News Release Archive

Reclamation Releases Draft EA for the Refuge Level 2/ Incremental Level 4 Water Exchange with San Luis and Del Puerto Water Districts

Media Contact: Shane Hunt, 916-978-5100, SHunt@usbr.gov

For Release: August 26, 2015

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Bureau of Reclamation has released for public review the Draft Environmental Assessment analyzing the impacts of approving an exchange of up to 2,000 acre-feet of Level 2 refuge water for groundwater that will also result in up to 2,000 acre-feet of Incremental Level 4 refuge water for the fall of 2015.

The San Luis and Del Puerto Water Districts propose to fund the costs associated with the pumping and delivery of groundwater supplies up to 4,000 acre-feet from existing private wells located within the Grassland Water District in exchange for up to 2,000 acre-feet of Central Valley Project L2 refuge water supply. The developed groundwater supplies would be delivered to private lands within the Grassland Resources Conservation District, Merced County, to meet refuge water supply demands. In exchange for funding and delivering the groundwater supplies, the districts, which are located in western San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced and Fresno counties, would receive CVP L2 water delivered by Reclamation to help meet their agricultural water needs.

The Draft EA was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and is available online at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=22752. If you encounter problems accessing the document online, please call 916-978-5100 or email mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.

Written comments must be received by close of business Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015, and should be sent to Brad Hubbard, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way (MP-410), Sacramento, CA 95825, emailed to bhubbard@usbr.gov, or faxed to 916-978-5059.

For additional information or to request a copy of the Draft EA, please contact Hubbard at 916-978-5204 (TTY 800-877-8339). Copies of the document may also be viewed at the Bureau of Reclamation’s Mid-Pacific Regional Office at the above address.

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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.