SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Bureau of Reclamation has released for public review an environmental assessment for a project to improve salmon habitat in the San Joaquin River near the city of Fresno. The project includes repairing a breach in an earthen berm, isolating a gravel pit pond from the San Joaquin River channel, restoring floodplain habitat and reducing predation by warm water fish inhabiting the pond.
The project is consistent with the San Joaquin River Restoration Program’s goal of restoring and maintaining fish populations in good condition from below Friant Dam to the confluence of the Merced River.
During a high flow event in 2005, the earthen berm that previously separated the pond from the river channel breached. The San Joaquin River Conservancy, in coordination with Reclamation and California Department of Water Resources, is proposing to improve salmon habitat by repairing the breach, strengthening the existing berm and isolating the pond once again. In addition, vehicle access to the Sycamore Island Recreation Area would be restored.
The draft EA was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and may be viewed at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=23252. If you encounter problems accessing the document online, please call 916-978-5100 (TTY 800-877-8339) or email mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.
Written comments are due by close of business Monday, Oct. 26, 2015, to Becky Victorine, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-170, Sacramento, CA 95825. Comments may also be faxed to 916-978-5469 or emailed to rvictorine@usbr.gov. For additional information, please contact Victorine at 916-978-4624.
For information on the SJRRP, please visit www.restoresjr.net.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
