Lands Division

Land Use Authorizations

Use of Reclamation Land, Facilities, and Waterbodies

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) projects are located in the 17 Western United States of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington.

The public may apply to use Reclamation land, facilities, and waterbodies, and may engage in the use only after proper authorization is received from Reclamation. Use authorizations are not required for permitted public recreational use of recreation areas and facilities open to the public. Submission of an application for use does not constitute authority to use Reclamation land, facilities, or waterbodies. Consideration of applications to use Reclamation land, facilities, or waterbodies is completely discretionary and Reclamation reserves the right to refuse to authorize any use which may be incompatible with the federally-authorized purposes of Reclamation projects or interferes with Reclamation's rights or operations.

Land Retirement
Drainage/Grasslands

Westside Regional Drainage Plan

The Westside Regional Drainage Plan (WRDP) was developed in 2003 by various stakeholders and was designed primarily to identify scientifically sound drainage projects that would curtail discharge to the San Joaquin River in accordance with regulatory constraints. The WRDP key proposed management practices are land retirement, groundwater management, source control, regional reuse projects, drain water treatment, and salt disposal. The initial projects in the WRDP were the first steps needed for implementation of Reclamation’s 2006 Final Environmental Impact Statement for the San Luis Drainage Feature Re-evaluation, the 2007 Record of Decision (ROD), and the 2008 Feasibility Report.

Grassland Bypass Project (GBP)

Reclamation and the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority (Authority) continue to implement the December 2009 Agreement For Continued Use of the San Luis Drain that allows the Authority to convey subsurface drainage water from the Grasslands Drainage Area (GDA) through the San Luis Drain to Mud Slough (north), a tributary of the San Joaquin River, subject to monthly and annual limits on the loads of salts and selenium that may be discharged into Mud Slough. Panoche Drainage District and the other GDA districts have successfully met these limits through displacement of subsurface drainage water to the San Joaquin River Improvement Project (SJRIP).

Demonstration Treatment Plant (Demo-Plant)

The Demo-Plant began construction in November 2012 in the Panoche Drainage District. The Demo Plant’s purpose is to remove salts and selenium from subsurface drain water in the SJRIP using reverse osmosis and the ABMet biological removal system.

Last Updated: 8/5/20