SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Bureau of Reclamation has released the Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for two Madera Irrigation District (MID) improvement projects that could save around 4,000 acre-feet of water per year.
Reclamation proposes to provide Water and Energy Efficiency Grant (WEEG) funds to MID for part of its Lateral 24.2-17.0 Pipeline Improvement Project (pipeline project) and the Irrigation Water Conservation and Canal Automation Improvement Project (automation project). Replacing the remaining open channel with a pipeline for the pipeline project would reduce seepage, evaporative losses and effects from rodent activity. Replacing the canal gates at various locations around the district and the flume gate on Dry Creek for the automation project will provide constant measurement of water flows and deliveries. This will allow the district to remotely manage water flows quickly when imbalances and unanticipated high flows are detected.
The proposed projects would conserve between 3,199 and 4,639 acre-feet per year of water by reducing losses from seepage and through efficiency facilitated by real-time water management. Reclamation provides WaterSMART WEEG funding to entities with water or power delivery authority that propose projects seeking to conserve and use water more efficiently.
The EA and FONSI were prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and may be viewed at
https://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=28638. If you encounter problems accessing the documents, please call 916-978-5100 (TTY 800-877-8339) or email mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov. For additional information or to request a copy of the documents, please contact Andrea Meier at 916-978-5041 or ameier@usbr.gov.
Source: Bureau of Reclamation
