Appendix A Plan Formulation Report This page left blank intentionally. Yolo Bypass Salmonid Habitat and Fish Restoration Project Plan Formulation Report U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation August 2017 Table of Contents Table of Contents 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 1-1 1.1 Background .......................................................................................................... 1-1 1.2 Study Area Location and Description .................................................................. 1-2 1.3 Authorization ....................................................................................................... 1-5 1.4 Problems, Opportunities, Constraints, and Objectives ........................................ 1-5 1.4.1 Problems .................................................................................................. 1-6 1.4.2 Opportunities............................................................................................ 1-8 1.4.3 Planning Constraints .............................................................................. 1-10 1.4.4 Planning Objectives ............................................................................... 1-10 1.5 Related Studies, Projects, and Programs............................................................ 1-11 1.5.1 Central Valley Flood Protection Plan .................................................... 1-11 1.5.2 American River Common Features General Reevaluation Report ........ 1-12 1.5.3 Sacramento River Bank Protection Project General Reevaluation Report ..................................................................................................... 1-12 1.5.4 California EcoRestore ............................................................................ 1-13 1.5.5 Experimental Agricultural Floodplain Habitat Investigation at Knaggs Ranch on Yolo Bypass.............................................................. 1-13 1.5.6 Lower Sacramento/Delta North Regional Flood Management Plan ..... 1-13 1.6 References .......................................................................................................... 1-14 2 Existing and Future Conditions ..................................................................... 2-1 2.1 Existing Conditions .............................................................................................. 2-1 2.1.1 Water Resources ...................................................................................... 2-1 2.1.2 Land Use and Agricultural Resources ..................................................... 2-6 2.1.3 Socioeconomics ....................................................................................... 2-9 2.1.4 Environmental Justice ............................................................................ 2-11 2.1.5 Biological Resources ............................................................................. 2-14 2.1.6 Cultural Resources ................................................................................. 2-18 2.1.7 Water Quality ......................................................................................... 2-21 2.1.8 Air Quality ............................................................................................. 2-21 2.1.9 Soils, Geology, and Mineral Resources ................................................. 2-22 2.1.10 Visual, Scenic, or Aesthetic Resources.................................................. 2-23 2.1.11 Indian Trust Assets ................................................................................ 2-24 2.1.12 Recreation .............................................................................................. 2-24 2.2 Future Without Project Conditions .................................................................... 2-30 2.3 References .......................................................................................................... 2-30 3 Alternative Formulation Process ................................................................... 3-1 3.1 Process Overview................................................................................................. 3-1 3.2 Initial Alternatives ............................................................................................... 3-3 3.2.1 Identification ............................................................................................ 3-3 3.2.2 Formulation .............................................................................................. 3-4 Draft Yolo Bypass Salmonid Habitat Restoration and Fish Passage Project EIS/EIR i Table of Contents 3.2.3 Alternative Screening............................................................................. 3-13 3.2.4 Screening Results ................................................................................... 3-24 3.2.5 Value Planning ....................................................................................... 3-25 3.3 Alternative Refinement ...................................................................................... 3-25 3.4 References .......................................................................................................... 3-26 4 Features of Alternatives .................................................................................. 4-1 4.1 Analysis Methodology ......................................................................................... 4-1 4.1.1 Hydraulic Modeling ................................................................................. 4-1 4.1.2 Fish Benefits and Fish Passage Modeling ............................................... 4-2 4.1.3 Agricultural Impact Modeling ................................................................. 4-3 4.1.4 Economic Analysis .................................................................................. 4-4 4.2 No Action Alternative .......................................................................................... 4-4 4.3 Components Common to Multiple Action Alternatives ...................................... 4-5 4.3.1 Agricultural Road Crossing 1 and Cross-Canal Berms ........................... 4-5 4.3.2 Downstream Channel Improvements ....................................................... 4-7 4.3.3 Operational Timeframe ............................................................................ 4-8 4.3.4 Best Management Practices ..................................................................... 4-9 4.4 Alternative 1: East Side Gated Notch ................................................................ 4-12 4.4.1 Facilities ................................................................................................. 4-13 4.4.2 Construction Methods ............................................................................ 4-21 4.4.3 Operations .............................................................................................. 4-24 4.4.4 Inspection and Maintenance .................................................................. 4-25 4.4.5 Monitoring and Adaptive Management ................................................. 4-26 4.4.6 Alternative 1 Preliminary Costs ............................................................. 4-27 4.5 Alternative 2: Central Gated Notch ................................................................... 4-27 4.5.1 Facilities ................................................................................................. 4-28 4.5.2 Construction Methods ............................................................................ 4-31 4.5.3 Operations .............................................................................................. 4-32 4.5.4 Inspection and Maintenance .................................................................. 4-33 4.5.5 Monitoring and Adaptive Management ................................................. 4-33 4.5.6 Alternative 2 Preliminary Costs ............................................................. 4-33 4.6 Alternative 3: West Side Gated Notch ............................................................... 4-33 4.6.1 Facilities ................................................................................................. 4-35 4.6.2 Construction Methods ............................................................................ 4-37 4.6.3 Operations .............................................................................................. 4-39 4.6.4 Inspection and Maintenance .................................................................. 4-39 4.6.5 Monitoring and Adaptive Management ................................................. 4-40 4.6.6 Alternative 3 Preliminary Costs ............................................................. 4-40 4.7 Alternative 4: West Side Gated Notch – Managed Flow ................................... 4-40 4.7.1 Facilities ................................................................................................. 4-42 4.7.2 Construction Methods ............................................................................ 4-46 4.7.3 Operations .............................................................................................. 4-48 4.7.4 Inspection and Maintenance .................................................................. 4-48 4.7.5 Monitoring and Adaptive Management ................................................. 4-49 4.7.6 Alternative 4 Preliminary Costs ............................................................