Unbalanced Exchange of Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency’s (SCVWA) State Water Project Article 56 Carryover Water for the Metropolitan Water District of Souther
Summary
SCH Number
2023030479
Public Agency
Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency
Document Title
Unbalanced Exchange of Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency’s (SCVWA) State Water Project Article 56 Carryover Water for the Metropolitan Water District of Souther
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
3/17/2023
Document Description
The project involves a 3:2 water exchange between SCVWA and MWD, resulting in a transfer of 9,433 acre-feet of SCVWA’s Article 56 Carryover Water stored in San Luis Reservoir to MWD’s service area and the return of up to 6,289 acre-feet of MWD’s Table A Water to SCVWA by December 31, 2023. The effective date of the Agreement for the exchange is January 15, 2023, and shall terminate on December 31, 2023, or upon final payments to the Department of Water Resources (DWR) of all costs attributable to the Agreement. Upon the effective date of the Agreement, DWR will transfer 9,433 acre-feet of Article 56 Carryover Water from SCVWA’s storage balance in San Luis Reservoir to MWD’s storage balance for delivery to MWD in 2023. The transfer will occur by means of a recalculation of SCVWA’s and MWD’s respective Article 56 Carryover Water storage balances in San Luis Reservoir. DWR’s recalculation will show a 9,433 acre-foot increase to MWD’s total Article 56 Carryover water storage balance and a 9,433 acre-foot decrease to SCVWA’s total Article 56 Carryover Water Storage balance. DWR will deliver up to 6,289 acre-feet of MWD’s 2023 Table A Water to SCVWA’s turnout(s) located in Reach 30 of the California Aqueduct’s West Branch by December 31, 2023.
Contact Information
Name
Rick Vasilopulos
Agency Name
Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency
Job Title
Water Resources Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Los Angeles, Santa Clarita
Counties
Los Angeles
Regions
Countywide
Other Location Info
The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency is located in Santa Clarita, California and Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is located in the City of Los Angeles.
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 Existing Facilities
Reasons for Exemption
The project, aka the whole of the action, qualifies for an exemption under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 Existing Facilities as SCVWA 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 proposed action does not constitute a new permanent source of water supply and will not result in any growth inducing or cumulative environmental impacts. Class 1 Information Collection because it consists of basic data collection, research and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource.
SCVWA also finds the project exempt from CEQA under Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) as it 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.
None of the exceptions listed in Section 15300.2 of the CEQA Guidelines would apply to the action.
County Clerk
Los Angeles
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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