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Reclamation Releases Final Environmental Documents on Transfers of Up to 20,500 Acre-Feet Per Year of Central California Irrigation District’s Central Valley Project Water in Response to Drought

Media Contact: Louis Moore, 916-978-5100, lmoore@usbr.gov

For Release: May 09, 2014

FRESNO, Calif. -- The Bureau of Reclamation today released final environmental documents for the proposed annual transfers of up to 7,500 acre-feet of Firebaugh Canal Water District’s Central Valley Project  water to the Pacheco, Panoche, San Luis, and Westlands water districts over a period of five years.

The proposed transfers would occur from April through December of each year water is transferred. In order to make FCWD’s CVP water supplies available for the transfers, common landowners in FCWD and Pacheco, Panoche, SLWD, and WWD would pump a like-amount of groundwater for use in FCWD in lieu of receiving the CVP supplies.

The actions are in response to drought conditions in the San Joaquin Valley. The U.S. Drought Monitor, a multi-agency federal hydrology report, shows that conditions in the San Joaquin Valley have intensified from “severe” drought in May 2013 to “exceptional” drought in May 2014. “Exceptional” is the worst of the five stages of the Drought Monitor Classification. Other locations in the United States that are classified “exceptional” are in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Nevada.  

The Final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Findings of No Significant Impact were prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, and are available online at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=10110.  If you encounter problems accessing the documents online, please call 916-978-5100 or email mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.

For additional information or to request a copy of the Final EAs and/or FONSIs, please contact Rain Emerson at 559-487-5196, TTY 800-735-2929. 

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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.