Table of Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... 11 ES.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 11 ES.2 Study Authorization ......................................................................................................... 11 ES.3 Project Purpose and Planning Objectives......................................................................... 11 ES.4 Development of Alternatives ........................................................................................... 12 ES.4.1 No Action/No Project Alternative ............................................................................. 12 ES.4.2 Existing Water Bank Plan Alternative ...................................................................... 13 ES.4.3 Kern Fan Groundwater Storage Project Alternative Plans........................................ 13 ES.5 Feasibility ......................................................................................................................... 13 ES.5.1 Technical Feasibility ................................................................................................. 14 ES.5.2 Environmental Feasibility ......................................................................................... 14 ES.5.3 Economic Feasibility ................................................................................................. 14 ES.5.4 Financial Feasibility .................................................................................................. 14 ES.6 Project Costs and Benefits................................................................................................ 15 ES.6.1 Cost Allocation to Beneficiaries ............................................................................... 16 ES.7 Risks and Uncertainty ...................................................................................................... 17 ES.8 Federal Funding Request .................................................................................................. 17 Chapter 1 : Introduction ................................................................................................................ 18 1.1 Feasibility Study Purpose ................................................................................................... 18 1.1.1 Study Authorization ..................................................................................................... 18 1.2 Background ......................................................................................................................... 19 1.3 Non-Federal Sponsors ......................................................................................................... 19 1.3.1 Rosedale Rio-Bravo Water Storage District ................................................................ 20 1.3.2 Irvine Ranch Water District ......................................................................................... 20 1.4 Problems, Needs, and Opportunities ................................................................................... 20 1.4.1 Water Supply Benefits ................................................................................................. 23 1.4.2 Ecosystem Benefits ...................................................................................................... 25 1.4.3 Emergency Water Supply Benefits .............................................................................. 26 1.4.4 Other Project Benefits .................................................................................................. 26 1.5 Study Area .......................................................................................................................... 27 1.6 Related Studies, Projects, and Programs............................................................................. 29 Chapter 2 : Water Resources and Related Conditions .................................................................. 30 2.1 Existing Conditions ............................................................................................................. 30 1 2.1.1 Physical Infrastructure ................................................................................................. 30 2.1.2 Physical Environment .................................................................................................. 31 2.1.3 Biological Resources ................................................................................................... 34 2.1.4 Cultural Resources ....................................................................................................... 35 2.1.5 Land Use and Population ............................................................................................. 35 2.2 Likely Future without Project Conditions Summary .......................................................... 37 2.2.1 Physical Environment .................................................................................................. 37 2.2.2 Biological and Cultural Resources............................................................................... 37 2.2.3 Land Use and Population ............................................................................................. 38 2.2.4 Groundwater Resources ............................................................................................... 38 2.2.5 Climate Variability....................................................................................................... 38 Chapter 3 : Description of Project Alternatives ............................................................................ 40 3.1 No Action/No Project Alternative ...................................................................................... 40 3.2 Existing Water Bank Alternative ........................................................................................ 41 3.2.1 Operation...................................................................................................................... 41 3.2.2 Costs ............................................................................................................................. 41 3.3 Kern Fan Groundwater Storage Project – Kern Water Bank Alignment Alternative ......... 42 3.3.1 Groundwater Recharge and Recovery Facilities .......................................................... 42 3.3.2 Project Conveyance Alignment ................................................................................... 44 3.3.3 Operation...................................................................................................................... 45 3.3.4 Costs ............................................................................................................................. 46 3.4 Kern Fan Groundwater Storage Project – Buena Vista Alignment Alternative ................. 46 3.4.1 Project Conveyance Alignment ................................................................................... 46 3.4.2 Costs ............................................................................................................................. 47 3.5 Kern Fan Groundwater Storage Project – East Side Canal Alignment Alternative ........... 47 3.5.1 Project Conveyance Alignment ................................................................................... 48 3.5.2 Costs ............................................................................................................................. 49 Chapter 4 : Plan Evaluation and Comparison ............................................................................... 50 4.1 Alternative Plan Evaluation ................................................................................................ 50 4.1.1 M&I Water Supply Benefits ........................................................................................ 50 4.1.2 Groundwater Benefits .................................................................................................. 52 4.1.3 Agricultural Water Supply Benefits............................................................................. 53 4.1.4 Ecosystem Enhancement Benefits ............................................................................... 54 4.1.5 Emergency Response Benefits ..................................................................................... 57 2 4.1.6 Agricultural Impact Benefits ........................................................................................ 59 4.1.7 Preliminary Cost Estimates .......................................................................................... 60 4.1.8 Preliminary Results ...................................................................................................... 61 4.2 Mitigation of Unavoidable Adverse Effects ....................................................................... 61 4.3 Alternative Plan Comparison .............................................................................................. 62 4.3.1 Completeness ............................................................................................................... 62 4.3.2 Effectiveness ................................................................................................................ 65 4.3.3 Acceptability ................................................................................................................ 67 4.3.4