2019-2020 Water Transfer and Exchange between Pixley Irrigation District within the Central Valley Project and Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water Storage District wit
Summary
SCH Number
2019110356
Public Agency
Wheeler Ridge -Maricopa Water Storage District
Document Title
2019-2020 Water Transfer and Exchange between Pixley Irrigation District within the Central Valley Project and Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water Storage District wit
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
11/18/2019
Document Description
Pixley ID is proposing to transfer up to 1,500 AF of its 2019-2020 Central Valley Project ("CVP") Cross Valley Canal water from Pixley ID to Wheeler Ridge. Pixley ID has a contract for an agricultural water supply with the United States Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation ("Reclamation") for water to be provided from the Central Valley Project ("CVP"). Pixley ID forecasts that it will have up to 1,500 AF of such 2019-2020 CVP water supply captured at O'Neill Forebay in San Luis Reservoir that it is willing to transfer to Wheeler Ridge from O'Neill Forebay during the noted Water Years. In exchange for the CVP supply delivered to WRM under separate agreement between Pixley ID and a common landowner to the parties of this Agreement, Pixley ID will receive CVP and/ or non-project water from the Friant Kern Canal, Kaweah, Tule and/or Kern Rivers. Though not currently contemplated as such, the exchange could be an unbalanced exchange.
Contact Information
Name
Wendy A. Jones
Agency Name
Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa WSD
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Counties
Kern, Tulare
Cross Streets
SEE ATTACHED NOE
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15061(b)(3; 15301
Reasons for Exemption
CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 (b)3 provides that a Lead Agency
may determine an activity to be exempt from CEQA based upon the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects that have a potential for causing significant environmental impacts. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. Wheeler Ridge finds that approval of the proposed water transfer has no possibility for significant effect on the environment for the following
reasons:
1. The proposed action consists of a one-time water transfer that will use existing facilities and would not require any construction or grading.
2. The project does not constitute a new permanent source of water supply and will not result in any growth inducing or cumulative environmental impacts.
3. There will be no land use changes or additional agricultural acreage being cultivated as a result of the proposed project.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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