[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 185 (Thursday, September 24, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51094-51095]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-25544]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Central Valley Project Improvement Act, Criteria for Evaluating 
Water Management Plans

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of draft decision of evaluation of water management 
plans.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: To meet the requirements of the Central Valley Project 
Improvement Act (CVPIA) and the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982, 
Reclamation developed and published the Criteria for Evaluating Water 
Conservation Plans, dated April 30, 1993, and revised and renamed in 
September 1996 to Criteria for Evaluating Water Management Plans 
(Criteria). These Criteria were developed based on information provided 
during public scoping and review sessions held throughout Reclamation's 
Mid-Pacific (MP) Region. Reclamation uses these Criteria to evaluate 
the adequacy of all water management plans developed by Central Valley 
Project contracts in the

[[Page 51095]]

MP Region. These Criteria were developed and the plans evaluated for 
the purpose of promoting the most efficient water use reasonably 
achievable by all MP Region contractors. Reclamation made a commitment 
(stated within the Criteria) to publish a notice of its draft 
determination of the adequacy of each contractor's water management 
plan in the Federal Register to allow the public a minimum of 30 days 
to comment on its preliminary determinations.

DATES: All public comments must be received by October 26, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Please mail comments to Lucille Billingsley, U.S. Bureau of 
Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-410, Sacramento CA 95825.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
To be placed on a mailing list for any subsequent information, please 
contact Lucille Billingsley at the address above, or by telephone at 
(916) 978-5215 (TDD 978-5608).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under provision of Section 3405 (e) of the 
CVPIA (Title 34, Public Law 102-575), ``The Secretary [of the Interior] 
shall establish and administer an office on Central Valley Project 
water conservation best management practices that shall . . . develop 
criteria for evaluating the adequacy of all water conservation plans 
developed by project contractors, including those plans required by 
Section 210 of the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982.'' Also, according to 
Section 3405(e)(1), these criteria will be developed ``. . . with the 
purpose of promoting the highest level of water use efficiency 
reasonably achievable by project contractors using best available cost-
effective technology and best management practices.''
    The MP Criteria states that all parties (districts) that contract 
with Reclamation for water supplies (municipal and industrial contracts 
over 2,000 irrigable acre-feet and agricultural contracts over 2,000 
irrigable acres) will prepare water management plans which will be 
evaluated by Reclamation based on the following required information 
detailed in the steps listed below to develop, implement, monitor, and 
update their water management plans. The steps are:

1. Describe the district.
2. Inventory water resources available to the district.
3. Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Agricultural Contractors.
4. BMPs for Urban Contractors.
5. Exemption Process.

    The MP Contractors listed below have developed water management 
plans which Reclamation has evaluated and preliminarily determined to 
meet the requirements of the Criteria. These MP Contractors include: 
Citrus Heights Water District, Fair Oaks Water District, City of 
Folsom, Lindmore Irrigation District, Lindsey-Strathmore Irrigation 
District, Orange Cove Irrigation District, and Orange Vale Water 
Company.
    The MP Contractors listed below have developed a ``cooperative'' 
water management plan which Reclamation has evaluated and preliminarily 
determined meet the requirements of the Criteria. These MP Contractors 
include: Central California Irrigation District, Columbia Canal 
Company, Firebaugh Canal Water District, and San Luis Canal Company. 
These districts are known as the San Joaquin Valley Exchange 
Contractors.
    Public comment on Reclamation's preliminary (i.e., draft) 
determinations is invited at this time. Copies of the plans listed 
above will be available for review at Reclamation's MP Regional Office 
and area office locations. If you wish to review a copy of the plans, 
please contact Ms. Billingsley to find the office nearest you.

    Dated: September 17, 1998.
Robert F. Stackhouse,
Regional Resources Manager, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 98-25544 Filed 9-23-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-M