2015 Annual Compliance Report for the 

Bureau of Reclamation’s Central Valley 

Project Long-term Water Transfers (2015-

2024)

U.S. Department of the Interior

Bureau of Reclamation

Mid Pacific Region

Sacramento, California January 2016
Mission Statements

The mission of the Department of the Interior is to protect and 

provide access to our Nation’s natural and cultural heritage and 

honor our trust responsibilities to Indian Tribes and our 

commitments to island communities.

The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, 

and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and 

economically sound manner in the interest of the American public.
2015 Annual Compliance Report

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Introduction

On June 4, 2015, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) issued the biological opinion; 

Reinitiation of Programmatic Formal Consultation for Bureau of Reclamation’s Proposed 

Central Valley Project Long Term Water Transfers (2015-2024) with Potential Effects on the 

Giant Garter Snake within Sacramento Valley, California (2015 BO)(Service reference 

#08ESMF00-2015-F-0116). The 2015 BO was the culmination of formal consultation with 

Reclamation under section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (as amended) regarding the 

Central Valley Project Long Term Water Transfers (2014-2024) (2015 Transfers). This report is 

submitted to meet the annual reporting requirements contained in Term and Condition 4 as

proposed by Reclamation and documented in the 2015 BO. Term and Condition 4 is: 

“At the end of each water transfer year, Reclamation will submit to the Service a monitoring 

report that contains the following: (i) maps and GIS shape files of all cropland idling or cropland 

shifting actions that occurred within the range of potential transfer activities affected under this 

program; (ii) results of current scientific research and monitoring pertinent to water transfer 

actions; (iii) a discussion of conversation measure effectiveness; (iv) maps and GIS shape files 

indicating where rice was grown; (v) results of annual snake monitoring; (vi) snake detections; 

(vii) a cumulative history of the location and extent of crop idling/crop shifting; and (viii) report 

on water districts/sellers participation in voluntary best management practices. GIS shape files 

of the parcels that were fallowed will be in projected coordinate system NAD 1983 Zone 10 N. 

The report will be submitted to the Service no later than January 31 following each transfer 

year. Reclamation and the Service will establish annual meetings no later than February 28 of 

each year to discuss the contents and findings of the annual report and develop additional 

conservation measures if necessary.”

The following report provides information on each element contained in Term and Condition 4.

I. Acreage and Location of Parcels Idled Under the 2015 Transfers

Spreadsheets with field ID, acreage of field, and total district acreage idled as part of the 2015 

Transfers are included in the attached CD as part of this report. Table 1 summarizes the totals of 

crop land idled for the 2015 Transfers. Due to time constraint for submitting the 60-Day 

Compliance Report for the Bureau of Reclamation’s Central Valley Project Long-term Water 

Transfers 2015, the transfer amounts reported were based upon preliminary information 

regarding transfer proposals. The crop idling totals proposed for 2015 was 45,365 acres to be 

idled (USBR 2015a). The 2015 Transfers resulted in 41,891 acres (Table 1) being idled. In 

comparison of all finalized proposals and final transfer amounts for 2015, there were three sellers 

that deviated from the cropping plans. The deviation resulted in transferring less acre-feet (AF) 

of water than was proposed for transfer (Table 2). However, only the Glen-Colusa Irrigation 

District actually decreased the amount of water made available, the other quantity differences 

between what was proposed and was actually transferred were due to administrative errors.

The 2015 BO stated that a maximum of 60,693 acres of crops could be idled for transfers 

annually. Of this total, no more than 49,924 acres idled would be rice acres within the 

Sacramento Region. All croplands participating in the 2015 Transfers were within the 
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Sacrament Region of the CVP. The total rice cropland idled was 40,490 acres and did not exceed 

the 49,924 acre limit. 

Table 1. Transfer Totals for 2015 (rounded to whole number)

Seller Total Acreage Rice Acreage

Conaway Preservation Group 5,649 5,649

Glen-Colusa Irrigation District 17,734 17,131

Pelger Road 1700 201 201

Pleasant Grove-Verona 2,828 2,585

Reclamation District 108 9,201 8,824

Reclamation District 1004 2,750 2,750

River Garden Farms 2,036 2,036

Sycamore Family Trust 1,493 1,315

Total 41,891 40,490

Table 2. 2015 Sellers with transfer amounts differing from what was proposed.

Seller Amount Proposed 

(AF)

Amount 

Transferred 

(AF)

Difference Notes

Pleasant GroveVerona8,505 8,451 -54 This change was from a calculation 

error in the initial 

proposal. Revised to 8,451 AF as 

soon as error was 

discovered. Crop plan never 

changed.*

Glen-Colusa 

Irrigation District

58,280 58,019 -261 --

Sycamore Family 

Trust

4,978 4,454 -524 One parcel that was never 

intended to be idled was 

inadvertently included in the 

original proposal.*

 * Angela Bezzone 2015, pers. Comm.

Ib. Parcel Maps

The following pages include maps of parcels, by seller, which were included in the 2015 

Transfers. PDF versions of the maps below and GIS shape files for the participating sellers are 

provided in the attached CD.
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GCID 2015 Fields 

Idled and Rice 

Planted
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II. Conservation Measures

The 2015 transfer year started out under the guidance of the April 30, 2015 Programmatic 

Formal Consultation for Bureau of Reclamation’s Proposed Central Valley Project Long Term 

Water Transfers (2015-2024) with Potential Effects on the Giant Garter Snake within 

Sacramento Valley, California (April BO). The April BO was issued with errors in the project 

description. However, because it was issued on April 30 and water districts were finalizing their 

cropping plans, Reclamation moved forward with the 2015 transfers while, at the same time, 

requesting reinitiation of consultation with the Service to correct the language within the 

Conservation Measures of the April BO. The main issue with the April BO was rephrasing 

within the project description section which identified additional areas in which sellers could not 

participate in the transfer program unless they requested and received a case-by-case evaluation 

by Reclamation which determined the transfer would not negatively affect GGS habitat. During 

implementation of the 2015 Transfers under the April BO, and in response to cropping plans 
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submitted by water districts, Reclamation notified several districts that they would need to 

request exemptions from the restrictions on idling in the areas covered under the April BO. 

Reclamation worked directly with sellers and some seller’s representative, MBK Engineering, to 

identify areas of concern and options for reducing potential effects on GGS habitat. As a result, 

several cropping plans were altered and Reclamation determined that the final cropping plans 

were compliant with the April 2015 BO, and would not have additional effects on the GGS that 

were not considered in the biological opinion.

Reclamation, in compliance with Term and Condition #2 of the 2015 BO, submitted a 

“Supplement to the Conservation Measures” on December 30, 2015. The “Supplement to the 

Conservation Measures” was prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in the form of a 

Scope of Work, Effects of Rice Idling on Occupancy Dynamics of Giant Gartersnakes 

(Thamnophis gigas) in the Sacramento Valley of California. While the scope of work meets the 

requirements of the BO, the scope may be refined as Reclamation meets with transferring entities

to discuss the scope and funding of the plan. Reclamation is in the process of approaching water 

districts participating in cropland idling water transfers to discuss options for funding studies to 

meet the monitoring requirements.

As 2015 is the first year of transfers occurring within the 10 year duration of the 2015-2024 

Transfers, there has been no project specific scientific analysis of the effectiveness of the 

conservation measures detailed in the 2015 BO. However, compliance monitoring verified that 

water conveyance features required to remain wet, per the 2015 BO, had adequate water levels 

(USBR 2015a).

As of the date of this report, no incidental take of GGS, related to the 2015 Transfers, has been 

reported to Reclamation. 

One indication that the conservation measures are working as expected was the confirmed 

location of a GGS during a September 15, 2015 site visit. During the site visit USGS technicians 

located, via radio telemetry, a GGS that was in a waterway adjacent to a field that was idled for 

transfer. The GGS had moved over 1⁄4 mile (visual estimate as the data hasn’t been made 

available yet) from its capture and release site just a few days earlier.

No new data on GGS occurrences during 2015 are currently available; however, research 

conducted under various programs should be published in the upcoming months. At the time this 

report is being submitted, the most recent data available would be the current California Natural 

Diversity Database information on GGS.
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III. Monitoring and New Research 

Reclamation has located and reviewed five new literature sources related to GGS. They are:

1. Literature Review of Giant Gartersnake (Thamnophis gigas) Biology and Conservation.

Halstead, B.J., Wylie, G.D., and Casazza, M.L. 2015: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File 

Report 2015–1150, 38 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151150.

2. Terrestrial Ecology of Semi-Aquatic Giant Gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas). Halstead, 

B.J., Skalos, S.M. Wylie, G.D., and Casazza, M.L.: Herpetological Conservation and 

Biology 10(2):633–644. August 2015.

3. Defining population structure and genetic signatures of decline in the giant gartersnake 

(Thamnophis gigas): implications for conserving threatened species within highly altered 

landscapes. Wood, D.A., Halstead, B.J., Casazza, M.L., Hansen, E.C., Wylie, G.D., 

Vandergast, A.G. 2015. Conservation Genetics 16(5):1025-1039. DOI:10.1007/s10592-

015-0720-6

4. Realized Detection and Capture Probabilities for Giant Gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas) 

Using Modified Floating Aquatic Funnel Traps. Halstead, B.J., Skalos, S.M., Casazza, 

M.L., and Wylie, G.D.: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2015-1200, 36 p., 

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151200. 

5. A Preliminary Investigation of the Variables Affecting the Distribution of Giant 

Gartersnakes (Thamnophis gigas) in the Sacramento Valley, California. Halstead, B.J., 

Skalos, S.M., Casazza, M.L., and Wylie, G.D. 2015: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File 

Report 2015-1178, 34 p., http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151178.

In review of the above literature, Reclamation did not identify any new information that would 

add to or change the environmental baseline, status of the species, or conservation measures 

associated with the 2015 Transfers.

VI. GGS Detections within the Action Area

No reports of inadvertent GGS detections have been reported to Reclamation by the sellers 

transferring during 2015. No research or monitoring reports from 2015 are available at the time 

of this report submission.

VII. Cumulative History of Crop Idling under June 4, 2015 BO

Because this is the first year of transfers covered under the June 4, 2015 BO, Reclamation has 

included some additional information for previous transfers to provide some context for amounts 

of acreage being idled from year to year. Crop idling for transfers occurred in 2009, 2014, and 

2015. During 2014 23,120.3 acres of cropland were idled (USBR 2015b). Of the total cropland 

idled, 15,694 acres of rice was fallowed for transfer during 2014. Table 3 summarizes the 

amount of water made available for transfer and the amount of rice fallowed between 2009 and 

present.
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Table 3 Water Transfer Quantities 2009 to 2015 (AF) and Acreage of Rice Fallowed

Water Year Crop Idling, Water 

Made Available 

(AF)

Groundwater 

Substitution, Water 

Made Available (AF)

Acreage of Rice 

Fallowed

2009 21,045 58,881 5,946

2010 0 0 0

2011 0 0 0

2012 No Reclamation 

Water Transfers 

Proposed

No Reclamation 

Water Transfers 

Proposed

No Reclamation Water 

Transfers Proposed

2013 0 31,406 0

2014 40,650 10,289 15,694

2015 134,190 85,853 40,490

VIII. Voluntary Best Management Practices (BMP) Implementation

Reclamation is in the process of working with water districts participating in idling transfers to 

determine the best path forward for reporting implementation of BMPs. Water districts have 

reported that they strive to follow the BMPs detailed in the attached “Draft Operation and 

Maintenance Guidelines for Sacramento Valley Water Agencies with Verified GGS Populations” 

(provided on CD). There are general maintenance practices that water districts conduct that are 

consistent with BMPs. One such practice is maintenance of water conveyance canals or ditches. 

One district reports that the canals or ditches are cleared of sediment and vegetation with an 

excavator only on the bottom to prevent weakening the sides and creating more potential for 

erosion. The work is done during the snake’s inactive season because it coincides with the time 

when water is not being moved for irrigation. The excavated material is then deposited on the 

roadway surface and graded for its maintenance. These maintenance activities are conducted on a 

continual rotation and it may be five years between treatments in a specific canal or ditch.
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IX. References

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. 2015a. 60-Day Compliance Report for the Bureau of Reclamation’s 

Central Valley Project Long-term Water Transfers 2015. 10 pages plus appendices. 

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. 2015b. Compliance Report; 2014 Water Transfers – Biological 

Opinion 08ESMF00-2014-F-0359. 15 pages.

Personal Communications

Bezzone, Angela. 2015. P.E., MBK Engineers, Sacramento California.