Draft Initial Study & Mitigated Negative Declaration CEQA Report Buena Vista Water Storage District Corn Camp Groundwater Recharge Pond Project Prepared for: Buena Vista Water Storage District June 2020 [This page left intentionally blank] Draft Initial Study & Mitigated Negative Declaration CEQA Report Buena Vista Water Storage District Corn Camp Groundwater Recharge Pond Project Prepared for: Buena Vista Water Storage District 525 North Main Street Buttonwillow, CA 93206 Contact: Mr. Tim Ashlock General Manager 661-979-6182 Prepared by: GEI Consultants 5001 California Avenue, Suite 120 Bakersfield, CA 93309 Contact: Ginger Gillin Principal Environmental Scientist 503-342-3777 June 2020 Project No. 1904697 Task 4 [This page left intentionally blank] Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................. 1-6 Summary of Findings .......................................................................... 1-6 Other Key Public Agencies Relying on this IS/MND ............................ 1-7 Document Organization ...................................................................... 1-7 2.0 Project Description ..................................................................................... 2-1 Project Background ............................................................................. 2-1 Proposed Project ................................................................................. 2-1 Project Objectives ............................................................................... 2-2 Regulatory Requirements, Permits, and Approval .............................. 2-5 3.0 Environmental Checklist ............................................................................ 3-1 3.1 Aesthetics............................................................................................ 3-4 3.1.1 Environmental Setting ............................................................. 3-4 3.1.2 Discussion ............................................................................... 3-4 3.2 Agriculture and Forestry Resources .................................................... 3-6 3.2.1 Environmental Setting ............................................................. 3-6 3.2.2 Discussion ............................................................................... 3-7 3.3 Air Quality ............................................................................................ 3-8 3.3.1 Environmental Setting ............................................................. 3-8 3.3.2 Discussion ............................................................................. 3-12 3.4 Biological Resources ......................................................................... 3-15 3.4.1 Environmental Setting ........................................................... 3-15 3.4.2 Discussion ............................................................................. 3-16 3.5 Cultural Resources ............................................................................ 3-22 3.5.1 Environmental Setting ........................................................... 3-22 3.5.2 Discussion ............................................................................. 3-23 3.6 Energy ............................................................................................... 3-27 3.6.1 Environmental Setting ........................................................... 3-27 3.6.2 Discussion ............................................................................. 3-27 3.7 Geology and Soils ............................................................................. 3-28 3.7.1 Environmental Setting ........................................................... 3-29 3.7.2 Discussion ............................................................................. 3-29 3.8 Greenhouse Gas Emissions.............................................................. 3-33 3.8.1 Environmental Setting ........................................................... 3-33 3.8.2 Discussion ............................................................................. 3-33 3.9 Hazards and Hazardous Materials .................................................... 3-35 3.9.1 Environmental Setting ........................................................... 3-36 3.9.2 Discussion ............................................................................. 3-36 3.10 Hydrology and Water Quality ............................................................ 3-37 3.10.1 Environmental Setting ........................................................... 3-38 3.10.2 Discussion ............................................................................. 3-39 3.11 Land Use and Planning ..................................................................... 3-46 3.11.1 Environmental Setting ........................................................... 3-46 Corn Camp Groundwater Recharge Pond Project GEI Consultants, Inc. Buena Vista Water Storage District 1-1 Introduction 3.11.2 Discussion ............................................................................. 3-46 3.12 Mineral Resources ............................................................................ 3-47 3.12.1 Environmental Setting ........................................................... 3-47 3.12.2 Discussion ............................................................................. 3-47 3.13 Noise ................................................................................................. 3-48 3.13.1 Environmental Setting ........................................................... 3-48 3.13.2 Discussion ............................................................................. 3-48 3.14 Population and Housing .................................................................... 3-50 3.14.1 Environmental Setting ........................................................... 3-50 3.14.2 Discussion ............................................................................. 3-50 3.15 Public Services .................................................................................. 3-51 3.15.1 Environmental Setting ........................................................... 3-52 3.15.2 Discussion ............................................................................. 3-52 3.16 Recreation ......................................................................................... 3-53 3.16.1 Environmental Setting ........................................................... 3-53 3.16.2 Discussion ............................................................................. 3-53 3.17 Transportation ................................................................................... 3-54 3.17.1 Environmental Setting ........................................................... 3-54 3.17.2 Discussion ............................................................................. 3-54 3.18 Tribal Cultural Resources .................................................................. 3-56 3.18.1 Environmental Setting ........................................................... 3-56 3.18.2 Discussion ............................................................................. 3-56 3.19 Utilities and Service Systems ............................................................ 3-58 3.19.1 Environmental Setting ........................................................... 3-58 3.19.2 Discussion ............................................................................. 3-59 3.20 Wildfire .............................................................................................. 3-60 3.20.1 Environmental Setting ........................................................... 3-60 3.20.2 Discussion ............................................................................. 3-60 3.21 Mandatory Findings of Significance .................................................. 3-62 3.21.1 Discussion ............................................................................. 3-62 4.0 References .................................................................................................. 4-1 5.0 Report Preparers ........................................................................................ 5-1 List of Tables Table 3-1. Environmental Resources with Potentially Significant Impacts Prior to Mitigation. ....... 3-2 Table 3-2. Federal and California Ambient Air Quality Standards and Attainment Status. ............. 3-9 Table 3-3. Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Data Measured at the Bakersfield-California Avenue Monitoring Station. .......................................................................................... 3-11 Table 3-4. Small Project Analysis Level by Vehicle Trips. ......................................................... 3-12 Table 3-5. Summary of Water Quality Data from DMW 7. ............................................................ 3-39 Table 3-6. Summary of Water Quality Data from Surface Water Sources. ................................... 3-40 Table 3-7. Height of Groundwater Mound for Recharge Periods of 60, 120 and 200 Days (ft). ... 3-42 Table 3-8. Typical Noise Levels During Construction. .................................................................. 3-49 Corn Camp Groundwater Recharge Pond Project GEI Consultants, Inc. Buena Vista Water Storage District 1-2 Introduction List of Figures Figure 2-1: Project Location. ............................................................................................................