Meeting Flow Objectives for the San Joaquin River Agreement, 1999-2010, California

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation

Meeting Flow Objectives for the San Joaquin River Agreement,

1999-2010, California

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of the draft environmental impact

statement/draft environmental impact report (DEIS/DEIR). DES 98-42

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and

the California Environmental Quality Act, the Bureau of Reclamation

(Reclamation) and the San Joaquin River Group Authority (SJRGA) have

prepared a joint DEIS/DEIR on a proposed program to acquire water to be

used to provide protective measures for fall-run chinook salmon in the

San Joaquin River system and to support the San Joaquin River flow

objectives of the 1995 Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco

Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary. The water would be used to

provide:

A pulse flow for a 31-day period at Vernalis during April

and May in support of the Vernalis Adaptive Management Program, and

other flows to facilitate migration and attraction of

anadromous fish, including fall attraction flows.

The affected portions of the San Joaquin River and its tributaries

(Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and Merced rivers) are located in the Central

Valley of California. The rivers and related storage and conveyance

facilities are located in the following counties: Fresno, Madera,

Mariposa, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne.

The DEIS/DEIR presents and describes the environmental effects of

three alternatives, including no action. Two public hearings will be

held to receive comments from interested parties, organizations, and

individuals on the environmental impacts of the proposal.

DATES: Submit written comments on the DEIS/DEIR on or before November

9, 1998. Comments may be submitted to Reclamation or the SJRGA at the

addresses provided below. The public hearings on the DEIR/DEIS will be

held on October 23, 1998, at 2 p.m. and on October 29, 1998, at 6:30

p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public hearing scheduled for October 23, 1998, will be

held at the Bureau of Reclamation in Basement Conference Room A at 3310

El Camino Avenue in Sacramento CA. The public hearing scheduled for

October 29, 1998, will be held at the Modesto Irrigation District in

the second floor Multi-Purpose Room (use the south entrance), 1231

Eleventh Street in Modesto CA.

Written comments on the DEIS/DEIR should be addressed to Mr.

Michael Delamore, Bureau of Reclamation, 2666 N. Grove Industrial

Drive, Suite 106, Fresno CA 93727; or to Mr. Allen Short, San Joaquin

River Group Authority, c/o Modesto Irrigation District, PO Box 4060,

Modesto CA 95252. Copies of the DEIS/DEIR may be requested from Mr.

Delamore at the above address or by calling (209) 487-5039.

See Supplementary Information section for a list of the locations

where copies of the DEIS/DEIR are available for public inspection and

review.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Michael Delamore, Bureau of

Reclamation, at (209) 487-5039; or Mr. Dan Fults, Friant Water Users

Authority, at (916) 441-1931.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed action involves providing water

supplies to meet flow requirements for fall-run chinook salmon and

other environmental needs on the San Joaquin River. The SJRGA,

consisting of several water districts in the San Joaquin River basin,

is working with State and Federal Government agencies to address needs

on the San Joaquin, including increased instream flows, and compliance

with the 1995 State Water Resources Control Board Water Quality Control

Plan flow objectives at Vernalis. Debate over the flow objective led to

a proactive problem-solving process to develop an adaptive fishery

management plan (the Vernalis Adaptive Management Program [VAMP]) and

the water supplies (from willing sellers on the San Joaquin River

system) to support the plan. The San Joaquin River Agreement identifies

where the water to support the VAMP and other flow needs would be

obtained, specifically from the SJRGA whose members are making the

water available. The water would be used during the period 1999-2010;

the flows would vary, depending on hydrologic conditions.

The water supply program consists of three components:

[[Page 50926]]

(1) A 31-day pulse flow in April-May to support the VAMP that would

require up to 110,000 acre-feet annually;

(2) Additional water for a fall attraction flow for salmon in

October (12,500 acre-feet) from Merced Irrigation District; and

(3) Additional water from Oakdale Irrigation District (26,000 acre-

feet less up to 11,000 acre-feet contributed by Oakdale to the 31-day

pulse flow). This additional water would be used for such purposes as

ramping around the pulse flows, temperature control, water quality, and

protection of salmon redds during periods of low flow.

A total of 137,500 acre-feet of water per year could be provided,

and most of this (up to 92%) is expected to come directly from surface

water sources, including reservoir storage and changes in diversions

and release patterns from reservoirs. Other sources of the water

include groundwater, tailwater recovery, and conservation.

Copies of DEIS/DEIR are available for public inspection and review

at the following locations:

Modesto Irrigation District, 1234 Eleventh Street,

Modesto, CA 95252; telephone (209) 526-7360.

Bureau of Reclamation, Program Analysis Office, Room 7456,

1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240; telephone (202) 208-4662.

Bureau of Reclamation, Denver Office Library, Building 67,

Room 167, Denver Federal Center, 6th and Kipling, Denver, CO 80225;

telephone (303) 445-2072.

Bureau of Reclamation, Attention: MP-140, 2800 Cottage

Way, Sacramento CA 95825-1898; telephone (916) 978-5100

Natural Resources Library, U.S. Department of the

Interior, 1849 C Street NW, Main Interior Building, Washington, DC

20240-0001

Copies will also be available for inspection at the following

public libraries:

California State Library at 914 Capitol Mall in

Sacramento, CA 94237

Fresno County Public Library at 2420 Mariposa Street in

Fresno, CA 93721

Merced County Library at 2100 O Street in Merced, CA

95340-3637.

Merced County, Los Banos Branch Library at 1312 South

Seventh Street in Los Banos, CA 93635.

Modesto City Library at 1500 I Street in Modesto, CA

95354-1220.

Sacramento Public Library at 828 I Street in Sacramento,

CA 95814-2589.

Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library at 605 North El

Dorado Street in Stockton, CA 95202-1999.

University of California Berkeley, Government Documents

Library at 350 Library Annex in Berkeley, CA 94720.

University of California Davis at Shields Library in

Davis, CA 95616.

Hearing Process Information

Reclamation staff will make a brief presentation to describe the

proposed project. The public may comment on environmental issues

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

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

will also be accepted. If special services are required to attend these

hearings, please contact Mr. Michael Delamore at (209) 487-5039 or TDD

(209) 487-5933.

Dated: September 17, 1998.

Roger K. Patterson,

Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 98-25443 Filed 9-22-98; 8:45 am]

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