[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 165 (Thursday, August 24, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51627-51628]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-20772]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


Draft Supplemental EIS/EIR for Acquisition of Additional Water 
for Meeting the San Joaquin River Agreement Flow Objectives, 2001-2010

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to prepare a joint Draft Supplemental 
Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (DSEIS/EIR).

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the San Joaquin 
River Group Authority (SJRGA) are preparing a joint DSEIS/EIR, pursuant 
to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California 
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), to evaluate the purchase of up to 
50,000 acre-feet of water annually during the 2001 through 2010 water 
years from the SJRGA and its members to meet a 31-day spring pulse flow 
target in the San Joaquin River at Vernalis. The spring pulse flow 
target in a given water year is dependent on hydrological conditions 
and is established by Vernalis Adaptive Management Plan (VAMP) flow 
objectives within the San Joaquin River Agreement (SJRA). When 
supplemental flows required to meet the spring pulse flow target exceed 
110,000 acre-feet, Reclamation may purchase up to an additional 50,000 
acre-feet (i.e., above 110,000 acre-feet) to supplement the spring 
pulse flows. The additional pulse flows would enter as releases from 
water purveyors into the Tuolumne and/or Merced Rivers.

DATES: Written comments on the scope of the DSEIS/EIR must be received 
by September 28, 2000. Comments received after this date will be 
considered, but may not be included in the resulting DSEIS/EIR scope.

ADDRESSES: Written comments should be sent to Mr. John Burke, Water 
Acquisition Program Manager (MP410), Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 
Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825; fax 916/978-5290.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Burke at the above address or by 
telephone at: 916/978-5556 (TDD 916/978-5608).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The SJRGA was established to provide a level 
of protection equivalent to the San Joaquin River flow objectives 
contained in the State Water Resources Control Board's (SWRCB) 1995 
Water Quality Control Plan for the lower San Joaquin River and San 
Francisco Bay-Delta Estuary (Delta). A key part of the SJRA is the VAMP 
which is a scientifically based adaptive fishery management plan to 
help determine the relationships between flows, exports, and other 
factors on fish survival in this region of the Delta. The SWRCB adopted 
pertinent provisions of the SJRA on December 29, 1999, and issued its 
Revised Water Right Decision 1641 (D-1641) containing these provisions 
on March 15, 2000. D-1641 approved implementation of the VAMP through 
December 31, 2011.
    A joint Final EIS/EIR was prepared in January 1999 by the SJRGA and 
Reclamation to meet CEQA and NEPA requirements to address environmental 
impacts associated with acquiring water to meet the flow objectives in 
the SJRA. This document addressed the need for up to 110,000 acre-feet 
to meet a 31-day spring pulse flow target in the San Joaquin River at 
Vernalis. The SJRA allows for willing sellers among the SJRGA to sell 
Reclamation additional water when the spring pulse flow target exceeds 
110,000 acre-feet. The Final EIS/EIR prepared for the SJRA acknowledged 
the need for this additional water from willing sellers in some water 
years but did not address the environmental impacts associated with 
acquiring this supplemental water.

[[Page 51628]]

    The purpose of the DSEIS/EIR is to update and supplement analyses 
presented in the 1999 Final EIS/EIR to address the acquisition of up to 
50,000 acre-feet of water annually during the 2001 through 2010 water 
years. The DSEIS/EIR analysis will include a detailed hydrologic 
analysis and will focus on potential impacts involving the following 
resources: Surface Water, Ground Water, Vegetation and Wildlife 
Resources, Fishery Resources, Land Use, Recreation, Energy Resources, 
and Cultural Resources. Also, the DSEIS/EIR will address the following 
issues: potential sources of water supply (e.g., carryover storage, 
ground water, conservation/tailwater recovery), alternative releases on 
the tributaries (Tuolumne and Merced rivers), effects on exports/water 
supply, estimated water quality at Vernalis, potential effects on 
anadromous fish including steelhead, and cumulative impacts.

    Dated: August 10, 2000.
Richard G. Kristof,
Acting Regional Resources Manager.
[FR Doc. 00-20772 Filed 8-23-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P