From the Bureau of Reclamation:
The Bureau of Reclamation has released a final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for San Joaquin River Restoration Program seepage management actions up to 2020.
The program’s Restoration Flow releases are currently constrained based on the potential for groundwater seepage impacts to lands adjacent to the San Joaquin River. The purpose of implementing the proposed actions are to account for potential seepage impacts and enable Restoration Flow releases up to 1,300 cubic feet per second. Based on landowner input, seepage management actions currently being evaluated include the purchase of easements allowing for higher groundwater tables underneath crops from releasing Restoration Flows or the purchase of land affected by groundwater seepage on a willing seller basis.
The final EA and FONSI were prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and are available at https://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=27373. More information on the Seepage Management Plan is available here: http://www.restoresjr.net/monitoring-data/groundwater-monitoring/. If you encounter problems accessing the documents, please call 916-978-5100 (TTY 800-877-8339) or email mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov. For additional information or to request a copy of the documents, please contact Regina Story at 916-978-5466 or rstory@usbr.gov.
For information about the San Joaquin River Restoration Program, please visit www.restoresjr.net.
