Water Reclamation Plant No. 2 Monitoring Wells Project
Summary
SCH Number
2022040381
Public Agency
Coachella Valley Water District
(CVWD)
Document Title
Water Reclamation Plant No. 2 Monitoring Wells Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
4/19/2022
Document Description
CVWD proposes to construct three groundwater monitoring wells within CVWD WRP 2 facility. The purpose of the Project is to collect groundwater data to adequately characterize groundwater level and water quality changes from WRP 2 operations. Each of the three proposed wells would be located within the WRP 2 site.
Construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2022 with a duration of one week for each well site, and would be entirely contained within the gated WRP 2 site. The wells would be installed using either hollow-stem auger, sonic drilling, direct circulation, or mud rotary methods. Initially, the drilling process would require setting a conductor casing and drilling a 4-inch bore hole to a varying depth of 30- to 260-feet for each well. Samples of the drill cuttings would be obtained and logged at 10-foot intervals to characterize the soil. Upon completion of drilling, geophysical logging of the test bores would be performed. The wells screening depths and intervals would be designed based on the information obtained from each bore hole. Permanent pump infrastructure is not included in the Project; a portable submersible pump would be installed into each monitoring well when a sample is needed, and removed upon completion. Monitoring would occur at each site as-needed by CVWD staff.
Surrounding land uses consist of residential, commercial, open space, and roadways. The Project is not located within or adjacent to a conservation area associated with the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan. Ground disturbance and construction activities would occur entirely within the previously developed WRP 2 site.
Contact Information
Name
William Patterson
Agency Name
Coachella Valley Water District
Job Title
Environmental Supervisor
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Mecca
Counties
Riverside
Regions
Unincorporated
Other Location Info
The Project is located at the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) Water Reclamation Plant No. 2 (WRP 2) located near the northeast shore of the Salton Sea in the unincorporated community of Mecca, Riverside County. The proposed wells will replace three existing monitoring wells at WRP 2 that are currently not in service. WRP 2 is a small lagoon facility that provides service to the community of North Shore. The Project is within Sections 34 of Township 7 South, Range 10 East, United States Geological Survey (USGS) Mortmar 7.5-minute topographic quadrangle. WRP 2 is located at 72900 Commerce Street, North Shore, CA 92254. The locations of the proposed monitoring sites are:
• Monitoring Wells 1 and 3 – APN 723-226-003
• Monitoring Well 2 – APN 723-230-001
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15301, 15303 & 15306
Reasons for Exemption
State CEQA Guidelines §15301 (Existing Facilities). This Class 1 exemption allows for the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency's determination. The Project consists of minor alteration on an existing water reclamation plant site, and does not involve a significant expansion of use.
State CEQA Guidelines § 15303 (New Construction). This Class 3 exemption allows for the construction and location of limited numbers of new, small facilities or structures; installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures; and the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another where only minor modifications are made in the exterior of the structure. The Project involves the installation of three monitoring wells; whereas these monitoring wells are considered small structures on the existing WRP 2 site.
State CEQA Guidelines § 15306 (Information Collection). This Class 6 exemption consists of basic data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation activities, which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource. The Project involves information collection from shallow monitoring wells for the evaluation of nearby CVWD facilities.
County Clerk
Riverside
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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