DOCSLIB.ORG

4.15 Recreation

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
4.15 Recreation 4.15 Recreation 4.15 Recreation This section provides an analysis of potential impacts on recreational facilities that would result from implementation of the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project. The analysis includes a description of the environmental setting, the associated regulatory framework (including all applicable recreational policies), the methodology, and the impact assessment. Mitigation measures are identified, where appropriate, to avoid or reduce potential impacts. 4.15.1 Affected Environment Regulatory Setting Federal and State No federal or state regulations specifically apply to recreational activity in the Los Vaqueros Watershed, with the exception of state limits on body contact recreation in domestic water supply reservoirs (see California Health and Safety Code section 115825(b)). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the California Department of Health Services prescribe regulations that limit the contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Local Contra Costa County General Plan Goals and policies in the Contra Costa County General Plan (Contra Costa County, 2005) pertaining to recreation are provided in Appendix E-2. These goals and policies include the following: • Retention of important creeks and streams in order to maintain recreation opportunities (8-79) • Preservation and protection of the County’s recreational resource lands (Goal 9-A) • Development of properly designed park and recreational facilities for the County’s residents (9-36) • Promotion of recreational enjoyment of the County’s amenities for the health, safety, and welfare of its residents (9-38) • Protection and provision of public access to scenic areas on waterfronts, including water- recreation such as fishing, boating, and picnicking (9-43) Alameda County East County Area Plan – A Portion of the Alameda County General Plan Goals and policies in Alameda County’s East County Area Plan (Alameda County, 2002) pertaining to recreation are provided in Appendix E-1. These goals and policies are as follows: • Preservation and protection of recreational resource lands of East County (9-A) • Consideration of recreational benefits when determining cost and benefits of alternative drainage system improvements (Policy 7-41) Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project 4.15-1 February 2009 Draft EIS/EIR Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project Contra Costa Water District The Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) Board of Directors adopted a set of principles by which it would participate in the planning and development of the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project, as presented in Chapter 2, Project Background. One of the CCWD Board Principles states that CCWD will not support an expansion of Los Vaqueros Reservoir unless the project preserves and increases the recreational opportunities of the original Los Vaqueros Reservoir. CCWD is responsible for implementing the Watershed Management Program and the Resource Management Plan described below. Ordinance 01-01 CCWD has adopted a specific ordinance for managing resources in the Los Vaqueros Watershed. CCWD Ordinance 01-01 states: “The rules and regulations included herein are necessary or convenient for the control, operation, and protection of the reservoir and surrounding land Contra Costa Water District owns, operates, or controls; for the control, operation, and protection of structures and facilities, and equipment used in connection with the reservoirs; for the protection of property, watersheds, and watercourses; for the due operation, management, or control of the property; to prevent water pollution; and to protect the health and safety of its customers and other members of the public.” Article 3 of CCWD Ordinance 01-01 further defines specific restrictions on activities that could occur in the watershed including prohibition of body or clothing contact in any District water body and operating any vessel without a permit. The full list of restrictions is included in Appendix E-4. Watershed Management Program The Watershed Management Program (Brady and Associates, 1997) provides programs for the management of the watershed but does not include management programs for public access or recreation. One major program goal pertinent to the project includes provision of recreational facilities and programs and public access at a reasonable cost for users. The program also consists of several objectives such as the following: to provide opportunities for both passive and active recreational uses, to protect the watershed’s natural and cultural resources, and to provide recreational activities and programs that are consistent with water quality and reliability goals. A complete list of the Watershed Management Program’s objectives is contained in Appendix E-4. Resource Management Plan Recreation policies for the watershed were originally outlined in the Los Vaqueros Resource Management Plan (Brady/LSA, 1999) and subsequently formulated into broad guiding policies based on enactment of Ordinance No. 01-01 by the CCWD Board of Directors in September 2001. The Resource Management Plan includes recreation and public access goals such as: “Provide recreational facilities and programs and public access at reasonable costs that are distributed equitably among users.” Other policies prevent access to watershed areas between Los Vaqueros Road and Vasco Road due to property ownership, protection of water quality, steep terrain, and protection of biological and cultural resources (R-7) and prevention of Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project 4.15-2 February 2009 Draft EIS/EIR 4.15 Recreation road access from the west through East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) lands (R-8). Policies relevant to trail development and maintenance within the watershed call for minimizing erosion and other impacts to water quality in the watershed, observing a minimum 100-foot setback from the reservoir to minimize sediment transport, and only permitting equestrian and bicycle use when they would not contribute to erosion and trail degradation as determined by CCWD watershed staff (T-7 and T-8). These policies and restrictions are listed in Appendix E-4. Regional Recreational Opportunities The project is located in southeastern Contra Costa County and northeastern Alameda County. The region offers a variety of recreational opportunities in both urban and outdoor settings, which are illustrated in Figure 4.15-1. Mount Diablo State Park serves as the northwestern anchor of a series of outdoor recreational areas that extend through the Diablo Range. The EBRPD Morgan Territory Regional Preserve links Mount Diablo State Park to the Los Vaqueros Watershed, which forms the southeastern anchor of this extensive open space and recreation system. Several smaller EBRPD lands border the state park on the west and the southeast. These include: Vasco Caves Regional Preserve (owned jointly by EBRPD and CCWD), Round Valley Regional Preserve, Brushy Peak Regional Preserve (partially owned by the Livermore Area Park District), the San Francisco Bay to San Joaquin Delta Trail, and the Diablo Trail. To the north of the watershed is the Cowell Ranch Open Space, currently being collaboratively planned for state park use by California State Parks and the City of Brentwood. This open space is not yet open to the public and currently has no recreational facilities. Other accessible public lands lie to the north and east, where San Francisco Bay and Delta waterways provide recreational boating, fishing, and camping opportunities. To the south, Lake Del Valle (also operated by EBRPD) provides additional boating, fishing and camping facilities. Additional recreational facilities include the Bethany Reservoir State Recreation Area which surrounds Bethany Reservoir at the southeast end of the project area. This recreation area, managed by California State Parks, is used primarily for day-use activities, water-oriented recreation, and biking along the California Aqueduct. Local Recreational Opportunities Los Vaqueros Watershed The Los Vaqueros Watershed provides day-use opportunities for hiking, biking, boating, fishing, and horseback riding. Recreational facilities and trails within the watershed are illustrated in Figure 4.15-2. Table 4.15-1 provides additional detail on the existing facilities. Public vehicle access to the watershed is limited to (1) the Marina, concession, and picnic area on the southern shore of the reservoir, and (2) the Interpretive Center, Watershed Office, and day- use facilities near the existing Los Vaqueros Dam on the north end of the watershed. The Interpretive Center, Watershed Office, and day-use facilities near the dam are accessed via Walnut Boulevard, which connects to Camino Diablo near the intersection with Vasco Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project 4.15-3 February 2009 Draft EIS/EIR 160 4 d a Contra o Cost R a C s d s a a a n o a P l R d w y a llo ile o i a R W B s as P r ke ir Los Vaqueros Va Pipeline K CCWD/EBMUD Intertie qu e ros Pipeline 680 Discovery ld River Bay OOld River 4 24 Cowell Ranch Mount Diablo Open Space anal State Park Old RiveRiverr PipelinePipeli ne e n n Victoria CCanal i i l l e Round Valley e p p i Regional Preserve P nsfer ra T Clifton Morgan Territory t Court c u Forebay Regional Preserve d LOS VAQUEROS e u RESERVOIR q A ia rn o Vasco Caves f i 680 l Regional a C Preserve C d Bethany Aque uct y Reservoir a B State Recreational 205 h Area t u u o Brushy o SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY S S DeDelta Mendota Canal Peak lta Mendot CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Regional ALAMEDA COUNTY Preserve
Load more

Recommended publications
  • LV Scoping Report
    APPENDIX A Notices and Public Involvement A-1. Scoping Report A-2. CCWD CEQA Notice of Completion A-3. Reclamation Notice of Availability Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project A-1 February 2009 Draft EIS/EIR A-1 SCOPING REPORT Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project February 2009 Draft EIS/EIR LOS VAQUEROS RESERVOIR EXPANSION PROJECT Scoping Report U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Mid-Pacific Region April 2008 LOS VAQUEROS RESERVOIR EXPANSION PROJECT Scoping Report U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Mid-Pacific Region April 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project Scoping Report Page 1.0 Introduction 1 2.0 Proposed Action 1 1. Project Objectives 2 2. Reservoir Expansion Alternatives 4 3.0 Opportunities for Public Comment 7 1. Notification 7 2. Information Open House and Public Scoping Meetings 7 4.0 Summary of Scoping Comments 8 1. Commenting Parties 9 2. Comments Received During the Scoping Process (Written and Oral) 9 5.0 Consideration of Issues Raised in Scoping Process 15 1. Alternatives and Baseline Condition 16 2. Biological Resources 16 3. Cultural/Historical Resources 17 4. Surface Water Hydrology and Water Quality 17 5. Water Supply 17 6. Recreation 17 7. Geology 17 8. Land Use 18 9. Transportation and Circulation 18 10. Construction-Related Issues 18 11. Growth-Inducing Effects 18 12. Cumulative Effects 18 13. Other Issues 19 Appendices A. Notice of Intent A-1 B. CEQA Agency Consultation and Public Scoping B-1 B-1 Notice of Preparation B-1 B-2 NOP Mailing List B-2 B-3 Office of Planning and Research Filing Acknowledgement B-3 Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project i ESA / 201110 Scoping Report April 2008 Table of Contents Page C.
    [Show full text]
  • Update 2013 November 2013
    East Contra Costa County Integrated Regional Water Management Plan Update 2013 November 2013 East County Water Management Association CONTRA COSTA WATER DISTRICT City of Pittsburg East Contra Costa County Integrated Regional Water Management Plan Update The East County Water Management Association (ECWMA) will soon begin to update its Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP), originally developed in June 2006. The Update is being funded by the ECWMA agencies and a planning grant from the California Department of Water Resources. An IRWMP is a collaborative effort to manage all aspects of water resources in a region. IRWMPs cross jurisdictional, watershed, and political boundaries; involve multiple agencies, stakeholders, individuals, and groups; and attempt to address the issues and differing perspectives of all the entities involved through mutually beneficial solutions. The East Contra Costa County IRWMP Update will consist of: Updating the document to the lastest guidelines and standards, including the development of new integrated projects Developing a plan for groundwater and salt/nutrient management in the Pittsburg Plain Basin Continuing public outreach, including to disadvantaged communities More information about IRWMPs may be found at http://www.water.ca.gov/irwm/. If you would like more information about the IRWMP Update or would like to participate in upcoming public meetings, please contact Marie Valmores at [email protected]. Contra Costa County November 17, 2001 Creek and Watershed Symposium http://www.eccc-irwm.org/ East County Water Management Association CONTRA COSTA WATER DISTRICT City of Pittsburg East Contra Costa County Integrated Regional Water Management Plan Update The East County Water Management Association (ECWMA) will soon begin to update its Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP), originally developed in June 2006.
    [Show full text]
  • December 6, 2016
    Board of Directors Board Meeting Agenda DECEMBER 6, 2016 Clerk of the Board YOLANDE BARIAL KNIGHT (510) 544-2020 PH (510) 569-1417 FAX MEMO to the BOARD OF DIRECTORS East Bay Regional EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT Park District Board of Directors DOUG SIDEN The Regular Session of the DECEMBER 6, 2016 President - Ward 4 Board Meeting is scheduled to commence at 1:00 p.m. at the EBRPD Administration Building, BEVERLY LANE 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland. Vice President - Ward 6 DENNIS WAESPI Treasurer - Ward 3 DIANE BURGIS Secretary - Ward 7 Respectfully submitted, JOHN SUTTER Ward 2 AYN WIESKAMP Ward 5 WHITNEY DOTSON Ward 1 ROBERT E. DOYLE General Manager ROBERT E. DOYLE General Manager P.O. Box 5381 2950 Peralta Oaks Court Oakland, CA 94605-0381 (888) 327-2757 MAIN (510) 633-0460 TDD (510) 635-5502 FAX www.ebparks.org AGENDA REGULAR MEETING OF DECEMBER 6, 2016 BOARD OF DIRECTORS EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT The Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park 11:30 a.m. ROLL CALL (Board Conference Room) District will hold a regular meeting at 2950 Peralta Oaks PUBLIC COMMENTS Court, Oakland, CA, commencing at 11:30 a.m. for Closed Session and 1:00 p.m. CLOSED SESSION for Open Session on Tuesday, December 6, 2016. A. Conference with Labor Negotiator: Gov’t Code § 54957.6 Agenda for the meeting is listed adjacent. Times for agenda Agency Negotiator: Robert E. Doyle, Debra Auker, items are approximate only and Jim O’Connor, Sukari Beshears & are subject to change during the Eddie Kreisberg meeting.
    [Show full text]
  • East Contra Costa County Historical Ecology Study
    EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY HISTORICAL ECOLOGY STUDY NOVEMBER 2011 SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY INSTITUTE Suggested citation: Stanford B, Grossinger RM, Askevold RA, Whipple AW, Leidy RA, Beller EE, Salomon MN, Striplen CJ. 2011. East Contra Costa County Historical Ecology Study. Prepared for Contra Costa County and the Contra Costa Watershed Forum. A Report of SFEI’s Historical Ecology Program, SFEI Publication #648, San Francisco Estuary Institute, Oakland, CA. Report and GIS layers are available on SFEI's website, at www.sfei.org/HEEastContraCosta. Permissions rights for images used in this publication have been specifically acquired for one-time use in this publication only. Further use or reproduction is prohibited without express written permission from the responsible source institution. For permissions and reproductions inquiries, please contact the responsible source institution directly. Front cover: Views of East Contra Costa County through time. Top: View from Fox Ridge west towards Mount Diablo, 2010; Middle: Kellogg Creek, ca. 1920 "In NW 1/4 sec. 3, 2S, 2E, on road slope from hill looking N. along Kellogg Creek"; Bottom: Detail from USGS 1916 (Byron Hot Springs quad). Contemporary photo February 23, 2010 by Abigail Fateman. Historical photo courtesy of the California Historical Society. Title page: View of Kellogg Creek watershed, looking south toward Brushy Peak, ca. 1920. Near present-day Los Vaqueros Reservoir on section 21 (SE quarter) Township 1 South, Range 2 East. Courtesy of the California Historical Society. EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY HISTORICAL ECOLOGY STUDY prepared for contra costa county • november 2011 SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY INSTITUTE Prepared by: SAN FRANCISCO ESTUARY INSTITUTE Bronwen Stanford Robin Grossinger Ruth Askevold Alison Whipple Robert Leidy1 Erin Beller Micha Salomon Chuck Striplen 1U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan Annual Report 2018 (DRAFT)
    Agneda Item 9 Attachment East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan Annual Report 2018 (DRAFT) April 2019 Agneda Item 9 Attachment Cover Photograph: Goldfields on Vaquero Farms Photo credit: Stephen Joseph Agneda Item 9 Attachment TABLE OF CONTENTS Page List of Tables ................................................................................................................................... iv List of Figures .................................................................................................................................. vi List of Acronyms and Abbreviations .............................................................................................. vii Table of Contents ................................................................................................................... i Executive Summary ............................................................................................................... 1 Covered Activities ........................................................................................................................... 2 Urban Development Area Projects .............................................. Error! Bookmark not defined. Land Acquisition and Stay-Ahead Provision ................................................................................... 3 Habitat Restoration and Creation ................................................................................................... 4 Coordinated Wetland Permitting ..................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Project Background
    CHAPTER 2 Project Background This chapter provides an overview of the existing Los Vaqueros Reservoir facilities and operations, a history of the expansion project, a description of current Delta water supply facilities and operations, and a summary of ongoing planning and regulatory processes related to the Delta. This information provides context for understanding how expansion of the Los Vaqueros Reservoir could achieve the objectives outlined in Chapter 1, Purpose and Need. 2.1 Existing Los Vaqueros Reservoir The Los Vaqueros Reservoir is a 100 thousand-acre-foot (TAF) offstream storage reservoir in southeastern Contra Costa County owned and operated by the Contra Costa Water District (CCWD)1. The reservoir is operated to improve water quality and provide emergency storage for CCWD’s 550,000 customers in central and eastern Contra Costa County. CCWD completed the reservoir and associated facilities (including a new intake on Old River near State Route 4 (SR 4)) in 1997. The reservoir facilities are operated as an integrated system with the Contra Costa Canal and Rock Slough Intake built as part of the federal Central Valley Project (CVP) in the 1940s. These facilities are described in more detail in the following sections. CCWD also owns the Los Vaqueros Watershed (watershed) which covers about 20,000 acres. The watershed lands are managed for water quality, conservation, and recovery of special-status species and their habitats, and recreation. The reservoir also provides flood control benefits on Kellogg Creek.2 The CCWD service area, watershed lands, and major untreated water facilities are shown on Figure 2-1. More recently, CCWD has constructed or is constructing two facilities that will be operated integrally with the reservoir: the CCWD-East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) Intertie, completed in 2007, and a new intake on Victoria Canal known as the Alternative Intake Project (AIP), currently under construction.
    [Show full text]
  • Board Meeting Packet
    September 7, 2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Board Meeting Packet SPECIAL NOTICE REGARDING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2021 at 1:00 pm Pursuant to Governor Newsom’s Executive Order No. N-29-20, the East Bay Regional Park District Headquarters will not be open to the public and the Board of Directors and staff will be participating in the Board meetings via phone/video conferencing. Members of the public can listen and view the meeting in the following way: Via the Park District’s live video stream which can be found at https://youtu.be/VWS1jd_1LNI Public comments may be submitted one of three ways: 1. Via email to Yolande Barial Knight, Clerk of the Board, at [email protected]. Email must contain in the subject line public comments – not on the agenda or public comments – agenda item #. It is preferred that these written comments be submitted by Monday, September 6, 2021 at 3:00 pm. 2. Via voicemail at (510) 544-2016. The caller must start the message by stating public comments – not on the agenda or public comments – agenda item # followed by their name and place of residence, followed by their comments. It is preferred that these voicemail comments be submitted by Monday, September 6, 2021 at 3:00 pm. 3. Live via zoom. If you would like to make a live public comment during the meeting this option is available through the virtual meeting platform: *Note: this virtual meeting platform link will let you into the https://zoom.us/j/98516595630 virtual meeting for the purpose of providing a public comment.
    [Show full text]
  • Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project Draft Supplement to The
    CHAPTER 5 Climate Change This chapter provides an overview of the climate change scenarios developed by the California Water Commission (CWC) and how a changed climate may change the long-term impacts and benefits of the Phase 2 Expansion. An analysis of how each alternative may change greenhouse gas emissions can be found in the Air Quality Section 4.10. The CWC requires that applicants evaluate their storage project under two specific climate change scenarios for the years 2030 and 2070 (Section 6004 of Water Storage Investment Program). Consideration of climate change is required in the quantification of public benefits of water storage projects to comply with Executive Order B-30-15 (2015) and Assembly Bill 1482 (2015), which require state agencies to account for climate change in project planning and investment decisions. Two CalSim II models with projected future changes in rainfall, runoff, sea-level rise, SWP and CVP operations for the years 2030 and 2070 were developed by the CWC and are used to evaluate the Phase 2 Expansion benefits and impacts. Other aspects of climate change such as changes in atmospheric CO2, humidity, wind and solar radiation are not explicitly included in the CalSim II models but could affect environmental conditions. 5.1 Overview of Climate Change Modeling CWC staff worked with DWR’s Climate Change Technical Advisory Group (CCTAG) to select 20 scenario-model combinations that are most appropriate for California water resource planning and analysis (DWR, 2015). The 20 climate scenario-model combinations were composed of 10 global climate models (GCMs) run with two emission scenarios, one optimistic (RCP 4.5) and one pessimistic (RCP 8.5).
    [Show full text]
  • LOS VAQUEROS RESERVOIR EXPANSION PROJECT Environmental Impact Statement Environmental Impact Report State Clearinghouse No
    FINAL – Volume 4 of 4 LOS VAQUEROS RESERVOIR EXPANSION PROJECT Environmental Impact Statement Environmental Impact Report State Clearinghouse No. 2006012037 Prepared for March 2010 United States Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Mid-Pacific Region Contra Costa Water District Western Area Power Administration FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT/ ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT for the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project This Final Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Impact Report (EIS/EIR) has been prepared by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Mid-Pacific Region (Reclamation) and the Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Western Area Power Administration (Western) is a cooperating agency under NEPA. The Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project involves enlarging the existing 100 thousand acre-foot (TAF) Los Vaqueros Reservoir located in southeastern Contra Costa County, and constructing or modifying related reservoir system facilities to develop water supplies for environmental water management that supports fish protection, habitat management, and other environmental water needs in the Delta and tributary river systems, and to improve water supply reliability and water quality for urban users in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Final EIS/EIR presents the No Project/No Action Alternative as well as four action alternatives: • Alternative 1 – Expanded
    [Show full text]
  • I: Los Vaqueros Expansion Draft EIS/EIR
    APPENDIX D Plant Community and Special-status Species Descriptions Plant Communities in the Project Area The Los Vaqueros Watershed (Watershed) encompasses 18,535 acres of land and includes 20 distinct vegetation series (ESA, 2004; Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf, 1995). The following subsections describe plant communities both within and outside the Watershed. The analysis presents NCCP Plant Community / Habitat Type designations with Sawyer and Keeler-Wolf equivalent vegetation series in parentheses. Section 4.6 Biological Resources, Table 4.6-1, and Figure 4.6-2 of the Draft EIS/EIR describe the distribution and extent of these plant communities in the Watershed. Lacustrine (Open Water/Tidal Perennial Aquatic) Description Lacustrine habitat includes permanent deep-water bodies that do not support emergent vegetation and are not subject to tidal exchange, and tidal perennial aquatic that includes deepwater aquatic (greater than 3 meters deep), shallow aquatic (less than or equal to 3 meters deep), and unvegetated intertidal zones of estuarine bays, river channels, and sloughs (CALFED Bay-Delta Program, 2000a). Such features include lakes, ponds, oxbows, gravel pits, and flooded islands. Lacustrine habitat includes areas defined as tidal and nontidal perennial aquatic habitat. Submerged and floating aquatic plant species associated with lacustrine habitats include water lilies, pondweed, duckweed, and plankton. This habitat type is commonly used by a wide variety of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians for reproduction, food, water, and cover (CALFED Bay-Delta Program, 2000a). Historical and Current Distribution Lacustrine habitat occurs in some low-lying areas of the Bay-Delta estuary. Historically, most wetlands in the Bay-Delta estuary were subject to tidal influence, and nontidal perennial aquatic habitats were uncommon.
    [Show full text]
  • Rancho to Reservoir Chapter 4 (PDF)
    148 From Rancho to Reservoir CHAPTER 4 FULL CIRCLE: LOS VAQUEROS FROM 1929 TO THE PRESENT Within the first decades of the 20th century, agricultural land at Los Vaqueros had become marginal. Without irrigation it could not support specialty crops or orchards, and the hilly terrain precluded widespread mechanization. The subsistence-based mixed farms that had developed on the Vasco and in the Black Hills were beginning to be anachronistic, and it became clear that the most efficient use of the land was for grazing. Gradually, many of the Los Vaqueros farm families packed up their belongings and moved on—some to nearby towns, and some to ranches of their own. On the Vasco, tenant arrangements under Mary Crocker and Kate Dillon had been gener- ous, so attrition was slower, but change was inevitable in the volatile economy of the first half of the 20th century. By the late 1980s, when the Contra Costa Water District began acquiring the lands of the watershed, much of the old rancho and adjoining property was once more sparsely settled and given over to livestock grazing. LAND SALES The nationwide economic depression that began with the stock-market crash of 1929 had a grave effect on agriculture in California. Crop prices fell dramatically, and cereal growers needed at least 400 harvested acres to support a family—double the amount of land they had needed at the beginning of the century. New Deal crop-subsidy programs inadvertently favored large farms over small interests by basing awards on the absolute size of the operation as opposed to propor- tional needs of families.
    [Show full text]
  • CHAPTER 3 Description of Project Alternatives
    CHAPTER 3 Description of Project Alternatives 3.1 Introduction 3.1.1 Chapter Overview This chapter describes the alternatives for the proposed Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project, including the four action alternatives and the No Project/No Action Alternative. The four action alternatives are summarized in Section 3.1.2 and described in more detail in Section 3.4. The chapter is organized as follows: • Section 3.2 describes the process that was used to develop the action alternatives, the process that was used to screen the eight action alternatives that were developed, and the four alternatives that were eliminated from further evaluation. • Section 3.3 provides a detailed description of the No Project/No Action Alternative. • Section 3.4 provides a detailed description of the four action alternatives. • Section 3.5 describes the proposed facilities under the four action alternatives in terms of location, site layout, and chief design and operational characteristics. • Section 3.6 describes the construction activities that would occur in the Proposed Project (all four action alternatives). • Section 3.7 describes the approvals and permits that would be required to implement the Proposed Project. 3.1.2 Summary of Action Alternatives Evaluated in This Draft EIS/EIR This section contains a summary of the four action alternatives. The action alternatives represent different combinations of facility options and water system operations for expanding the Los Vaqueros Reservoir (reservoir), as well as associated water conveyance. The facility options are distinguished by the amount of expansion of the reservoir capacity (i.e., from the existing 100 thousand acre-foot (TAF) to 160 TAF or to 275 TAF) and whether a new conveyance pipeline connecting the expanded reservoir to the South Bay water agencies via the State Water Project (SWP) Bethany Reservoir at the South Bay Pumping Plant (South Bay Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project 3-1 February 2009 Draft EIS/EIR Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project Connection) is included in the project.
    [Show full text]