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Sacramento Valley Water Management Program--Implementation of Short-term Projects
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: August 5, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 150)]
[Notices]
[Page 46218-46222]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr05au03-81]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Sacramento Valley Water Management Program--Implementation of
Short-term Projects
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a programmatic environmental impact
statement/environmental impact report (EIS/EIR) and hold public scoping
meetings.
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[[Page 46219]]
SUMMARY: The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation
(Reclamation) and the California Department of Water Resources (CDWR)
propose to prepare a Programmatic EIS/EIR to analyze the potential
effects of the short-term phase of the Sacramento Valley Water
Management Program (Short-term Program). The Short-term Program would
include implementation of multiple short-term water management projects
and other actions. The short-term projects would be implemented by
Reclamation, CDWR, and Sacramento Valley water-users, and each project
would operate for 10 years after implementation. The programmatic
analysis in this EIS/EIR would include, but is not limited to, projects
described in the ``Sacramento Valley Water Management Agreement Short-
term Workplan, October 2001'' (``Short-term Workplan''). The purpose of
implementing the Short-term Program is to promote better water
management in the Sacramento Valley and develop additional water
supplies through a cooperative water management partnership. The Short-
term Program was developed to resolve water quality and water rights
issues as an alternative to determining responsibility for flow-related
water quality objectives of the 1995 Sacramento/San Joaquin Bay-Delta
Water Quality Control Plan through a State Water Resources Control
Board water rights hearing.
The environmental effects of some short-term projects would also be
analyzed at a site-specific level of detail in the Programmatic EIS/
EIR, and would constitute the final CEQA or NEPA document for those
projects. As many short-term projects as possible would be analyzed at
a site-specific level; however, the specific projects to be analyzed at
that level are unknown at this time. Specific alternatives have not
been identified at this time, and will be developed following scoping.
Public scoping meetings regarding the preparation of the Programmatic
EIS/EIR will be conducted as described below.
This notice is published in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act regulations found in 40 CFR 1501.7. The
purpose of this notice is to obtain suggestions and information from
other agencies and the public on the scope of issues to be addressed in
the Programmatic EIS/EIR. A similar notice is being published by the
CDWR in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act.
Comments and participation in this scoping process are encouraged.
DATES: Two public scoping meetings will be held:
? Wednesday, August 20, 2003, 3-5 p.m., Sacramento, CA
? Thursday, August 21, 2003, 3-5 p.m., Colusa, CA
ADDRESSES: Scoping meetings will be held at:
? Sacramento at the Expo Inn, 1413 Howe Avenue (just south of
Arden Way), The Expo Room.
? Colusa at the Colusa Industrial Properties, 100 Sunrise
Boulevard (off Highway 45/20), The Conference Room.
Written comments on the scope of the Short-term Program or issues
to be addressed in the EIS/EIR should be sent to the California
Department of Water Resources, Attention: John Fielden, Project
Manager, P.O. Box 942836, Sacramento, CA 94236-0001 by September 5,
2003.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Fielden with CDWR via e-mail at
jfielden@water.ca.gov or by calling (916) 651-7053 or Robert Eckart
with Reclamation via e-mail at reckart@mp.usbr.gov or by calling (916)
978-5051. Additional information may also be found on the CDWR Web site
at www.water.ca.gov. 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: As an alternative to participating in the
State Water Resources Control Board's Phase 8 Bay-Delta Water Rights
Hearings, Reclamation, CDWR, and numerous Sacramento Valley and export
water interests entered into the ``Short-term Agreement to Guide
Implementation of the Short-term Water Management Actions to Meet Local
Water Supply Needs and to Make Water Available to the SWP and CVP to
Assist In Meeting the Requirements of the 1995 Water Quality Control
Plan and to Resolve Phase 8 Issues' (the Short-term Settlement
Agreement). The Short-term Settlement Agreement established a process
by which parties collaborate in the development and implementation of a
variety of projects and actions to help meet flow-related water quality
objectives established for the Sacramento/San Joaquin Bay-Delta, meet
local water needs, and improve water supplies throughout the State.
Five categories of short-term projects and actions will be
considered in the Short-term Program EIS/EIR:
? Water Management--includes groundwater substitution in lieu
of surface water supplies, conjunctive use of groundwater and surface
water, refurbish existing groundwater extraction wells, install
groundwater monitoring stations, and install new groundwater extraction
wells (some actions include construction of facilities)
? Reservoir Re-operation--includes changes in the operational
diagrams and schedules for reservoirs in the Sacramento River watershed
? System Improvement--includes canal lining, tailwater
recovery, and improved operations (some actions include construction of
facilities)
? Surface Water and Groundwater Planning--includes studies,
modeling, monitoring, and area wide inventory or assessment (actions
could include minor construction of facilities for monitoring and
testing purposes)
? Other Actions--includes potential water transfer actions
and/or actions with substantial regulatory/institutional requirements
(does not involve construction of facilities).
The effects of implementing the Short-term Program (short-term
projects and actions) will be evaluated at the programmatic level. The
known short-term projects proposed throughout the Sacramento Valley are
presented in Table 1. In addition to the programmatic analysis, some
proposed projects would also be analyzed at a site-specific level to
allow for their immediate implementation. As many projects as possible
would be analyzed at a site-specific level of review; however, the
specific projects to be analyzed at that level are unknown at this
time.
Table 1.--Proposed Short-term Water Management Projects To Be Analyzed in the Programmatic EIS/EIR *
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Project name (type) Proponent County Description
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Redding Sub-basin:
Conjunctive Use Program (Water Anderson-Cottonwood Shasta County.......... Construct monitoring
Management). Irrigation District. and extraction wells.
[[Page 46220]]
Churn Creek Lateral Improvements Anderson-Cottonwood Shasta County.......... Replace leaky canal
(System Improvement). Irrigation District. lateral with pipeline
in the reach east of
the Sacramento River
to eliminate seepage
and spills.
Main Canal Modernization Project Anderson-Cottonwood Shasta County.......... Construct canal
(System Improvement). Irrigation District. improvements to
eliminate spills and
reduce diversions.
Redding Basin Water Resources Anderson-Cottonwood Shasta County.......... Complete Phase 2C--
Management Plan (Surface Water/ Irrigation District. Water Supply and
Groundwater Planning). Management
Alternatives, part of
multi-step planning
process.
Feather/Butte Sub-basin:
Integrated Watershed and Resource Butte County........... Butte County........... Integrated watershed
Conservation Program (Surface and resource
Water/Groundwater Planning). conservation,
groundwater
monitoring and
modeling, forecast
water use.
Groundwater Monitoring Program Butte County........... Butte County........... Install additional
(Surface Water/Groundwater monitoring wells and
Planning). extensometers,
monitoring.
Groundwater Modeling Program Butte County........... Butte County........... Update existing model
(Surface Water/Groundwater to support decision-
Planning). making about
groundwater
resources, as well as
overall water
resources management
in the County.
Sutter-Butte Main Canal Lining Sutter Extension Water Butte and Sutter Conduct field study,
Project (System Improvement). District, Gridley Counties. obtain environmental
Water District, permits, develop
Richvale Irrigation final construction
District. drawings, construct.
Concow Dam (Reservoir Reoperation) Thermalito Irrigation Butte County........... Feasibility study for
District. raising existing
concrete dam.
Water Management Project (Water RD 1004................ Colusa County.......... Install extraction
Management). wells.
Colusa Sub-basin:
Development of Conjunctive Water Glenn-Colusa Irrigation Glenn and Colusa Fully use private
Management Facilities (Water District. Counties. landowner wells.
Management).
Conjunctive Use Project (Water Maxwell Irrigation Colusa County.......... Test-hole drilling,
Management). District. evaluation and
production well
construction and
testing, groundwater
monitoring.
Stony Creek Fan Conjunctive Water Orland-Artois Water Glenn County........... Feasibility study,
Management Program (Water District, Orland Unit groundwater
Management). Water Users' production
Association, Glenn- investigation,
Colusa Irrigation groundwater
District. monitoring program,
integrated
groundwater/surface
water model, and
outreach plan.
Pilot Well Development/Conjunctive RD 108................. Colusa and Yolo Development of
Management Project (Water Counties. production well and
Management). analysis of basin
expenses.
Tehama-Colusa Canal Extension Tehama-Colusa Canal Colusa and Yolo Prepare hydrologic and
(Water Management and System Authority Yolo-Zamora Counties. concept reports,
Improvement). Water District. conduct preliminary
design, and collect
information for
project-specific
environmental
analysis.
Glen County Groundwater Monitoring Glenn-Colusa Irrigation Glenn County........... Develop groundwater
Program and Model Development District. data clearinghouse,
(Surface Water/Groundwater analyze existing
Planning). data, design
monitoring program,
install new
monitoring wells,
develop groundwater
model.
Water Inventory and Analysis Tehama County.......... Tehama County.......... Information gathering
(Surface Water/Groundwater process and analysis.
Planning).
[[Page 46221]]
Feasibility Study: Regulatory Glenn-Colusa Irrigation Glenn and Colusa Feasibility study.
Reservoirs and Off-canal Storage District. Counties.
(Surface Water/Groundwater
Planning).
Flow Measurement Devices in Main Glenn-Colusa Irrigation Glenn and Colusa Permitting, design,
Canal, Lateral System, and Drain District. Counties. and construction of
Outflow Points/Existing 12 flow measurement
Automation Program (System devices at previously
Improvement). identified system
outflow points/
permitting, design,
and construction of 5
Main Canal check
structures.
Regional Water Use Efficiency Orland Unit Water Users Glenn County........... Conduct feasibility
Project (System Improvement). Association and Tehama- studies, build pilot
Colusa Canal Authority. projects, and begin
conceptual design of
regional pipeline.
Development of Conveyance Tehama-Colusa Canal Colusa County.......... Feasibility study for
Alternatives for TCCA Emergency Authority. Stony Creek
Water Supplies (System Conveyance options;
Improvement). investigate an
interim solution to
operate a constant
head orifice; agency
coordination and
permit planning.
Tehama-Colusa Canal Conveyance of Tehama-Colusa Canal Glenn and Colusa Feasibility study,
Water to Sites Reservoir (System Authority. Counties. review ability of
Improvement). Tehama-Colusa Canal
to convey potential
water to a Sites
Reservoir.
Antelope Creek Retention Basin Tehama County Flood Tehama County.......... Feasibility study for
Feasibility Study (Surface Water/ Control and Water construction of a
Groundwater Planning). Conservation District. retention basin.
Water Management Project (Water Princeton-Codora-Glenn Glenn and Colusa Construct one
Management). Irrigation District. Counties. groundwater
extraction well.
Water Management Project (Water Provident Irrigation Glenn and Colusa Construct one
Management). District. Counties. groundwater
extraction well.
Water Management Project (Water River Garden Farms..... Yolo County............ Construct three
Management). groundwater
extraction wells.
Yuba Sub-basin:
Coordinated Operations Project Yuba County Water Yuba County............ Feasibility
(Surface Water/Groundwater Agency. investigation of
Planning). water supply benefits
for out-of-county
use, environmental
and Endangered
Species Act
assessment and
potential increased
flood control
benefits.
Conjunctive Use and Water Brown's Valley Yuba County............ Development of four
Management Project (Water Irrigation District. groundwater
Management. production wells in
lower portion of
district and a lift
pump and conveyance
pipe to supply water
to upper end of
district.
Conjunctive Use Project (Water Yuba County Water Yuba County............ Installation of
Management). Agency. extraction wells.
Sutter Sub-basin:
Grounddwater Monitoring Program Sutter Mutual Water Sutter County.......... Additional monitoring
(Surface Water/Groundwater Company. well, monitoring and
Planning). data collection.
Watershed Assessment and Sutter County.......... Sutter County.......... Information gathering
Monitoring Program (Surface Water/ process and analysis.
Groundwater Planning).
Groundwater Management Plan Sutter County.......... Sutter County.......... Information gathering
(Surface Water/Groundwater process and analysis.
Planning).
Irrigation Recycle Project (System Sutter Mutual Water Sutter County.......... Feasibility analysis
Improvement). Company, RD 1500. of a tailwater
recovery system.
Canal Lining (System Improvement). Sutter Mutual Water Sutter County.......... Canal lining to reduce
Company. diversions, eliminate
spills.
Ground Water Development (Water Pelger Mutual Water Sutter County.......... Construct two
Management). Company. groundwater
extraction wells.
[[Page 46222]]
Water Management Project (Water Meridian Farms......... Sutter County.......... Installation of
Management). extraction wells.
American Sub-basin:
Conjunctive Use Project (Water Natomas Central Mutual Sacramento and Sutter Pump existing wells,
Management). Water Company. Counties. monitoring and
analyzing results
after one season.
Water Management Project (Water Pleasant Grove Verona Sutter County.......... Installation of
Management). Mutual Water Company. extraction wells.
Re-operation of the Middle Fork Placer County Water Placer County.......... Re-operate primary
Project (Reservoir Re-operation). Agency. storage reservoirs.
Yolo Sub-basin:
Conjunctive Use Project Yolo County Flood Yolo County............ Feasibiliy study for
Feasibility Study for Expanding Control and Water expanding surface
Surface Water Supplies to the Conservation District. water supplies to
Yolo-Zamora Water District Yolo Zamora.
(Surface Water/Groundwater
Planning and System Improvement).
Conjunctive Use Project Yolo County Flood Yolo County............ Feasibility study for
Feasibility Study for Expanding Control and Water expanding surface
Surface Water Supplies to Conservation District. water supplies to
Agricultural Water Users in Areas Agricultural areas
(Surface Water/Groundwater northwest of
Planning and System Improvement). Woodland.
Groundwater Quality Monitoring Yolo County Flood Yolo County............ Development of a
Program (Surface Water/ Control and Water groundwater-quality
Groundwater Planning). Conservation District. monitoring program.
Delta Sub-basin:
Conjunctive Use Proposal (Water RD 2068................ Yolo County............ Develop a single
Management). production well to
determine conjunctive
use potential.
Sacramento Valley:
Sub-basin-level Water Measurement Participants in the Sacramento Valley-- Feasibility study,
(Surface Water/Groundwater Basin wide Management Various Counties. design and
Planning). Plan. construction of water
measurement
facilities.
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* The effects analysis in the Programmatic EIS/EIR would not be limited to these projects, and would include all
short-term projects and actions that could be proposed under the Sacramento Valley Water Management Program.
This Programmatic EIS/EIR is expected to analyze the adverse and
beneficial effects of implementing the Short-term Program on these
environmental resources: surface water, water quality, fisheries,
wildlife, vegetation, special-status species, land-use, cultural
resources, air quality, noise, recreation, energy, visual impacts, and
socioeconomic conditions. Analysis presented in the Programmatic EIS/
EIR will also determine if environmental justice issues are associated
with the Short-term Program. Although there are Indian Trust Assets
(ITAs) in the counties where these projects are proposed, any
association between these ITAs and the proposed projects and actions is
unknown at this time. The following is a list of tribal trust land, per
county where these projects are proposed:
? Shasta County--Redding Rancheria
? Butte County--Berry Creek Rancheria, Enterprise Rancheria,
Mooretown Rancheria
? Glenn County--Grindstone Rancheria
? Colusa County--Colusa Rancheria, Cortina Rancheria
It is Reclamation's practice to make comments on a Notice of
Intent, including names and home addresses of respondents, available
for public review. Individual respondents may request that we withhold
their home address from public disclosure, which we will honor to the
extent allowable by law. There may also be circumstances in which we
would withhold a respondent's identity from public disclosure, as
allowable by law. If you wish us to withhold your name and/or address,
you must state this prominently at the beginning of your comment. We
will make all submissions from organizations or businesses, and from
individuals identifying themselves as representatives or officials of
organizations or businesses, available for public disclosure in their
entirety.
Dated: July 30, 2003.
Robert Eckart,
Chief, Environmental Compliance Branch, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 03-19841 Filed 8-4-03; 8:45 am]