Carmel River pumping cut-backs problem for local water supply

Monterey County water officials have been wrestling for some time to comply with a state order to cut back pumping from the Carmel River. Now, those agencies are asking for more time to get the job done.

The Carmel River Basin is a critical source of water for the Monterey Peninsula, providing about 2/3rds of the water we use. But pumping cut backs would mean significant changes.

“Most businesses would not have water, and the economic impact is in the order, estimated to be in the order of a billion dollars a year,” said Jim Cullem, the Executive Director with the Monterey Peninsula Regional Water Authority.

In 2009, the state had stepped in and issued a cease a desist order, requiring local agencies to replace the water supplies that are pumped from the river by January of 2017.

“Unfortunately, what we use today is about twice what the legal right is. So what the state is saying is not to get off completely, but get down to your legal water rights, which is about 3,300 acre feet,” said Dave Stoldt, the General Manager with the Monterey Peninsula Water Management District.

Currently, about 8,000 acre feet of water is pumped annually from the river. For perspective, an acre foot is a football field under about a foot of water.

Local agencies are now asking for a 5-year extension to the cease and desist order. This extension would allow them to find alternative to pumping, and two projects are underway. These plans include a desalination facility, which would purify ocean water. And the second would recycle waste water and pump it back into the ground for future use.

“And we just need time, the environmental work isn’t done, the construction hasn’t started, and obviously we can’t make a January 1st, 2017 deadline,” said Stoldt.

These two projects will benefit the river, allowing it to flow more freely, helping endangered wildlife. Plus, ongoing water conservation efforts have proven helpful as well.

“So every year we’ve seen a decrease in the amount of water use, if we keep that up we don’t have to replace as much water and the pumping on the river goes down naturally,” said Stoldt.

Moving forward, the state will decide on the 5-year extension request.