8

Multiple Option

Programs

Fish and Wildlife Management Programs

One of the programs having multiple implementation

options is the Fish and Wildlife Management Program. This

program includes actions to improve habitat, as defined by

the Anadromous Fish Restoration Program (AFRP), and

refuge water supplies. The program associated with refuge

water supplies was defined in the 1989 Refuge Water

Supply Study and the San Joaquin Basin Action Plan completed by the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation).

Anadromous Fish Restoration Program

The AFRP’s goal is to undertake reasonable efforts to sustain the natural production of anadromous fish in the

Central Valley rivers and streams by the year 2002, at numbers double the average levels exhibited during the period

from 1967 through 1991. The objectives of the AFRP are to:

■ Obtain the best available scientific and commercial data;

■ Develop a long-term Restoration Plan that identifies the

general approaches and actions to attain the goal; and

■ Develop short-term implementation plans as tiers to the

Restoration Plan. 

The PEIS alternatives incorporate instream and Delta habitat and flow improvements, which are major elements of

the AFRP. The flow improvements were based upon information developed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

(Service) in October 1996. The following three tools were

identified in the CVPIA to improve flows.

■ Reoperation of the CVP in accordance with Section

3406(b)(1)(B) Reoperation is defined as changes in CVP

operations that do not impact water deliveries to CVP

water users. 

■ Dedication of 800,000 acre-feet of CVP water in

accordance with Section 3406(b)(2) The "(b)(2) Water

Management" is defined as operation of the CVP in a

manner that would allow the CVP to dedicate and manage 800,000 acre-feet/year of CVP yield for fish and

wildlife purposes. For the PEIS, the (b)(2) Water

Management included an instream component for CVPcontrolled streams, a Bay-Delta Plan component for the

CVP, and an additional Delta component.

■ Water acquisitions in accordance with Section

3406(b)(3) Water acquisitions from willing sellers would

be used to provide increased instream flows in specific

months to improve habitat, in accordance with preliminary information developed by AFRP. The acquisition

targets vary among action alternatives.

Refuge Water Supply

Many refuges historically received water supplies from

multiple sources such as irrigation return flows and temporary annual water contracts. In years preceding the

CVPIA, water conservation programs and increased

demand for water reduced the reliability of these sources.

The CVPIA provides for a firm water supply for Central

Valley wildlife refuges from existing CVP yield at the levels

described in the 1989 Refuge Water Supply Study and the

San Joaquin Basin Action Plan. The refuges include both

National Wildlife Refuges and state-owned Wildlife

Management Areas.

■ All alternatives, except the No-Action Alternative, provide firm Level 2 CVP water supplies to 21 refuges. Level

2 water supply is the average historic water delivery

between 1978 and 1984.

■ The Preferred Alternative, Alternatives 2, 3, 4, and the

associated supplemental analyses, also include firm Level

4 CVP water supplies. Level 4 is the water supply needed

to fully develop the refuges as defined in the 1989

Refuge Water Supply Study and the San Joaquin Basin

Action Plan.