Short-Term Central Valley Project Water Transfer Between Sacramento Municipal Utility District and City of Roseville
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Environmental Assessment Short-Term Central Valley Project Water Transfer Between Sacramento Municipal Utility District and City of Roseville EA-19-05 U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Central California Area Office June 2019 Mission Statements The Department of the Interior conserves and manages the Nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage for the benefit and enjoyment of the American people, provides scientific and other information about natural resources and natural hazards to address societal challenges and create opportunities for the American people, and honors the Nation’s trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affiliated island communities to help them prosper. The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. Contents Contents Page Section 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 1-1 1.1 Background ................................................................................................................ 1-1 1.2 Purpose and Need ...................................................................................................... 1-1 Section 2 Alternatives Including the Proposed Action.................................................... 2-1 2.1 No Action Alternative ................................................................................................ 2-1 2.2 Proposed Action ......................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2.1 Action Area ........................................................................................................ 2-2 Section 3 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences ............................ 3-1 3.1 Resources Not Analyzed in Detail ............................................................................. 3-1 3.1.1 Land Use ............................................................................................................ 3-1 3.1.2 Cultural Resources ............................................................................................. 3-1 3.1.3 Global Climate ................................................................................................... 3-1 3.1.4 Indian Sacred Sites ............................................................................................. 3-2 3.1.5 Socio-Economic Resources ................................................................................ 3-2 3.1.6 Environmental Justice ........................................................................................ 3-2 3.1.7 Indian Trust Assets ............................................................................................. 3-2 3.1.8 Air Quality.......................................................................................................... 3-2 3.2 Water Resources ........................................................................................................ 3-3 3.2.1 Affected Environment ........................................................................................ 3-3 3.2.2 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................ 3-4 3.3 Biological Resources ................................................................................................. 3-5 3.3.1 Affected Environment ........................................................................................ 3-5 3.3.2 Environmental Consequences ............................................................................ 3-9 3.4 Cumulative Impacts ................................................................................................... 3-9 Section 4 Consultation and Coordination ........................................................................ 4-1 4.1 Public Review Period ................................................................................................. 4-1 Section 5 References ........................................................................................................... 5-1 Figure Figure 2-1. Project Location ........................................................................................................ 2-3 Table Table 3-1. Federal Status Species Potentially Found in the Proposed Action Area .................... 3-7 i June 2019 EA-19-05 Abbreviations and Acronyms 2008 USFWS BO 2008 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Formal Endangered Species Act Consultation on the Proposed Coordinated Operations of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project 2009 NMFS BO 2009 National Marine Fisheries Service Biological Opinion and Conference Opinion on the Long-Term Operations of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project 2016 LTO ROD 2016 Coordinated Long-Term Operation of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project Record of Decision AFA acre-feet annually ASR Aquifer Storage and Recovery City City of Roseville CVO Central Valley Operations CVP Central Valley Project CVPIA Public Law 102-575, Title XXXIV, Central Valley Project Improvement Act EA Environmental Assessment ECOS Environmental Conservation Online System EID El Dorado Irrigation District EIS Environmental Impact Statement FSC Folsom South Canal IPaC Information for Planning and Conservation LTO Coordinated Long-term Operation of Central Valley Project and State Water Project M&I municipal and industrial MFP Middle Fork Project (owned and operated by PCWA) NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service PCWA Placer County Water Agency Reclamation U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation ROC Reinitiation of consultation under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as Amended, for the LTO ROD Record of Decision SMUD Sacramento Municipal Utility District SWP State Water Project USFWS U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service WFA Water Forum Agreement WSP Water Shortage Policy ii – June 2019 Section 1 Introduction Section 1 Introduction In conformance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended, the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has prepared this Environmental Assessment (EA) to evaluate and disclose any potential environmental impacts related to Reclamation’s approval of the short-term transfer of up to 6,000 acre-feet annually (AFA) of Central Valley Project (CVP) water supply from Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) to the City of Roseville (City) occurring between December and February during Contract Years 2019 through 2021 (i.e., March 1, 2019, through February 28, 2022). 1.1 Background Both SMUD and the City are CVP contractors in the American River Division with previous long-term water supply contracts that expired in 2012 and 2010, respectively, but continued to receive CVP water supply through interim contracts. Reclamation recently renewed those interim contracts with SMUD (No. 14-06-200-5198A-IR4) and the City (No. 14-06-200-3474A-IR5) through February 2021. Water supply conditions of these two contractors and their needs for CVP water are summarized in the Finding of No Significant Impact and Environmental Assessment for Central Valley Project Interim Renewal Contracts for City of Roseville, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, and Sacramento County Water Agency 2019-2021 (Reclamation 2018). Reclamation’s statutory authority to allow this transfer is Public Law 102-575, Title XXXIV, Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA), Section 3405(a). CVPIA Section 3405(a)(1) provides for allowable water supply transfers. Subject to review of potential water supply and environmental impacts, this proposed in-basin CVP water transfer satisfies all conditions for transfers in CVPIA Section 3405(a)(1). CVPIA Section 3405(a)(1)(M) clarifies that in-basin transfers among CVP contractors (such as this proposed water supply transfer) would not be limited to the actual use by SMUD. This transfer is pursuant to Article 9 of SMUD’s current CVP contract (Sales, Transfers, or Exchanges of Water). SMUD’s CVP contract requires SMUD to obtain written approval from Reclamation’s Contracting Officer for the transfer of specified contract quantities. 1.2 Purpose and Need The purpose of the Proposed Action is for Reclamation to facilitate and approve the proposed water transfer in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including CVPIA Section 3405(a) for water transfers and Subparagraphs (H) and (I) of Section V of Reclamation’s 1993 Interim Guidelines for Implementation of the Water Transfer Provisions of the Central Valley 1-1 June 2019 EA-19-05 Project Improvement Act (Title XXXIV of PL 102-575), as amended. The transfers allowed in the CVPIA are to increase water-related benefits provided by the CVP and improve CVP operational flexibility. The City will use the transferred water in its existing and approved Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) program for conjunctive use purposes in its service area, shown in Exhibit A of the City’s existing CVP contract. The transferred water will augment local groundwater resources, providing additional water-related beneficial use of CVP water and improving overall health of the groundwater basin. The City is a signatory to the Water Forum Agreement (WFA) which was signed in 2000 by Sacramento area water purveyors, environmental groups, and economic interests to facilitate