Le Grand-Athlone Water District Merced Irrigation District Canal Intertie Project

2022050049

Le Grand Athlone Water District

NOD - Notice of Determination

6/21/2022

6/21/2022

Phil Janzen

Le Grand-Athlone Water District

President

Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant

216 Robertson Boulevard
Chowchilla, CA 93610

(559) 479-0514

phil@AGRILANDFARMING.COM

37°18'55.6"N 120°18'15.8"W

93610

320

Le Grand Elementary

Deadman, Dutchman, Little Deadman, Mariposa, Owens Creeks

MDB&M

The Le Grand-Athlone Water District (LGAWD or District) plans to construct the Le Grand-Athlone Water District Merced Irrigation District Canal Intertie Project (Project). The proposed Project is located within Merced County, California, approximately 110 miles southeast of Sacramento from its northern most point and 140 miles northwest of Bakersfield from its southern most point. This is a linear Project starting at the existing MID canal facilities approximately 1.8 miles northeast of the Town of Planada and continues south approximately 14.5-miles through agricultural, grazing, and open lands, ending approximately one mile north of the Chowchilla River. Project Associated APN Parcels 068200009000 068030083000 053290021000 067010030000 053290020000 068190013000 068030047000 053290019000 068010001000 067010033000 068190005000 068030028000 053290018000 068010012000 068230057000 068200001000 068030090000 053290024000 068010010000 068030095000 068130041000 068030026000 053250014000 068010025000 068122009000 068130040000 068030089000 053150038000 068030024000 068122008000 068130006000 068010028000 053150040000 068030063000 068290020000 068130023000 068010016000 053150010000 068030086000 068290017000 068130005000 068010014000 053150009000 053100020000 068290011000 068030087000 068010027000 053150007000 053100038000 068290010000 068030069000 068010020000 053250003000 053100065000 068290009000 068030070000 068010026000 053100039000 053250002000 068290006000 068030051000 053290022000 053100030000 053250013000 068290013000 068030082000 053290016000 053100047000 053290017000

Latitude and Longitude The centroid of the Project area is 37° 14’ 16” N and 120° 13’ 50” W. General Plan Designation & Zoning The Project is located in a rural part of Merced County and designated for the following land uses: A – Agriculture FP – Foothill Pasture In addition, the Project is zoned for the following: A-1 – General Agriculture A-2 – Exclusive Agriculture Description of Project LGAWD Board of Directors in a joint effort with MID proposes to construct the Project. MID’s canal system provides the primary conveyance of surface water in the Merced Subbasin and is the Project’s water source. The Project will construct a critical piece of infrastructure to help LGAWD, and the larger Merced Groundwater Subbasin, become more sustainable through reduced reliance on groundwater pumping. The Project includes improvements, rehabilitation, and expanding the existing MID canal capacity for approximately 9.8 miles and constructing approximately 4.9 miles of new canal and pipeline infrastructure from MID Booster Lateral #3 to LGAWD. The total Project are of potential effect is approximately 320 acres. The Project would be completed in three phases. Phase 1 would result in the construction of a new intertie canal from Mariposa Creek to Dutchman Creek. Phase 2 would result in the expansion of existing canal facilities from a point of the MID Le Grand Canal approximately 1.8 miles northeast of Planada and run 9.8 miles south to the MID Booster Lateral #3 at Mariposa Creek. Phase 3 would result in the construction of a new LGAWD pump station immediately south of Dutchman Creek and a new buried pipeline that would cross under the Sante Fe Railroad continuing on private property until it reaches Earl Road. At this point an open canal would connect to the pipeline and run to a point approximately one mile north of the Chowchilla River, completing the Project. Phases 1 and 3 would result in approximately 4.9 miles of new canal/pipeline facilities. The new canal would create a way for flood flows to be captured, recharged, or used for agricultural demands in LGAWD that would otherwise be lost, introducing a new surface water supply source. The Project would cross Owens, Mariposa, Little Deadman, Deadman, and Dutchman Creeks. To cross these creeks, the Project would result in the construction of multiple new canal siphon structures. In addition, the Project would construct numerous new culverts under existing roadways that the Project would cross, as well as jack and bore activities to install steel casing under the Sante Fe Railroad. Where the Project would cross roadways, a partial lane-split road closure would be used to maintain through traffic during construction. The Merced Subbasin is considered to be in critical overdraft and the Project would decrease reliance on groundwater pumping, energy consumption, and subsidence in the southern Merced Subbasin, while creating a new surface water supply, optimizing recharge, and also providing direct benefits to underrepresented Communities in the Le Grand-Athlone area and the southern Merced Subbasin. Construction of Phases 1 and 3 would last approximately 18 months and have a crew of 8-10 workers, while Phase 2 would last approximately 18 months with a crew of 4-10 workers. Project activities are summarized below: Phase 1 and 3: Replacement of Booster Pump #3 station Construction of new lined canal Construction of new earth canal Installation of new 63” Cement Mortar Lined and Coated Steel Pipe Construction of new canal inverts Construction of new canal banks Installation of new 84” CL III Rubber Gasketed Reinforced Concrete Pipe Installation of new 72” CL III RGRCP Installation of new 84” RGRCP Siphons Installation of new 72” RGRCP Siphons Construction of a new LGAWD turnout Construction of a new spill structures with Creek turnouts Construction of a new pump station Jack and bore activities, installing steel casing beneath Sante Fe Railroad Installation of air vents Installation of air release valves Construction of new canal drop structure Phase 2: Enlargement of earth lined canal Construction of new canal inverts Removal of 72” Corrugated Metal Pipe, replaced with 84” CL III RGRCP Enlargement of concrete lined canal, removal and replacement activities Enlargement of concrete lined earth canal Installation of new inverts Installation of new 72” CL III RGRCP Removal of culverts Installation of new 60” CL III RGRCP Installation of new 36” canal turnouts Excavation and re-sloping of canal bank slopes for canal enlargement Removal and replacement of farm bridges Site and Surrounding Land Uses and Setting The Project located in the northern San Joaquin Valley section of the Central Valley and is bounded by Sierra Mountain Range and foothills to the east, Coastal Mountains to the west, with Highway 140 to the north, with some smaller towns and the City of Fresno to the south. The Project runs parallel, east of Highway 99. The Project is characterized by gently rolling terrain and flat areas. There are a number of creeks that run near or through the area and include Owens, Mariposa, Little Deadman, Deadman, and Dutchman Creeks. The Project area is dominated by agriculture uses such as row crops and orchards, as well as grazing lands with minor, rural, single-family residences surrounding the Project.

Le Grand-Athlone Water District

Lead Agency

6/16/2022

Le Grand-Athlone Water District, ,216,Robertson Boulevard, Chowchilla, CA 93610

No

No

Yes

No

Yes

Yes

No

Yes