FRESNO, Calif. - The Bureau of Reclamation has released the final environmental documents for the approval of a temporary change in the maximum acceptable concentration of selenium for groundwater pumped into the upper portion of the Delta-Mendota Canal.
The temporary change is in response to drought conditions and would allow an additional 11 wells to cumulatively pump up to 21 cubic feet per second of groundwater through Sept. 30, 2016 (approximately 2,462 acre-feet in total).
A similar program was approved in 2014 and 2015 that allowed 14 and 13 wells, respectively to pump groundwater into the upper portion of the DMC that had between 2 and 5 ppb of selenium. As shown in the Environmental Assessment for this proposal, the addition of groundwater from the 2014 and 2015 actions did not cause a measurable increase in selenium in the DMC.
The Final Environmental Assessment and Findings of No Significant Impact were prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, and are available at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=26444. If you encounter problems accessing the document, please call 916-978-5100 or email mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.
For additional information or to request a copy of the Final EA and/or FONSI, please contact Rain Emerson at 559-487-5196 (TTY 800-877-8339).
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
