Contra Costa Water District Multi-Purpose Pipeline Project, Contra Costa County, California

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

Contra Costa Water District Multi-Purpose Pipeline Project,

Contra Costa County, California

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare a draft environmental impact

statement and notice of scoping meeting.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to Section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental

Policy Act (NEPA), the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) proposes to

prepare a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for Contra Costa

Water District's (CCWD) Multi-Purpose Pipeline (MPP) Project.

[[Page 46372]]

The Proposed Action is the construction and operation of two water

pipelines and supporting pumping facilities. These facilities are

required to supplement the Contra Costa Canal and provide adequate

water transmission capacity to meet the projected demand through the

year 2020.

The purpose of the meeting is to receive comments regarding the

appropriate scope of the DEIS. CCWD staff will make a brief

presentation to describe the proposed project, its purpose and need,

alternative pipeline alignments, and scenarios for construction and

operation. The public may comment on the environmental issues to be

addressed in the DEIS. If necessary due to large attendance, comments

will be limited to 5 minutes per speaker. Written comments will also be

accepted by the District through September.

DATES: A scoping meeting is scheduled for the project on Saturday,

September 18, 1997, at 7:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The scoping meeting will be held at the Bay Point Ambrose

Community Center, 3105 Willow Pass Road, Bay Point, California.

Information on the scoping meeting and the DEIS may be obtained from

Mr. Steve Edmondson, Bureau of Reclamation, South-Central California

Area Office, 2666 North Grove Industrial Drive, Suite 106, Fresno, CA

93727.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Steve Edmondson, Bureau of

Reclamation, (209) 487-5049; or Ms. Christina Ko Hartinger, Contra

Costa Water District, (510) 688-8335.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: CCWD's MPP Project involves the following

improvements:

1. Multi-Purpose Pipeline. The multi-purpose pipeline is a capacity

improvement project for meeting year 2020 system demands of CCWD's raw

water system. The MPP would supplement the capacity of the Contra Costa

Canal (which carries raw water) with a treated water pipeline extending

approximately 22 miles from CCWD's Randall-Bold Water Treatment Plant

in Oakley, east to CCWD's Treated Water Service Area in Concord. The

MPP would terminate near CCWD's Bollman Water Treatment Plant near

Concord. This new treated water pipeline paralleling the canal would

free up canal capacity for raw water transmission. Under normal

operations, the MPP would convey treated water westward to CCWD's

Treated Water Service Area. In an emergency, the MPP could also carry

treated water eastward from CCWD's Bollman Water Treatment Plant. The

25-million-gallons-per-day (mgd) pipeline would be 36 inches in

diameter and approximately 22 miles long. CCWD is evaluating several

pipeline route alternatives including: the canal right-of-way, local

streets, and an active railroad corridor.

2. Raw Water Pipeline. The MPP Project also includes approximately

4 miles of 36-inch raw water pipeline (36 mgd) bypassing canal reach 4

from downstream of the Neroly Blending Facility to the canal near

Antioch. The raw water pipeline could be installed parallel and

adjacent to the MPP pipeline. The raw water pipeline is sized to meet

the year 2020 canal demands through the existing tunnel segment within

canal reach 4.

3. Treated Water Pump Station. The MPP Project includes a proposed

25-mgd pump station at the Randall-Bold Water Treatment Plant to pump

treated water from the plant through the multi-purpose pipeline. No

treatment plant capacity improvements are required for the MPP.

4. Raw Water Pump Station. The MPP Project includes a 36-mgd raw

water pump station that would be located downstream of the Neroly

Blending Facility and upstream of the tunnel. The pump station would

pump raw water from the Canal through the raw water pipeline.

5. Canal Gate Improvements and Neroly Blending Facility

Improvements. The MPP Project includes modifications to six of the

seven active check structures along the canal between pumping plant No.

4 and Mallard Reservoir at Bollman Water Treatment Plant. At each check

structure, CCWD would install motorized gates that could be opened

during periods of high flow rates, thereby increasing canal capacity.

The Neroly Blending Facility (an in-canal facility to blend Delta water

and water from the Los Vaqueros Reservoir) would be expanded by

widening the canal or raising the sides.

6. Back-up Power for MPP Treated Water Pump Station. As part of the

MPP Project, the District would install an emergency generator for the

firm capacity (four 1,000-horsepower pumps) at the MPP treated water

pump station.

7. MPP Enhancements. The District would construct emergency

connections from the MPP to the canal and to the shortcut pipeline,

thereby allowing the MPP to deliver water to functional portions of the

canal that may be disconnected from eastern supply sources during an

emergency such as an earthquake. In addition, these connections could

be used to temporarily supply treated water to the canal while portions

of the canal are out of service for maintenance.

These actions will be evaluated in accordance with the legislative

requirements of NEPA and other relevant regulations. CCWD is preparing

an environmental impact report (EIR) on the project, pursuant to the

California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).

Dated: August 20, 1997.

William Luce,

Area Manager, South-Central California Area Office.

[FR Doc. 97-23132 Filed 8-29-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4310-94-U