From the Department of Water Resources:
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) is the Lead Agency under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and will prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the long-term operations of the State Water Project (SWP) facilities in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, Suisun Marsh, and Suisun Bay. Written comments regarding the issues that should be addressed in the EIR, including potential alternatives to the proposed Project and the scope of the analysis, are invited.
DWR is seeking approval of long-term operations of the SWP facilities in the Delta, Suisun Marsh, and Suisun Bay to continue to provide water supply for agricultural, municipal, and industrial uses, along with the additional benefits to recreation and the environment in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, including contractual obligations. SWP operations will be coordinated with DWR’s implementation of the Voluntary Agreements, an alternative implementation approach for satisfying the revised State Water Resources Control Board’s Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan, including flows to satisfy legal obligations under both endangered species laws and the Voluntary Agreements should the Voluntary Agreements be adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board. Considering other ongoing regulatory processes, the project will provide a framework for future projects involving SWP operations to come online.
The EIR will evaluate potential impacts associated with long-term operations of the SWP including:
- Updated operating criteria, including operations of SWP facilities in the Delta such as pumps, the Suisun Marsh Salinity Control Gates, and the North Bay Aqueduct.
- Measures that may be adopted to avoid, minimize, or mitigate impacts to listed species resulting from SWP long-term operations.
No new infrastructure facilities are included in the proposed project and long-term SWP operations would not change DWR’s water rights or impact the water rights of any other legal user of water.
The EIR for the proposed Project is being prepared in compliance with CEQA. DWR has issued a Notice of Preparation (NOP) to inform trustee agencies, responsible agencies, the Office of Planning and Research, and the public that an EIR is being prepared. The NOP provides information describing the proposed Project and its potential environmental effects to those who may wish to comment regarding the scope and content of the information to be included in the EIR.
View the Notice of Preparation here.
DWR will hold a virtual public scoping meeting to take comments on the scope and content of the EIR.
Tuesday June 27, 2023, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
- Join via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89067984085
- Call-in Only: 1-877-853-5247
- Meeting ID: 890 6798 4085
Start: Tue 27 Jun 2023, 11:30 AM
End: Tue 27 Jun 2023, 1:30 PM
Written or oral comments may be submitted at the public scoping meeting, or written comments may be directed to: Chris Wilkinson, Department of Water Resources, Division of Integrated Science and Engineering, PO Box 942836, Sacramento, CA, 94236-0001; or by email to SWPDeltaOps@water.ca.gov by July 17, 2023. Written comments should include your name, address, and contact information, and the name for a contact person in your agency if applicable. Please note that your entire comment could be made publicly available at any time.
NOP for ITP SWPDeltaOps_Final_ADA
