January 20, 2011

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L T W t T f EIS/EIR

RECLAMATION

Managing Water in the West

Chico

January 11, 2011

San Luis & Delta‐Mendota Water Authority

Long‐Term Water Transfers EIS/EIR

Public Scoping Meetings

Long‐Term Water Transfers EIS/EIR

Public Scoping Meetings

Sacramento

January 12, 2011

Los Banos

January 13, 2011

Meeting Agenda

• Introductions

• Presentation

– Project Overview

– Schedule

– EIS/EIR Development Process

• Open House
January 20, 2011

2

Meeting Purpose

• Provide information about long-term transfer 

combined EIS/EIR combined EIS/EIR

• Gather information from the public on alternatives 

and potential environmental issues

• Answer questions about transfers

Background

• Reclamation is not purchasing water under this 

project

• Reclamation is approving transfers

• Recent History

– 2009 – Drought Water Bank

– 2010 – Environmental Assessment for CVP-related transfers 

in 2010-2011

– 2012 – EIS/EIR for CVP EIS/EIR for CVP-related transfers in 2012 related transfers in 2012-2022
January 20, 2011

3

Purpose and Need

• Hydrologic and climatic variability, as well as 

regulatory restrictions, can strain water supplies regulatory restrictions, can strain water supplies

• In an effort to be more prepared to manage for water 

shortages caused by decreases in water delivery 

from the CVP, various water agencies have 

requested that Reclamation facilitate water transfers

• The purpose of the Proposed Action is to facilitate 

voluntary water transfers from willing sellers north voluntary water transfers from willing sellers north

of the Delta to water users south of the Delta and the 

San Francisco Bay Area

Project Overview

Sacramento River

Potential areas where

transfer water could originate

• EIS/EIR to analyze the 

effects of CVP-related 

water transfers

• Project timeframe is 

from 2012 to 2022

Delta Region

San Joaquin River

Potential areas 

that could

purchase 

transfers
January 20, 2011

4

Project Overview

• Reclamation is not initiating a “bank” or “program”

• Buyers and sellers are responsible for negotiating Buyers and sellers are responsible for negotiating

transfer terms, including transfer method, amount, 

period, and price

• SLDMWA will be responsible for negotiating 

transfers on behalf of potential buyers that are 

Member Agencies

• Reclamation and DWR will be responsible for Reclamation and DWR will be responsible for

approving transfers under their jurisdiction and for 

use of CVP and SWP facilities required for the 

transfers

Transfers in EIS/EIR

• CVP water supplies

• Non-CVP water supplies that require use of CVP or CVP water supplies that require use of CVP or

SWP facilities (including Warren Act contracts)

• Single year or multi-year transfers

• Transfers would not necessarily occur each year 

within the project timeframe

• Total annual transfers likely in the range of 100,000 

to 150,000 acre feet

• Transfers of SWP water will not be directly analyzed 

in the EIS/EIR (all transfers will be included in the 

cumulative analysis)
January 20, 2011

5

Project Agencies

• NEPA 

– Lead Agency Lead Agency – Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation)

• CEQA 

– Lead Agency – San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority 

(SLDMWA)

– Responsible Agency – California Department of Water 

Resources (DWR)

Project Schedule

Project Milestone Proposed Date

NOI and NOP December 2010

Scoping Meetings

Chico, CA

Sacramento, CA

Los Banos, CA

January 11, 2011

January 12, 2011 

January 13, 2011 

Draft EIS/EIR July 2011

Public Meetings on Draft EIS/EIR August 2011

Final EIS/EIR January 2012

ROD and NOD February 2012
January 20, 2011

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Environmental Review Purpose

• Evaluate reasonable alternatives that could reduce 

or avoid environmental impacts or avoid environmental impacts

• Provide information for public review and comment

• Identify any significant environmental impacts

• Disclose to decision makers the impacts, benefits, 

mitigation, and public comments

EIS/EIR Development Process

Define 

Purpose and 

Need/Project 

Objectives 

Develop 

Project 

Alternatives

Describe 

Affected 

Environment/ 

Environmental 

Setting 

Analyze 

Project 

Impacts

Analyze 

Cumulative 

Effects

Develop 

Mitigation 

Measures
January 20, 2011

7

Open House Stations

• Station 1: Overview

• Station 2: Transfer Types and Resources to be Station 2: Transfer Types and Resources to be

Analyzed

• Station 3: Process, Schedule, and Comments

How to Submit Comments

• Tonight: state oral comments to court reporter or fill 

out a comment form out a comment form

• By February 28, 2011:

– Mr. Brad Hubbard

Bureau of Reclamation

2800 Cottage Way

Sacramento, CA 95825, MP-410

bhubbard@usbr.gov

– Ms. Frances Mizuno

San Luis & Delta-Mendota 

Water Authority

P.O. Box 2157

bhubbard@usbr.gov Los Banos, CA 93635

Fax: (916)978-5290 frances.mizuno@sldmwa.org

Fax: (209)826-9698/ 

(209)832-6200
January 20, 2011

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Thank You for Your Participation
WHAT IS A WATER TRANSFER?

• Sale of water between a willing seller and a willing buyer

• Water sold must have been put to benefi cial use in previous years

• Sellers must take an action to make water available

OVERVIEW

• Reclamation is not initiating a “bank” or “program”

• Reclamation is not purchasing water under this EIS/EIR

• Project time frame is 2012 through 2022

• Transfers analyzed include

• CVP supplies

• Non-CVP water supplies that require use of CVP or SWP facilities (including 

Warren Act contracts)

• Single year or multi-year transfers

• Transfers would not necessarily occur each year within the 10-year time frame

• Transfers of SWP water will not be directly analyzed in the EIS/EIR (all transfers 

will be included in the cumulative analysis)

PURPOSE AND NEED

Hydrologic conditions, climatic variability, and 

regulatory requirements for operation of water 

projects commonly aff ect water supply availability 

in California, making advance planning for water 

shortages necessary and routine. This hydrologic 

and climatic variability, as well as regulatory restrictions, can strain water supplies in areas that are 

dependent on delivery of supplies to meet most, if 

not all, of the water demand. This is especially true 

in areas south of the Delta that are dependent on CVP operations for delivery of water 

supplies. In an eff ort to be more prepared to manage for water shortages caused by 

decreases in water delivery from the CVP, various water agencies have requested that 

Reclamation facilitate water transfers from areas of greater supply north of the Delta 

to areas of need south of the Delta. The purpose of the Proposed Action is to facilitate 

voluntary water transfers from willing sellers north of the Delta to water users south of 

the Delta and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Long-Term North to South Water Transfers EIS/EIR

OVERVIEW
Long-Term North to South Water Transfers EIS/EIR

STUDY AREA, ROLES, 

 & RESPONSIBILITIES

NEPA LEAD AGENCY – 

BUREAU OF RECLAMATION 

• Lead development of 

Environmental Impact 

Statement (EIS)

• Manage Federal permitting 

eff orts (Endangered Species Act)

• Approve and facilitate transfers

CEQA LEAD AGENCY – SAN LUIS 

& DELTA- MENDOTA WATER 

AUTHORITY

• Lead development of 

Environmental Impact Report 

(EIR)

• Assist in permitting eff orts

• Negotiate transfers on behalf 

of potential buyers who are 

member agencies

CEQA RESPONSIBLE AGENCY – CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT 

OF WATER RESOURCES

• Review and provide feedback on development of EIS/EIR

• Review and comment on transfer proposals

• Operate SWP to facilitate transfers

BUYERS AND SELLERS 

• Identify transfer needs

• Negotiate transfer terms, including transfer method, amount, period and price

• Provide transfer proposal to Reclamation and DWR for review

Legend: 

 Potential Sellers 

Upstream from the Delta

 Potential CVP buyers 

in Central Valley or San 

Francisco Bay Area

Sacramento River

San Joaquin River

Delta Region

STUDY AREA 
Long-Term North to South Water Transfers EIS/EIR

TYPES OF TRANSFERS

GROUNDWATER SUBSTITUTION

• Sellers forego diversion of surface water 

supplies and pump equivalent amount of 

groundwater

• Buyers receive foregone surface water supply

CROPLAND IDLING

• Sellers make surface water available by not 

planting agricultural fi elds

• Buyers receive unused surface water supply

CROP SHIFTING

• Sellers switch from a higher water use crop to a 

lower water use crop

• Buyers receive the diff erence in water use

STORED RESERVOIR PURCHASE

• Sellers release water from non-CVP or SWP 

reservoirs that would otherwise have remained 

in storage 

OTHER METHODS SUGGESTED DURING SCOPING
Long-Term North to South Water Transfers EIS/EIR

HYDROLOGY AND WATER QUALITY 

• Groundwater

• Surface Water Hydrology

• Water Quality 

BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES

• Vegetation and Wildlife 

• Fishery Resources

PHYSICAL RESOURCES

• Geology and Soils

• Air Quality 

• Visual Resources

• Climate Change

RESOURCES TO BE ANALYZED

AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES 

AND SOCIOECONOMICS 

• Agricultural Resources

• Land Use

• Regional Economics

• Recreation

• Cultural Resources

CUMULATIVE EFFECTS
Long-Term North to South Water Transfers EIS/EIR

EIS/EIR PROCESS

ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW PURPOSE 

• Compliance activities associated with the National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA) and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) will:

• Evaluate reasonable alternatives that could reduce 

or avoid environmental impacts

• Provide information for public review and comment

• Identify signifi cant environmental impacts

• Develop mitigation (ways to reduce or avoid environmental impacts)

• Communicate to decision makers the impacts, mitigation, and public 

comments

WHAT IS SCOPING? 

• Public scoping serves to include agencies, stakeholders, and the interested 

public in the decision making process and to allow full environmental 

disclosure. Reclamation and SLDMWA invite stakeholder and public input on 

the environmental considerations as part of the scoping process of the Draft 

EIS/EIR.

• Scoping helps to identify and refi ne:

• Potential alternatives

• Potential environmental impacts

• Potential mitigation measures

EIS/EIR TIMELINE

2011 2012

Winter Spring Summer Fall Winter Spring

Public Scoping 

Meetings

Impact Analysis Draft EIS/EIR Comment 

Period & Public 

Hearings

Final EIS/EIR Record 

Decision/

Notice of 

Determination
Long-Term North to South Water Transfers EIS/EIR

COMMENT STATION

HOW TO SUBMIT COMMENTS 

• All comments due by close of business on February 28, 2011

TONIGHT

• Fill out a comment form at this station and return it to the comment box

• Verbally submit comments to the court reporter

BY FEBRUARY 28, 2011 

• You may either mail the comment card to the address on the back; or mail, 

email, or fax a letter to the contact information below. Please include your name, 

address, and phone number

Brad Hubbard

Bureau of Reclamation

2800 Cottage Way, MP-410 

Sacramento, CA 95825

E-mail: bhubbard@usbr.gov

Fax: (916) 978-5290

Frances Mizuno

San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority

P.O. BOX 2157 

Los Banos, CA 93635 

E-mail: frances.mizuno@sldmwa.org 

Fax: (209) 826-9698 / (209) 832-6200