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Advisory board reviews Blackwater MID scoping update and seeks extension, consultants for drought resilience planning
Summary
The board reviewed an updated Blackwater Engineering scoping study on MID water allocation and discussed legal review of an MOU. The drought task force also discussed a Department of Water Resources grant extension to April 30, 2026, selected Mark Thomas as the on-call consultant, and prioritized outreach and small-water-system planning.
Sam Servini presented a second-draft Mariposa County MID settlement water-allocation scoping study prepared by Blackwater Engineering and dated February 2025. The updated draft expands sections on fish hatcheries and groundwater infiltration that advisory-board members had requested. Staff said the draft could move to final if members did not request substantive additions; selecting a project from the scoping study would trigger a feasibility study with additional budget needs.
Members asked whether the scoping phase is closed and whether Blackwater expects comments; staff responded that additional edits consume scoping funds and recommended limiting edits to substantive items. Board members also discussed an MOU and legal review: the county plans to retain outside counsel recommended by Art Baggett to review the MID settlement proposal; counsel retention and review were described as likely to take roughly 60 days.
The board next reconvened as the drought and water shortage task force to consider county drought-resilience planning assistance. Staff reported they will request an extension from the Department of Water Resources to April 30, 2026, adding roughly ten months to the grant period because of a delay between award letter and contract execution. Due to an engineering vacancy, the county will use outside consultants for plan development; Mark Thomas (company name) was identified as the contractor to serve on-call and to recommend subcontractors or partners as needed.
Members stressed outreach and engagement—four in-person local meetings were noted under the grant—and suggested partnering with the Sierra Nevada Conservancy or Sierra Foothill Conservancy for outreach. The task force asked that the resiliency plan account for small water systems, private wells, and larger public systems in Wawona and Yosemite West; Yosemite National Park staff offered to provide subject-matter experts for local operational and wildfire-response priorities.
Staff said Bartle Wells is completing a rate study and will present budget data in future hearings. The task force flagged the need to assemble dry-well/drought data and indicated further work and public hearings will be scheduled as the plan and feasibility work progress.
