Coachella Valley Water District Colorado River Water Conservation Program

Summary

SCH Number
2022070276
Public Agency
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Document Title
Coachella Valley Water District Colorado River Water Conservation Program
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
7/15/2022
Document Description
To assist in cooperatively managing Colorado River reservoir levels during drought conditions now existing in the Colorado River Basin, MWD and CVWD enter into an agreement under which CVWD will undertake the Water Conservation Program and Metropolitan will pay CVWD for each acre-foot (af) of Colorado River water conserved under the Program through temporary fallowing and other agriculture conservation, up to a maximum amount of 10,000 af per year during calendar years 2022 and 2023.

Contact Information

Name
Sean Carlson
Agency Name
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Job Title
Team Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency

Location

Cities
Coachella
Counties
Riverside
Regions
Countywide
Other Information
CVWD Service Area within Riverside County

Notice of Exemption

Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 1
Reasons for Exemption
This program will not result in expansion of use of CVWD’s existing irrigation distribution system or its irrigation drainage system. Accordingly, since the proposed program involves operation and implementation of CVWD’s existing irrigation distribution facilities and irrigation drainage system facilities with no or negligible expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency’s determination, these actions qualify for a Class 1 Categorical Exemption (State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301). Environmental impacts expected from the implementation of the 2007 Interim Guidelines For Lower Basin Shortages and the Coordinated Operations of Lake Powell and Lake Mead (Guidelines) were analyzed in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), pursuant to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (refer to the following link (http://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/programs/strategies/FEIS/index.html). The proposed action of using conserved water from the proposed Conservation Program to assist in managing reservoir elevations is within the scope of analysis of actions that were previously analyzed in that EIS. Thus, to the extent the proposed actions involve or may affect areas outside of California, such as at Lake Mead or on the portions of the Colorado River in Nevada or Arizona, they are exempt from CEQA under a Statutory Exemption (Public Resources Code Section 21080(b)(14) and State CEQA Guidelines Section 15277). The proposed action of adopting the Coachella Valley Water District Colorado River Water Conservation Program for 2022 and 2023 is exempt under the provisions of CEQA and the State CEQA Guidelines.

Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15277
Reasons for Exemption
This program will not result in expansion of use of CVWD’s existing irrigation distribution system or its irrigation drainage system. Accordingly, since the proposed program involves operation and implementation of CVWD’s existing irrigation distribution facilities and irrigation drainage system facilities with no or negligible expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency’s determination, these actions qualify for a Class 1 Categorical Exemption (State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301). Environmental impacts expected from the implementation of the 2007 Interim Guidelines For Lower Basin Shortages and the Coordinated Operations of Lake Powell and Lake Mead (Guidelines) were analyzed in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), pursuant to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969 (refer to the following link (http://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/programs/strategies/FEIS/index.html). The proposed action of using conserved water from the proposed Conservation Program to assist in managing reservoir elevations is within the scope of analysis of actions that were previously analyzed in that EIS. Thus, to the extent the proposed actions involve or may affect areas outside of California, such as at Lake Mead or on the portions of the Colorado River in Nevada or Arizona, they are exempt from CEQA under a Statutory Exemption (Public Resources Code Section 21080(b)(14) and State CEQA Guidelines Section 15277). The proposed action of adopting the Coachella Valley Water District Colorado River Water Conservation Program for 2022 and 2023 is exempt under the provisions of CEQA and the State CEQA Guidelines.
County Clerk
Riverside

Attachments

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