[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 201 (Monday, October 19, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55890-55891]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-27914]


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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.

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SUMMARY: To meet the requirements of the Central Valley Project 
Improvement Act (CVPIA) and the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982, the 
Bureau of Reclamation (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). The Criteria were developed based on 
information provided during public scoping and public 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 MP Region. The 
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 and to allow the public a minimum of 30 days to comment on its 
preliminary determinations.

DATES: All public comments must be received by November 18, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Please mail comments to Lucille Billingsley, Bureau of 
Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-410, Sacramento, California 95825. 
You may also write Ms. Billingsley to be placed on a mailing list for 
any subsequent information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Lucille Billingsley at (916) 978-5215 [TDD (916) 978-5608].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under provision of Section 3405(c) 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(c)(1), these

[[Page 55891]]

criteria will be developed ``* * * with the purpose of promoting the 
highest level of water use efficiency reasonable 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 (BMP's) for Agricultural Contractors.
    4. BMP's 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. The districts are:
     Hills Valley Irrigation District,
     Ivanhoe Irrigation District,
     Lower Tule River Irrigation District,
     Pixley Irrigation District,
     Porterville Irrigation District,
     Saucelito Irrigation District,
     Southern San Joaquin Municipal Utilities District,
     Stone Corral Irrigation District,
     Terra Bella Irrigation District.
     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 MP's Area Office. If you wish to review a copy of the plans, please 
contact Ms. Billingsley to find the office nearest you.

    Dated: October 8, 1998.
Robert F. Stackhouse,
Regional Resources Manager Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 98-27914 Filed 10-16-98; 8:45 am]
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