STATE OF CALIFORNIA STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD In the matter of IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT’S (IID) AND PETITION OF IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT FOR SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY’S MODIFICATION OF REVISED (SDCWA) AMENDED JOINT PETITION FOR WATER RIGHTS ORDER 2002-0013 APPROVAL OF A LONG-TERM TRANSFER OF CONSERVED WATER FROM IID TO SDCWA AND TO CHANGE THE POINT OF DIVERSION, APPENDIX – Volume II PLACE OF USE, AND PURPOSE OF USE Under Permit 7643 on Application 7482 of Imperial Irrigation District (counsel listed on next page) MUNGER, TOLLES & OLSON LLP Ronald L. Olson (SBN 44597) Kristin Linsley Myles (SBN 154148) Matthew A. Macdonald (SBN 255269) Joshua Patashnik (SBN 295120) 355 South Grand Avenue, 35th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90071 Telephone: 213-683-9100 560 Mission Street, 27th Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 Telephone: 415-512-4000 LAW & RESOURCE PLANNING ASSOCIATES, P.C. Charles T. DuMars (pro hac vice) Patrick J. Redmond (SBN 282334) Albuquerque Plaza 201 3rd Street NW, Suite 1750 Albuquerque, NM 87102 Telephone: 505-346-0998 DOWNEY BRAND LLP David R. E. Aladjem (SBN 152203) 621 Capitol Mall, 18th Floor Sacramento, CA 95814 Telephone: 916-444-1000 IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT Ross G. Simmons (SBN 144656) Joanna Smith Hoff (SBN 243673) 333 Barioni Boulevard P.O. Box 937 Imperial, CA 92251 Telephone: 760-339-9530 CALIFORNIA STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD PETITION FOR MODIFICATION OF REVISED WATER RIGHTS ORDER 2002-0013 APPENDIX TABLE OF CONTENTS Volume 1 State Water Resources Control Board Revised Order WRO 2002-0013 (December 2002) ..........................................................................................................................1 Bill Analysis of SB 277 (2003) ..............................................................................................................97 Bill Analysis of SB 317 (2003) ............................................................................................................135 Bill Analysis of SB 654 (2003) ............................................................................................................180 Volume 2 Excerpt from Final Program Environmental Impact Report for the Implementation of the Colorado River Quantification Settlement Agreement (June 2002) ........................................221 Excerpt from Amended and Restated Addendum to Environmental Impact Report/ Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) Water Conservation and Transfer Project (September 2003) ..................................................254 Excerpt from Addendum to the Final Program Environmental Impact Report Implementation of the Colorado River Quantification Settlement Agreement (September 2003) .....................................................................................................................281 Quantification Settlement Agreement by and among Imperial Irrigation District, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and Coachella Valley Water District ........................................................................................310 Quantification Settlement Agreement Joint Powers Authority Creation and Funding Agreement ............................................................................................341 001 STATE OF CALIFORNIA STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD REVISED ORDER WRO 2002 – 0013 R EVISED IN A CCORDANCE WITH O RDER WRO 2002-0016 In the Matter of IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT’S (IID) AND SAN DIEGO COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY’S (SDCWA) AMENDED JOINT PETITION FOR APPROVAL OF A LONG-TERM TRANSFER OF CONSERVED WATER FROM IID TO SDCWA AND TO CHANGE THE POINT OF DIVERSION, PLACE OF USE, AND PURPOSE OF USE UNDER PERMIT 7643 ISSUED ON APPLICATION 7482 OF IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT SOURCE: COLORADO RIVER COUNTY: IMPERIAL 001 002 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 INTRODUCTION..............................................................................................................................1 1.1 IID's Water Right Permit..............................................................................................................3 1.2 Proposed Project...........................................................................................................................4 1.3 Proposed Changes to IID's Permit................................................................................................4 1.4 Physical Setting ............................................................................................................................5 2.0 PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND ....................................................................................................8 2.1 Public Notice of the Petition.........................................................................................................8 2.2 Protests to the Petition..................................................................................................................9 2.3 Water Rights Hearing...................................................................................................................9 2.3.1 Key Issues for the Hearing ...................................................................................................11 2.3.2 Parties ...................................................................................................................................13 3.0 LEGAL BACKGROUND................................................................................................................13 3.1 Law of the River.........................................................................................................................13 3.2 The Need to Reduce California's Use of Colorado River Water................................................15 3.3 California's Colorado River Water Use Plan..............................................................................16 3.4 The Draft Quantification Settlement Agreement .......................................................................16 3.5 The Interim Surplus Guidelines..................................................................................................17 3.6 Previous SWRCB Decisions Regarding IID’s Water Use .........................................................18 3.7 State Law Applicable to Conserved Water Transfers ................................................................18 3.8 Endangered Species Act Requirements......................................................................................20 4.0 THE TRANSFER WILL NOT RESULT IN SUBSTANTIAL INJURY TO ANY LEGAL USER OF WATER ............................................................................................................21 5.0 THE TRANSFER WILL NOT RESULT IN UNREASONABLE IMPACTS TO FISH, WILDLIFE, OR OTHER INSTREAM BENEFICIAL USES.........................................................23 5.1 Impacts to Fish and Wildlife that Rely on Drain Habitat...........................................................25 5.1.1 Existing Water Quality Conditions in the Drains.................................................................25 5.1.2 Project Impacts to Water Quantity and Water Quality in the Drains ...................................27 5.1.3 Project Impacts to Fish and Wildlife that Rely on Drain Habitat.........................................29 5.1.4 The Drain Habitat Conservation Strategy ............................................................................30 5.1.5 Conclusion on Drain Habitat Impacts ..................................................................................30 5.2 Potential Impacts to the Salton Sea ............................................................................................33 5.2.1 Existing Water Quality Conditions ......................................................................................34 5.2.2 Effects of Salton Sea Water Quality on Fish and Wildlife...................................................36 5.2.3 Effects of Reductions in Elevation on Fish and Wildlife .....................................................37 5.2.4 Potential Impacts of the Project............................................................................................37 5.2.5 Impacts to Feasibility of Restoration....................................................................................40 5.2.6 The Salton Sea Habitat Conservation Strategy (SSCHS).....................................................41 5.2.7 IID Should Be Required to Implement the SSHCS for Fifteen Years .................................43 5.2.8 Implementation of the SSHCS Is Legally Feasible..............................................................48 5.3 Impacts to Fish and Wildlife in and around the Lower Colorado River ....................................50 5.4 Potential Impacts to Fish and Wildlife in the San Diego Region...............................................53 6.0 CEQA COMPLIANCE AND OTHER PUBLIC INTEREST ISSUES...........................................56 ii 002 003 6.1 The SWRCB’s Role as a Responsible Agency under CEQA ....................................................56 6.2 Imperial County’s Motion to Deny the Transfer Petition or Adjourn this Proceeding Until IID Approves the Transfer Project under CEQA ..............................................................57 6.3 Compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act.....................................................60 6.3.1 Summary of Significant Impacts and Mitigation Measures.................................................61