Overview
The Inyo County Water Commission is an advisory panel to the Inyo County Board of Supervisors. The Commission, which is appointed by the Board of Supervisors, consists of five members who reside in Inyo County. Members of the Commission need not have particular professional training, skills, or experience, but they should have knowledge of the problems and issues arising from the extraction and use of the water resources of the Owens Valley and Inyo County.
The County’s Water Policy (Resolution 99-43) establishes the Commission’s responsibilities:
- Remain informed and educated about issues relating to water resources.
- Conduct meetings to inform and educate the public about, and to solicit public opinion on, all issues, decisions, projects, programs and activities arising out of, or associated with, the Agreement, the 1991 Final Environmental Impact Report for water management, the Memorandum of Understanding, and the transfer and transport of water regulated by Ordinance No. 1004.
- Continuously review implementation of the Agreement, the FEIR, the MOU, and any transfer or transport of water regulated by Ordinance No. 1004 and submit periodic written recommendations or advice to this Board, together with reports on the views of the public, concerning issues, decisions, projects, programs and activities arising out of, or associated with, the implementation of the Agreement, the FEIR, the MOU, and any transfer or transport of water regulated by Ordinance No. 1004. At least every six months, the commission shall submit written recommendations, advice and reports to the Board, and/or present such recommendations, advice and reports to the Board at a workshop.
- Evaluate, the hydrogeological and related environmental impacts of any proposed transfer or transport of water regulated by Ordinance 1004, and based upon the evaluation, identify and develop recommended mitigation measures, project conditions, a monitoring, groundwater management and/or reporting program, and proposed findings, and submit these recommendations to the County Planning Commission.
- Serve, as required by Section 15.12.040 of the Inyo County Code, as the environmental review board and lead environmental agency for the purpose of the California Environmental Quality Act on all projects permitted, carried out, approved, funded or processed by the Water Department. Such projects include, but are not limited to, the Lower Owens River Project, enhancement/mitigation projects undertaken pursuant to the Long Term Agreement, mitigation projects adopted in the FEIR, groundwater pumping by the City of Los Angeles under the Long Term Agreement, and salt cedar control, other invasive plant control, and weed control undertaken pursuant to the Long Term Agreement. The environmental responsibilities of the Commission do not include serving as the environmental review board or lead agency in regard to the issuance of a conditional use permit pursuant to Ordinance 1004, the release of any land pursuant to the Long Term Agreement, the rehabilitation and development of parks pursuant to the Long Term Agreement, or the transfer of town water systems under the Long Term Agreement.
- Conduct meetings, as may be requested by this Board, inform and educate the public about, and to solicit public opinion on, water resource issues and decisions which arise outside of the Agreement, the FEIR, and the MOU.
- Submit, as may be requested by this Board, recommendations or advice, together with reports on the views of the public, concerning water resource issues and decisions which arise outside of the Agreement, the FEIR, the MOU and Ordinance 1004.
- Designate two members of the commission to serve on the Standing Committee.
- The responsibilities of the Water Commission do not extend to the implementation of the provisions of the Agreement for the Transfer of the Town Water Systems (Section XI) the Release of City Owned Lands (Section XV), nor to the implementation of provisions of the Agreement for Park Rehabilitation, Development, and Maintenance (Section XIV. B). These responsibilities are delegated to other commissions and departments of the County as set forth in the County’s Water Policy. For informational purposes, the Water Commission is to receive copies of any status reports concerning these activities that may be presented to the Board of Supervisors.