Where will the reservoir be located?
The reservoir will be located on the western portion of Chiquita Canyon, north of Oso Parkway, on approximately 27 acres of land in the City of Rancho Santa Margarita.

Why do we need this?
The Upper Chiquita Reservoir is planned as an emergency storage facility, providing a reliable supply of water during planned or unplanned service disruptions to upwards of 168,000 families for one week. These interruptions can be unanticipated, like the break of the District’s primary supply pipeline in 1999, or planned, like the recent shutdown of the Diemer Filtration plant in Yorba Linda.

Will the reservoir be safe?
Yes. Upper Chiquita Reservoir has been designed with many redundant safety features to protect the public. It will be designed and constructed to withstand significant seismic activity, heavy rainfall and extreme weather conditions. The reservoir will also be lined and covered, creating an extra layer of protection behind the embankment while preserving water quality. Inspectors from the State of California will review all plans prior to construction and will be present during construction and the reservoir’s first filling to ensure that the reservoir is safe and complies with all regulatory standards. It will also be inspected regularly and outfitted with electronic monitoring devices that will alert officials to seepage.

Will reservoir construction affect my rates?
It is not anticipated that any of the member agencies participating in construction of the reservoir will raise their rates as a result of this project. Each participating agency’s city council or board of directors is responsible for setting its own rates based on its own budgetary considerations.

Is there a risk of flooding at Tesoro High School?
Realistically, the reservoir will have no safety implications for Tesoro High School. SMWD has studied what would occur if the reservoir were to completely fail – an unrealistic scenario in which both the embankment and the lining behind it were suddenly to fail completely (a likelihood of less than one in 1,000,000). Under a more realistic scenario (which is still highly unlikely) , any problems with the reservoir would be detected early by sensors, and the reservoir could be drained long before any threat to students emerged. The school is further protected because SMWD and the school already participate in the County’s coordinated emergency response program to ensure the safety of all students, faculty and staff during any local emergency.

Can the reservoir be overtopped?
No. There is no external source of water to the reservoir – no rivers or streams, no runoff from hills. Even rainwater that falls on the reservoir’s cover will be pumped into adjacent storm drains so it would not impact the reservoir’s level. As an extra measure of protection, the reservoir will have a concrete emergency spillway in place that will divert water into an overflow reservoir.

Who is funding the reservoir?
SMWD has partnered with other south Orange County water agencies and cities to fund the design, construction and maintenance of the Upper Chiquita Reservoir. If the project is approved before June 1, 2008, it will be eligible for partial state funding.

Have other locations for the reservoir been considered?
SMWD has studied numerous locations for the construction of emergency storage reservoirs. However, the Upper Chiquita Reservoir site’s geography, geology and proximity to regional pipelines make it the safest and most viable location. In addition, because its construction was anticipated in the South Orange County Natural Community Conservation Plan, its impacts on threatened and endangered species has been responsibly managed.

What are the benefits of the reservoir?
The reservoir will provide more then 168,000 families in South County with emergency water supplies during service disruptions. In addition, the reservoir will improve fire-fighting capabilities during regional supply disruptions.

Who will benefit from the reservoir?
The reservoir will provide up to 168,000 families within south Orange County with up to 200 gallons of drinking water during water emergencies. Customers from Santa Margarita Water District, Moulton Niguel Water District, South Coast Water District and the cities of San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente will have access to the supplies.

Will the reservoir be visible to nearby homeowners?
No. The reservoir’s location places it out of view from the nearby communities of Wagon Wheel and Las Flores.

How will the reservoir affect local traffic?
Traffic on Oso Parkway is not anticipated to be impacted, as construction vehicles will travel primarily at off-peak hours. The reservoir is not anticipated to impact traffic on the 241 Toll Road.

Will the reservoir impact threatened or endangered species or their habitat?
The reservoir was anticipated and included in the South Orange County Natural Community Conservation Plan, which identifies a series of conservation practices that SMWD will adhere to during the planning, construction an operation of the reservoir in order to mitigate any significant impacts. In addition, the District will be providing millions of dollars to fund a nature reserve in the area as part of a comprehensive commitment to the local environment.

Will ongoing operation of the reservoir impact local air quality?
One of the advantages of this location is that water from the reservoir can flow by gravity into an adjacent pipeline, so pumping, which cases air pollution, is not required. Air quality will be closely monitored throughout construction. While there may be some unavoidable short-term air quality impacts that result from operations equipment during construction, there will not be significant impacts to long-term air quality in the region.

Will the reservoir generate noise?
Noise generated by construction activities at the reservoir will not exceed the allowable day and nighttime noise levels established by the City of Rancho Santa Margarita. Construction will be limited to Mondays through Saturdays between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. On-going operations will not produce any significant noise levels for neighboring residents in Las Flores or Wagon Wheel.

What is the timeline for construction?
If approved by the SMWD Board of Directors in April or May 2008, construction is anticipated to begin on the reservoir in summer 2008, and conclude in 2010.

Has the reservoir already been approved?
No. Following a full environmental review of the proposal, plans for the Upper Chiquita reservoir will be considered in a public hearing by the SMWD Board of Directors. That meeting is currently anticipated to be held in April or May 2008.

Do I still have time to submit comments on the draft EIR?
No. The 45-day comment period for the project’s draft EIR closed on March 28th.

How much water will the reservoir hold?
The reservoir is designed to hold approximately 275 acre feet (266 million gallons) of domestic water.

How large with the reservoir be?
The Upper Chiquita Reservoir will be on 27 acres of land and have a surface area of 16 acres.

Will this water be used for the Ranch Plan?
The reservoir is not intended to specifically serve any proposed residential or commercial development, including Rancho Mission Viejo’s Ranch Plan. It will be available to the entire service areas of the participating agencies for use in an emergency.

Does SMWD have experience building similar structures?
Yes. SMWD has extensive experience in designing, building and operating reservoirs including, Upper Oso Reservoir in Mission Viejo, and Portola Reservoir in Coto De Caza.