[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 2 (Thursday, January 3, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 343-344]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-33]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Water Exchange Agreements With Mendota Pool Group, 2003-2013, CA
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement
(EIS).
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation
(Reclamation), will prepare an EIS, pursuant to the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), to evaluate the proposed exchange of
up to 25,000 acre-feet of water per year over a 10-year period with the
Mendota Pool Group. Alternatives will be identified and evaluated on
the basis of criteria adopted to maintain environmental quality and
provide for continued agricultural production. The purpose of the
proposed project is to provide water to irrigable lands on Mendota Pool
Group properties in Westlands Water District and San Luis Water
District to offset substantial reductions in contract water supplies
attributable to the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA), the
Endangered Species Act listings and regulations, and new Delta water
quality rules. Providing this water would enable the Mendota Pool Group
farmers to maintain production on historically irrigated lands. The
project is not intended to increase the amount of water for farming
activities, but would replace some of the contract water lost because
of increased environmental regulations that restrict water deliveries
south of the export pumps at Tracy, California.
Through initial scoping meetings, Reclamation will seek public
input on the scope of the project and potential alternatives, or
combination of alternatives, for consideration in the EIS.
There are no known Indian Trust Assets or environmental justice
issues associated with the proposed action.
DATES: One scoping meeting will be held to solicit comments from
interested parties to assist in determining the scope of the
environmental analysis and to identify the significant issues related
to this proposed action. The meeting is scheduled for Monday, January
14, 2002, 6 to 8 p.m., in Mendota, California.
Submit written comments on the proposed project scope on or before
January 28, 2002.
ADDRESSES: The scoping meeting will be held at the City Council
Chambers, Mendota City Hall, 643 Quince St., Mendota, CA 93640;
telephone: (559) 655-3291.
Written comments on the scope of the alternatives and impacts to be
considered should be sent to Mrs. Judi Tapia, Bureau of Reclamation,
South-Central California Area Office, 1243 N Street, Fresno CA 93721-
1813; by telephone at (559) 487-5179 (TDD 559-487-5933); by E-mail at
[email protected]; or faxed to (559) 487-5397.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs. Tapia, Environmental Specialist,
at the above address or by telephone at (559) 487-5179 (TDD 559-487-
5933).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Delta export service area of the Central
Valley Project (CVP) has total contractual obligations and delivery
losses of approximately 3.45 million acre-feet per year. The
theoretical maximum pumping capability of CVP facilities serving this
area is approximately 3.09 million acre-feet per year. Available
supplies are apportioned under a hierarchy of allocation in which
agricultural water service contracts, totaling about 1.85 million acre-
feet per year, are provided water only after all other obligations are
met. Implementation of the CVPIA provided water only after all other
obligations are met. Implementation of the CVPIA (1992), Endangered
Species Act (1993-1995), and revised Bay-Delta water quality standards
has further reduced pumping capabilities and water supplies available
to agricultural contractors. Currently these parties can expect to
receive a long-term average supply of about 50 to 55 percent of
contract water as compared to a pre-1992 average of 88 to 92 percent.
The project proponents propose to pump an average of 27,000 acre-
feet of groundwater per year over the 10-year period from non-CVP wells
located adjacent to the Mendota Pool into the Mendota Pool to make up
for a portion of the annual shortfall in the contract water to be
delivered via the CVP. The actual quantity of water to be pumped would
depend on whether the year is classified as wet (0 acre-feet per year),
[[Page 344]]
normal (31,600 acre-feet per year), or dry (40,000 acre-feet per year).
Of the total quantity pumped, a maximum of 25,000 acre-feet per year
would be exchanged with Reclamation. This water would be made available
to Reclamation in the Mendota Pool to offset their existing water
contract obligations. In exchange, Reclamation would make an equivalent
amount of CVP water available to the members of the Mendota Pool Group
for irrigation purposes at Check 13 of the Delta-Mendota Canal. Any
quantity of water pumped beyond the 25,000 acre-feet exchanged would be
delivered directly to other lands that are presently under irrigation
around the Pool. As part of this program, a maximum of 12,000 acre-feet
per year of groundwater would be pumped from deep wells (i.e., screened
interval greater than 130 feet deep), with the remainder coming from
shallow wells (i.e., screened interval less than 130 feet deep). The
proposed project will comply with the terms specified in the Settlement
Agreement for Mendota Pool Transfer Pumping Program, effective January
1, 2001.
The primary environmental resource issues that have been
identified, and that will be evaluated in the EIS, include groundwater
levels, groundwater quality, subsidence, surface water quality, and
biological resources.
The environmental review will be conducted pursuant to NEPA, the
Endangered Species Act, and other applicable laws, to analyze the
potential environmental impacts of implementing each of the feasible
alternatives. All reasonable alternatives as required by NEPA and its
implementing regulations will be examined. The final Environmental
Impact Report, certified by Westlands Water District in 1998, will
provide a useful beginning, as will subsequent environmental reports
and ongoing sampling activities, thus allowing Reclamation to expedite
completion of the analysis. Alternatives, with their related designs
and cost estimates identified in the earlier document, will be re-
evaluated and updated to reflect current conditions. Public input on
additional alternatives, or combinations of alternatives, that should
be considered will be sought through the initial scoping meeting. In
addition, public input will be sought on the criteria that should be
used to carry forward alternatives, or combination of alternatives, for
further consideration.
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 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 letter. We will make all submissions from
organizations or businesses, and from individuals identifying
themselves as representatives or officials or organizations or
businesses, available for public disclosure in their entirety.
Dated: December 3, 2001.
Frank Michny,
Regional Environmental Officer.
[FR Doc. 02-33 Filed 1-2-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-M