DPC January 21, 2021 meeting – Agenda Item 6 (Executive Director Report)

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Delta Protection Commission Meeting January 21, 2021

AGENDA ITEM 6: Executive Director report

Prepared by: Erik Vink Presented by: Erik Vink

Requested Action: Receive report

Type of Action: Information Only

Commission Update

Delta Conveyance Project: Commission staff continue to meet with Department of Water Resources (DWR) Delta Conveyance Office staff on the status of their Environmental Impact Report (EIR) studies. January’s meeting included discussion of the proposed Community Benefit Program (CBP). Commission staff continue to urge completion of additional recreation surveys (such as counts to determine current usage and access points) in the spring of 2021, as well as the status of DWR’s Davis-Dolwig Act recreation planning associated with tunnel design.

Staff also continues to attend the Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority (DCA) Board and Stakeholder Engagement Committee (SEC) meetings, where recent discussions have focused on the proposed Community Benefit Program and detailed engineering information on the proposed Bethany Complex alternative. Fieldwork for the soil investigations has concluded for the season, and some traffic counts have been completed, although pandemic-related restrictions have impacted the work. The EIR is winding down the “Project Definition” phase, and a draft EIR is currently projected for mid-2022.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is the federal agency lead for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis of the project and is preparing an environmental impact statement (EIS). Related to the Corps NEPA process, Commission staff are participating in the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 106 consultation on historic and cultural resources.

DWR Proposition 1 Delta Levees: Following the discussion of this item at the November 2020 Commission meeting, DWR Chief of Multi-Benefit Initiatives Steve Rothert and Delta Levees Program Chief Robert Charney met three times with members of the Delta levee community (Delta levee engineers, Delta water agency and flood agency representatives) and me to discuss involvement of Delta levee interests in DWR’s process to allocate Proposition 1 Delta levee

DPC January 21, 2021 meeting – Agenda Item 6 (Executive Director Report)

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funding. For the Governor’s proposed FY 2021-22 budget, DWR is requesting nearly $80 million of Proposition 1 Delta levee funding, almost entirely directed to the Subventions and Special Projects programs, and with only $1 million earmarked for Yolo Bypass ‘Fix in Place”.

Delta National Heritage Area: The National Heritage Area Management Plan Advisory Committee (NHA Advisory Committee) held their first meeting on January 5, 2021. Commission staff and the Point Heritage Development Consulting team provided an introduction to the National Heritage Area program and the Delta NHA management plan process and discussed the NHA advisory task groups, potential partnerships, and NHA communications strategy. The NHA Advisory Committee is expected to meet again in late February or early March to elect a vice chair, review the management plan schedule, and discuss interpretive themes for the Delta NHA.

Broadband in the Delta: Following development of the 2019 Broadband Action Plan, the Commission has partnered with Valley Vision to produce a report ( Broadband Coverage in the Delta ) that shows the level of internet service reported by providers to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) for the legacy Delta communities (Clarksburg, Courtland, Hood, Isleton, and Walnut Grove, plus an expanded area including Bethel Island, the Delta Loop, Freeport, Rio Vista, and Terminous). Commission staff are encouraging Delta residents to test their actual speeds on a CPUC application that instantaneously (and anonymously) records their internet speeds on an interactive online map, allowing comparison with reported versus actual service. This recorded information will better identify areas where service improvements are most needed.

Delta Leadership Program: Due to Covid restrictions, the 2021 Delta Leadership Program was cancelled, and we hope to convene the program again in November 2021. In its place, I and co-facilitators Lisa Beutler (Stantec) and Michael Campbell (Delta Regional Foundation) are leading a series of online seminars for Delta Leadership Program alumni, initiating with a 3-part series on personal strategic planning led by Lisa Beutler.

Delta Transportation Challenges: At the Commission’s November 2020 meeting, Caltrans staff provided a map highlighting construction projects throughout the Delta region. The map was shared with Delta transportation stakeholders.

Commission FY 2021-22 Budget: Governor Newsom’s proposed FY 2021-22 budget was released on January 8 and included stable funding for the Commission, in addition to a one-time augmentation for additional contracted fiscal and human resources service costs that will be provided by Department of General Services (rather than State Lands Commission) beginning July 1, 2021. The Commission (along with other state agencies) is being directed to

DPC January 21, 2021 meeting – Agenda Item 6 (Executive Director Report)

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reduce operating expense spending by 5% (for the Commission, $34,000). A snapshot of this year’s Commission’s budget and spending to date in included at the conclusion of this report.

Commission Land Use Comments: As part of the Commission’s responsibility to ensure that local land use decisions in the Delta are consistent with the Land Use and Resource Management Plan (LURMP), staff prepare comment letters to advise local agencies on their projects’ consistency with the LURMP; the Commission also frequently comments on State and federal projects that would impact Delta resources. The chart below lists the comment letters prepared by Commission staff from November 13, 2020 through January 14, 2021.

DPC January 21, 2021 meeting – Agenda Item 6 (Executive Director Report)

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Land Use Projects – Comment Letters November 13, 2020 through January 14, 2021

County Project Description Authority Primary (P) or

Secondary (S) Zone

or D (Delta-

wide)

Comments

Sacramento County

Sacramento River Erosion Control and Habitat Enhancement Project: Levee erosion control and wetland and riparian benches on Brannan Island

Non-jurisdictional project that may affect Delta resources

P Support projects that provide flood protection and stability for Delta levee system and fish-friendly habitat. Appreciate efforts to review Project for consistency with LURMP and minimize potential impacts.

Yolo-County Bees Lakes Habitat Restoration Plan and Design Project: Ecosystem, water quality, and recreational improvements at Bees Lakes site

Delta Trail S Supports projects that

improve recreational opportunities for bicyclists, equestrians, and pedestrians within Delta. Hope to work with City to incorporate trails into Delta Trail.

DPC January 21, 2021 meeting – Agenda Item 6 (Executive Director Report)

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Commission Website and Social Media: The Commission’s website ( www.delta.ca.gov ), affiliated Delta marketing website ( www.visitcadelta.com ), and the related social media presence on Facebook (@DeltaProtectionCommission and @VisitCADelta) and Twitter (@CA_DPC and @VisitCADelta) are coordinated by Commission Communication Specialist Stacy Hayden. The attachment to this report highlights usage in the period from October through December 2020.

Upcoming Events: Many upcoming Delta public events have been canceled or postponed. The following activities and public meetings are still anticipated to be held, though likely via teleconferencing only.

January

January 26 - Public Comment Workshop for Draft Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) Recreation and Tourism Chapter Update http://delta.ca.gov/calendar/public-comment-workshop-economic-sustainability-plan-update-for-recreation-tourism

January 27 - Delta Conservancy board meeting http://www.deltaconservancy.ca.gov/board-meeting-materials

January 28 - Delta Stewardship Council Meeting http://www.deltacouncil.ca.gov/council-meetings

February

February 25 - Delta Stewardship Council Meeting http://www.deltacouncil.ca.gov/council-meetings

March

March 18 - Delta Protection Commission Meeting http://www.delta.ca.gov/commission-meetings

March 24 - Delta Conservancy board meeting http://www.deltaconservancy.ca.gov/board-meeting-materials

March 25 - Delta Stewardship Council Meeting http://www.deltacouncil.ca.gov/council-meetings

DPC January 21, 2021 meeting – Agenda Item 6 (Executive Director Report)

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Delta Protection Commission Projects Update – January 21, 2021

Project Name Commission Staff Lead

Project Description Current Status

ESP Update – Ag Chapter

Erik Vink (from Melinda Dorin)

Partial update of Commission’s Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP), initiated in 2017

Consultant reports were finalized, and the Commission will soon post full reports or summaries on the Commission website and transmit to the Delta Stewardship Council. Commission staff are reviewing the consultant reports for recommendations which Commissioners can review prior to transmittal to Delta Stewardship Council.

ESP Update – Recreation and Tourism Chapter

Virginia Gardiner

Partial update of Commission’s Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP), initiated in 2019

Commission staff and the consultant team completed additional outreach meetings and will present to the Commission at this meeting. Staff and the consultant will be conducting outreach into January 2021.

Land Use and Resource Management Plan (LURMP) Update

Erik Vink (from Melinda Dorin)

Update of LURMP adopted by the Commission in 2010

Although this work has been paused, Commission staff intend to produce a new iteration of the draft update that reflects comments received from Delta stakeholders.

Delta Conveyance Project (Delta tunnel)

Virginia Gardiner

Tracking DWR environmental review process and tunnel design and engineering work through meetings with DWR, Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority (DCA), and Stakeholder Engagement Committee (SEC)

Commission staff continues to meet with DWR staff bimonthly to learn more about current efforts on the project and to monitor DCA and SEC meetings. The Commission is also participating as a consulting party in the Section 106 cultural resources review process.

DPC January 21, 2021 meeting – Agenda Item 6 (Executive Director Report)

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Project Name Commission Staff Lead

Project Description Current Status

Great Delta Trail Master Plan

Jeremy Terhune

Developing Delta trail plan to provide a framework for local and state agency trail development decisions

TrailPeople (master plan consultant) has completed preliminary drafts of sections of the Master Plan; focus groups and community outreach has been postponed during the COVID-19 pandemic and will be picked up again early 2021.

National Heritage Area Management Plan

Blake Roberts Long-term plan for Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area initiated in 2020

Commission staff and Point Heritage Development Consulting held the first meeting of the National Heritage Area Management Plan Advisory Committee on January 5, 2021. California State Parks began work on the interpretive section of the Management Plan in December 2020.

Delta Flood Preparedness Week (and Calendar)

Stacy Hayden Delta Flood Preparedness Week, October 17 to 24, 2020

Commission staff conducted Delta Flood Preparedness Week activities and plan ongoing activities throughout 2021. The Commission partnered again with DWR to produce a 2021 Delta Flood Preparedness calendar, which will be mailed out in late November or early December to 5,234 residential addresses in Courtland, Clarksburg, Isleton, Walnut Grove, Thornton, Holt, and Bethel Island. There will be several hundred additional copies for distribution as well.

Delta Adapts: Creating a Climate Resilient Future

Virginia Gardiner

Technical Advisory Committee - Review of Technical Memos

Commission staff are participating on both the Technical and Stakeholder Advisory Committees for the Delta Stewardship Council’s Delta Adapts initiative. As presented at this Commission meeting, the first phase consists of a regional vulnerability assessment of equity and environmental justice, water supply, flooding, and ecosystems. The second phase will seek to develop an adaptation strategy and build a climate change resilience “toolkit.”

DPC January 21, 2021 meeting – Agenda Item 6 (Executive Director Report)

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Project Name Commission Staff Lead

Project Description Current Status

“Welcome to the Delta” Signs; Delta Recreation Maps; Best of the Delta

Stacy Hayden

Jeremy Terhune

Delta Five-Year Marketing Plan (joint effort of Commission and Delta Conservancy)

Commission and Conservancy staff developed “Welcome to the Delta” sign designs highlighting the Delta NHA, and the designs have been approved by Caltrans. The Delta Marketing Task Force has provided feedback on and support for the new sign designs.

Commission and Conservancy staff have received feedback and support from the Delta Marketing Task Force to leverage the branding and platforms of Visit CA Delta for the Delta NHA.

Delta Community Action Plan Implementation

Blake Roberts Implementation of plans created by Delta legacy communities

Commission staff prepared a final report on potential physical improvements for Delta legacy communities along the Sacramento River, including Isleton, Walnut Grove, Locke, Courtland, and Freeport. The Commission and consultant Urban Field Studio held a full-day workshop in January 2020 and an online meeting and community surveys in May 2020.

North Delta Interpretation

Blake Roberts Interpretive planning for 1883 Clarksburg Schoolhouse and surrounding community

Commission staff are working with a CSU Sacramento graduate student to complete oral histories in the North Delta, as part of the 1883 Clarksburg Historic Schoolhouse project.

Workgroups and Forums

Commission Staff

Ongoing work groups include Delta as Place Interagency Work Group, Delta Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Advisory Committee, and Delta Marketing Task Force.

DPC January 21, 2021 Meeting Agenda Item 7 (Executive Director Report) FY 20-21 Budget Update

Budget and Spending for Delta Protection Commission - FY 20/21

SALARIES & WAGES (ESTIMATED)Year to Date

SpentBudget Amount Remaining % Remaining

Land (Ag, LURMP) & Water 64,850$ 194,451$ 129,601$ 67%Economic Sustainability 63,513$ 117,590$ 54,077$ 46%Levees/Emergency Response 40,713$ 124,900$ 84,187$ 67%Recreation 72,820$ 187,538$ 114,718$ 61%Delta Heritage (General) 52,239$ 53,078$ 838$ 2%Delta Heritage (NHA) 54,127$ 90,129$ 36,002$ 40%Outreach & Education 70,606$ 134,781$ 64,175$ 48%Administration & Capacity Building 48,825$ 110,318$ 61,493$ 56%SUBTOTALS; SALARIES AND WAGES 467,693$ 1,012,785$ 545,092$ 54%CONTRACTS AND INTERAGENCY AGREEMENTS *, ** 93,544$ 668,895$ 575,351$ 86%GENERAL EXPENSE 49,452$ 183,380$ 133,928$ 73%SUBTOTALS; OPERATING EXPENSES 142,996$ 852,275$ 709,279$ 83%SubTotal (ELPF) 555,814$ 1,717,060$ 1,161,246$ 68%SubTotal (HWC) 51,167$ 148,000$ 96,833$ 65%Grand Totals 606,981$ 1,865,060$ 1,258,079$ 67%

Figures reflect regular budget expenditures, estimated staffing charges, and contract spending through December 31, 2020* Budget Change Proposals for $200,000 each were approved in FY 2018-19 budget ( https://esd.dof.ca.gov/dofpublic/viewBcp.html )** Budget Change Proposal for $200,000 was approved in FY 2019-20 budget ( https://esd.dof.ca.gov/dofpublic/viewBcp.html )

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WEBSITES

Delta Protection Commission 6,570 Pageviews | 2,292 Users Top 5 Pages:

Rank Page Title Pageviews

1. Home Page 1,493

2. Commission Meetings 345

3. November 19 Meeting 311

4. Heritage Forum 302

5. NHA (National HeritageArea) 245

Visit CA Delta 18,155 Pageviews| 10,458 Users Top 5 Pages:

Rank Page Title Pageviews

1. Home Page 2,166

2. Fishing 1,408

3. Boat Rentals 880

4. Boat Launches / Marinas 801

5. Lodi Drive-Through

Christmas Lights 796

TWITTER

Delta Protection Commission @CA_DPC 9,930 Tweet Impressions | 328 followers Top tweet:

Posted Dec. 9, Earning 153 impressions, 8 engagements

TWITTER Visit CA Delta @visitCAdelta 7,910 Tweet Impressions | 206 followers Top tweet:

Posted Nov. 21, Earning 1,270 impressions, 28 engagements

Are you fascinated by #history and #heritage? Check out our monthly Delta Heritage Courier email - serving the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Carquinez Strait with the latest resources, updates, and funding opportunities. Read all about it here ➡http://conta.cc/39Mngx7 .

Sandhill Cranes are the Delta's favorite winter residents. Consumnes River Preserve has put together a list of viewing areas at https://www.cosumnes.org/see-the-sandhill-cranes/ …. For more about Delta birding, check out https://visitcadelta.com/what-to-do/bird-watching/. #birding #visitcadelta #sandhillcranes

WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS 4th Quarter 2020 (Oct-Dec)

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FACEBOOK Delta Protection Commission 512 followers Top post:

Posted Nov. 19, 287 people reached, 42 engagements.

FACEBOOK Visit CA Delta1,446 followers Top post:

Posted Oct. 6, 463 people reached, 61 engagements.

The Life and Times of Delta Ferries (From the Fall 2020 Issue of Delta Voice)

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta has been home to boats of various sizes since the 1840’s, providing vital services to its inhabitants. Few roads or trails allowed for the easy transportation of goods and the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers quickly became Northern California’s fastest highways.

With the passage of the Swamp Land Act of 1850, construction of levees to create rich agricultural land altered not only the waterways in the Delta, but its trails and roads. In 1852, state legislation authorized roads to be surveyed and laid to reach ferry landings for river crossings and to link federal forts within the state. For the next several decades, many independently owned ferries sprung up throughout the Delta wherever two roads existed on opposite waterway banks….

We've had plenty of time to thumb through our library in recent months and curl up with a good read. There are so many wonderful books about the Delta but "Bitter Mellon" by Jeff Gillenkirk and James Motlow is one of our favorites. Jeff moved to Locke in the early 1970's and slowly gained the trust of the residents who shared their stories and photos in this fascinating book. Sadly, Jeff passed away but not before revising a sixth edition in honor of Locke's 100th birthday in 2015. Find out more about Locke and the other legacy communities in the Delta at https://visitcadelta.com/stories/What are your favorite books about the Delta? #lockefoundation #deltahistory #deltastories

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INSTAGRAM Delta Protection Commission 552 followers Top post:

Posted Dec. 21, 134 people reached, 141 impressions

INSTAGRAM Visit CA Delta 1,186 followers Top post:

Posted Oct. 24, 395 people reached, 437 impressions

We are excited to introduce you to our newest team member! Sandy will be taking over the role of CEB (Chief Executive Bird). Sandy is from Alaska and has a background in the Pacific Flyway, Delta rice agriculture, making loud noises, and shaking up the status quo by ruffling a few feathers. We don't exactly know what her role entails just yet, but we are sure she will add value to our flock's 2021 efforts.

With cooler weather on the horizon, it's time to plan a ride through the Delta! With its flat land, light traffic on side roads, and views for miles, cycling in the Delta is a great way to explore. Visit https://visitcadelta.com/what-to-do/delta-cycling/ to learn more and to find some great wineries and restaurants to stop at along the way! #bicycle #cycling #cyclinglife #deltadining #VisitCADelta #bikethedelta

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