News Release Archive

Reclamation Schedules Public Meeting of the Data Collection and Review Team for the Grassland Bypass Project

Media Contact: Pete Lucero, MP Region Public Affairs Officer, 916 978-5100, plucero@usbr.gov
Michael (Chris) Eacock, Project Manager, 559-487-5133, mceacock@usbr.gov

For Release: November 07, 2011

The Bureau of Reclamation, on behalf of the Oversight Committee for the Grassland Bypass Project, has scheduled a public meeting on the status of the drainage management project along the San Joaquin River in central California.

The purpose of the public meeting is to share the Data Collection and Review Team's (DCRT) reports, present data, identify trends and evaluate the implementation of the Grassland Bypass Project (GBP). The project has separated unusable agricultural drainage water discharged from the Grasslands Drainage Area from wetland water supply conveyance channels, thereby facilitating drainage management for agriculture and promoting continuous improvement in water quality in the San Joaquin River.

Monthly and annual loads of selenium and salts that can be discharged into Mud Slough (north) are specified in the Agreement for the Continued Use of the San Luis Drain through December 31, 2019. These loads are verified by an environmental monitoring program that is administered by the DCRT, which consists of scientists from the California Department of Fish and Game, Regional Water Quality Control Board, Reclamation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Geological Survey, plus private contractors dealing with toxicity testing and data compilation.

The upcoming meeting of the DCRT will summarize the data gathered for the GBP and the significant effects the project has had on local farming, wetlands habitat, and the lower San Joaquin River with data and observations of third parties
The meeting will be held:

Rancho Cordova, CA

Thursday, November 17
8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Regional Water Quality Control Board,
Central Valley Region
11020 Sun Center Drive, Suite 200
Rancho Cordova, CA
Map

For questions or to request special assistance to attend the meeting, please contact Michael (Chris) Eacock, Project Manager, at 559-487-5133 or meacock@usbr.gov. Please visit the project website at www.usbr.gov/mp/grassland for additional information on the GBP. All meeting materials will be posted on the website following the meeting.

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