News Release Archive

Draft EA Available for Santa Clara Valley Water District Long-Term Ground Water Banking Project at Semitropic Water Storage District

Media Contact: Jeffrey McCracken, 916-978-5100, jmccracken@mp.usbr.gov

For Release: March 06, 2006

The Bureau of Reclamation announces the availability of the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for a water banking program that would allow the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) to bank a portion of its Central Valley Project (CVP) contract supply in Semitropic Water Storage District (Semitropic) facilities, for use by SCVWD at a later date. The CVP water to be banked would be in excess of SCVWDs immediate needs and could be recovered during dry years, as needed. The project area encompasses SCVWD and Semitropic, as well as State, Federal and district-owned, facilities that would be used in order to implement the proposed action. The proposed water banking program would continue until SCVWDs current CVP contract expires on December 31, 2027.

The SCVWD has 350,000 acre-feet of storage capacity in the Semitropic water bank. Reclamation would approve SCVWD to deliver up to 100,000 acre-feet per year of CVP water to the water bank in Semitropic. Ten percent of all deliveries would be left behind to cover aquifer losses as required by Semitropics Memorandum of Understanding with the surrounding districts. SCVWD could recover up to 100,000 acre-feet of CVP water per year from the water bank. The Draft EA was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and is available for a 30-day public review and comment period. It may be viewed online at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/index.cfm: click on SCCAO.

Written comments on the Draft EA must be submitted by close of business April 4, 2006, and should be mailed to: Ms. Laura Myers, Bureau of Reclamation, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 93721, or faxed to 559-487-5397, or e-mailed to lmyers@mp.usbr.gov. For additional information or to request a copy of the Draft EA, please contact Ms. Myers at 559-487-5179, TDD 559-487-5933. Copies of the draft EA may also be viewed at Reclamations Fresno office (address listed above). If you encounter problems accessing documents online, please contact Ms. Lynnette Wirth at 916-978-5102 or lwirth@mp.usbr.gov.

# # #

The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.

Relevant Link:

Draft EA (Click on SCCAO)