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Environmental Compliance and Permitting Program Program Overview
Current Projects Extension of East Branch of the California Aqueduct, Phase 1 This project is a cooperative effort by the Department, San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency, and San Bernardino Valley Municipal Water District to supply water from the State Water Project to the communities of Yucaipa, Calimesa, Banning, and Beaumont. Phase 1 consists of adding 13.5 miles of new 54- and 36-inch steel pipeline to the existing 19 miles of SBVMWD’s Foothill Pipeline. The existing Greenspot Pump Station will be enlarged and two new pump stations will be built. Storage will be provided by a 5-acre reservoir in the Crafton Hills. SGPWA originally assumed the lead agency role, but with a later decision to incorporate the East Branch Extension in the State Water Project, this role was transferred to the Department. The Department also assumed primary responsibility for project design and construction. Southern District staff managed the preparation of a Supplemental Environmental Impact Report to address changes in the project. This document was certified on March 27, 1998. Southern District staff has also participated in development of Contract Specifications related to environmental mitigation measures; worked with regulatory agencies to obtain a Clean Water Act Section 404 Permit, a Section 401 Water Quality Certification, and a California Fish and Game Code Section 1601 Streambed Alteration Agreement; and will keep permits updated during refinement of the project design and subsequent construction. In addition, staff is monitoring construction activities and is responsible for ensuring that all CEQA mitigation measures and regulatory permit conditions are implemented. Environmental compliance monitors are verifying compliance with measures to reduce impacts to air quality, water quality, biological and cultural resources, and traffic congestion, among other potential impacts. Construction of Pipeline Reach 1 and 2 is nearly complete, and construction of the Crafton Hills Reservoir and Pump Station, Cherry Valley Pump Station, and Pipeline Reach 3 is under way. Implementation of Fishery Mitigation Measures at Silverwood Lake Pursuant to San Bernardino Tunnel Reconstruction Project
Southern District environmental staff members have overseen the habitat restoration work, which began in October 1996 and was completed in February 2000. The initial restoration work was completed between October 1996 and April 1997, while water surface levels were still low. Macrohabitat structures, such as rock reefs, artificial aquatic cover, and pipe caves, were placed at selected nearshore and deeper areas of the reservoir to increase cover habitat for juvenile and small fish. Subsequent years of the restoration project have consisted of planting willows and cattails to provide shade and cover for littoral species. In December 1997, approximately 400 willows and 100 cattails were planted at various locations around the lake. In February 1999, approximately 820 five-foot willow cuttings were planted in the Cleghorn Canyon arm of the lake and approximately 190 cattails were planted in a cove at the northern end of the lake. An additional 500 three-foot willow cuttings were planted in pots and placed in the main seepage ditch below the dam to be allowed to grow for planting in winter 1999-2000. Staff members from the Department's Division of Operations and Maintenance are overseeing implementation of a court-ordered Supplemental Fishery Restoration Plan to revitalize the bass fishery at Silverwood Lake. The Plan was designed cooperatively by the Departments of Fish and Game and Water Resources and the Southern California Bass Council. The first phase of the Plan, completed in early September 1999, involved using a seining boat to net fish from the lake. Less desirable fish--such as carp, goldfish, and Sacramento blackfish--were removed while gamefish, including bass and trout, were returned to the lake. Removing less desirable fish is expected to encourage expansion of bass and panfish populations by reducing predation and competition for food. A second phase of the Plan, completed in late September 1999, involved placing 300 habitat structures made of bundled lemon branches in lake shallows. In the final phase of the restoration effort, a total of 2,035 adult Florida strain largemouth bass between 12 and 20 inches in length and 540 juvenile largemouh bass between 6 and 18 inches in length were stocked as of November 15, 1999. Another 97 largemouth bass ranging from 12 to 17 inches were stocked in May 2000. Gorman Creek Bypass Channel Restoration Project The Department determined that a functional bypass was needed to convey up to 850 cubic feet per second of State Water Project water to Pyramid Lake in the event of an extended emergency outage of either the Peace Valley Pipeline or Warne Powerplant. The project, conducted from July to December 1998, restored and repaired nearly 5.3 miles of the Gorman Creek Improvement Channel, portions of which had been obliterated in 1989. Southern District staff members prepared an Initial Study and CEQA documentation and worked with regulatory agencies to obtain a Section 404 Permit, Section 401 Water Quality Certification, and a Streambed Alteration Agreement. They monitored construction activities to ensure that CEQA mitigation measures and regulatory permit conditions were implemented. Staff members also helped to design, and will continue to monitor, the revegetation program for the project. |
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For further information, contact: Mary Miller |
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Copyright © 1998. California Department of Water Resources. All rights reserved. |
Under this program, the staff provides environmental and regulatory compliance and permitting services for various divisions within the Department of Water Resources and assists other State and local agencies with environmental and regulatory compliance issues. Services include preparing environmental documents in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act and the California Environmental Quality Act, obtaining necessary project permits, monitoring compliance status with current laws and regulations, and performing required mitigation monitoring and restoration work.
In compliance with an order from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department developed a Fishery Mitigation Plan to mitigate possible fishery-related impacts that could result from the 22-month drawdown of Silverwood Lake for construction of the new San Bernardino Tunnel intake structure. The strategy used to help mitigate the project's fishery impacts focused on restoring and enhancing the aquatic environment within the reservoir, primarily by providing various forms of natural and artificial cover habitat.