News Release Archive

Public Scoping Meetings Scheduled for the Walker River Basin Acquisitions Program, Nevada

Media Contact: Jeffrey McCracken, 916-978-5100, 09/25/2007 19:18

For Release: September 25, 2007

The Bureau of Reclamation will be preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Walker River Basin Acquisitions Program.  The purpose of the Program is to comply with the requirements of Public Law 107-171 (Desert Terminal Lakes Program), which appropriates funds to provide water to at-risk natural desert terminal lakes.  Follow-on legislation, Public Law 109-103, allocates funds to the University of Nevada to implement a program for environmental restoration to acquire from willing sellers land, water appurtenant to the land, and related interests in the Walker River Basin, Nevada.

The goal of the Program is to acquire water rights sufficient to increase the long-term average annual inflow to Walker Lake by up to 50,000 acre-feet.  Due to annual hydrologic variability, increasing Walker Lake inflows by up to 50,000 acre-feet annually may require acquiring more than 50,000 acre-feet of water rights.

A Notice of Intent to prepare the EIS was published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, September 25, 2007.  Four public scoping meetings are being held to solicit public input on topics that will be addressed in the EIS, including resources to be evaluated, alternatives to be considered, and identification of significant concerns and issues.  

The meetings are scheduled as follows:

Nevada
Reno Monday, Oct. 22, 6 – 8 p.m., Rancho San Rafael Park Main Ranch House 1595 N. Sierra Street Map	Yerington Tuesday, Oct. 23, 6 – 8 p.m. Yerington High School Gymnasium, 114 Pearl Street Map	Hawthorne Wednesday, Oct. 24, 6 – 8 p.m., Mineral County Public Library Meeting room 110 1st Street Map

California

Bridgeport Thursday, Oct. 25, 6 – 8 p.m. Bridgeport Memorial Hall 73 N. School Street Map

Written comments on the scope of the EIS should be sent by close of business Monday, November 26, 2007, to Mrs. Caryn Huntt DeCarlo, Bureau of Reclamation, 705 N. Plaza Street, Room 320, Carson City, NV, 89701, e-mail chunttdecarlo@mp.usbr.gov, or fax 775-884-8376.  For additional information, please contact Mrs. Huntt DeCarlo at 775-884-8352, TDD 775-882-3436.

# # #

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.