Table of Contents Zone 7 Well Master Plan – Environmental Impact Report
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TABLE OF CONTENTS ZONE 7 WELL MASTER PLAN – ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT Page S. SUMMARY S-1 1. INTRODUCTION 1-1 1.1 Purpose of the EIR 1-1 1.2 CEQA EIR Process 1-1 1.3 Documents Incorporated By Reference 1-4 2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION 2-1 2.1 Introduction 2-1 2.2 Project Background 2-3 2.3 Purpose, Need and Project Objectives 2-9 2.4 Project Location 2-9 2.5 Project Description 2-13 2.6 Alternatives 2-28 2.7 Intended Uses of the EIR and Additional Approvals 2-29 3. ENVIRONMENTAL SETTING IMPACTS AND MITIGATION MEASURE 3-1 3.1 Groundwater Hydrogeology and Water Quality 3.1-1 3.2 Surface Hydrology and Water Quality 3.2-1 3.3 Geology and Soils 3.3-1 3.4 Land Use 3.4-1 3.5 Biological Resources 3.5-1 3.6 Air Quality 3.6-1 3.7 Noise 3.7-1 3.8 Traffic and Circulation 3.8-1 3.9 Hazardous Materials 3.9-1 3.10 Public Services and Utilities 3.10-1 3.11 Cultural Resources 3.11-1 3.12 Visual Resources 3.12-1 4. GROWTH INDUCEMENT POTENTIAL AND SECONDARY EFFECTS OF GROWTH 4-1 4.1 Introduction 4-1 4.2 Zone 7 Water Supply Planning Program 4-3 4.3 Updated Projections 4-5 Zone 7 Well Master Plan EIR Draft EIR i ESA / 201583 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 5. CUMULATIVE IMPACTS 5-1 5.1 CEQA Analysis Requirements 5-1 5.2 Potential Plans and Projects With Related or Cumulative Effects 5-2 5.3 Potential Cumulative Effects 5-6 6. ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES 6-1 6.1 Introduction 6-1 6.2 Significant Effects of the Project and Locational Alternatives 6-2 6.3 No Project Alternative 6-6 6.4 Treatment Plant Capacity Expansion and Dry Year Supply Acquisition 6-8 6.5 Storage Alternatives 6-9 6.6 Increased Pumpage – Existing Facilities 6-12 6.7 Implementation at Existing Well Sites 6-12 6.8 Reduce Project – Minimum Number of Wells to Meet 45 mgd Drought Year Capacity, 52 mgd Peak Capacity 6-13 7. REPORT PREPARERS 7-1 APPENDICES A. Notice of Preparation A-1 B. Comments Received During NOP Circulation B-1 3.1 Groundwater Hydrogeology and Water Quality A.3.1-1 3.2 Surface Hydrology and Water Quality A.3.2-1 3.3 Geology and Soils A.3.3-1 3.4 Land Use A.3.4-1 3.5 Biological Resources A.3.5-1 3.6 Air Quality A.3.6-1 3.7 Noise A.3.7-1 3.8 Traffic and Circulation A.3.8-1 3.9 Hazardous Materials A.3.9-1 3.10 Public Services and Utilities A.3.10-1 3.11 Cultural Resources A.3.11-1 3.12 Visual Resources A.3.12-1 LIST OF FIGURES 2-1 City Limits and Spheres of Influence in the Zone 7 Service Area 2-2 2-2 Groundwater Production Capability vs. Drought Demand and 75% Valleywide Maximum Day Demand 2-7 2-3 Wellfield Locations (Street Based) 2-10 2-4 Wellfield Locations & Existing Land Uses (Aerial Base) 2-11 2-5 Conceptual Layout of Typical Well Facility with Off-Site Treatment 2-15 2-6 Existing Wells with Off-Site Treatment 2-16 2-7 Conceptual Layout of Typical Well Facility with On-Site Treatment 2-19 Zone 7 Well Master Plan EIR Draft EIR ii ESA / 201583 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES (Continued) 2-8 Wells with On-Site Treatment 2-20 3.1-1 Livermore-Amador Groundwater Basin 3.1-2 3.1-2 Livermore-Amador Groundwater Basin, West-East Cross-Section 3.1-3 3.1-3 Historic Groundwater Artificial Recharge and Storage, Water Years 1974 - 2003 3.1-5 3.1-4 Actual Historical Storage Versus Baseline Storage Conditions (No Zone 7 Operations) 3.1-6 3.1-5 Zone 7 Historic Municipal Production from Surface Water and Groundwater Sources 3.1-8 3.1-6 Existing Municipal Wells and Basin Transmissivity 3.1-9 3.1-7 Historical Low Groundwater Elevations, Main Basin Deep Aquifer 3.1-12 3.1-8 Zone 7 Groundwater Pumpage During Peak of Drought, 20% SWP Deliveries & 2020 Demand 3.1-17 3.1-9 Anticipated Groundwater Production, Single Year and 6-Year Drought Scenarios 3.1-18 3.1-10 Water Level Difference Map for the Deep Aquifer Average Future Conditions Minus Historical Low 3.1-21 3.1-11 Six-Year Drought Drawdown (45 mgd) vs. Historical Low Groundwater Elevations – Main Basin Deep Aquifer 3.1-22 3.1-12 Projected Well Interference by Wellfield 3.1-29 3.1-13 Modeled 50-Year TDS Levels without Project 3.1-31 3.1-14 Modeled 50-Year TDS Levels-Well Master Plan Wellfields 3.1-31 3.1-15 Modeled 50-Year TDS Levels-Well Master Plan Plus Desalting Wells 3.1-32 3.3-1 Principal Active Faults in the Project Vicinity 3.3-2 3.4-1 Important Farmland in the Planning Area 3.4-18 3.7-1 Effect of Noise on People 3.7-2 3.12-1 Existing Zone 7 Well Facility Types 3.12-3 3.12-2 Existing Zone 7 Well Facility Types 3.12-4 6-1 Wellfield Ranking 6-4 6-2 Preferred Wellfields for Implementation 6-5 LIST OF TABLES S-1 Summary of Impacts and Mitigation Measures S-6 2-1 Zone 7 and Retailer Well Capacity Relative to 100% Reliability Objective (Goal 1) 2-6 2-2 Zone 7 and Retailer Well Capacity to Meet 75% Valley-Wide Maximum Day Demand Objective (Goal 2) 2-6 2-3 Wellfield Site Locations and Characterization 2-12 2-4 Zone 7 Existing Well Capacities 2-27 3.1-1 Zone 7 and Retailer Well Ownership and Physical Characteristics 3.1-10 3.1-2 Existing Wells Per Wellfield 3.1-10 3.1-3 Comparison of Well Screen Elevations and Modeled Groundwater Levels – Sngle-Year Drought Scenario 3.1-26 3.3-1 Soil Properties Within the Planning Area 3.3-4 3.3-2 Distance to the Proposed Project of Faults in the Planning Area 3.3-5 Zone 7 Well Master Plan EIR Draft EIR iii ESA / 201583 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES (Continued) 3.4-1 Surrounding Land Uses 3.4-2 3.5-1 Focused List of Special Status Species Considered in Zone 7 Wellfield Project Area 3.5-2 3.5-2 Potential Special Status Species Within the Planning Area 3.5-9 3.6-1 Air Pollution Summary for the Livermore-Amador Valley Area, 1996-2000 3.6-5 3.6-2 State and National Ambient Air Quality Standards 3.6-6 3.7-1 Background Daytime Noise Levels in Wellfield Areas 3.7-4 3.7-2 Measured Noise Levels During Well Facility Operations 3.7-4 3.7-3 Normally Acceptable Noise Levels by Land Use (DNL) 3.7-8 3.7-4 Exterior Noise Standards in Wellfield Jurisdictions 3.7-9 3.7-5 Short Term Noise Levels, Well Drilling Operations and Sound Wall Mitigation 3.7-11 3.7-6 Typical Construction Equipment Noise Levels 3.7-13 3.7-7 Attenuation of Typical Construction Noise Levels 3.7-13 3.7-8 Attenuation of Noise from Projected Pump Operations 3.7-15 3.8-1 Traffic Volumes on Freeways in Project Area 3.8-2 3.8-2 Existing Traffic Volumes on Major Streets in Project Area 3.8-3 3.9-1 Summary of Databases Reviewed for Wellfields 3.9-3 3.9-2 Potential Hazardous Sites Identified in Each Wellfield 3.9-7 3.10-1 Providers of Public Services and Utilities in the Vicinity of the Proposed Connection Pipeline Alignment 3.10-1 3.10-2 Providers of Public Services and Utilities in and Around the Planning Area 3.10-3 3.11-1 Cultural Resources in the Project Area 3.11-2 3.12-1 Descriptions of Land Use Categories 3.12-1 3.12-2 Wellfield Characteristics 3.12-2 4-1 Key Overriding Considerations for Significant, Unavoidable Impacts of Planned Growth and Development 4-4 4-2 Zone 7 Projected Treated Water Demand Versus Total Existing Supply 4-6 4-3 ABAG 2002 Population Projections 4-8 4-4 Zone 7 Retailer Population Projections 4-8 5-1 Development Projects in the Vicinity of the Planning Area 5-3 6-1 Typical Water Transfer Impacts 6-10 6-2 Ability of Alternatives to Meet Project Objectives 6-15 6-3 Evaluation of Project Alternatives 6-16 Zone 7 Well Master Plan EIR Draft EIR iv ESA / 201583 SUMMARY S.1 INTRODUCTION This Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) assesses the potential impacts of the expansion of groundwater production facilities by the Alameda County Zone 7 Water Agency (Zone 7). The purpose of the proposed project is to increase reliability and redundancy of the water system such that treated water is available to Zone 7 customers when SWP water allocation are low during a drought year or in the event of an emergency. This document has been prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) of 1970 (as amended), the State EIR guidelines, and California Administrative Code, Title 14, Division, Chapter 3. The Zone 7 Water Agency (Zone 7) is the lead agency for this CEQA process. Inquiries about the project should be directed to: Matt Katen Zone 7 Water Agency 5997 Parkside Drive Pleasanton, CA 94588 S.2 PROJECT BACKGROUND Zone 7’s service area comprises approximately 425 square miles in eastern Alameda County and includes the cities of Pleasanton, Livermore and Dublin as well as the surrounding unincorporated Alameda County lands.