FRESNO, Calif. - The Bureau of Reclamation has released for public review the Draft Environmental Assessment and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact for a streamlined approval process for the Southern San Joaquin Municipal Utility District’s participation in groundwater banking, transfer, and exchanges associated with the Poso Creek Integrated Regional Water Management Plan. This would allow the Poso Creek Regional Water Management Group to take advantage of water management opportunities during wet periods and the availability of surplus surface water supplies.
Reclamation proposes to annually approve the District’s use of federal facilities to convey up to 100,000 acre feet per year of its available Central Valley Project water supplies for banking, transfer and/or exchange with the RWMG through 2037. This water would be in addition to the 195,000 acre feet per year previously approved for the program. The total amount of water that would be transferred, exchanged and/or banked under the program would now be 295,000 acre feet per year.
The Draft EA and FONSI were prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, and are available at https://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?project_ID=8961. If you encounter problems accessing the document, please call 916-978-5100 (TTY 800-877-8339) or email mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.
Comments are due by Tuesday, Apr. 4, 2017. Please email comments to mconnor@usbr.gov. Written comments may also be mailed to Kate Connor, Bureau of Reclamation, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 93721 or faxed to 559-487-5504.
For additional information or to request a copy of the Draft EA and or FONSI, please contact Connor at 559-487-5504 (TTY 800-877-8339). Copies of the Draft EA and FONSI may also be viewed at Reclamation’s Fresno office at the above address.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
