Draft SAN GABRIEL RIVER WATERSHED PROJECT TO REDUCE RIVER DISCHARGE IN SUPPORT OF INCREASED RECYCLED WATER REUSE Environmental Impact Report Prepared for August 2019 Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County Draft SAN GABRIEL RIVER WATERSHED PROJECT TO REDUCE RIVER DISCHARGE IN SUPPORT OF INCREASED RECYCLED WATER REUSE Environmental Impact Report Prepared for August 2019 Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County 626 Wilshire Boulevard Suite 1100 Los Angeles, CA 90017 213.599.4300 www.esassoc.com Bend Oakland San Diego Camarillo Orlando San Francisco Delray Beach Pasadena Santa Monica Destin Petaluma Sarasota Irvine Portland Seattle Los Angeles Sacramento Tampa D170647.08 OUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY | ESA helps a variety of public and private sector clients plan and prepare for climate change and emerging regulations that limit GHG emissions. ESA is a registered assessor with the California Climate Action Registry, a Climate Leader, and founding reporter for the Climate Registry. ESA is also a corporate member of the U.S. Green Building Council and the Business Council on Climate Change (BC3). Internally, ESA has adopted a Sustainability Vision and Policy Statement and a plan to reduce waste and energy within our operations. This document was produced using recycled paper. TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ........................................................................................................... ES-1 ES.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... ES-1 ES.2 Background ..................................................................................................... ES-1 ES.3 Project Objectives ............................................................................................ ES-5 ES.4 Project Description .......................................................................................... ES-5 ES.5 Summary of Impacts........................................................................................ ES-8 ES.6 Areas of Known Controversy......................................................................... ES-12 ES.7 Significant Irreversible Environmental Changes ........................................... ES-12 ES.8 Project Alternatives........................................................................................ ES-13 ES.9 Organization of this EIR ................................................................................ ES-15 Chapter 1, Introduction ........................................................................................................1-1 1.1 Purpose of the Draft EIR ....................................................................................1-1 1.2 Intended Use of the Draft EIR ............................................................................1-1 1.3 CEQA Environmental Review Process ..............................................................1-2 1.4 Organization of the Draft EIR .............................................................................1-8 Chapter 2, Project Description ............................................................................................2-1 2.1 Introduction .........................................................................................................2-1 2.2 Project Location ..................................................................................................2-1 2.3 Project Background ............................................................................................2-1 2.4 Project Objectives ...............................................................................................2-3 2.5 Water Reclamation Facilities ..............................................................................2-3 2.6 Montebello Forebay ............................................................................................2-8 2.7 Relationship of Project to Recycled Water Programs ........................................2-9 2.8 Discharge Operation Modifications ................................................................. 2-12 2.9 Project Construction ........................................................................................ 2-13 2.10 Uses of Recycled Water and Reuse Customers............................................. 2-13 2.11 Project Approvals ............................................................................................ 2-20 Chapter 3, Environmental Setting, Impacts and Mitigation Measures ....................... 3.0-1 3.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 3.0-1 3.1 Biological Resources ...................................................................................... 3.1-1 3.2 Hydrology and Water Quality ......................................................................... 3.2-1 3.3 Recreation ...................................................................................................... 3.3-1 Chapter 4, References ..........................................................................................................4-1 4.1 Executive Summary............................................................................................4-1 4.2 Project Description .............................................................................................4-1 4.3 Environmental Setting, Impacts and Mitigation Measures .................................4-1 4.4 Biological Resources ..........................................................................................4-3 4.5 Hydrology and Water Quality .............................................................................4-4 4.6 Recreation ..........................................................................................................4-6 Chapter 5, Alternatives .........................................................................................................5-1 5.1 Overview of Alternatives Analysis ......................................................................5-1 5.2 Proposed Project Summary ...............................................................................5-2 5.3 Alternatives Selected for Analysis ......................................................................5-3 San Gabriel River Watershed Project to Reduce River Discharge In Support of Increased Recycled Water Reuse i ESA / D170647.08 Draft Environmental Impact Report August 2019 Table of Contents 5.4 Impact Analysis ..................................................................................................5-4 5.5 Environmentally Superior Alternative .................................................................5-6 Chapter 6, Other CEQA Considerations .............................................................................6-1 6.1 Introduction .........................................................................................................6-1 6.2 Effects That Were Found Not to Be Significant .................................................6-1 6.3 Significant and Unavoidable Adverse Environmental Impacts ..........................6-2 6.4 Significant Irreversible Environmental Changes ................................................6-2 6.5 Growth-Inducing Impacts ...................................................................................6-3 Chapter 7, List of Preparers ................................................................................................7-1 San Gabriel River Watershed Project to Reduce River Discharge In Support of Increased Recycled Water Reuse ii ESA / D170647.08 Draft Environmental Impact Report August 2019 Table of Contents Appendices Appendix A1: San Gabriel River Watershed Project to Reduce River Discharge in Support of Increased Recycled Water Reuse Initial Study and Notice of Preparation (February 2019) Appendix A2: Notice of Preparation and Notice of Public Scoping Meeting (February 5, 2019) Appendix A3: Notice of Preparation and Scoping Meeting Comments Appendix B1: Updated Biological Resources Report, San Gabriel River Watershed Project to Reduce River Discharge in Support of Increased Recycled Water Reuse (July 2019) Appendix B2: Biological Resources Technical Memorandum, San Gabriel River Watershed Project to Reduce River Discharge in Support of Increased Recycled Water Reuse (July 2018) Appendix C: San Gabriel River Benthic Macroinvertebrate (BMI) Baseline Conditions Assessment Appendix D: Evaluating Effects of Reduced WWTP Discharge on the Ecology of the San Gabriel River Estuary Study (January 12, 2018) Appendix E1: Using an Environmental Hydrology Model of the San Gabriel River to Assess Water Reclamation Plant Flow Reductions (Hydrology Report, 2019) (June 3, 2019) Appendix E2: Assessing the Effects of the San Gabriel River Watershed Project to Reduce River Discharge in Support of Increased Recycled Water Reuse on Downstream Hydrology (Hydrology Report, 2018) (July 2018) Appendix E3: Stetson Engineers, Inc. Reports (March 26, 2019 and May 15, 2019) Appendix E4: SJC002 Discharge Observations and Monitoring Study (January 11, 2019) Appendix F: El Monte and Baldwin Park Quadrangles Dibblee Geologic Map (1999) Appendix G: Native American Tribal Consultation Letters (March, 2018) Appendix H: Draft Adaptive Management Plan for Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts San Gabriel River Watershed Project to Reduce River Discharge in Support of Increased Recycled Water Reuse (July 2019) San Gabriel River Watershed Project to Reduce