Westlands Water District

Fresno, CA

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Environmental documents are available during specific comment periods as described by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA).

GROUNDWATER PUMPING AND CONVEYANCE PROJECT – NOTICE OF PREPARATION

Westlands Water District (District) intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for its proposed Groundwater Pumping and Conveyance Project (Project). The District is the Lead Agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The District invites written comments on the scope of the
environmental analysis and identification of potential environmental issues to be included in the EIR.

Notice of Preparation: This Notice of Preparation (NOP) has been sent to the Office of Planning and Research, responsible and trustee agencies, other public agencies, and interested members of the public to inform them that the District is preparing an EIR and to solicit information that will be helpful in the environmental review process. This notice includes a description of the Project and information regarding
how to provide comments to the District.

Comment Period: The District is requesting input from responsible and trustee agencies, other public agencies, and interested members of the public regarding the scope and content of the environmental information to be included in the EIR. Agency responses should identify the issues to be considered in the EIR, including significant environmental issues, and reasonable alternatives and mitigation measures, and other pertinent information consistent with CEQA Guidelines Section 15082(b).

State law mandates that responses must be sent at the earliest possible date, but postmarked within 30 days from this notice. The 30-day public review period for this NOP extends from March 12, 2021 to April 10, 2021. Please provide any written comments (either by mail or electronically) no later than 5:00 pm on April
10, 2021. Please direct all comments to the following address:

David Vang
Westlands Water District
3130 N. Fresno Street
Fresno, CA 93703
dvang@wwd.ca.gov

Document Availability: Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, portions of the environmental review process must be conducted online. This NOP is available for review here: Notice of Preparation (PDF)

Scoping Meeting: A virtual public meeting will be held during the 30-day review period to solicit comments on the scope and content of the EIR. The meeting will be held from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on March 19, 2021 via the Microsoft Teams web conference application. To join the meeting, please click the following link or join by phone:

Join on your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting
Or call in (audio only)
+1 559-512-3730,,883661411# United States, Fresno
Phone Conference ID: 883 661 411#

To ensure the best experience for this meeting, please join via the Desktop or mobile Teams application. The dial-in audio conferencing number should only be used if other options do not work or are not available. The scoping meeting will include a brief presentation, providing an overview of the Project. After the
presentation, comments will be accepted. Individuals wishing to provide comments during the meeting are encouraged to first register by emailing David Vang at dvang@wwd.ca.gov (please include “Westlands Water District Groundwater Pumping and Conveyance Project Scoping Meeting Comment Registration” in the subject line).

Project Location and Overview: The Project is located in Fresno and Kings Counties, within the District on the westside of the San Joaquin Valley. The groundwater wells proposed for pumping are located within the District, which overlies the Westside Subbasin of the Tulare Lake Groundwater Basin. Water conveyance throughout the District consists of existing licensed water integration (introduction) locations along the San Luis Canal (SLC), although private pipelines may also be used.

The Project would complement the United States Bureau of Reclamation’s (USBR’s) most recent approval of the Five-Year Warren Act for Westlands Water District Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact (CGB-EA-2020-032 and CGB-FONSI-2020-032, respectively) to authorize execution of
Warren Act Contracts, which is effective through 2025. Annual Warren Act Contracts would be coordinated with USBR to implement the Project as excess capacity is available.

The comment period of the documents below have passed.
Mendota Pool Group 20-Year Exchange Program Final EIS/R

Notice is hereby given that the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, as the National Environmental Policy Act Federal lead agency, and Westlands Water District, as the California Environmental Quality Act State lead agency, have made the Mendota Pool Group (MPG) 20-Year Exchange Program Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) available to the public.

Please note that the comment period has passed.

The proposed water exchange program incorporates design constraints, management actions, monitoring, and reporting requirements as well as groundwater recharge components intended to replenish the local groundwater basin through use of existing recharge facilities. The program would allow MPG farmers to deliver groundwater of suitable quality to Mendota Pool in exchange for Central Valley Project water delivered via the San Luis Canal for use on approximately 42,316 acres of historically irrigated MPG lands in Westlands Water District.

The EIS/EIR analyzes the No Action and two action alternatives. Under the Proposed Action (Alternative 1), Reclamation would issue a series of exchange agreements over a period of 20 years. The MPG may pump a not-to-exceed total of 38,316 acre-feet of water per year (AFY), which includes up to 26,316 AFY for exchange (less 5 percent required to remain in the Mendota Pool) and the remainder for adjacent use on MPG owned farmlands in the Mendota Pool area. Over the 20-year period, pumping for exchange would be capped at 421,053 acre-feet (AF). Also, the Proposed Action includes a Warren Act contract with Reclamation to provide MPG with storage capacity in San Luis Reservoir and a new groundwater recharge component with up to 23,169 AF of recharge over the 20-year life of the Proposed Action. Alternative 2 includes all actions of the Proposed Action, but also develops an additional groundwater recharge facility that combined with the other recharge facilities would achieve over 43,000 AF of recharge over the 20-year period.

For more information, copies of the Final EIS/EIR are available to the public at: Westlands Water District, 3130 N. Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93703 or online at USBR’s Website.

Westlands Solar Park Draft Program EIR

Not Accepting comments.

Agricultural Aquifer Storage and Recovery Program

NOTICE OF INTENT TO ADOPT A MIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATION BASED ON AN INITIAL STUDY

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Westlands Water District solicits public comment on the proposed adoption of a mitigated negative declaration for the Agricultural Aquifer Storage and Recovery Program proposed within Westlands Water District Boundary located in Fresno and Kings counties.

The WWD Board of Directors will conduct a public hearing to receive oral comments at a special Board meeting on October 3, 2019, beginning at 3:00 p.m. The Board will consider adoption of the Mitigated Negative Declaration immediately following the hearing.

The analysis of the regulatory basis for this proposed action is available for public inspection at the District’s office located at the address below or online.

Written comments on this project must be submitted within 30 days of the publication date of this notice to RUSS FREEMAN, DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER-RESOURCES, WESTLANDS WATER DISTRICT, by mail to P.O. Box 6056 Fresno, CA 93703, or by courier to the District Office at 3130 N Fresno St, Fresno, CA 93703.