[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 43 (Friday, March 3, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11561-11563]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-5105]


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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Corps of Engineers, Department of the Army


Notice of Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement for the Proposed Salinas Valley Water Project, Monterey 
County, CA

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.

ACTION: Notice of Intent.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), San Francisco 
District, has received an application for a Department of the Army 
authorization from the Monterey County Water Resources Agency (MCWRA) 
to construct a surface water diversion structure in the Salinas River 
near the City of Salinas, Monterey County, California, as part of the 
Salinas Valley Water Project (SVWP). In accordance with the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), the 
USACE has determined that the proposed action may have a significant 
impact on the quality of the human environment and therefore requires 
the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). A combined 
Environmental Impact Report (EIR)/EIS will be prepared with USACE as 
the Federal lead agency and the MCWRA as the local lead agency (under 
the California Environmental Quality Act, of CEQA).
    The purpose of the proposed action is to provide for the long-term 
management and protection of groundwater resources in the Salinas River 
Basin by meeting the following objectives: Stopping seawater intrusion; 
Providing adequate water supplies to meet current and future (year 
2030) needs; and Hydrologically balancing the groundwater basin in the 
Salinas Valley. The proposed action would: (1) Provide a source of 
water to the Basin by changing the operational programs (rule curves) 
of the upstream Nacimiento and San Antonio reservoirs, and capturing 
water from April through November via a surface diversion structure 
(inflatable dam) to provide water for agriculture; and (2) maintain and 
increase present conservation release practices to recharge the 
groundwater basin.

DATES: A scoping meeting for this project will be held on April 5, 
2000, 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The scoping meeting will be held at the Monterey County 
Water Resources Agency, 893 Blanco Circle, Salinas, California 93901-
4455. Mail comments to: Robert F. Smith, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 
333 Market Street, CESPN-OR-R, San Francisco, CA 94105-2197, or; Curtis 
Weeks, Interim General Manager, Monterey County Water Resources Agency, 
893 Blanco Circle, Salinas, California 93901-4455.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Smith, 415-977-8450, or 
electronic mail: [email protected]. Curtis Weeks, 831-755-4860.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Groundwater is the source for almost all of 
the water needs (agricultural and urban) in the Salinas Valley 
Groundwater Basin. In the northern coastal areas of the Basin, most 
groundwater extraction occurs from two groundwater supplies, the 180-
Foot and 400-Foot Aquifers. An ongoing imbalance between the rate of 
groundwater withdrawal and recharge has resulted in overdraft 
conditions in the Salinas Valley Groundwater Basin that have allowed 
seawater from Monterey Bay to intrude inland into both of these 
aquifers in the northern Salinas Valley. By 1995 seawater was

[[Page 11562]]

estimated to affect as much as 19,788 acres overlaying the 180-Foot 
Aquifer and 9,797 acres overlaying the 400-Foot Aquifer. As a result, 
urban and agricultural supply wells have been abandoned or destroyed in 
some locations. To halt further groundwater degradation and prevent 
seawater from moving further inland, aquifer pumping and recharge rates 
would need to be brought into balance.
    Water needs, both existing and future, were considered as an 
integral part of the development and design of the proposed action. 
Without the development of water supplies to augment existing 
groundwater supplies, both existing and future water needs (the year 
2030 was used for the future planning horizon) would result in further 
Basin overdraft and seawater intrusion.
    1. Description of Proposed action: The project area is located in 
Monterey County and northern San Luis Obispo County (Lake Nacimiento's 
location), California. The following specific project components are 
being proposed:
    a. Nacimiento Spillway Modification: The proposed spillway 
modification would increase the flexibility of reservoir operations by 
altering the flood rule curve to maintain higher water levels during 
the winter and spring months. The additional storage gained at 
Nacimiento would be released for Basin recharge and diversion later in 
the year. The existing spillway would be modified by lowering the 
spillway crest by approximately 8 feet and installing an inflatable 
rubber dam or radial gates. In anticipation of a significant storm, the 
rubber dam/gates would be deflated/opened, increasing the capacity of 
the existing spillway to safely pass the event. Once the event has 
ended or at a point late in the winter season, the rubber dam/gates 
would be inflated/closed to restore reservoir water levels.
    b. Reoperation of Reservoirs: The operation of the Nacimiento and 
San Antonio reservoirs serves two purposes: flood control and 
conservation (groundwater recharge through the Salinas River). The 
proposed spillway modification of Nacimiento would allow changes in the 
ways both reservoirs are operated (timing/quantity of water releases) 
in order to provide the source water for the action, while assuring the 
provision of adequate flood control capacity and at the same time 
maximizing conservation releases. Reoperation would involve changes to 
operational programs (rule curves) rather than physical improvements.
    c. Salinas River Recharge, Conveyance and Diversion: The Salinas 
River would continue to provide for the recharge of the groundwater 
basin, and would serve as conveyance for a proposed downstream 
diversion facility. The diversion facility would include an inflatable 
dam that is proposed to operate from April to November. The proposed 
surface diversion facility would divert water in the Salinas River at 
Salachi Ranch Road into the existing Castroville Seawater Intrusion 
Project (CSIP) distribution pipeline for delivery to agricultural users 
for irrigation. The diversion facility would impound water an estimated 
2 miles upstream when the dam is operational. The CSIP pipeline could 
potentially require expansion (i.e., enlargement of the irrigation 
service area) to facilitate the use of all the water to be diverted by 
the diversion facility.
    d. Delivery Area Pumping Restrictions: Pumping restrictions would 
be imposed within the project delivery areas to avoid unregulated 
pumping by those who receive direct water deliveries from the proposed 
action.
    2. Reasonable Alternatives: In accordance with the requirements of 
section 15124 of the State CEQA Guidelines and 40 CFR 1502.14, 
reasonable alternatives to the proposed action will be evaluated in the 
Draft EIR/EIS as listed below:
    a. Proposed Action (Preferred Alternative): This alternative is the 
proposed action and is described above.
    b. Subsurface Diversion: This is the alternative generally 
evaluated in the 1998 Draft EIR. This alternative would include the 
following components: (1) Modification of the Nacimiento Spillway; (2) 
reoperation of the Nacimiento and San Antonio reservoirs; (3) 
subsurface diversion, storage and use of Salinas River water; (4) 
treatment and delivery (to agricultural and possibly urban uses); (5) 
storage of recycled water (produced during low irrigation demand 
periods by the Monterey County Water Recycling Projects) in either the 
groundwater basin or a surface reservoir and delivery to agricultural 
uses during the irrigation season; and (6) delivery area pumping 
restrictions. This alternative differs from what was addressed in the 
1998 Draft EIR in that it does not include a nitrate management plan.
    c. Alternative Location: This alternative would be the same as the 
proposed action, except that the in-stream surface diversion facility 
would be developed at a different location in the Salinas River. The 
location of the diversion facility under this alternative will be 
determined after initial evaluation of the environmental effects of the 
diversion facility under the Proposed Action, with attention given to 
an alternative site which could reduce any significant environmental 
effects of the diversion facility under the Proposed Action.
    d. No Action--No Action: Under this alternative, the MCWRA would 
implement no actions to address seawater intrusion and hydrologic 
balance in the Basin, while future water needs would occur as project.
    e. No Action--Total Demand Management: This alternative assumes 
that in the event that the proposed action would not proceed, the MCWRA 
would implement forced reductions in groundwater pumping to stop 
seawater intrusion and bring the Basin into hydrologic balance.
    f. No Action--State Adjudication: Implementation of this 
alternative would result in judicial control over the water resources 
in the Basin to include possibly: (1) Some type of restriction on water 
use; (2) reservoir reoperation; (3) forced conservation; or (4) 
reclamation.
    3. Scoping Process: Pursuant to CEQA and NEPA, the MCWRA and USACE 
must include a ``scoping'' process for the Draft EIR/EIS. Scoping 
primarily involves determining the scope of issues to be addressed in 
the Draft EIR/EIS and identifying the anticipated significant issues 
for in-depth analysis. The scoping process includes public 
participation to integrate public needs and concerns regarding the 
proposed action into the process.
    a. Public Involvement Program: Vehicles for public comment on the 
proposed action will include: a public workshop to be conducted jointly 
by the MCWRA and USACE; the preparation of the Draft EIR/EIS and 
receipt of public comment in response to the Draft EIR/EIS; and public 
hearings.
    b. Significant Issues to be Analyzed in Depth in the Draft EIR/EIS: 
The following significant environmental issues have already been 
identified and will be analyzed in depth in the Draft EIR/EIS:
    (1) Hydrology: The effect of the proposed action on Basin 
groundwater balance, seawater intrusion, groundwater levels, stream 
flows, reservoir storage levels, surface water levels, downstream 
flooding potential, and sediment transport will be evaluated.
    (2) Public Health and Safety: The water quality and flooding 
effects of the proposed action will be evaluated. The regulatory 
requirements/impacts of development of the proposed surface diversion 
facility in the Salinas River will be evaluated.
    (3) Fisheries. The influence of the proposed action on existing 
fishery

[[Page 11563]]

resources in Nacimiento and San Antonio reservoirs, the Salinas River 
and its major tributaries, and the Salinas River Lagoon will be 
evaluated. In this evaluation, special attention will be given to 
sensitive and listed species such as steelhead, Oncorhynchus mykiss.
    (4) Terrestrial Biological Resources: The potential for the 
proposed action to affect terrestrial biological resources at the 
Nacimeinto and San Antonio Reservoirs, the Salinas River and its 
tributaries, and the Salinas River Lagoon will be evaluated. Special 
attention will be given to sensitive and listed species such as least 
Bell's vireo (Vireo bellii pusillus), California red-legged frog (Rana 
aurora draytonii), and bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus).
    c. Environmental Review/Consultation Requirements:
     National Environmental Policy Act.
     Section 404 of Clean Water Act.
     Section 10 of Rivers & Harbors Act.
     Endangered Species Act.
     Magnuson-Stevens Act Provisions; Essential Fish Habitat.
     Clean Air Act.
     National Historic Preservation Act.
     Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act.
     Coastal Zone Management Act.
     Council on Environmental Quality Memorandum--Analysis of 
Impacts on Prime and Unique Agricultural Lands.
    4. Scoping Meeting/Availability of Draft EIR/EIS: The MCWRA and the 
USACE will hold a scoping meeting to provide information on the project 
and receive oral comments on the scope of the document. The Draft EIR/
EIS is expected to be available for public review in September 2000.

(Authority: 40 CFR part 1501.7)

    Dated: February 18, 2000.
Calvin C. Fong,
Chief, Regulatory Branch.
[FR Doc. 00-5105 Filed 3-2-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-19-M