Lake Casitas Recreation Improvements

INVOLVEMENT Reclamation may enter into multi-year agreements for development programs for the design and construction of new Recreation facilities at Lake Casitas and the upgrade and enhancement of existing facilities within the Reservoir Area. This financial assistance agreement proposes a 50/50 cost share with the District on recreation improvements within the Reservoir Area. The District has continuously performed its obligations to administer, operate, maintain and develop recreational facilities within the Recreation Area. The District entered into a cost-share agreement with Reclamation in February, 2015, (R15AP00006), and has met its obligations within that Agreement. District has also signed a 25yr Resource Management Plan with Reclamation, which is the basis for current and projected improvements within the Area. Objective 1 – Public Safety Improvements The Recreation Area Lake Casitas receives almost 600,000 visitors annually. With the high amount of visitors the park receives public safety and park security remains a top priority. The installation of security cameras and illuminated directions signage will address several important public safety issues in the park. This work will help make the park safer and improve visitor satisfaction. Objective 2 – Road Resurfacing and Maintenance Road Resurfacing takes place each year, prior to heavy public use of the area which usually starts in April of any year. Approximately 11 miles of roads and trails intersect Casitas Recreation Area. Management plan has been to redo approximately 3-6 miles per year and where needed, repair any obvious damaged areas from the previous summer’s use. There are various methods of resurfacing that are used within the park. Grinding of current base is attempted at times, Cape seal can be used if the area to be re-conditioned does not require additional depth of asphalt, straight re-surface is used in areas that are damaged and need complete seal. Objective 3 – Playground Maintenance Playgrounds within the Park need resurface material frequently. This funding is proposed as an out-year funding need. The Park switched to a rubber pellet material several years back and that is now the preferred surface for all locations. The pellets absorb falls much more effectively and have reduced the occurrence of injury to younger visitors. Pellet base is installed each spring, as needed, to all playgrounds that will open on April 15 of each year. Objective 4 – Quagga Mussel Inspection Program The Quagga Mussel Inspection Program is a State mandated eradication program for the control of invasive species that may enter the waters of reservoirs throughout the State and can cause millions of dollars of damage to water delivery systems and facilities. All recreation boats that enter the Park are inspected and receive tags for compliance purposes before they are allowed to launch. Casitas employs staff that inspects boats daily during park hours; records are kept and reported to State Fish & Game authorities. This activity takes place year-round; the lake is open to fishing and boating 12 months out of the year. Out-year funding is proposed in this agreement. Amounts are generally for equipment needs of the inspection program. These expenses may include, but not be limited to; Pressure washers, (Industrial Type), wash uniforms, eye protection station, computer for data base and inspection record documentation of any vessel using Lake Casitas. Most of the funding associated with this aspect will go to the installation of a new Inspection Station awning. The awning will shield staff and customers from the sun and rain as inspections are conducted. RECLAMATION INVOLVEMENT No substantial involvement on the part of Reclamation is anticipated for the successful completion of the objectives to be funded by this award. It is anticipated that Reclamation’s involvement will consist of standard federal stewardship responsibilities such as monitoring project performance, technical assistance at the request of the recipient, etc. SINGLE-SOURCE JUSTIFICATION Reclamation did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria: (4) UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS Single Source Justification Description: Single source justification was used in this proposal because Casitas Lake Recreation is operated through a Management Agreement between Reclamation and Casitas Municipal Water District. (11-L-L-20-0216). That Agreement states that the “Administration, Operation, Maintenance, and Development of Recreation uses and Facilities shall be managed by Casitas for Reclamation, for the term of the Agreement. Casitas operates all land around the facility and delivers water to Agriculture and Municipal and Industrial (M&I) users in the immediate area of the recreation facility. Casitas has a maintenance yard within 2 miles of the Park and maintains all water and electrical supplies for the Parks infrastructure. All equipment needed to operate a recreational facility is conveniently located 3 miles from the Park entrance; this reduces mileage to the equipment and facilitates the job of getting equipment to the job site in a timely manner. Casitas Municipal Water District has managed the Area for Reclamation since 1958. In February of 2010, Reclamation issued a Final Resource Management Plan (RMP)/Environmental Impact Statement. This document stated that ‘Implementing the RMP management actions will be the primary responsibility of the managing partner”. Casitas has been the Managing Partner since 1958 and has distinct and adequate background to continue in that capacity and to administer financial assistance when required. STATUTORY AUTHORITY The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is proposing to enter into this agreement on a sole source basis. This document, Notice of Intent, sets forth the justification: P.L. 89-72, Federal Water Project Recreation Act, July 9, 1965, Section 1, Section 3(b)(1), Section 3(c)(1). The following section, provided in full text, authorizes Reclamation to award this financial assistance agreement: P.L. 89-72, Federal Water Project Recreation Act, July 9, 1965. Section 1, Section 3(b)(1) and Section 3(c)(1). Sec. 1. Congressional policy—It is the policy of the Congress and the intent of this Act that (a) in investigating and planning any Federal navigation, flood control, reclamation, hydroelectric, or multiple-purpose water resource project, full consideration shall be given to the opportunities, if any, which the project affords for outdoor recreation and for fish and wildlife enhancement and that, wherever any such project can reasonably serve either or both of these purposes consistently with the provisions of this Act, it shall be constructed, operated, and maintained accordingly: (b) planning with respect to the development of the recreation potential of any such project shall be based on the coordination of the recreational use of the project area with the use of existing and planned Federal, State, or local public recreation developments; and (c) project construction agencies shall encourage non-Federal public bodies to administer project land and water areas for recreation and fish and wildlife enhancement purposes and operate, maintain, and replace facilities provided for those purposes unless such areas or facilities are included or proposed for inclusion within a national recreation area, or are appropriate for administration by a Federal agency as a part of the national forest system, as part of the public lands classified for retention in Federal ownership, or in connection with an authorized Federal program for the conservation and development of fish and wildlife and Sec. 3 (b) (1) If non-Federal public-bodies execute an agreement after initial operation of the project (which agreement shall provide that the non-federal public bodies will administer project land and water areas for recreation or fish and wildlife enhancement or both pursuant to the plan for the development of the project approved by the head of the agency having administrative jurisdiction over it and will bear not less than one-half the costs of lands, facilities, and project modifications provided for recreation, and will bear one-quarter of such costs for fish and wildlife enhancement, and not less than one-half the costs of planning studies, and the costs of operation, maintenance, and replacement attributable thereto) the remainder of the costs of lands, facilities, and project modifications provided pursuant to this paragraph shall be non-reimbursable. and Sec. 3(c) (1) Any recreation facility constructed under this Act may be expanded or modified if (A) the facility is inadequate to meet recreational demand: and (B) a non-Federal public body executes an agreement which provides that such public body- (i) will administer the expanded or modified facilities pursuant to a plan for development for the project that is approved by the agency with administrative jurisdiction over the project; and (ii) will bear not less then one-half of the planning and capital costs of such expansion or modification and no less than one-half of the costs of the operation, maintenance, and replacement attributable to the expansion of the facility. (2) The Federal share of the cost of expanding or modifying a recreational facility described in paragraph (1) may not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of expanding or modifying the facility.