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Lake Curry Water Supply Project, Napa and Solano Counties, CA
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
[Federal Register: August 14, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 157)]
[Notices]
[Page 48634-48636]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr14au03-80]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Lake Curry Water Supply Project, Napa and Solano Counties, CA
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare a joint environmental impact
statement/environmental impact report.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 as
amended, the Bureau of Reclamation proposes to participate in a joint
Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR)
with the City of Vallejo on the City's Lake Curry Water Supply Project.
The Lake Curry Water Supply Project is being proposed by the City
of Vallejo (City). The City is proposing to resume use of water from
the City's Lake Curry for municipal and industrial uses within the
City's service area, and is evaluating alternative delivery methods for
conveying the water to the City's Fleming Hill Water Treatment Plant in
Vallejo for delivery to the City's service area. The City will be the
lead agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
DATES: Reclamation and the City will seek public input on alternatives,
concerns, and issues to be addressed in the EIS/EIR through scoping
meetings to be held as follows:
? Wednesday, September 10, at 7 p.m., Vallejo, CA
? Thursday, September 18, at 7 p.m., Suisun, CA
Written comments on the scope of alternatives and impacts should be
submitted by September 15, 2003.
Reclamation estimates that the draft EIS/EIR will be available for
public review near the end of 2003.
ADDRESSES: The meeting locations are:
? In Vallejo, CA--Joseph Room, Main Floor, John F. Kennedy
Library, 505 Santa Clara Street
[[Page 48635]]
? In Suisun, CA--Suisun Fire Protection District's Valley
Station, 4965 Clayton Valley Road
Written comments on the scope of alternatives and impacts to be
considered should be sent to the Lake Curry Water Supply Project, c/o
Ms. Pamela Sahin, Administrative Analyst II, City of Vallejo Utilities
Department, Water Division, 202 Fleming Hill Road, Vallejo, CA 94589-
2332. Comments may also be submitted via e-mail to Ms. Sahin at
waterinfo@ci.vallejo.ca.us.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Rob Schroeder, Resource Manager,
U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Central
California Area Office, 7794 Folsom Dam Road, Folsom, CA 95630-1799,
Telephone number 916-989-7274. Comments may also be submitted via e-
mail to Mr. Schroeder at rschroeder@mp.usbr.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The City is proposing to execute and
implement a contract with Reclamation to convey the water from Lake
Curry through a portion of Reclamation's Putah South Canal to the
Terminal Reservoir for delivery to the City.
Reclamation will consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service
(NOAA Fisheries) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service regarding
potential effects of the action on species designated in accordance
with the Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA).
The City was issued a Water Right Permit in 1922 and License 5728
in 1959 by the State for storing and using water in Lake Curry for
municipal purposes. Lake Curry was an active and important part of the
City's water supply system between 1926 and 1992. The City also served
water for domestic and stock watering purposes in Gordon and Suisun
Valleys along the existing 24-inch diameter Gordon Valley pipeline,
which conveyed the water from Lake Curry to the City. The water was
treated at a pressure filtration plant near Lake Curry prior to
delivery to the City and to connections outside of the City's service
area along the Gordon Valley pipeline.
In 1992, the City was compelled to cease delivering water from Lake
Curry to domestic users because of stringent water treatment
requirements adopted by the California Department of Health Services.
Water from the Lake is currently being released to Suisun Creek at a
rate of 2 cfs to 3 cfs.
The City has continued to serve the users in Gordon and Suisun
Valleys by conveying water from its Green Valley water treatment and
Lakes transmission system, using the existing 24-inch diameter Gordon
Valley pipeline and a distribution main.
For several years, the City has pursued the right to use a portion
of the Putah South Canal, a Federal facility owned and operated by
Reclamation, to convey untreated Lake Curry water to the City's Fleming
Hill Water Treatment Plant in Vallejo. In November 2000, Congress
authorized Reclamation to enter into a contract to permit use of the
lower section of the Solano Project Putah South Canal facilities for
such purposes. For the City to use the Putah South Canal and Terminal
Reservoir to deliver Lake Curry water to the City, it needs to enter
such a contract with Reclamation.
The general purposes of the Lake Curry Water Supply Project are to:
? Resume the use of Lake Curry water supplies for municipal
and industrial use in the City
? Manager water releases from Lake curry to restore and
maintain a healthy ecosystem in Suisun Creek for steelhead trout
populations located downstream of Lake Curry, to the extent required by
law
? Continue to provide water service to Gordon and Suisun
Valley customers
? Enable the City to convey water to the City's service area
by using the available capacity in existing facilities (Putah South
Canal) owned by Reclamation
Prior to 1992, the City relief on Lake Curry as an important
component of the City's water supply. Since 1992, the City has had to
rely solely on its other water supply sources to meet the City's needs
and obligations. In addition to its Green Valley System (Lakes Madigan
and Frey), the City also has an appropriative right in Barker Slough in
the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, a contract for Solano Project water
delivered through the North Bay Aqueduct. Serving water from Lake Curry
is critical to the City in meeting its existing and future demands.
Serving water from Lake Curry would also assist in enhancing the City's
water supply reliability.
The City's Project
The Lake Curry Water Supply project, as currently envisioned, would
consist of:
? The City using its existing 24-inch diameter Gordon Valley
Pipeline to convey untreated water from Lake Curry south via gravity
flow to the Putah South Canal. Water would then flow through the Canal
to the Terminal Reservoir then through existing City infrastructure to
the existing Fleming Hill Water Treatment Plant for treatment and
distribution to the City's users in its service area.
? The City installing a new 6- to 8-inch diameter water
distribution pipeline to convey treated water from the City's existing
Green Valley Water Treatment Plant north to Gordon Valley customers and
to a new 150,000 to 200,000 gallon storage tank. The tank would be used
for storage of treated water. The new pipeline would be installed
within the County road right-of-way or within the existing easement of
the 24-inch diameter pipeline.
? The City releasing a portion of its untreated water supply
from Lake Curry to Suisun Creek for protection and maintenance of
endangered species and their habitat in the creek.
With implementation of the Project, the City would be required to:
? Execute and implement a long-term contract with
Reclamation, pursuant to 43 U.S.C. section 523 (the Warren Act of 1911)
for the conveyance of non-Federal project water from Lake Curry through
a 5-mile long portion of the federally owned Putah South Canal ending
at the Terminal Reservoir.
? Obtain an easement for the installation of new facilities
within the existing Reclamation right-of-way (needed to deliver Lake
Curry supplies into the Putah South Canal).
? Obtain easements and approvals/permits from Napa and Solano
counties.
? Obtain a General Construction Storm Water Permit from the
State Water Resources Control Board.
? Conduct a sanitary survey every 5 years of the Lake Curry
watershed.
The EIS/EIR will consider a range of alternatives including a Creek
Conveyance Alternative and a No Action alternative.
Creek Conveyance Alternative
The Creek Conveyance Alternative consists of the City releasing and
conveying all untreated water from Lake Curry into and long Suisun
Creek to the intersection of the Putah South Canal. The water would
flow in a southerly direction in the open Suisun Creek channel
approximately 7 miles to the Putah South Canal where it would be
rediverted for delivery to Terminal Reservoir, then to the City's
Fleming Hill Water Treatment Plant. With implementation of this
alternative, the City would not use the existing 24-inch diameter
pipeline to convey untreated Lake Curry water to Vallejo.
The Creek Conveyance Alternative could potentially increase the
volume of Lake Curry water available for the protection of threatened
steelhead in Suisun Creek. By conveying all untreated water from Lake
Curry to the
[[Page 48636]]
Canal in the creek channel, the project would conjunctively use the
City's water supply for endangered species and their habitat in the
creek.
A new water diversion facility (consisting of a small diversion
dam, a fish screen protection system, and a pump) would be constructed
to redivert water from Suisun Creek to the Putah South Canal. The water
would then flow in the Putah South Canal to the Terminal Reservoir,
then through the City's existing water transmission facilities to the
Fleming Hill Water Treatment Plant for treatment and distribution to
the City's service area.
In addition, the Creek Conveyance Alternative includes the
continued conveyance of treated water north from the City's existing
service system (Green Valley Water Treatment Plant) to customers in
Gordon Valley and to a new 150,000 to 200,000 gallon storage tank. The
tank would be used for storage of treated water. Conveyance of the
treated water could be achieved by three different methods. These three
methods are described below as Options 1, 2, and 3.
Option 1: This treated water conveyance option includes the
continued use of the City's existing 24-inch diameter distribution
pipeline to convey treated water from the City's existing service
system (Green Valley Water Treatment Plant) to customers in Gordon
Valley and to the new water storage tank to be added.
Option 2: This treated water conveyance option includes
installation of a 6- to 8-inch diameter pipeline to convey treated
water from the City's Green Valley Water Treatment Plant to customers
in Gordon Valley and to the new water storage tank. The new pipeline
would be installed within the right-of-way of the existing 24-inch
diameter pipeline.
Option 3: This treated water conveyance option includes
installation of a 6- to 8-inch diameter pipeline to convey treated
water from the City's existing service system (Green Valley Water
Treatment Plant) to customers in Gordon Valley and to the new water
storage tank. The new pipeline would be installed with the existing 24-
inch diameter pipeline. The 24-inch diameter pipeline would no longer
be used to convey water. Its sole purpose would be to protect the
smaller water distribution pipeline that is installed within it.
With implementation of this Creek Conveyance Alternative,
regardless of which option is selected, the City would also be required
to do the following:
? Construct a new rediversion structure in Suisun Creek, and
obtain approval from the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB).
? Execute and implement a long-term contract with
Reclamation, pursuant to 43 U.S.C. Section 523 (the Warren Act of 1911)
for the conveyance of non-Federal water from Lake Curry through a 5-
mile long portion of the federally owned Putah South Canal ending at
the Terminal Reservoir.
? Obtain an easement for the installation of new facilities
within the existing Reclamation right-of-way (needed to pump Lake Curry
supplies to the Putah South Canal).
? Obtained required easements and approvals/permits from Napa
and Solano counties.
? Obtain a Section 1603 permit from the California Department
of Fish and Game for streambed alterations required for installation of
the rediversion facility.
? Obtain a General Construction Storm Water permit from the
California State Water Resources Control Board.
? Obtain a Section 404 Permit from the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers.
? Obtain a Section 401 Water Quality Certification/Waiver
from the California Regional Water Quality Control Board.
? Conduct a sanitary survey every 5 years of the Lake Curry
watershed, and Wooden Valley Creek and all other creeks tributary to
Suisun Creek above the point of rediversion.
In addition, with implementation of this alternative, regardless of
which option is selected, the City may elect to do the following:
? File a Water Code Section 17017 Water Right Change petition
with the SWRCB to provide for the use of the water for fishery and
habitat use, and to enable the City to protect the water in the creek
from the Gordon Valley Dam downstream to a new point of rediversion of
Suisun Creek.
No Project Alternative
The No Project Alternative consists of the City continuing to
release water from Lake Curry to Suisun Creek. The purposes of the
release are three-fold: (1) To approximate the amount of water that was
withdrawn from the lake for municipal and industrial uses prior to
1992, (2) to conserve cold water stored in the lake, and (3) to provide
the downstream flood protection that was available from Lake Curry
operation prior to 1992.
The No Project Alternative also includes continuation of the City's
current operation of the existing 24-inch diameter Gordon Valley
Pipeline. Treated water from the City's existing Green Valley Water
Treatment Plant would be pumped north in the 24-inch diameter
distribution pipeline to customers in Gordon Valley.
Scoping is an early and open process designed to determine the
issues and alternatives to be addressed in the EIS/EIR. The following
are issues that have been identified to date: Potential effects on
steelhead trout populations; potential effects on wetland, upland, and
aquatic habitats; potential effects on special-status vegetation and
wildlife species; potential construction-related effects on Suisun
Creek, along Gordon Valley Road, and natural habitats and residents
(including water quality, noise, air quality, and transportation/
traffic effects); and potential effects on cultural resources.
The draft EIS/EIR will focus on the impacts and benefits of
implementing the various alternatives. It will contain an analysis of
the physical, biological, social, and economic impacts arising from the
alternatives. In addition, it will address the cumulative impacts of
implementation of the alternatives in conjunction with other past,
present, and reasonably foreseeable actions.
If special assistance is required at the scoping meetings, contact
Mr. Robert Schroeder at Reclamation 916-989-7274. Please notify Mr.
Schroeder as far in advance of the workshops as possible to enable
Reclamation to secure the needed services. If a request cannot be
honored, the requestor will be notified. A telephone device for the
hearing impaired (TDD) is available at 916-989-7275.
Our practice is to make comments, 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
also may be circumstances in which 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 business, and from individuals identifying themselves
as representatives or officials of organizations or businesses,
available for public disclosure in their entirety.
Dated: July 7, 2003.
Frank Michny,
Regional Environmental Officer Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 03-20708 Filed 8-13-03; 8:45 am]