News Release Archive

Reclamation Releases Draft Environmental Documents for Storage and Conveyance of the City of Santa Barbara’s Gibraltar Reservoir

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

For Release: January 12, 2016

FRESNO, Calif. - The Bureau of Reclamation has released for public review the Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for the Storage and Conveyance of the City of Santa Barbara’s Gibraltar Reservoir Pass Through Water using Cachuma Project Facilities.

Reclamation proposes to execute Warren Act contracts (temporary 5-year and long-term 40-year) with the City for the annual storage and conveyance of up to 8,547 acre-feet of its non-Project water. Reclamation would modify its accounting of inflow to Lake Cachuma to reflect the Pass Through mode consistent with the Pass Through Agreement and would coordinate with the accounting of the City’s Pass Through water in Lake Cachuma as non-Project water.

The Draft EA/FONSI were prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, and are available at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=24240. If you encounter problems accessing the document, please call 916-978-5100 or email mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.

Written comments are due by February 11, 2016. Please email comments to slholt@usbr.gov. Comments may also be mailed to Stacy Holt, Bureau of Reclamation, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 93721 or faxed to 559-487-5927.

For additional information or to request a copy of the Draft EA/FONSI, please contact Stacy Holt at 559-487-5295 (TTY 800-877-8339). Copies of the Draft EA/FONSI may also be viewed at Reclamation’s Fresno 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.

Relevant Link:

Draft EA/FONSI