SACRAMENTO, Calif.
- The Bureau of Reclamation has released for public review a Draft Environmental Assessment analyzing the impacts of approving an exchange of up to 6,000
acre-feet of tertiary treated water for up to 3,000 acre-feet of refuge (or Level 2) water with the San Luis Water District and Panoche Water District. Up
to 3,000 acre-feet of Incremental Level 4 water would also be provided to south-of-Delta refuges.
By law, Level 2 water amounts are to be provided annually and must be of suitable quality to maintain and improve wetland habitat areas on 19 federal,
state and private lands - collectively referred to as refuges. The acquired water would be discharged directly into Bear Creek and delivered to the East
Bear Creek Unit of the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex to meet a component of its Level 2 water demand. This water exchange is authorized under
the Central Valley Project Improvement Act, Section 3406(d).
The Draft EA was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and is available at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=26061. If you
encounter problems accessing the document online, please call 916-978-5100 or email mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.
Written comments must be received by close of business Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2016, and should be sent to Brad Hubbard, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage
Way (MP-410), Sacramento, CA 95825, or emailed to bhubbard@usbr.gov, or faxed to 916-978-5290.
For additional information or to request a copy of the Draft EA, please contact Hubbard at 916-978-5204 (TTY 800-877-8339). Copies of the document may also
be viewed at Reclamation’s Mid-Pacific Regional Office at the above address.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
