2023/2024 Crestline-Lake Arrowhead Water Agency and Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency Water Transfer
Summary
SCH Number
2023120405
Public Agency
Crestline Lake Arrowhead Water Agency
(CLAWA)
Document Title
2023/2024 Crestline-Lake Arrowhead Water Agency and Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency Water Transfer
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
12/14/2023
Document Description
On December 14, 2023, the Board of Directors of Crestline-Lake Arrowhead Water Agency (“CLAWA”) approved the execution of the Water Transfer Agreement (“Agreement”) with Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency (“AVEK”). The Agreement allows for the delivery of up to 3,000 acre-feet (“AF”) of Table A State Water Project (“SWP”) water from CLAWA to AVEK in Calendar Year 2023 with AVEK returning 1,000 AF less than that quantity of water to CLAWA in 2024 (collectively, “Project”).
Presently, CLAWA has a 2023 allocation of SWP water that it will not be able to use in 2023 and will not be able to carry over in SWP facilities into 2024. In order to prevent a loss of CLAWA water due to unuse and a limitation on the quantity CLAWA water that CLAWA may carry over in SWP facilities from its 2023 allocation under its Water Supply Contract with the Department of Water Resources, CLAWA desires to deliver a portion of its unused water to AVEK. In return, CLAWA will have the opportunity to receive from AVEK, in 2024, a portion of the total quantity of water transferred by CLAWA to AVEK in 2023.
Contact Information
Name
Jennifer A. Spindler
Agency Name
Crestline-Lake Arrowhead Water Agency
Job Title
General Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Counties
Kern, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura
Regions
Countywide
Other Location Info
Crestline-Lake Arrowhead Water Agency and Antelope Valley-East Kern Water Agency service areas
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
State CEQA Guidelines (14 Cal. Code Regs.) §§ 15301, 15282(u), 15061(b)(3)
Reasons for Exemption
The execution of the Agreement effectuating the transfer and exchange of SWP Water from the CLAWA to the AVEK 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 Project involves the exchange of a certain amount of CLAWA’s SWP water for the year 2023 with AVEK returning a portion of said water. The Project merely changes the delivery location, and does not involve construction of any additional facilities to service the water transfer. 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 water.
The Project is also exempt under State CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3) because it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility the Project may have a significant impact on the environment. The Project is merely an exchange of water. No physical facilities will be constructed to produce or transport water because all such required facilities already exist. In addition, no new water production or transportation capacity is created by the Project.
County Clerks
Kern, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Ventura
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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