 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
||||||||
State Water Resources Control Board |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
Division of Water Rights 901 P Street . Sacramento, California 95814 (916) 657-1359 . FAX (916) 657-1485 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2000 . Sacramento, California 95812-2000 Web Site Address: http://www.waterrights.ca.gov |
||||||||
Winston H. Hickox Secretary for Environmental Protection |
||||||||
|
|
|
To: Interested Parties TRANSMITTAL OF FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORTS AND INFORMATION PERTAINING TO THE BAY/DELTA WATER RIGHTS HEARING This letter transmits the State Water Resources Control Board’s (SWRCB) Final Environmental Impact Report (Final EIR) for the Consolidated and Conformed Place of Use (CPOU) and two volumes of the Final EIR for Implementation of the 1995 Bay/Delta Water Quality Control Plan (Bay/Delta Plan). The Bay/Delta Plan Final EIR consists of three volumes: the Final EIR (Volume 1), Technical Appendices (Volume 2), and Response to Comments on the Draft EIR (Volume 3). Volumes 1 and 3 of the Bay/Delta Plan Final EIR are enclosed. Volume 2 is available upon request to the SWRCB. Also enclosed is a CD-ROM that contains the 1995 Bay/Delta Water Quality Control Plan and both EIRs (all volumes). These documents are also available on the SWRCB’s Bay/Delta website at http://www.waterrights.ca.gov/baydelta. Additional copies of the Final EIR for the CPOU are available from the SWRCB for $30.00. Additional copies of the Bay/Delta EIR are available for $30.00 per volume. Additional copies of the CD-ROM are available for $5.00 per disk. In response to comments received on the Bay/Delta Plan Draft EIR, the SWRCB has revised some of its analyses that were contained in the Draft EIR, added new analyses, and provided additional information regarding some of the previously conducted analyses. Some of the more extensive changes are described below: Spring Run Chinook Salmon. Salmon smolt survival models were run to determine potential impacts to spring run chinook. Chapters VI, XII and XIII are revised accordingly. Steelhead. There are new sections addressing steelhead in Chapters VI, XII and XIII. The discussion is qualitative, as there are presently no steelhead models. Striped Bass. The “adult” portion of the model has been discarded and the Final EIR focuses only on “Young of Year” using new multiple regression formulae obtained from DFG. A revised discussion of striped bass is included in Chapters VI, XII and XIII. Aquatic Habitat-Rivers. The Draft EIR used an analysis in which stream flows under the flow alternatives were compared to flows recommended during the Anadromous Fisheries Restoration Program process. This analysis is replaced by a completely new “Range of Variability” analysis. This methodology is used to revise the discussion of aquatic resources in Chapters VI, XII, and XIII. Delta Salinity. Salinity analyses using DWRDSM are expanded. The modeled period in Chapter VI is increased from six to 16 years, and three additional stations are added to the analyses in Chapters VI and XIII. Water Temperature. A new section is added on temperature effects in the tributary rivers. Temperature modeling was performed by the USBR and is described in Chapter IV. Modeling results are included in Appendix 5. Water Levels. An analysis of the impact on water levels of the Joint Point of Diversion alternatives has been added to Chapter XIII. Suisun Marsh Alternatives. The description of Suisun Marsh Alternative 5 is revised to be consistent with the current version of the Suisun Marsh Preservation Agreement (SMPA) III. This SMPA III alternative no longer includes Green Valley Creek augmentation or the redirection of Morrow Island discharge. DWRDSM modeling for Suisun Marsh is revised to reflect the changes. Dissolved Oxygen. An analysis of the sensitivity of dissolved oxygen concentrations to a variety of environmental parameters is added to Chapter X. Economics. The economic analysis in Chapter XII now includes a discussion of the economic effects of the San Joaquin River Agreement and a revised economic analysis of Flow Alternative 5. No new significant impacts were identified in the Final EIR as a result of these analyses or any other changes to the Draft EIR. The Final EIR for the CPOU contains revised maps, but does not identify any new significant impacts. The SWRCB intends to enter both Final EIRs into the record for the Bay/Delta Water Rights Hearing. The Bay/Delta Final EIR will be identified as SWRCB Exhibit 1e. The CPOU Final EIR will be identified as SWRCB Exhibit 2a. The EIRs will be accepted in evidence on December 1, 1999, if there are no objections that require further consideration of their acceptability. Objections to the SWRCB accepting either of these documents in evidence must be received by the SWRCB by 5:00 p.m. on November 30, 1999. Parties who object must identify the basis for their objection. The SWRCB will soon release a proposed decision addressing issues considered during the Bay/Delta Water Rights Hearing. The SWRCB has tentatively scheduled a Board meeting to be held on Tuesday, December 28 and, if necessary, Wednesday December 29, 1999, to certify the Final EIRs and consider whether to adopt the proposed decision. Parties to the hearing will receive notification of the Board meeting and a copy of the proposed decision in early December, 1999. Any correspondence regarding these issues, including objections to the SWRCB accepting the Final EIRs into the hearing record, should be mailed to: Nick Wilcox, Chief |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bay/Delta Unit |
|||||||||||
Division of Water Rights |
|||||||||||
P.O. Box 2000 |
|||||||||||
Sacramento, CA 95812-2000 or hand delivered to Mr. Wilcox at: State Water Resources Control Board |
|||||||||||
Division of Water Rights |
|||||||||||
Paul R. Bonderson Building, Third Floor |
|||||||||||
901 P Street |
|||||||||||
|
|
|
Sacramento, CA 95812 To request copies of the Final EIRs, please contact Ms. Linda Valin at the above address or at (916) 657-1361. If you have any other questions regarding this matter you may contact Mr. Wilcox at (916) 657-0446 or Ms. Barbara Leidigh, Senior Staff Counsel, at (916) 657-2102. Sincerely, Signed on November 15, 1999 Harry M. Schueller, Chief |
|
|
|
|
|
Division of Water Rights Enclosures |
||||
|
|
|
Final EIR for Implementation of the 1995 Bay/Delta Water Quality Control Plan (Volume 1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||||||||||