[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 169 (Friday, August 29, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50997-50999]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-20104]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Reclamation


San Luis Low Point Improvement Project, California

AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental impact 
statement/environmental impact report (EIS/EIR) and notice of public 
scoping meetings.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act and the 
California Environmental Quality Act, the Bureau of Reclamation 
(Reclamation) and the Santa Clara Valley Water District, in 
coordination with the San Luis and Delta Mendota

[[Page 50998]]

Water Authority, intend to prepare an EIS/EIR for the San Luis Low 
Point Improvement Project (Low Point Project). Reclamation is the lead 
Federal agency and Santa Clara Valley Water District is the lead State 
agency for preparation of the EIS/EIR.
    The Low Point Project is designed to address water supply 
reliability issues in San Luis Reservoir associated with conditions 
occurring in summer months when water levels are low. During this time, 
reservoir-wide growth of algae makes the water unsuitable for certain 
agricultural and municipal and industrial users in the San Felipe 
Division with existing treatment facilities (also known as the ``low 
point issue'').

DATES: A series of public scoping meetings will be held to solicit 
public input on alternatives, concerns, and issues to be addressed in 
the EIS/EIR. The meeting dates are as follows:
     September 10, 2008, 4:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., San Jose, CA.
     September 11, 2008, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Sacramento, CA.
     September 11, 2008, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., Los Banos, CA.
    Written comments must be received by October 28, 2008.

ADDRESSES: The public scoping meeting locations are:
     San Jose at the Rose Garden Public Library, 1580 Naglee 
Avenue.
     Sacramento at the Federal Building, 2800 Cottage Way, 
Cafeteria Conference Rooms C-1001 and C-1002.
     Los Banos at the Miller and Lux Community Center, 830 
Sixth Street.
    Written comments on the scope of the EIS/EIR should be sent to Ms. 
Lynnette Wirth, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, Public 
Affairs, Sacramento, CA 95825, e-mailed to [email protected], or faxed 
to 916-978-5114.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Sharon McHale, Reclamation Project 
Manager, at the above address, 916-978-5086 (TDD 916-978-5608), or via 
e-mail at: [email protected]; or Ms. Tracy Ligon, Santa Clara Valley 
Water District, 5750 Almaden Expressway, San Jose, CA 95118-3686, at 
408-265-2600 x2569 or via e-mail at: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: San Luis Reservoir is a jointly shared off-
stream storage facility providing Reclamation and the State of 
California the ability to store water during wet seasons and deliver it 
during dry seasons. Use of the reservoir helps to maximize Central 
Valley Project (CVP) and State Water Project supplies and contract 
deliveries. Any constraint in the release of water from San Luis 
Reservoir, including maintaining water levels to avoid the low point 
issue, could limit water supplies.
    The Low Point Project is designed to address water supply 
reliability issues in San Luis Reservoir associated with the low point 
issue. The low point issue arises when water levels fall below 300 
thousand acre-feet (TAF), creating a water quality restriction (algae 
blooms) that has the potential to interrupt a portion of the San Felipe 
Division's water supply. The low point issue may affect the ability of 
San Luis Reservoir to provide water supply reliability and deliveries 
to south-of-Delta contractors.
    Conditions at San Luis Reservoir promote the growth of reservoir-
wide algae during the summer months, when the reservoir reaches the 
lower water surface elevations (approximately 300 TAF). Algae blooms 
vary in size in different years, but generally reach diversion 
facilities when the reservoir has 300 TAF of water remaining in 
storage. The water quality within the algal blooms is not suitable for 
agricultural water users with drip irrigation systems in San Benito 
County or for municipal and industrial water users relying on existing 
water treatment facilities in Santa Clara County. Reaching 300 TAF 
creates a risk for the San Felipe Division contractors because the San 
Luis Reservoir is the only CVP water source point that they can access.
    The project location is focused around San Luis Reservoir in Merced 
County. The project also includes the service areas of the CVP San 
Felipe Division in Santa Clara and San Benito Counties, and other CVP 
contractors within the San Luis and Delta Mendota Water Authority in 
the western San Joaquin Valley.

Background

    One of the options identified in the 2000 CALFED Programmatic 
Record of Decision was a bypass canal that would connect the San Felipe 
Division to water delivered by the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta 
pumping facilities, to increase use of water in San Luis Reservoir by 
up to 200 TAF.
    Reclamation issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) for a similar project 
on July 17, 2002. The participating agencies conducted scoping 
meetings, and the results of those meetings have been incorporated into 
this project. After publishing the initial NOI, the project focus has 
broadened, which has resulted in new planning objectives. The agencies 
have decided to re-issue the NOI and conduct new scoping meetings 
because of the length of time that has passed and the change in project 
objectives.

Objectives

    The overall objective of the Low Point Project is to optimize the 
water supply benefit of San Luis Reservoir while reducing additional 
risks to water users by:
     Avoiding supply interruptions when water is needed by 
increasing the certainty of meeting the requested delivery schedule 
throughout the year to south-of-Delta contractors dependent on San Luis 
Reservoir;
     Increasing the reliability and quantity of yearly 
allocations to south-of-Delta contractors dependent on San Luis 
Reservoir; and
     Announcing higher allocations earlier in the season to 
south-of-Delta contractors dependent on San Luis Reservoir without 
sacrificing accuracy of the allocation forecasts.
    The Low Point Project may also provide opportunities for ecosystem 
restoration.

Alternatives

    Initial alternatives fall into seven general categories:
     Institutional: Non-structural measures, including 
agreements and exchanges that would reduce the likelihood of San Luis 
Reservoir reaching its functional low point or would provide alternate 
supplies for the San Felipe Division during times when the functional 
low point is reached.
     Source Water Quality Control: Improvements to San Luis 
Reservoir water quality that would reduce water supply interruptions 
for the San Felipe Division while continuing supplies for the rest of 
the San Luis and Delta-Mendota users.
     Water Treatment: New or enhanced raw water treatment 
capabilities using dissolved air flotation that could treat San Luis 
Reservoir water and reduce or eliminate interrupted deliveries when 
algae blooms are in the vicinity of the Pacheco Intake.
     Conveyance: Facilities that would allow San Felipe 
Division CVP supplies to bypass the San Luis Reservoir altogether or 
change the location of the San Felipe Division's intake so that low 
water levels and algae are not a problem.
     Storage: Facilities that would create additional storage, 
either on the San Felipe side of San Luis Reservoir or within the 
Central Valley, to provide an alternate water supply.
     Alternate Water Supplies: Measures that would provide a 
new source of water to users in the San Felipe

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Division, reducing their demands on San Luis Reservoir water supplies.
     Combination Alternative: Measures that work best in 
combination, augmenting efficient use of existing available water 
supplies and facilities to resolve the low point problem. The 
Alternative Water Supplies concept incorporates multiple strategies, 
such as source shifting, new supply development, additional treatment 
technology, reoperation, and operational agreements, which build upon 
one another either incrementally or in total, to achieve water supply 
reliability, water quality, and system flexibility project objectives 
and opportunities.

Special Assistance for Public Scoping Meetings

    If special assistance is required at the public hearings, please 
contact Ms. Lynnette Wirth at 916-978-5100, TDD 916-978-5608, or via e-
mail at [email protected]. Please notify Ms. Wirth as far in advance 
as possible to enable Reclamation to secure the needed services. If a 
request cannot be honored, the requestor will be notified. A telephone 
device for the hearing impaired (TDD) is available at 916-978-5608.

Public Disclosure

    Before including your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, 
or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should 
be aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. While you can 
ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so.

    Dated: August 8, 2008.
Susan M. Fry,
Regional Environmental Officer, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. E8-20104 Filed 8-28-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MN-P