Suisun Marsh Plan-Chap 5
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Chapter 5 Physical Environment This chapter provides environmental analyses relative to physical parameters of the project area. Components of this study include a setting discussion, impact analysis criteria, project effects and significance, and applicable mitigation measures. This chapter is organized as follows: Section 5.1, “Water Supply, Hydrology, and Delta Water Management”; Section 5.2, “Water Quality”; Section 5.3, “Geology and Groundwater”; Section 5.4, “Flood Control and Levee Stability”; Section 5.5, “Sediment Transport”; Section 5.6, “Transportation and Navigation”; Section 5.7, “Air Quality”; Section 5.8, “Noise”; and Section 5.9; “Climate Change.” Suisun Marsh Habitat Management, November 2011 Preservation, and Restoration Plan 5-1 Final EIS/EIR ICF 06888.06 Section 5.1 Water Supply, Hydrology, and Delta Water Management Introduction This section describes the existing environmental conditions and the consequences of implementing the SMP alternatives on water supply, hydrology, and Delta water management. Delta water management for agriculture, water supply diversions, and exports and the salinity of water diverted for waterfowl habitat in the managed wetlands of the Marsh officially became linked in the 1978 State Water Board Delta Water Control Plan and the water right decision (D-1485) Suisun Marsh salinity standards (objectives). D-1485 required DWR and Reclamation to prepare a plan to protect the beneficial use of water for fish and wildlife and meet salinity standards for the Marsh. Initial facilities included improved RRDS facilities to supply approximately 5,000 acres on Simmons, Hammond, Van Sickle, Wheeler, and Grizzly Islands with lower salinity water from Montezuma Slough, and the MIDS and Goodyear Slough outfall to improve supply of lower salinity water for the southwestern Marsh. These initial facilities were constructed in 1979 and 1980; the required Suisun Marsh Plan of Protection was prepared and approved in 1984. This section describes the impacts of the SMP alternatives on water supply in Suisun Marsh. The impacts on hydrodynamics (water flows and tidal elevations) also are described in this section; water quality effects (i.e., salinity and contaminants) are described in the next section (Section 5.2). SWP and CVP projects affect Suisun Marsh salinity by regulating Delta outflow through upstream reservoir storage and releases and Delta exports. D-1485 (since 1978) and the currently applicable D-1641 (since 1995) require DWR and Reclamation to meet various Delta outflow and salinity objectives in the Delta and in the Marsh. These objectives limit the allowable exports during some periods of relatively low Delta inflows. The State Water Board suggested in D- 1485 that “Full protection of Suisun Marsh now could be accomplished only by requiring up to 2 million acre-feet (maf) of freshwater outflow in dry and critical years in addition to that required to meet other standards.” This was strong motivation for DWR and Reclamation to prepare a plan of protection for Suisun Marsh that would use other facilities or management actions to provide appropriate salinity in the Marsh. The SMSCG on Montezuma Slough near Collinsville, which began operating in October 1988, were constructed by DWR Suisun Marsh Habitat Management, November 2011 Preservation, and Restoration Plan 5.1-1 Final EIS/EIR ICF 06888.06 California Department of Fish and Game, 5.1 Water Supply, Hydrology, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Reclamation Delta Water Management and Reclamation to improve the salinity in the Marsh channels without requiring the additional Delta outflow that the State Water Board had anticipated. Summary of Impacts Table 5.1-1 summarizes impacts from implementing the SMP alternatives on water supply, hydrology, and Delta water management. There are no significant impacts on water supply or Delta water management from implementing the SMP alternatives. Table 5.1-1. Summary of Water Supply, Hydrology, and Delta Water Management Impacts Significance Significance Impact Alternative before Mitigation Mitigation Measures after Mitigation Restoration Impacts WTR-1: Reduction in Water A, B, C Less than None required – Availability for Riparian Water significant Diversions to Managed Wetlands Upstream or Downstream of Restoration Areas WTR-2: Increased Tidal Velocities A, B, C Less than None required – from Breaching of Managed significant Wetlands Levees Managed Wetland Activities Impacts WTR-3: Improved Water Supply A, B, C Beneficial – – as a Result of Improved Flooding and Draining of Managed Wetlands WTR-4: Increased Tidal Flows and A, B, C Beneficial – – Improved Water Supply as a Result of Dredging Affected Environment Sources of Information The following key sources of information were used in the preparation of this section to describe the conceptual linkage between Marsh management alternatives and Delta water management: Comprehensive Review of Suisun Marsh Monitoring Data 1985–1995 (California Department of Water Resources 2001). Suisun Marsh Ecological Workgroup Final Report (California Department of Water Resources 2001). Suisun Marsh Habitat Management, November 2011 Preservation, and Restoration Plan 5.1-2 Final EIS/EIR ICF 06888.06 California Department of Fish and Game, 5.1 Water Supply, Hydrology, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Reclamation Delta Water Management Conceptual Model for Managed Wetlands in Suisun Marsh (California Department of Fish and Game 2007). RMA modeling of the Marsh and tidal restoration alternatives (Appendix A, “Numerical Modeling in Support of Suisun Marsh PEIR/EIS Technical Memorandum, March 2008”). Draft Suisun Marsh Tidal Marsh and Aquatic Habitats Conceptual Model (Conceptual Model 2010). Design Guidelines for Tidal Wetland Restoration in San Francisco Bay (PWA and Phyllis Faber 2004). Regulatory Setting Tidal hydraulic conditions and potential impacts are of concern to several federal and state agencies. Actual regulations, however, are limited and indirect. Several federal agencies such as National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and the Corps participate in the monitoring and analysis of tidal conditions in the San Francisco Estuary. FEMA regulates (i.e., evaluates) the 100-year flood frequency tidal elevation, which is determined to be about 7 feet above mean sea level (msl) (National Geodetic Vertical Datum [NGVD] 1929 datum) or 10 feet NAVD 1988 datum. Several state agencies such as the State Water Board, DWR, and DFG have interests, jurisdictions, and regulatory authority within the Marsh, as generally described in Chapter 1. No specific regulations, however, govern tidal elevations, tidal flows, or tidal velocities in the Marsh channels. Several local agencies such as Solano County have interests, jurisdictions, and regulatory authority within the Marsh. The following sections describe the regulations applicable to water supply and Delta water management, including tidal hydraulic processes. Federal Many federal regulations intended to protect sensitive species are in place that affect water supply operations in Suisun Marsh and throughout the Delta. In the Marsh, NMFS and USFWS have implemented some restrictions on the unscreened diversions for the protection of winter-run Chinook salmon and delta smelt, respectively. The winter-run restriction applies from November–January for unscreened diversions, and limits each diversion to 25% of each diversion’s capacity. Diversions are also not allowed from February 21 to March 31 on diversions without fish screens. The delta smelt restriction applies in April and May when unscreened diversions are restricted to 20% or 35% of each diversion’s capacity, depending upon the presence of delta smelt in the Marsh. These protective measures require more skillful water management to provide Suisun Marsh Habitat Management, November 2011 Preservation, and Restoration Plan 5.1-3 Final EIS/EIR ICF 06888.06 California Department of Fish and Game, 5.1 Water Supply, Hydrology, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Reclamation Delta Water Management sufficient soil leaching, soil moisture, and water depth in ponded areas during the winter and spring months. In addition to the Suisun Marsh specific water supply restrictions, the 2008 USFWS and 2009 NMFS BOs for the Coordinated Operation of the CVP and SWP (Operations BOs) dictate some water supply operations in the Marsh (operation of the SMSCG). State The State Water Resource Control Board Water Right Decisions and Water Quality Control Plans (WQCPs or Basin Plans) provide the framework for water supply in the Delta and for salinity standards for the water applied to managed wetlands in the Marsh. The 1978 Bay-Delta WQCP and D-1485 in 1978 introduced the initial salinity objectives in the Marsh to protect the beneficial uses of water for fish and wildlife in the Marsh. The State Water Board directed DWR and Reclamation to prepare a plan of protection for Suisun Marsh. This provision initiated the development of facilities and management assistance within the Marsh. The 1995 Bay-Delta WQCP (State Water Resources Control Board 1995) and D-1641 (State Water Resources Control Board 1999) generally renewed the salinity objectives and management guidelines to protect the beneficial uses of water for fish and wildlife in the Marsh. State permits and authorizations from DFG intended to protect state listed species including longfin smelt, delta smelt and Chinook salmon, are in place