2022 San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency and the Central Coast Water Authority Water Exchange
Summary
SCH Number
2022090526
Public Agency
San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency
Document Title
2022 San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency and the Central Coast Water Authority Water Exchange
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
9/27/2022
Document Description
On September 26, 2022, the Board of Directors for the San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency approved the Water Exchange between the Central Coast Water Authority and the Agency (“Agreement”). The Agreement authorizes a one-time water transfer of up to 400 acre-feet of water from the Agency to the Authority.
On October 19, 2021, Governor Newsom proclaimed that local agencies are encouraged to take actions to coordinate use of their available supplies. The Authority and Agency each have water supply contracts, directly or indirectly, with the California Department of Water Resources (“DWR”) for water from the State Water Project (“SWP”). Allocations of SWP are extremely low this year and the Agency could benefit from additional water supplies in 2022. Article 55 of the SWP contracts allow for the conveyance of SWP Table A water or non-SWP water under certain conditions and subject to DWR operations, the Agency may have up to 1700 acre-feet of non-SWP water available. The Authority is currently requesting up to 400 acre-feet of water. The Agency is willing to release SWP Table A water or non-SWP to the Authority under this Agreement.
Contact Information
Name
Lance Eckhart
Agency Name
San Gorgornio Pass Water Agency
Job Title
General Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Counties
Riverside, Santa Barbara
Regions
Countywide
Other Information
Within the service areas of the Central Coast Water Authority and the San Gorgonio Pass Water Agency. The water transfers will be confined to existing infrastructure of the California Aqueduct and San Luis Reservoir.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
State CEQA Guidelines section 15301, State CEQA Guidelines section 15282(u), State CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3)
Reasons for Exemption
The execution of the Agreement effectuating the exchange of non-SWP Water from the Agency to the Authority is statutorily exempt from substantive CEQA review under State CEQA Guidelines section 15282(u), which exempts temporary changes in the point of diversion, place of use, of purpose of use due to a transfer or exchange of water or water rights. Here, the proposed Project involves the exchange of a certain amount of the Agency’s SWP Table A water or non-SWP water for the year 2022. The Project merely changes the place of use, and does not involve construction of any additional facilities to service the Project. As the Project involves a one year exchange, it also satisfies the definition of “temporary change” pursuant to Water Code section 1728.
Additionally, the Project is categorically exempt from environmental review under CEQA pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines section 15301 (Class 1 – Existing Facilities), which exempts from further CEQA review the operation of existing public structures, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency’s determination. The Project will use existing facilities and will not require the construction of additional facilities to affect the delivery of the SWP Table A or non-SWP water.
Finally, the Project is exempt pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3) which exempts those activities for which it can be seen with certainty that there is no potential to result in significant environmental effects. The Project involves the transfer of an existing allocation of water within existing facilities.
County Clerks
Riverside, Santa Barbara
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. You may also contact the OPR via email at state.clearinghouse@opr.ca.gov or via phone at (916) 445-0613. For more information, please visit OPR’s Accessibility Site.