Phase 1 - Technical Assessment Kettle River Watershed Management Plan. Request for Proposals

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1 Phase 1 - Technical Assessment Kettle River Watershed Management Plan Request for Proposals Closing date and time: 4:00 PM, January 28, 2011 Pacific Standard Time Location of proposal closing: Regional District of Kootenay Boundary, Rossland Avenue, Trail B.C., V1R 4S8 Contact: Mark Andison, Director of Planning and Development November 26, 2010

2 Phase 1 - Technical Assessment Kettle River Watershed Management Plan Request for Proposals 1.0 Purpose The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB) is issuing this Request for Proposals for the purpose of identifying a firm (consultant) interested and qualified in providing consulting services to the RDKB for the specific purpose of assisting with completing a technical assessment of the Kettle River watershed which will comprise Phase 1 of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary s Kettle River Watershed Management Plan. 2.0 Background Residents of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary are concerned about the state of the Kettle River and its tributaries, primarily in terms of the diminishing flows during the summer months and the quality of both ground water and surface water due to land uses occurring along the river, its tributaries, and above aquifers in the watershed. The state of the watershed has attracted the attention of those outside the basin, with the Outdoor Recreation Council of B.C. recently ranking the Kettle River the most endangered river in B.C. due to concurrent seasonal low flows and new and existing water extraction proposals and licenses. Within this context the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary is undertaking the development of a watershed management plan for the Kettle River basin with broad participation from other agencies and stakeholders. A watershed management plan, when completed, will provide a strategic vision for the watershed with concrete actions to be undertaken by the various agencies and stakeholders who have a role in the management of water and land resources within the basin, including individual citizens. The watershed management planning process will be conducted in two phases. The goal of Phase 1 of the project is to characterize the existing water and water-related resources in the Kettle River watershed by compiling available data from existing studies, various agencies and relevant technical reports. This technical assessment of the Kettle River watershed will be presented in a State of the Kettle River Watershed document. Phase 2 of the project will commence after Phase 1 The Technical Assessment has been completed. During Phase 2, the information gathered in Phase 1 will be utilized to establish planning goals, actions, and policy directions that may be pursued to improve the long-term health of the watershed. 3.0 Study Area The Kettle River lies between the Okanagan and Columbia River valleys in the central part of southern British Columbia and northern Washington. The Kettle River is a 282 km (175 mile) tributary of the Columbia River located both in the southern interior of British Columbia and northeastern Washington State. Its drainage basin is 11,000 km 2 ( 4,200 miles 2 ), of which 8,230 km 2 (3,177 miles 2 ) are in Canada and 2,650 km 2 (1,023 miles 2 ) are in the United States. 1 P age

3 In British Columbia, the Kettle River basin is divided into two large sub-basins by the Midway Range of the Monashee Mountains. The large western sub-basin is divided into two smaller sub-basins by the Beaverdell Range into the West Kettle River Valley and the Main Kettle River the Christian Valley. From its source at the outlet of Holmes Lake in the Monashee Mountains, the Kettle River flows through the Christian Valley and joins the West Kettle River at Westbridge. The Kettle River continues to flow south and east until it crosses the Canada/U.S. border at Midway, BC and Ferry, Washington (see map below). The eastern large sub-basin of the Kettle River is drained by the Granby River, also commonly known as the North Fork. This sub-basin is located between the Midway Range to the west and the Selkirk Trench, which holds the Columbia River, to the east. Below Midway, the river loops south into the United States, through Ferry County, Washington, before flowing north back into Canada, passing through Grand Forks, BC where the Granby River joins. After flowing east for approximately 18 kilometres, the river turns south again at its confluence with Christina Creek. From there, the river crosses the Canada/U.S. border for a third time near the Laurier, Washington border crossing on Highway 395. It then flows south, joining the Columbia River near Kettle Falls, Washington. The Columbia River at this point is a large reservoir referred to as Lake Roosevelt which is impounded by the Grand Coulee Dam. The shaded areas comprise the Study Area. 2 P age

4 The portion of the Kettle River watershed which is the subject of the watershed management plan is the area located within Canada. As the river crosses the border between B.C. and Washington in three locations, there are mutual interests and impacts to the two jurisdictions (Washington State and BC) relating to the management of the Kettle River watershed. A separate watershed planning process was undertaken for the US portion of the basin in the late 1990s under the provisions of the State of Washington s 1998 Watershed Planning Act (Level I Technical Assessment Water Resource Inventory Area 60 Kettle River Watershed; ). That multi-agency process, which was conducted with Ferry County acting as the lead agency, was discontinued after completion of Phase 2 of the process (Technical Assessment). Phase 3 (Planning) and Phase 4 (Implementation) were not undertaken. 4.0 Scope of Work A Phase 1 State of the Kettle River Watershed Report will be provided which describes in detail the current status of the watershed in terms of water quantity, quality, and the state of the habitat/riparian areas. The data will be compiled from various sources, including existing studies and reports, local sources, and provincial, state, and federal agencies. This phase of the project will provide a sound scientific base for decision-making in the watershed. This scope of work may be refined by the RDKB and/or the Technical Advisory Committee during the consultant selection process and/or in consultation with the selected consultant as part of contract negotiations. From available data sources the report should contain, at a minimum: Watershed Physical Description An overview description of the watershed including: land use, climate, ecology, bedrock geology, surficial geology, regional hydrogeology, watershed hydrology, physiography, soils, and natural sub-regions. Water Quantity An estimate of the surface and groundwater present in the plan area; An estimate of the water in the plan area that is allocated under a water license or any other form of water right; An estimate of the surface and groundwater actually being used in the plan area, broken down by user type (i.e. domestic, agricultural irrigation, municipal, industrial, hydroelectric generation, etc.); An estimate of the water needed in the future for use in the plan area; Minimum thresholds required for in-stream flows to maintain a healthy aquatic environment for fish and other aquatic organisms; Location and characterization of aquifers in the area; Identification of areas where aquifers are known to recharge surface bodies of water and areas where surface bodies of water are known to recharge aquifers, and where these processes are vulnerable to change over time based upon climate change and other influences; An estimate of the surface and groundwater available for further allocation, taking into account the minimum in-stream flows required for fish and other aquatic organisms; 3 P age

5 Flooding history and identification of the most vulnerable properties in the plan area; Projected impacts upon surface and groundwater supply, demand, temperatures for fish survival, flooding, and other factors resulting from climate change in the plan area; Development of a water balance model for the plan area which may be used to evaluate water resource allocations within the watershed and identify the impacts of potential changes to water balance components that may be considered during the next phase of watershed planning. Water Quality An examination of the degree to which established surface and groundwater water quality standards are being met in the plan area, based upon existing studies conducted by provincial, state, and federal agencies, academic institutions, non-governmental organizations, and local sources; A similar examination of the causes of any surface and groundwater quality problems or regulatory violations in the plan area, including the provision of information regarding land uses, pollutants, point and non-point sources of pollution. This information should include an examination of the impacts of the major land uses occurring in the plan area, including urban and rural development, agriculture, and forestry. Habitat/Riparian Areas The assessment shall take into consideration seasonal stream flow variations, natural events, and pollution from natural sources that occur independent of human activities; An examination of the established characteristic uses of the rivers and streams and adjacent riparian areas in the plan area and the impacts associated with those uses. The report should include information documenting the data sources used to compile the above-noted information, as well as identification of data gaps with a presentation of technical information related to the watershed which is not readily available. The report should include recommendations regarding any data gaps which should be addressed prior to the RDKB undertaking Phase 2 of the watershed management planning process. 5.0 Committee Involvement The successful consultant will work with a Technical Advisory Committee appointed by the RDKB to oversee the development of the Phase 1 Report. This committee consists of representatives from various agencies having responsibility for the management of water and terrestrial resources in the plan area. The successful consultant will meet with this committee regularly and provide regular updates and status reports to the committee as work unfolds. The successful consultant will present the draft final report to the Public Advisory Committee which will be involved in the preparation of Phase 2 of the Kettle River Watershed Management Plan. 4 P age

6 6.0 Deliverables Deliverables for the project shall include: A technical assessment of the Kettle River watershed area which includes detailed data and mapping addressing each of the subject areas identified in the scope of work; GIS databases and mapping associated with the relevant subject areas identified under the scope of work, subject to the availability of that data (eg. location of aquifers and recharge areas, locations of areas vulnerable to flooding, locations of water licenses, etc.) ; Regular meetings and communication with the Technical Advisory Committee and RDKB staff; Presentation of a final draft to the RDKB Board of Directors; Presentation of a final draft to the Public Advisory Committee; Final report, as described above, presented as a State of the Kettle River Watershed document. 7.0 Consultant Expertise The successful consultant shall have expertise and experience in undertaking projects of this nature and will submit evidence of same. The ideal consulting team will exhibit the following: Strong technical expertise in water resource management including proven methodologies to assess the state of water resources at the watershed level; Experience in the development of technical watershed reports and, specifically, watershed management plans; Familiarity with the Kettle River and its sub-basins; A proven track record in preparing and presenting high quality technical analyses within a collaborative process. 8.0 Personnel The proposal must specify the team members who would do the actual work, the estimated hours involved, charge-out rates, and qualifications of each of these individuals, including a summary of their experience with related work. 9.0 Timing and Budget It is anticipated that the process will commence upon the awarding of the contract with a projected completion date within 12 months of award of contract. We anticipate the cost of this project will be no more than $100,000 including taxes, disbursements, printing and all other costs and charges. Our objective will be to obtain the valuable assistance we require at the lowest overall cost Submission Requirements The following must be included in the proposal submission and will be used as the basis for evaluation of the successful proposal: 5 P age

7 Qualifications of the primary project consultant and other individuals who would be involved in the project. A clear indication of the role of the primary consultant and other individuals involved and both the percentage of time and the components of the project with which each would be involved. Experience with watershed management planning, and specifically the technical assessment of watersheds. Methodology a work plan including the proposed method of accomplishing the tasks identified in the General Scope of Work section above with a timeline for the project. Assurance that the consultant is not in a position which may be perceived as a conflict of interest with respect to undertaking this project. The total cost to complete the work including all taxes and disbursements and any potential additional works. Examples and samples of other reports of a similar nature that have been prepared by the firm and experience that the team members have working together on other projects. At least three references outlining the services of a similar nature provided to other clients. Include the company/jurisdiction s name and address, contact person and telephone number, and a brief description of the service provided and the date of that work Evaluation Criteria The following evaluation criteria will be used in the selection process: Proposed methodology (on-going consultation with the Technical Advisory Committee is considered to be very important to the successful outcome of this project); Consultant s understanding of the context, issues, and the ultimate objectives of the project; Experience and qualifications of those involved; Fees and disbursements; Schedule; and Reference checks General Instructions, Terms and Conditions 1. Proposals will be accepted in the following formats: courier mail, regular mail, (PDF format only) 6 P age

8 until 4PM Pacific Standard Time on January 28, 2011 at the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary office, located at: Regional District of Kootenay Boundary, Rossland Avenue, Trail, BC V1R 4S8 Phone: The RDKB reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals and to accept the proposal that it deems most advantageous. 3. The RDKB will not be responsible for the costs of preparing proposals. 4. The successful consultant will be authorized to proceed only upon approval from the RDKB. 5. The budget for this study is up to a maximum of $100,000, including all fees, expenses and taxes. It is hoped that a lesser amount will be sufficient to accomplish the purpose of the study. 6. The RDKB is available to provide some of the base mapping which may be required for the project. 7. Invoices, no more frequently than monthly, will be required before the RDKB will make payments. Each invoice must be accompanied by a progress report. Each invoice must include a breakdown of staff, hours, rates, and expenses. The RDKB will hold back a maximum total of 10% of the entire agreed value of this project to be paid upon successful completion of the project. Determination of the successful completion of project deliverables, milestones and of this project as a whole is at the sole discretion of the RDKB. 8. The consultant selected to carry out the study will be required to enter into a contract with the RDKB respecting the conduct of the study. 9. If a contract cannot be negotiated within thirty days of notification of the successful consultant, the RDKB may, at its sole discretion at any time thereafter, terminate negotiations with that consultant and either negotiate a contract with the next qualified consultant or choose to terminate the RFP process and not enter into a contract with any of the consultants. 10. The consultant must commit to commencing work within 30 days of the signing of the contract and work diligently thereafter to ensure the stated timelines are met. 11. The draft Kettle River Watershed Technical Assessment Report will be submitted to the RDKB in three (3) copies and the final Kettle River Watershed Technical Assessment Report will be submitted in three (3) copies. The final Kettle River Watershed Technical Assessment Report will also be submitted digitally (text and mapping) in a format(s) satisfactory to the RDKB. 7 P age

9 12. The consultant will be required to have in place a general liability insurance policy for not less than $2,000,000 during the study, naming the RDKB as an additional insured. Inquiries Inquiries during the proposal period should be directed to Mark Andison, Director of Planning and Development, Regional District of Kootenay Boundary. Phone: Fax: mandison@rdkb.com 8 P age