in GHG

equivalent calculations.

Figure 6: Estimated Non-Recycled Waste Generation


Waste Tracking: Develop a protocol to identify and track waste generation at the District

As noted, the District does not keep records of its waste generation. Waste bins are ordered

and removed whether full or not, meaning the District will need to track and identify regular

waste bin ordering, contents and estimate the volume removed.

Priority: 1 – requires development of waste tracking protocols


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Recycling and Paper Use: Increase District recycling efforts and reduce paper use

District recycling efforts are spotty and inconsistent. Education of Staff on how the recycle

program works and development of a quality assurance program to measure the effectiveness

of the program would improve the outcomes of the Recycling program. In addition, the District

creates significant volumes of paper waste for one-time uses such as meetings and document

review. A measurement of the amount of paper generated each week will provide a useful

feedback loop to remind staff to be contentious about how much paper is generated.


Composting: Establish a small compost system on District property

District staff generate food waste that typically is deposited into waste receptacles. The District

could purchase a simple compost bin and educate staff on proper compost procedures to

reduce this waste. The by-products from composting could be used on the District’s low water

garden.

Priority: 2 – requires planning and implementation and communication with staff

Plantings: Where practical drought tolerant, low maintenance planting should be utilized at District

facilities to minimize the production of green waste as well as sequester carbon.

Priority: 2 – requires analysis and planning


19

2.8 Overall Greenhouse Gas Emissions – Direct District Operations

In 2014 total GHE equivalent emissions were ~ 552.7 MTCO2e (see Figure 7 and Appendix A). Despite

increased electrical use for groundwater pumping and VMT for commuting, the total estimated GHG

equivalents declined by 1.8% to 542.85 MTCO2e. Much of the decline can be attributed to solid waste

generation and commuting using fleet vehicles (see Table 1).

Figure 7: CVWD GHG Emissions – Direct District Operations


20

Table 1: CVWD GHG Emissions – Direct District Operations

2.9 Emissions Reduction Targets

The proposed emissions reduction strategies are anticipated to reduce overall MTCO2e by 40% by 2030.

Electricity use for the Administration and Operations buildings are anticipated to be solar based and

result in a 90% reduction in GHG emissions. Similarly, electricity for water production and pumping will

decline 40% through CCE strategies. Newer fleet vehicles and various work and commuting programs

should reduce vehicle-related GHG emissions by 21%. The replacement of the dump truck and improved

operational protocols for the backhoe and skid steer will reduce diesel emissions by 13%. Improved

solid waste tracking and other actions should reduce GHG emissions by 60%. The District will not meet

the County’s 2020 emissions reduction targets but will meet the 2030 targets (see Figure 8). This

reduction will be ~ 222 MTCO2e from 2014 levels for the District’s Operations.

Source MTCO2e % MTCO2e %

Electricity - Admin 18.1 3.3% 9.6 1.8%

Natural Gas 4.6 0.8% 0.8 0.1%

On-Road Transportation - Fleet 41.2 7.5% 23.5 4.3%

On-Road Transportation - Commute 27.7 5.0% 44.3 8.2%

Water Production and Pumping - Electricity 381.4 69.0% 418.4 77.1%

Diesel Use 14.6 2.6% 15.5 2.9%

Waste Generation 65.1 11.8% 30.7 5.7%

TOTAL 552.7 100.0% 542.8 100.0%

FY 2014 FY 2019


21

Figure 8: Projected GHG Reductions


22

2.10 External Greenhouse Gas Emissions

As noted above, the District relies on the City of Santa Barbara to treat water arriving from Lake

Cachuma. City personnel provided the District with electricity use at the Cater Treatment facility

between 2015 and 2018 and a per acre-foot energy use. This value was then applied to the volume of

water treated for District use between 2014 and 2019 (see Figure 9). In 2014 the District had 4,336 AF

of water treated at Cater, generating 230 MTCO2e of emissions. In FY 2019, 2,012 AF of water was

treated, generating ~80 MTCO2e of emissions.

Figure 9: Electricity Use and Treated Water - Cater Water Treatment Plant

Imported water is conveyed from northern California to Lake Cachuma via the Coastal Branch of the

State Water Project. Energy costs associated with moving water throughout the State are notoriously

high. For Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, the 5-year average energy demand for each acre-

foot of water delivered is ~3,382 kWh9. During the drought, the District relied heavily on State Water to

meet lowered Cachuma supplies. This has resulted in very high energy usage and concomitant GHG

emissions (see Figure 10). In 2014 the District had 846 AF of State Water delivered to Lake Cachuma,

using ~2,861,000 kWh and generating 936 MTCO2e. In 2019, 1,430 AF of State Water was delivered,

utilizing 4,836,000 kWh and generating 1,581 MTCO2e.

9 R Morrow WSC Inc. 2019 personal communication (Santa Ynez pump station); California Department of Water Resources 2019 "Bulletin 132 - 17" p B-20 Table 7 (State Water); City of Santa Barbara 2019 (water treatment)


23

Figure 10: Electricity Use and State Water Project Deliveries


Community Choice Energy: Encourage the City of Santa Barbara to adopt low emissions energy choices.

The City of Santa Barbara has stated goals of reducing energy-related GHG emissions. Once CCE

becomes available, the District will encourage the City to adopt GHG and cost-efficient energy

choices to reduce emissions.

Priority: 1 - requires encouraging Santa Barbara to adopt a low emission energy portfolio and

financial scheduling

Use Less State Water: Use water from the State Water Project sparingly

Like the City of Santa Barbara, the California Department of Water Resources is pursuing low-

energy and GHG emission projects and strategies. The District encourages these actions. In the

short-term, the District will seek to minimize State Water use to lower GHG emissions.

Priority: 1 – requires adjusting projected water portfolio


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2.11 Overall Greenhouse Gas Emissions – External Sources

GHG emissions from external sources are significantly higher than those generated directly by District

operations (see Figure 11). In 2014, water treatment accounted for 20% of all external GHG emissions,

with State Water accounting for the remaining 80%. In 2019, water treatment accounted for 5% of

emissions, while State Water accounted for 95% (see Table 2).

Figure 11: CVWD GHG Emissions - External Sources


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Table 2: CVWD GHG Emissions – External Sources

Table 3 compares direct District GHG production with external sources. In 2014, District operations

accounted for 32% of GHG production, dropping to 26% in 2019. In 2014 State Water emissions

represented 55% of total MTCO2e, increasing to 70% in 2019. Water treatment contributions dropped

from 13% in 2014 to 4% in 2019. In both 2014 and 2019 District operations were less than half of total

GHG emissions.

Table 3: CVWD GHG Emissions - All Sources


Cater Water Treatment 230.0 19.7% 80.1 5.3%

State Water Project 935.6 80.3% 1,442.1 94.7%

TOTAL 1,165.6 100.0% 1,522.2 100.0%

FY 2014 FY 2019


Direct District Operations 552.7 32.2% 542.8 26.3%

Cater Water Treatment 230.0 13.4% 80.1 3.9%


TOTAL 1,718.2 100.0% 2,065.0 100.0%

FY 2014 FY 2019


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3.0 Climate Change Vulnerability

The District has resources and infrastructure that can be adversely affected by climate change. Changes

in climate may result in:

- Changes in frequency and duration of drought and heat events;

- Increased sea levels and inundation of low-lying coastal areas;

- Alteration in the pattern and severity of precipitation;

- Increased wildfire activity.

Over time, impacts associated with climate change can result in reduced water availability, loss of

economic vitality and impact human health and welfare.

The California Emergency Management Agency and California Natural Resource Agency10 have

developed a nine-step tool for local agencies to assess climate change vulnerability and develop

adaptive strategies to overcome these vulnerabilities. The nine-step process involves a vulnerability

assessment component and an adaptive strategy development component. These steps are:

1) Exposure: assessing exposure to climate change impacts.

2) Sensitivity: determining community sensitivity to the exposure.

3) Potential Impacts: assessing potential impacts.

4) Adaptive Capacity: evaluating existing community capabilities to adapt to impacts.

5) Risk and Onset: evaluating the certainty of impact projections and the speed at which risks may

occur.

6) Prioritize Adaptive Needs: determining and prioritizing adaptation needs.

7) Identify Strategies: identifying strategies for meeting adaptation needs.

8) Evaluate and Prioritize: ranking and prioritization of strategies.

9) Phase and Implementation: structured implementation plan.

The first five steps are associated with vulnerability assessment. The remaining four steps are strategy

development and are not fully discussed in this report.

3.1 Exposure

Frequency and Duration of Droughts and Heat Events: According the NASA, average global

atmospheric temperatures have increased by ~1.4 degrees Fahrenheit since the end of the 19th century,

with two-thirds of this increase (~0.9° F) occurring since 197511. While these variations in temperature

seem small relative to daily and seasonal variation, on a global level these increases have significant

impacts. Global temperature anomalies – the variation in immediate temperature compared to a long

term average - demonstrate extreme temperature increases at the poles and very few temperature

10 California Natural Resources Agency. 2012 (July). California Adaptation Planning Guide: Planning for Adaptive Communities. Available: http://resources.ca.gov/docs/climate/01APG_Planning_for_Adaptive_Communities.pdf. 11 National Aeronautics and Space Administration 2019, https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/world-of-change/DecadalTemp

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/world-of-change/DecadalTemp

https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/world-of-change/DecadalTemp


27

declines globally. Atmospheric temperatures have increased, and the anomalous temperature incidents

point to extreme temperature increases.

Projecting into the future, average temperatures in California in 2050 are expected to be 2.7° F higher

than 2000 levels12. Long-term global circulation models from multiple government agencies globally

point to increased global and local average temperatures and increased variability in temperature, with

higher peak temperatures (or heat events). Although predictive models become more uncertain the

longer the projection, even dramatic reductions in GHG emissions are still expected to result in higher

overall temperatures globally by 2050 and 2100.

Drought in California is typically associated with abnormally low precipitation over a 2 to 3 year period.

Depending on location and infrastructure, even 4 years of low precipitation may not trigger water

shortages for human use but will very likely result in shortages to natural systems. State-wide droughts,

while uncommon, occurred in 1929-34, 1976-77, 1987-92 and 2013-17. Since 1950, Santa Barbara

County has experiences three droughts sufficiently serious to warrant State or Federal declared drought

emergencies – 1990-91, 2001, and 2013-18. Increased temperatures will likely diminish the overall

volume of the Sierra snowpack, reducing the availability of water for many parts of the State, including

Carpinteria. This reduction of available water may contribute to ‘drought’ responses by government

agencies – curtailing demand and increasing water costs – in order to offset the loss of supply.

Extreme heat is a function of atmospheric temperature and humidity. The relationship between heat

and humidity can be described using a heat index. As relative humidity increases above 40%, discomfort

increases despite constant temperature. Figure 12 illustrates a heat index developed by the US National

Weather Service. When temperatures exceed a prescribed threshold over two consecutive days (like

105° F) a heat warning will be issued.

Extreme heat does not just affect people but can disrupt sensitive electronic equipment and

communications systems. As heat increases, the need to additional cooling systems to avoid mechanical

failure increases as well. This can increase costs to consumers and may contribute to climate change if

fossil fuels are used to generate the electricity needed to operate cooling systems. Figure 13 illustrates

historical and projected July temperatures within the State. As climate change occurs, the expectation is

that there will be an increase in the average July temperature throughout the State including Santa

Barbara County. The relatively moderate temperatures along the South Coast of the County will

gradually increase, although less so than interior parts of the State.

12 CNRA 2012


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Figure 12: Heat Index

Figure 13: California July Temperatures

Sea Level Rise: Sea level rise (SLR) is defined as the rising of the mean sea level (MSL) as a result of the

so-called greenhouse effect or global warming. Three processes contribute to SLR, the first of which is

thermal expansion. Increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide increase air temperature which eventually

will lead to increased water temperature. As water warms it expands, and in a confined space this will

lead to an increase in surface elevation. The second process is eustasy, which involves an increase in the

volume of water residing in the ocean. This can be increased or decreased depending the volume of


29

water stored as ice on land. The third process is isostasy, which involves the relative gravitational

equilibrium between the earth’s crust and the mantle. Locally, forced uplift by plate tectonics can result

in changes to MSL, as can rapid sedimentation. As SLR occurs, areas of land that were once outside the

tidal inundation zone may be subjected to wave erosion and decay.

In Santa Barbara County, the entire 110-mile coastline is subject to SLR. Given other factors associated

with climate change including storm intensity, the potential for erosion to the approximately 7 miles of

coast within the District is very possible. In addition, higher MSL may result in seawater intrusion into

local aquifers. SLR can result in hazards along the coast through several mechanisms. The first is tidal

inundation. Tidal induration can result in periodic nuisance flooding to severe property damage.

Secondly, the combination of SLR with storm surges can make storm related flooding worse, although

along the west coast of the U.S. this is less of a problem. And finally, coastal erosion related to SLR can

result in damage to public infrastructure and private property.

Some areas of California having already experiencing a 6 to 7-inch rise in sea levels in the past century13

and it should be expected that this increase has already impacted the Carpinteria area as well. Sea

levels are expected to increase 10-18 inches by 2050 and between 30 and 60 inches by 210014. In Santa

Barbara County, tidal gauge station 9411340 has shown a gradual increase of ~ 1.25 mm per year15 (~1.8

inches) since measurements began in 1973.

In Carpinteria, some areas of coastline are more susceptible to sea level rise than others, most notably

the area surrounding the Carpinteria Salt Marsh (El Estero) and parts of the downtown area south of the

Union Pacific railroad (see Figure 14). This image depicts a 60” rise in sea levels as modeled by the

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration16. This scenario is the high estimated sea level rise by

2100 made by the California Energy Commission in 201217.

13 County of San Diego (2017) Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment p. 13. 14 California Energy Commission. 2012. Our Changing Climate: Vulnerability & Adaptation to the Increasing Risks of Climate Change in California. Available: http://ww2.energy.ca.gov/2012publications/CEC-500- 2012-007/CEC-500-2012-007.pdf. 15 NOAA: http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/sltrends/sltrends_station.shtml?stnid=9411340; retrieved April 6, 2011. 16 NOAA 2019 https://coast.noaa.gov/slr/# 17 California Energy Commission. 2012. Our Changing Climate: Vulnerability & Adaptation to the Increasing Risks of Climate Change in California. Available: http://ww2.energy.ca.gov/2012publications/CEC-500- 2012-007/CEC-500-2012-007.pdf.

http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/sltrends/sltrends_station.shtml?stnid=9411340

https://coast.noaa.gov/slr/


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Figure 14: Potential Impact Areas of Carpinteria - 60" Sea Level Rise

Pattern and Severity of Precipitation: As global temperatures increase, it is anticipated that existing

patterns of precipitation will change as well. This is due to the differential heating between the poles

and equatorial regions. As noted, the overall volume of the Sierra snowpack is expected to diminish over

the century. Modeling efforts coordinated by the California Climate Change group suggest significant

overall decreases in the water content of the snowpack as well as earlier melting18. Although models do

not predict an overall net decrease in precipitation, the frequency of severe storm events may increase.

The severity of a flood is predicated on rainfall intensity and duration, soil saturation, soil type,

permeability, slope and watershed characteristics. The failure of stream banks, levees, dams, and under

sizing of storm-water facilities road culverts can all contribute to flooding. Flooding has been a major

problem throughout Santa Barbara County’s history. Santa Barbara County has several hydrologic basins

that have different types of flooding problems, including over bank riverine flooding, flash floods, tidal

flooding/tsunamis, and dam failure. The most common flooding in Santa Barbara is due to watershed

18 Cal-adapt.org, 2019 Available: https://cal-adapt.org/tools/snowpack/.

https://cal-adapt.org/tools/snowpack/


31

channel flooding and flash flood events. Figure 15 illustrates areas identified within the county as special

flood hazard areas.

Figure 15: Santa Barbara County Special Flood Hazard Areas

Cal-Adapt undertakes modeling of extreme precipitation events under a variety of possible future

conditions. The models themselves vary given assumptions about future rainfall and temperature

scenarios (warm/dry; cooler/wetter, historical). Under most scenarios the likelihood of increased severe

precipitation events for the Carpinteria area increases in the latter part of the century (see Figure 16)19.

The colored squares depict various model outcomes, the horizontal axis is time and the vertical axis is

precipitation in inches for the event modeled. In this example, the event is a 50-year rain event,

meaning a storm that has a return period of once every 50 years.

19 Cal-adapt 2019 https://cal-adapt.org/tools/extreme-precipitation/

https://cal-adapt.org/tools/extreme-precipitation/


32

Figure 16: Rainfall Intensity for a 50-year return event Carpinteria CA

Wildfire: Increased temperatures associated with climate change are expected to alter the distribution

and composition of natural vegetation and soils and vegetation moisture content. This has the potential

to increase fire risk in the Carpinteria Valley. Fires require three elements to spread and become

dangerous – a source of ignition, fuel and oxygen. Although fires in nature have an ecologically

restorative function, these become hazards to humans when people live in relatively close proximity to

extensive native vegetation – in an area known as the wildland-urban interface (WUI). In the WUI the

source of ignition is often human activity or accidents, but electrical power failure and lightning can

cause wildfires. The fuel, initially, is small brush and grasses, which can quickly escalate to larger

vegetation given driving winds and low humidity. The presence of housing and other structures in the

WUI adds potential fuel to fires, helping to accelerate the fire. As the fire spreads, the ability of fire

suppression systems becomes increasingly strained, resulting in further fire spread.


33

The Carpinteria area is very conducive to wildfire. The District is bordered to the north by the steep,

south-facing slopes of the Santa Ynez Mountains within the Los Padres National Forest. The hillslopes

are covered in woody chaparral and grasses. Towards the southern edge of the Forest, numerous

residences are scattered in areas of oak and eucalyptus in the foothills and on several large mesas within

the WUI. Further south – in the Valley floor – there are numerous irrigated avocado orchards.

Carpinteria has been designated by the Federal Government as a ‘community at risk’ to fire given its

proximity to the forest. Figure 17 illustrates the immediate hazard designation for the City of

Carpinteria.

Figure 17: Fire Hazard Ranking in the Carpinteria Valley

The physical extent of fires within Santa Barbara County is depicted in Figure 18. Almost the entire

forest has burned, much of it within the last two decades. Although most of the catastrophic fires

occurred in the back country, there have been numerous fires within the WUI along the southern range

of the Santa Ynez Mountains, including the 2008 Gap fire, 2009 Tea and Jesusita fires and the 2017

Thomas fire.


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Figure 18: Fire History in Santa Barbara County

3.2. Sensitivity and Potential Impacts

Frequency and Duration of Droughts and Heat Events: California state-wide droughts, while

uncommon, occurred in 1929-34, 1976-77, 1987-92 and 2013-17. Since 1950, Santa Barbara County has

experiences three droughts sufficiently serious to warrant State or Federal declared drought

emergencies – 1990-91, 2001, and 2013-18. During droughts conditions the District relies on different

mixes of available water than it would during normal operations.

During the most recent drought, water available from the Cachuma project had been reduced and the

District had relied heavily on groundwater extraction. This has contributed to a lowering of the water

table throughout the Valley. Drought has also resulting in water being exchanged or purchased within

the State-wide water system. This has the potential to increase water costs to consumers and increase

the production energy inputs thereby increasing GHG emissions.

Extreme heat events increase demand for water – particularly from agricultural customers. This may

result in the need to increased groundwater extraction, which relies on electricity for its production.

Heat events affect the electrical grid’s efficiency and can result in localized blackouts and service

interruptions. Extreme heat events can also affect the District staff through heat exhaustion and

dehydration.


35

Critical infrastructure impacted by droughts and extreme heat include Lake Cachuma and State Water

sources of supply; the District’s HQ, Smillie, El Carro and Lyons wells; pumping facilities at Foothill,

Carpinteria and Gobernador reservoir and Shepard Mesa; and communication infrastructure.

Reductions in supply can affect the 15,500 residents of the Carpinteria Valley, while localized pumping

failures could affect 500 to 8,000 customers.

Sea Level Rise: In Carpinteria, District infrastructure at sea level is located to the west of Linden Avenue

and south of the Southern Pacific Rail line. The District services numerous residences along Sandyland

Rd, Avenue Del Mar, Sand Point Rd and Padaro Lane. Many of these residences are vacation rentals.

These areas are all within the City of Carpinteria’s planning and development jurisdiction.

The City has developed site specific plans for both the Carpinteria Salt Marsh and beach area to the east

of the marsh. These plans include establish protective measures such as winter sand berms and coastal

plantings, and accommodative measures such as storm drain improvements. The City has also proposed

‘managed retreat’ measures which would result in infrastructure and property relocation options20

should SLR conditions warrant.

SLR has the potential to negatively impact local groundwater resources in the event of salt-water

intrusion into the basin. Increase groundwater extraction – in response to heat and drought events –

coupled with SLR may result in seawater migration into the western end of the Carpinteria Groundwater

Basin. The District has established a monitoring well on the coast to assess this potential outcome as

the loss of groundwater production would affect the entire Carpinteria community.

District infrastructure susceptible to SLR and storm surges include meter boxes and automated metering

infrastructure (radios and electronic meters). In the long-term the District may have to alter the

distribution system should sea water intrusion become an issue. It is likely that the District would follow

the lead of City and County planning decisions with regard to managed retreat of built infrastructure in

the affected areas. The infrastructure in this area currently serves between 150 and 500 people, making

the impact to the District quite low.

Pattern and Severity of Precipitation: Extreme rainfall events have occurred in the Carpinteria area,

with severe flooding and debris flows. On January 9 2018, the South Coast of Santa Barbara County

experienced a severe storm event that resulted in significant debris flows in the Montecito and

Carpinteria areas. Rainfall totals for the Carpinteria area were 1.98” over 24 hours, while higher

elevations such as the Doulton Tunnel received 2.85”21. Table 5 identifies the nine significant storm

events in the Carpinteria area since 1969.

The District office and yard and HQ well border Santa Monica creek which passes beneath Via Real and

US 101 via a channelized culvert. Debris blocking this culvert may back water up sufficiently to overflow

the creek channel flooding the District yard and potentially disabling HQ well. Smillie well is located

adjacent to Carpinteria creek and the site could experience wash-out in a strong rain event. The District

20 City of Carpinteria 2019. “Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Project” 21 County of Santa Barbara Flood Control District 2019 Daily Rainfall Record. http://www.countyofsb.org/pwd/dailyrain.sbc

http://www.countyofsb.org/pwd/dailyrain.sbc


36

has experienced one repetitive loss on a critical facility. The Lateral 10 pipeline extends over Arroyo

Paradon and has been subject to two failures due to flooding. The most recent replacement cost the

District $50,000.

Table 4: Flooding and Extreme Rainfall Events in Carpinteria

Extreme events often result in considerable run-off rather than groundwater infiltration. This could

have detrimental impacts on the Carpinteria basin, with slower recharge rates. Combined with

intermittent droughts, extreme or variable precipitation could result in new sources of water supply for

the District’s customers.

Critical infrastructure for extreme events or flooding include Gobernador Reservoir; Headquarters well;

Smillie well; the Lateral 10 pump-station; the District Office and yard; distribution system; meters and

AMI infrastructure; source of supply as a result of damage to South Coast conduit (which supplies water

from the Cachuma and State Water projects). These events could affect 30to 40% of the Valley or

between 4,500 and 6,500 people.

The Santa Ynez River (north of the Coastal Mountains) provides the District with approximately ~65% of

its annual water supply through the United States Bureau of Reclamation’s Cachuma Project. Variation

in precipitation could mean reduced run-off in the valley, and reduced annual water yields. In addition,

needs for native fish species in the valley could be adversely affected by stream variability, resulting in

additional reductions in water for consumers in Southern Santa Barbara County.

Wildfire: The Los Padres National Forest borders the northern boundary of the District. Climate change

will affect the probability and severity of wildfire in the Carpinteria area. Increased average

temperature and a continued Mediterranean climate means increased vegetation drying, thereby

contributing to greater fuel volumes. Chamise, manzanita and ceanothus are types of chaparral that

grow well within Santa Barbara County. These plants evolved and adapted to wildfire regimes and as

they age and die, they require fire to regenerate. This cycle of - fire – growth – death – fire – will

continue within the Los Padres for the foreseeable future. This means that fire hazards will continue,

Date Damages Source of Estimation Comments

1969 $4.5 millionFloodplain Information Montecito Streams Vicinity of

Montecito, SB County

Highest flows in 2900 years on Santa Ynez

River, 16” of rain in 24 hours at Juncal Dam

1980 Presidential Disaster Declaration N/ASevere flooding, mudslides, and high tides

throughout County

1982-19832 Presidential Disaster

DeclarationsN/A

Parts of southern California received over

200% of normal rainfall

Jan-95$50 million, Presidential Disaster

Declaration1995 Floods

Flooding on most major channels in Goleta,

Santa Barbara, Montecito, and Carpinteria

Mar-95$30 million, Presidential Disaster

Declaration1995 Floods

Major flooding in Goleta, Santa Barbara, and

Montecito, many of the same structures

1998$15 million, Presidential Disaster

Declaration1998 Flood Report

21.36” of rainfall that month in Santa Barbara,

many areas at 600% of normal February

Feb-05 $2 million NCDCIn Santa Barbara county, flash flooding and

mudslides closed down Highway 101 at Bates

Mar-11 $1.7 Million County Insurance ClaimsA severe winter storm occurred in March

2011 that included flooding, debris and

Jan-18$421 Million, Presidential Disaster

DeclarationInsurance claims

Mudflows after a severe winter storm resulted

in 21 deaths with 2 people missing.


37

although with changing probability depending on the stage of the cycle. Given the impact of the Thomas

fire (December 2017), the District faces a lower probability of wildfire damage than it did in 2016. As the

forest recovers, with grasses and smaller shrubs, local fires may threaten facilities in the WUI, but with

lesser intensity and damage.

The Cal-adapt projections suggest an increase in annual hectares burned in the Carpinteria area over the

course of the century. Figure 19 illustrates projected wildfire burn area using the standard models. The

average annual burn area is projected to rise from ~100 acres annually in the base condition to ~ 150

acres annually.

Figure 19: Average Burn Area - Carpinteria


38

The Thomas fire destroyed the electrical facilities at Gobernador Reservoir in December 2017. The roof

of the reservoir is asphalt shingle / wooden truss, making it vulnerable to fire. The Shepard Mesa pump

station is located in an area of oaks and other mature trees. Shepard Mesa Tank – while elevated –

could experience damage to control facilities at ground level and sustain damage to the metal supports.

The control facility at Foothill Reservoir is located against a grassy slope but could experience heat

damage to communications equipment and the back-up diesel tank. The Carpinteria Reservoir was not

damaged in the Thomas fire, however, there are structures and equipment that, given the right

conditions, could have been burned. The District lost 2 new digital meters to the Thomas fire – at a cost

of $1190.00.

Other critical infrastructure susceptible to wildfire damage include: Gobernador Reservoir; Shepard

Mesa Tank; Shepard Mesa Pump Station; Foothill Reservoir (control building); Carpinteria Reservoir;

Lateral 30 and 10 pump stations; meters and AMI equipment within the WUI. Between 300 and 800

people could be affected by minor damage to District infrastructure, and the whole Valley impacted by

the loss of the Carpinteria Reservoir.

3.3 Adaptive Capacity

The Carpinteria Valley Water District (formerly known as the Carpinteria County Water District) was

incorporated on February 13, 1941 is an independent Special District within the State of California. The

legal authority of this District is outlined in Division 12 of the Water Code, section 30000 et. seq. The

District is governed by five elected members of the community as a Board of Directors (Board). The

President and Vice-President of the Board are nominated by members of the Board. The Board appoints

and employs a General Manager who oversees and administers the day-to-day operation of the District

in accordance to the policies and procedures established by the Board. The General Manager employs

an Assistant General Manager (Business Manager), District Engineer (Engineering Manager), and

Operations Manager. There are an additional 15 full-time non-management employees employed by

the General Manager. Figure 20 illustrates the organizational structure of the District.


39

Figure 20: Carpinteria Valley Water District Organization 2019

The District has recently completed an Annex to the County of Santa Barbara’s Hazard Mitigation Plan22

which outlines District understanding and planned responses to multiple hazards. This plan, along with

capital and budgetary planning allow the District to update and refine responses to hazards facing the

community. The District regularly meets and coordinates with local governments in Santa Barbara and

Ventura Counties in order to resolve shared concerns and issues.

The District is in the process of developing a new Capital Facilities Plan, which was last updated in 1999

and guided an extensive construction and rehabilitation program that lasted until 2012. In addition, the

District is generating a 5-year Financial Plan to address infrastructure funding and debt restructuring.

Water supply planning is undertaken annually and set forth in its Urban Water Management Plan (2016)

and Agricultural Water Management Plan (2016). The District has contracted with a consultant to

complete an update of its Vulnerability Assessment as required by the Public Health Security and

Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act (PL. 107-188 Section 1433(a)). This plan should be

available in December 2018. Finally, during the annual budget process, the Engineering and Operations

Departments establish a list of critical annual and bi-annual projects for funding. Annually, the District

22 Carpinteria Valley Water District 2019 “Carpinteria Valley Water District Annex to the Santa Barbara County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan”


40

spends between $800,000 and $1,100,000 in projects related to infrastructure and maintenance. This

money is in addition to staff costs.

The District’s current FY 2019 annual budget is $13,100,000, an increase of ~ $303,000 over FY 2018.

Annual debt obligations are $5,200,000, the majority of which are costs associated with financing the

District’s portion of the State Water Project, and projects associated with the District’s recently

completed Capital Improvement Program. The District reviews and adjust rates on an annual basis. In

December 2017, the District then auditor – Bartlett, Pringle and Wolf, LLP - had this to say about the

District’s financial condition:

“The District’s overall financial continues to be strong and provides sufficient liquidity to provide stable,

ongoing operations. There are no restrictions, commitments or limitations that would significantly affect

the availability of fund resources for future use. Capital assets have continued to increase as new

investments continue to be made to upgrade and replace necessary infrastructure and facilities.”23

Droughts and Heat Events: During the 2013-18 drought, the District coordinated water related actions

with the County of Santa Barbara, Goleta Water District, City of Santa Barbara and Montecito Water

District in order to ameliorate water shortage issues along the South Coast. The group – A Joint Powers

Authority - coordinated the implementation of several key infrastructure projects to permit the

diminished volume of Lake Cachuma to remain a viable aquatic habitat while permitting the conveyance

of imported water to South Coast communities.

Locally, the District has worked to prepare infrastructure for possible short-term electricity reduction by

installing and upgrading generators. The District plans to continue this effort. The installation of

Foothill Reservoir was partially undertaken to provide additional water storage when external water

supplies are curtailed. The District is also exploring the development of an advanced treatment facility

at the Carpinteria Sanitary District’s facilities for injection of purified wastewater into the Carpinteria

groundwater basin for the purpose of potable reuse. This would increase local resilience during drought

events.

Sea Level Rise: As noted, the District has little infrastructure directly impacted by SLR and possesses no

regulatory responsibility for land use decisions within its jurisdiction. The District will rely on the City of

Carpinteria and County of Santa Barbara for guidance and leadership. The City has a comprehensive

plan for addressing SRL and the District supports these actions. In addition, the County has undertaken

a comprehensive assessment of vulnerabilities associated with SLR24.

Pattern and Severity of Precipitation: During the January 2018 storm event, the District lost

infrastructure it believed to be outside the hazard area. The District has begun a review of

infrastructure in hazard areas and will develop a comprehensive plan to overcome these shortcomings

as part of its Hazard Mitigation Plan update.

23 Carpinteria Valley Water District 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for Fiscal Years Ended June 30, 2017 and 2016 24 County of Santa Barbara Coastal Resilience Project 2017 “Sea Level Rise and Coastal Hazards Vulnerability Assessment”.


41

Wildfires: During the 2017 Thomas fire, several pieces of equipment were lost to wildfire. The District

has plans to fireproof outbuildings and equipment in order to reduce potential losses and concomitant

service interruptions. The fireproofing upgrades include a new roof and fireproof control structure at

Gobernador reservoir and fireproofing the Shepard Mesa pump station and generator.

3.4 Risk and Onset

Frequency and Duration of Droughts and Heat Events: There appears to be no doubt that temperatures

have increased globally since the late 19th century. It can be understood that temperatures in the

Carpinteria area have increased despite insufficient temperature data to identify such a change.

Drought is an ever-present and ongoing threat to the District’s sources of supply. Drought in Northern

California threatens the availability of State Water. A more localized drought impacts Lake Cachuma

supplies and groundwater.

Risk: High

Onset: Continuous

Sea Level Rise: Evidence points to higher mean sea levels in the Santa Barbara area including

Carpinteria. The current impacts appears to be minimal, and indeed hard to ascertain from periodic

storm surges and high tides. However, the projected effects of SLR have the potential to be more

significant for coastal areas in the District including the lower Linden area. The creeping nature of the

crisis provides the District with time to work with the City of Carpinteria and the County of Santa

Barbara to manage the effects and protect infrastructure over time.

Risk: Moderate

Onset: 30 to 60 years

Pattern and Severity of Precipitation: Precipitation variation is not uncommon in the Carpinteria area.

The orthographic effect on rainfall can magnify rainfall locally, resulting in flooding and erosion. This

impact will continue to occur in the Valley and has the potential to impact the District’s facilities near

flood zones and its ability to provide safe and reliable water.

Risk: High

Onset: Continuous

Wildfire: The December 2017 Thomas fire appears to have reduced short-term risks associated with

wildfire in the immediate Carpinteria area. However, wildfire in the Santa Ynez River Valley has the

potential to severely degrade District water supplies. With re-vegetation already underway in the

Valley, District facilities are at risk. The District must act to take advantage of relatively low risks and

prepare infrastructure improvements in preparation for this eventuality.

Risk: Moderate to High


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Onset: 10-15 years (locally); continuous (regionally)

3.5 Adaptation Strategies

In order to ameliorate the potential impacts associated with climate change, the District must also work

to reduce it GHG emissions. Local sources – either groundwater or Lake Cachuma water – require less

energy inputs than State Water, thereby reducing GHG emissions. In addition, local sources can provide

significant drought protection, if planned and utilized sustainably. The principal key adaptation strategy

for the District, therefore, is “Prioritize Local Water”.

One key element of “Local Water” is water conservation, which is the most economical water supply in

terms of energy input and sustainability. The Carpinteria Valley Water District is committed to reducing

per-capita demand among its customers and meeting its SB X7-7 2020 target goal of 117 gallons per

capita per day. The target goal was derived from the District’s established baseline consumption of 136

gallons per capital per day (gpcd).

The District has a number of programs and rebates to help customers and the District achieve water

savings, meet the SB X7-7 2020 target goal and maintain the District’s long-term supplies. Some of

these programs are coordinated with regional partners including the Santa Barbara County Regional

Water Efficiency Program (RWEP), Cachuma Resource Conservation District (CRCD), California Water

Efficiency Partnership (CalWEP), other local water providers and community partners on joint endeavors

to maximize funding, outreach and resources.

Table 5 identifies the programs, rebates and resources supported and provided by the District.

Of course, water conservation can only go so far, and water needs – for people and agriculture – must

be met in an environment of dwindling supplies. It is anticipated that annual allocations from the

Cachuma Project will decline in the future, as programs to protect endangered species will require more

water from the Lake. Additionally, supplies from the State Water Project are also expected to decrease,

with long-term allocations averaging ~ 60%25. The anticipated climate change induced reduction in

Sierra snowpack will likely reduce this reliability. A solution – although expensive – could be purified

recycled wastewater injected in the groundwater basin sometimes referred to as an Indirect Potable

Reuse Project (IPR).

Recycled water has long been considered a viable water resource for beneficial use in the Carpinteria

Valley. In 1992 the Carpinteria Sanitary District considered upgrading its treatment plant to a tertiary

treatment plant to reclaim water for beneficial use. At the time, several funding opportunities seemed

promising but in the end, did not materialize. In 2014 after three years of very dry weather and high-

water demands, CVWD along with Carpinteria Sanitary District and the City of Carpinteria began to

reconsider the possibility of a recycle water project in Carpinteria. A Facilities Plan was completed

analyzing the feasibility of a project. The Plan identified a project in which about ~1,100 AF of municipal

wastewater could be reclaimed and treated to an advanced level. This purified water from the advanced

water purification facility could then be injected into the local groundwater basin where it ultimately

would be used for water supply. This project titled the Carpinteria Advance Purification Project (CAPP)

25 California Department of Water Resources 2018 “The State Water Project Draft Delivery Capability Report 2017” p. 21


43

has been developed in 2019 through CEQA and Preliminary Design phases. It is expected that the final

design will be completed in 2021 and construction, pending funding, will begin in 2022.

Table 5: Water Conservation Programs Provided by CVWD

Recycled water is energy intensive, however. The electricity use for a 1,100 acre-foot system are

projected to be ~ 1,930 kWh per acre-foot produced –While not as much as the energy use associated

with State Water of 3,382 kWh per acre-foot delivered – is substantially higher than GHG form

groundwater production or imported Cachuma Project water. The energy inputs for CAPP could be

offset through a CCE portfolio focused on 100% carbon free energy sources.

Agriculture Mobile Lab Irrigation Evaluation1 X

Gardening and Landscaping Resources X X X

Gray Water Information X

Green Business Program2 X

Green Gardener Program2 X X X

High Efficiency Toilet Rebate X X X

High Efficiency Clothes Washer Rebate X X X

Irrigation Management System and Information X X X X

Rain Barrel Rebate X X X

Rain Shut-off Sensor X X X

Weather Based Irrigation Controller Rebate X X X

Laundry to Landscape Retrofit Components Rebate X X X

Lodging2 X

Restaurant Serve Water Upon Request Table Tent X

School Education2 X

Water Wise Garden Contest2 X

Water Wise High School Video Contest2 X

WaterWise Landscape Rebate X X X

Water Saving Survey X X X

1 Partnership with Cachuma Resource Conservation District2 Partnership with Santa Barbara County Regional Water Efficiency Program

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Conservation Rebates, Programs,

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44

A local recycled water project has the benefit of providing a new water supply that is not vulnerable to

drought, conveyance failure, capacity limitations, or competition and prioritizes local water sources. The

project would add public value creating an environmentally friendly water supply, which improves

groundwater sustainability and groundwater quality, and enhances the overall water supply reliability to

the Carpinteria Valley. Carpinteria is at high risk of water supply shortages driven both by drought and

changes to water supply reliability. Recycled water is an available local reliable supply that has been

determined to be feasible in Carpinteria. Other alternatives are available – purchased water on the open

market, for example - but do not provide the benefits that recycle water does and are costlier and

subject to conveyance restriction during peak utilization. If the project is implemented, then the GHG

production from the CAPP will be evaluated and goals will be set to reduce GHGs in line with the set

target.

A second adaptation strategy addressing climate vulnerability and GHG emissions could be expressed as

“Lose Less”. Water loss – through waste usage or leaking infrastructure – is energy waste and

vulnerability enhancing. Improving infrastructure – to prevent lost facilities due to wildfires or water

loss from damaged hydrants and mains during mudslides or floods – reduces energy use in the long

terms and lowers the District’s GHG emissions. Planned capital projects to fireproof the Gobernador

reservoir cover and the Shepard Mesa pump station will keep these facilities operating during crises

events and reduce water loss. Similarly, the District’s plan to install flow-check valves on fire hydrants in

hazard prone areas will also reduce water loss and energy use.

The necessary behavioral changes identified in the Emissions Inventory can help prevent loses as well.

Idling vehicles, unnecessary lighting and heating and indiscriminate garbage generation can also be

understood as lost energy and wasteful. The District’s plan to improve fleet mileage with newer vehicles

is important, but so too is the need to maintain vehicles and extend service life. The same can be said

for anything the District purchases – whether it be for the office or the distribution system.


45

4.0 CAP Update Process

In order to achieve GHG emission reductions, the District will need to continually monitor relevant

energy and GHG production relative to goals and targets. This will require dedicated staff hours and new

data assembly techniques with respect to diesel fuel use and solid waste generation. Meeting goals and

objectives for GHG reduction will become a regular activity within the District. The CAP is prepared on

behalf of the Carpinteria Valley Water District and will be implemented by District Staff with assistance

when needed from outside consultants at the direction of the General Manager. The adopted plan is a

planning document and is subject to revision as information changes or is clarified. However, the Plan

also acts as a policy document, directing the General Manager to dedicate resources to meeting the

goals set forth in the Plan. Once adopted, the implementation of the Strategies is the responsibility of

the General Manager.

4.1 Monitoring, Evaluating, Updating the Plan

The District’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) will be reviewed by District staff annually, during the regular

budget cycle. This plan will be re-evaluated whenever a proposed emission reduction strategy has been

accomplished or when climate risks change and in 2025 and every 5 years after. Updated targets and

emissions data and status of implementation will be available every other year when the Climate Action

Progress Update is completed. The next Climate Action Progress Update will be completed in August of

2021.

CAP updates will be undertaken in the following manner:

• Assemble GHG emission data;

• Comparison to baseline year data and projections;

• Review and revise emission reduction strategies;

• Prepare and disseminate draft plan to the update committee and Board of Directors;

• Submit plan local agencies for review and comment;

• Submit revised draft plan for review by the Board of Directors;

CAP Progress Updates will report to the Board of Directors and the Public:

• Which strategies have fully or partially been implemented,

• What the calculated reduction of GHG resulting from the implemented strategy

• What the total District GHG production for the previous two years was

• Whether the District is on track for its 2030 goal.

4.2 Public Involvement

The adopted CAP will be posted on the District’s website along with reduction targets and contact

information. Public comments to the plan will be received on a continuous basis and reviewed by staff

and responded to in Appendix B of the plan for this cycle and every year after. Appendix B will be

updated and posted on the website in December each year. The Climate Action Progress Report and

CAP Updates will be publicly noticed, and a public hearing will be held prior to adopting any changes


46

CAP or finalizing the Progress Report. Each year as part of the budget process (January through April),

the District will take the opportunity to advance its preferred implementation strategies. Information

regarding these strategies will be included in regular Rate and Budget Committee meetings and Board

meetings.

5.0 Plan Development and Authorization

This plan was developed in the following manner:

• Plan Preparation

- Coordinate planning team members

- Determine goals and objectives

- Establish expectations and timelines

• Plan Development

- Review / validate / revise existing conditions (Emissions Inventory and Climate

Vulnerability)

- Develop and review reduction goals

- Identify mitigation actions and projects (Mitigation)

• Plan Finalization

- Review the plan

- Approve the plan

- Adopt and disseminate the plan

5.1 Planning Team

The District’s plan was developed by District Staff with guidance from the Board of Directors. The

primary work team was:

Name Position / Title

Bob McDonald, PE, MPA District General Manager

Alex Keuper, PhD Administrative Analyst


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5.2 Inter-Agency Coordination

The District has consulted numerous agencies plans in this plan’s development. These plans include:

Agency Key Information

City of Carpinteria Sea Level Rise

Vulnerability Assessment and

Adaptation Project 2019

Vulnerability identification

San Diego County Final CAP 2018 Plan structure / mitigation

City of Morro Bay Final Climate Action Plan 2014 Plan structure / mitigation

County of Santa Barbara Energy and Climate Action

Plan 2015

Vulnerability identification

City of Santa Barbara Cater Treatment Operations

5.3 Promulgation Authority

This CAP was reviewed and approved by the elected members of the Carpinteria Valley Water District

Board of Directors:

Mr. Matthew Roberts, Board President

Involvement in CAP: President, Carpinteria Valley Water District Board of Directors

Ms. Shirley L. Johnson, Board Vice-President

Involvement in CAP: Vice-President, Carpinteria Valley Water District Board of Directors

Ms. Korey L. Capozza, Director

Involvement in CAP: Director, Carpinteria Valley Water District Board of Directors

Ms. Polly Holcombe, Director


Mr. Case Van Wingerden, Director


Mr. Robert McDonald, P.E, MPA, General Manager

Involvement in CAP: General Manager, Carpinteria Valley Water District Board of Directors


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APPENDIX A

DISTRICT EMISSIONS INVENTORY

DATA AND METHODOLOGY

Carpinteria Valley Water District: Energy / Waste Inventory 12/19/2019

U.S. Community Protocol for Accounting and Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions published by ICLEI USA (referred to as the ICLEI Community Protocol)

Direct District ActionsElectricity Facility / Fleet ID Data Source Date Type FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2030

Administration / Maintenance Buildings Edison meter: 87 kWh 51,307 44,124 40,947 39,551 41,956 39,864 3986.4Shepard Mesa Tank Edison meter: 91 kWh 1,918 1,905 1,908 1,886 1,638 1,543 154.3Ortega Chlorination Building Edison meter: 86 kWh 0 0 0 0 0

TOTAL 53,225 46,029 42,855 41,437 43,594 41,407 4,141

Conversion to MTCO2e 2012a 0.000340 MTCO2e per kWh 18.10 15.65 14.57 14.09 14.82 14.08 1.412017b 0.000232 MTCO2e per kWh 12.35 10.68 9.94 9.62 10.12 9.61 0.96

* MTCO2e = metric tons carbon dioxide equivalent

Sources:a 2012 City of Huntington Beach "General Plan Update" Table 3, page 8b 2018 Edison Electric Institute "ESG/Sustainability Template – Section 2: Quantitative Information for Southern California Edison", page 3

(Electricity use for lighting / heating of facilities)

Converting kWh to MTCO2e* requires understanding the general mix of electicity generating facilities owned by Southern California Edison and from facilities SCE purchases energy from. The conversion factors used are for the closest dates available.



Direct District ActionsNatural Gas Facility / Fleet ID Data Source Date Type FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2030

Administration / Maintenance Buildings SoCal Gas meter: 031 Therms 865 605 780 1366 117Administrative Building SoCal Gas meter: 084 Therms 111 111Maintenance Building SoCal Gas meter: 031 Therms 41 41

TOTAL 152 152

Conversion to CO2ec 5.306 kg CO2 / therm 4589.69 3210.13 4138.68 7247.996 620.802 806.512 806.512

0.0005 kg NH4 / therm 0.4325 0.3025 0.39 0.683 0.0585 0.076 0.07628 kg CO2e 12.11 8.47 10.92 19.124 1.638 2.128 2.128

0.00001 kg N2O / therm 0.00865 0.00605 0.0078 0.01366 0.00117 0.00152 0.00152265 kg CO2e 2.29 1.60 2.07 3.62 0.31 0.40 0.40

TOTAL CO2e 4604.09 3220.20 4151.67 7270.74 622.75 809.04 809.04Conversion to MTCO2e TOTAL MTCO2e 4.60 3.22 4.15 7.27 0.62 0.81 0.81

Sources:c 2015 IPCC Fifth Assessment; 2019 US EPA https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse‐gases‐equivalencies‐calculator‐calculations‐and‐references

(Natural gas use for heating facilities)

Burning natural gas releases GHGs in three forms: carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Methane and nitrous oxide differ in terms of the atmospheric heating potential and must be converted to carbon dioxide equivalents. This is done using standard conversion factors developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).



Direct District ActionsOn‐Road Transportation Facility / Fleet ID Data Source FY 2014 FY 2019 FY 2030(Miles driven) Fleet Vehicles ‐ District Use Vehicle mileage miles 80,427 59,375 47,500

Fleet Vehicles ‐ Commuting Use Vehicle mileage miles 33,053 16,092 12,874Caterpillar 246B Vehicle use hours 80 80 64Caterpillar 420D Vehicle use hours 481 460 414

(Miles driven) Personal Vehicles ‐ Commuting Use Survey of staff miles 77,082 136,190 108,952

Vehicles miles to GHG (Fleet)d TOTAL MTCO2e 41 24 19Vehicles miles to GHG (Staff)d TOTAL MTCO2e 28 44 35

Vehicle hours to GHGe TOTAL MTCO2e 11 10 8

Sources: d 2019 California Air Resources Board EMFAC2017 (v1.0.2) Emissions Inventory tool. https://www.arb.ca.gov/emfac/2017/e 2014 Caterpillar Performance Handbook #44 "Estimating Owning and Operating Costs" pages 13 and 20; 2014 US EPA Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks 1990‐2012

Fleet vehicle miles were obtained from District records and estimates of annual miles based on service schedules. Personal vehicle miles were determined by a survey of District staff regarding trip miles and vehicle driven. Values for employees no longer with the District were estimated from employee records. Miles driven were then converted to GHG using the EMFAC2017 (v1.0.2) Emissions Inventory tool for the South Central Coast Air Basin for the two years that data were available.

Hourly run data for equipment were derived from service records. Diesel use was estimated under low load conditions using manufacturers data and EPA estimates of GHG production per gallon of diesel used.



Direct District ActionsWater Production and Pumping Facility / Fleet ID Data Source Date Type FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2030(Electrical use for water production) Headquarters well Edison meter: 26 kWh 263,994 1,293,842 1,321,698 759,039 643,982 631,561 568,405

El Carro well Edison meter: 84 kWh 333,703 562,451 929,518 513,142 564,801 425,556 383,000Smillie well Edison meter: 96 kWh 699 1,022 26,616 286,132 217,389 142,012 127,811Lyons well Edison meter: 05 kWh 4,725 1,722 1,505 1,375 1,432 1,265 1,139Foothill Reservoir Edison meter: 72 kWh 145,963 444,717 755,610 412,285 435,610 338,390 304,551Gobernador Reservoir Edison meter: 64 kWh 68,215 68,806 71,018 37,013 9,208 10,454 9,409Shepard Mesa Pump Station Edison meter: 90 kWh 52,074 43,796 45,783 41,172 60,672 45,528 40,975Carpinteria Reservoir Edison meter: 97 kWh 252,440 177,560 212,705 198,794 251,141 208,375 187,538

TOTAL kWh 1,121,813 2,593,916 3,364,453 2,248,952 2,184,235 1,803,141 1,622,827

Conversion to MTCO2e 2012a 0.000340 MTCO2e per kWh 381.42 881.93 1,143.91 764.64 742.64 613.07 551.762017b 0.000232 MTCO2e per kWh 260.32 601.92 780.72 521.87 506.85 418.42 235.31

a 2012 City of Huntington Beach "General Plan Update" Table 3, page 8b 2018 Edison Electric Institute "ESG/Sustainability Template – Section 2: Quantitative Information for Southern California Edison", page 3 / Estimates for 2030 assume @50% renewable energy portfolio.

Converting kWh to MTCO2e requires understanding the general mix of electicity generating facilities owned by Southern California Edison and from facilities SCE purchases energy from. The conversion factors used are for the closest dates available.



Direct District ActionsWater Production and Pumping Facility / Fleet ID Data Source Date Type FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2030(Diesel use for water production) Headquarters well

Caterpillar 3406 BHP 599 Diesel generator: hours 3.5 12.6 3.8 21.4 32.9 5.2 10.0gallons / hourf 9 9 9 9 9 9 6.5gallons 31.5 113.4 34.2 192.6 296.1 46.8 65.0

Foothill ReservoirDetroit Diesel 6063HV35 BHP 685 Diesel generator: hours 12.6 15.8 39.3 13.1 26.5 13.9 15

gallons / hour 10 10 10 10 10 10 6.5gallons 126 158 393 131 265 139 97.5

Shepard Mesa Pump Stationpre 2017 Caterpillar 3208 BHP 230 Diesel generator: hours 10.2 11.6 10.7

gallons / hour 3.8 3.8 3.8gallons 38.76 44.08 40.66

post 2017 Perkins‐Caterpillar C4.4 BHP 161 Diesel generator: hours 7.5 23.6 25.8 22.0gallons / hour 3 3 3 2.5gallons 22.5 70.8 77.4 55.0

Carpinteria ReservoirCummins QSL‐62 BHP 538 Diesel generator: hours 19.1 19 61.8 20.7 85.2 25.6 30.0

gallons / hour 8 8 8 8 8 8 6.5gallons 152.8 152 494.4 165.6 681.6 204.8 195.0

Administration / Maintenance back upCaterpillar Olympian D20L2 Diesel generator: hours 19.4 22.1 12.3 26.1 26.1 26.1 22.0

gallons / hour 1 1 1 1 1 1 0.9gallons 19.4 22.1 12.3 26.1 26.1 26.1 19.8

TOTAL hours 64.8 81.1 127.9 88.8 194.3 96.6 99.0TOTAL gallons diesel 368.46 489.58 974.56 537.8 1339.6 494.1 432.3

Conversion to MTCO2e gallons diesel to MTCO2eg TOTAL MTCO2e 3.79 5.04 10.03 5.54 13.79 5.09 4.45

Sources:f 2019 Global Power Supply, https://www.globalpwr.com/power‐calculator/g 2014 US EPA Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks 1990‐2012

Hours of operation for diesel generators was obtained from District records. Estimates for fuel consumption were derived from an online calculator under various load conditions. Most usage was for testing purposes, so a low load condition was selected for analysis. Conversion from gallons diesel to GHG was done using the EPA conversion factors.

(Diesel use unaccounted for elsewhere)



Direct District ActionsSolid Waste Generation Facility / Fleet ID Data Source Date Type FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019 FY 2030

Administrative dumpsters yards 39 39 31Operations T&T billing yards 150 50 45

TOTAL yards 189 89 76TOTAL poundsh 45360 21360 18240

Conversion to MTCO2e pounds to MTCO2ei TOTAL MTCO2e 65.09 30.65 26.17

Sources:h 2019 Solid Waste.com https://www.solidwaste.com/doc/bolton‐on‐landfill‐management‐converting‐cubi‐0001i 2019 US EPA https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse‐gases‐equivalencies‐calculator‐calculations‐and‐references

TOTAL MTCO2e ‐ DIRECT DISTRICT ACTIONS MTCO2e % MTCO2e % MTCO2e %Electricity Administration / Operations 18.10 3.3% 9.61 1.8% 0.96 0.3%

Water Production and Pumping 381.42 69.0% 418.42 77.1% 235.31 71.2%Natural Gas 4.60 0.8% 0.81 0.1% 0.81 0.2%On‐Road Transportation Fleet 41.18 7.5% 23.51 4.3% 18.81 5.7%

Personal 27.66 5.0% 44.31 8.2% 35.45 10.7%Diesel ‐ All Sources 14.60 2.6% 15.48 2.9% 12.77 3.9%Solid Waste 65.09 11.8% 30.65 5.6% 26.17 7.9%

TOTAL MTCO2e 552.66 542.80 330.28

FY 2019FY 2014 FY 2030

Data regarding the total number of bins ordered and yardage of bins was obtained from District billing records and via email from waste haulers in 2019. Recycled office material and asphalt and concrete were not included in the analysis. An estimate of gross weight per yard of waste was obtained from a waste industry website. Weight values were then converted to GHG based on US EPA lifecycle estimates.



Direct District ActionsExternal Emissions GenerationElectricity Facility / Fleet ID Data Source Date Type FY 2014j FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019j

(Electricity ‐ Water Treatment) Cater Treatment Plan ‐ City of Santa Barbara kWh per AF treated 156 144 173 143 165 156AF water to CVWDk 4,336 1,857 1,171 1,879 2,469 2,212

TOTAL kWh 676,416 267,819 202,106 268,967 406,958 345,072

Conversion to MTCO2e 2012a 0.000340 MTCO2e per kWh 229.98 91.06 68.72 91.45 138.37 117.322017b 0.000232 MTCO2e per kWh 156.96 62.15 46.90 62.41 94.43 80.07

j extrapolated date (arithmetic mean)k acre feet of water treated at Cater as recorded by the Cachuma Operations and Maintenance Board / CVWD records

Electricity Facility / Fleet ID Data Source Date Type FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016 FY 2017 FY 2018 FY 2019(Electricity ‐ pumping) State Water Project kWh per AFl 3,382 3,382 3,382 3,382 3,382 3,382

AF water to CVWDm 846 797 113 1,489 1,304 1,430

TOTAL kWh 2,861,172 2,695,454 382,166 5,035,798 4,410,128 4,836,260

Conversion to MTCO2e Estimated value 0.000327 MTCO2e per kWhn 935.60 881.41 124.97 1,646.71 1,442.11 1,581.46

m acre feet of water as recorded by the Central Coast Water Authority / CVWD recordsn S Johnson Woodard and Curran 2019 personal communication

TOTAL MTCO2e ‐ EXTERNAL EMISSIONS GENERATION MTCO2e % MTCO2e %MTCO2e Cater Water Treatment 229.98 19.7% 80.07 5.3%


TOTAL MTCO2e 1,165.58 1,522.18

FY 2014 FY 2019

Converting kWh to MTCO2e requires understanding the general mix of electicity generating facilities owned by Southern California Edison and from facilities SCE purchases energy from. The conversion factors used are for the closest dates available.

l R Morrow WSC Inc. 2019 personal communication (Santa Ynez pump station); California Department of Water Resources 2019 "Bulletin 132 ‐ 17 " p B‐20 Table 7 (State Water); City of Santa Barbara 2019 (water treatment)

The California Department of Resoures established an estimate of kWh for each acre‐foot of water delivered to various areas of the State. For Santa Barbara County, the 5‐year average was 2,826 kWh per AF. Added to this was an estimate of electricity use at the Polonio Pass water treatments facility ‐ based on the Cater treatment use data above (156 kWh per acre‐foot average). Finally, electricity use at the Santa Ynez pumping facility was estimated to be 400 kWh per acre‐foot. Total = 3,382 kWh per acre‐foot.


57

APPENDIX B

PUBLIC COMMENT


58

Mike Wondolowski, email 12-13-2019

• use energy more efficiently • transition to energy sources and products and services that do not release greenhouse gases • implement existing and novel technologies and practices to remove and store CO2 from the

atmosphere • adapt to unavoidable changes

Source: https://www.agu.org/Share-and-Advocate/Share/Policymakers/Position-Statements/Position_Climate

District Response: Thank you for your comment. While this is a concise statement and generally

describes the planned activities of the CVWD CAP, point number thee is generally beyond the scope and

purview of the CVWD with the exception of providing plants where practical on District facilities to

sequester carbon. This was added to the plan on page 18. Simplicity is a goal of the CAP however a plan

must have measurable actions and measurable goals which may ultimately require some complex

metrics.

https://www.agu.org/Share-and-Advocate/Share/Policymakers/Position-Statements/Position_Climate

Documents

CARPINTERIA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT CLIMATE ACTION PLAN · Carpinteria Valley Water District Climate Action Plan 12/18/2019 2 1.0 Carpinteria Valley Water District The Carpinteria Valley