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Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich will present a motion to his fellow supervisors Tuesday to declare a state of emergency in Bouquet Canyon, where residents’ water well levels have dropped due to silt buildup in Bouquet Creek.

Antonovich’s motion, which calls on the state and federal governments to waive environmental regulations that stand in the way of an immediate solution, reads as follows:

Beginning in 2002, a series of fire and storm events increased sediment deposition in Bouquet Canyon Creek and reduced its flood carrying capacity. The reduced flood carrying capacity minimizes the recharge to groundwater wells which are the sole potable water for approximately 150 properties in the vicinity of Bouquet Canyon Road.

During storm events, hazardous driving conditions exist along Bouquet Canyon Road between 60 feet north of Mile Marker 13.06 to Mile Marker 15.89. In addition, discharges in the range of only 3 to 5 cubic feet per second from the Bouquet Reservoir can cause the creek to flow onto the roadway at this location.

The Bouquet Fire of May 11-13, 2002, the 2004–2005 Winter Storm Disaster, and the Buckweed Fire of October 22, 2007, greatly increased the sediment deposition in Bouquet Canyon Creek. This sediment deposition coupled with the subsequent vegetation growth in the creek have reduced its flood carrying capacity such that the road is inundated during storm events, creating a public safety hazard. This causes Bouquet Canyon Road to be frequently closed during storms and also causes damage to the roadway. Closure of this roadway impacts residents of the canyon and commuters from nearby communities and affects emergency response. This flow which inundates the road, is then not retained in Bouquet Canyon Creek and lost to recharge the groundwater wells, adversely affecting the lives of families living on approximately 150 properties.

These conditions necessitate the proclamation of a local emergency within the County of Los Angeles.

I, THEREFORE, MOVE that the Board of Supervisors:

1. Approve and direct the Chairman to sign, upon Board approval, the attached proclamation of a local emergency for the County of Los Angeles.

2. Forward a copy of the proclamation to the Director of California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services with the requests that the Director find it acceptable in accordance with State law, a Governor’ Proclamation be provided under the California Disaster Assistance Act, and State agencies waive regulations as necessary to remedy and immediately restore the flood carrying capacity of Bouquet Canyon Creek; and forward a copy of the proclamation to all appropriate Federal agencies requesting similar action.

PROCLAMATION OF EXISTENCE OF A LOCAL EMERGENCY BY THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

WHEREAS, Chapter 2.68 of the Los Angeles County Code empowers the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to proclaim the existence of a local emergency when the County is affected or likely to be affected by a public calamity; and

WHEREAS, approximately 150 properties in the vicinity of Bouquet Canyon Road in the unincorporated Bouquet Canyon area are not connected to any municipal water system and rely on groundwater wells for their potable water; and

WHEREAS, these groundwater wells are recharged from storm events and obligatory flow from Bouquet Reservoir to Bouquet Canyon Creek ; and

WHEREAS, the Bouquet Fire of May 11-13, 2002, the 2004/2005 Winter Storm Disaster and the October 22, 2007 Buckweed Fire have greatly increased the sediment deposited in Bouquet Canyon Creek within the Angeles National Forest; and the deposited sediment coupled with the subsequent vegetation growth in Bouquet Canyon Creek have reduced its flood carrying capacity; and

WHEREAS, the reduced flood carrying capacity of Bouquet Canyon Creek has greatly minimized the recharge to the groundwater wells and adversely affected the lives of families living on the approximately 150 properties, creating grave conditions of public health; and

WHEREAS, Bouquet Canyon Road between 60 feet north of Mile Marker 13.06 to Mile Marker 15.89 experiences hazardous conditions during storm events due to the reduced flood carrying capacity of Bouquet Canyon Creek; and during storm events Bouquet Canyon Creek overflows its banks and floods Bouquet Canyon Road; and

WHEREAS, the purpose of Bouquet Canyon Road is not to convey flow; and the flooding of Bouquet Canyon Road damages the road and necessitates the closure of the road and impacts travel for residents and commuters; and

WHEREAS, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors finds that beginning February 4, 2014 conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons, public and private property exist as a result of the reduced flood carrying capacity of Bouquet Canyon Creek, which, during storm events, has resulted in conditions that are beyond the control of local resources; and

WHEREAS, these conditions warrant and necessitate that the County proclaim the existence of a local emergency;

NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED AND PROCLAIMED by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors that a local emergency exists in north Los Angeles County.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED AND PROCLAIMED that a copy of this proclamation be forwarded to the Director of the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services with the request that the Director find it acceptable in accordance with State law, a Governor’s Proclamation be provided under the California Disaster Assistance Act, and State agencies waive regulations as necessary to remedy and immediately restore the flood carrying capacity of Bouquet Canyon Creek; and forward a copy of the proclamation to all appropriate Federal agencies requesting similar action by Federal agencies.