Conjunctive Use Agreements. This Agreement also will not become effective unless and until YCWA executes Conjunctive Use Agreements with a sufficient number of YCWA’s Member Units so that YCWA can meet its obligations under this Agreement and the 2007 Water Purchase Agreement. YCWA will advise the other parties to this Agreement in writing when these agreements have been executed.
Conjunctive Use Agreements. This Agreement also will not become effective unless and until YCWA executes Conjunctive Use Agreements with a sufficient number of YCWA’s Member Units so that YCWA can meet its obligations under this Agreement and Water Purchase Agreement. However, YCWA may determine that it does not need to execute any Conjunctive Use Agreements for this Fisheries Agreement to become effective, and that YCWA instead will execute agreements with Member Units for the Groundwater Substitution Program at later dates, as necessary for that program. YCWA will advise the other parties to this Agreement in writing when either a sufficient number of Conjunctive Use Agreements have been executed, or YCWA has determined that it does not need to execute any Conjunctive Use Agreements, for this Fisheries Agreement to become effective.
Conjunctive Use Agreements. This Technical Brief summarizes the essential points of the Fisheries Agreement. For more information on the other agreements comprising the Yuba Accord, please visit xxx.xxxx.xxx. The Fisheries Agreement is the result of two years of science-based efforts by fisheries and environmental interests and local, state, and federal agencies. It will require Yuba County Water Agency (YCWA) to operate the Yuba River Development Project (Yuba Project) in a new manner to maintain instream flows in the lower Yuba River specified in seven different flow schedules based on different water year types. These flows are designed to provide a level of protection for anadromous fish in the lower Yuba River equal to or better than current requirements. When coupled with additional flows released as part of the Water Purchase Agreement and other restoration actions, the Fisheries Agreement will provide a significantly improved level of protection for Yuba River fisheries resources. FISHERIES AGREEMENT IMPLEMENTATION Instream Flow Schedules The Fisheries Agreement instream flow requirements for the lower Yuba River will be based on a new water year index (the North Yuba Index1) specific to the Yuba Accord and the Fisheries Agreement. Six flow schedules, plus Conference Year rules for 1-in-100 critically dry years, were developed to ensure appropriate river flows for the various hydrologic year classes, as presented in Table 1. Based on the 78-year hydrologic period of record for the lower Yuba River, the approximate probability of occurrence of each flow schedule is shown in Table 2. YCWA also will provide an additional 30,000 acre-feet of water not shown in Table 1 during Schedule 6 years by operating a groundwater substitution program through the Conjunctive Use Agreements. Through the Yuba Accord, YCWA will provide payments to participating local irrigation districts/mutual water companies to offset standby and operating costs associated with making groundwater available in the driest year classes. This operation will be consistent with YCWA’s Groundwater Management Plan and within the safe yield of the groundwater aquifer. (Please see the Conjunctive Use Agreements Technical Brief for additional information.)
