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 Final Environmental Impact

Statement/Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIS/FEIR) INT # FES 99-7.

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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 FEIS/FEIR on a proposed program to acquire water

identified in the San Joaquin River Agreement (SJRA) 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.

Reclamation and the SJRGA prepared a Draft Environmental Impact

Statement/Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIS/DEIR) and circulated

it on September 25, 1998, for a 45-day review. The FEIS/FEIR presents

and describes the environmental effects of three alternatives,

including no action, and it includes all comments received on the DEIS/

DEIR and responses to those comments.

DATES: No Federal decision will be made on the proposed action until

March 5, 1999. After the 30-day waiting period, Reclamation will

complete a Record of Decision. It is expected that the Board of

Directors of the SJRGA will certify the EIS/EIR and approve the project

on February 19, 1999, following completion of the 10-day responsible

agency review period.

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FEIS/FEIR may be obtained from Mr. Michael

Delamore, Bureau of Reclamation, 2666 N. Grove Industrial Drive, Suite

106, Fresno, CA 93727, or by calling (209) 487-5039. See SUPPLEMENTARY

INFORMATION section for a list of the locations where copies of the

FEIS/FEIR 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 River system, including increased instream flows.

The SJRA provides protective measures equivalent to the Vernalis flow

objectives of the State Water Resources Control Board's 1995 Water

Quality Control Plan. Debate over the flow objectives led to a

proactive problem-solving process to

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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 SJRA

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:

(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 percent) is expected to come directly from

surface water sources, including reservoir storage, changes in

diversions, and release patterns from reservoirs. Other sources of the

water include groundwater, tailwater recovery, and conservation.

Copies of FEIS/FEIR 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.

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.

Dated: January 25, 1999.

Roger K. Patterson,

Regional Director.

[FR Doc. 99-2431 Filed 2-1-99; 8:45 am]

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