Park Ranch Holdings Agricultural Well

2024040033

Mono County

NOE - Notice of Exemption

4/2/2024

4/2/2024

Louis Molina

Mono County Environmental Health

Environmental Health Director

Lead/Public Agency

PO Box 3329 1290 Tavern Road, Suite 246
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

(760) 924-1845

lmolina@mono.ca.gov

NE corner of APN 002-450-023

Ministerial

Sec. 21080(b)(1); 15268

Mapping resources indicate the nearest well in the vicinity of the proposed well site is on APN 002-060-041, a neighboring property to the north, and is more than 1,000 feet to the northeast of the proposed well site. The applicant's own domestic well on the same property as the proposed well is more than 1,800 feet distance to the proposed well site. Based on a review of the State Water Resources Control Board's Low-Threat Underground Storage Tank Case Closure Policy, a 1,000-foot separation from active production wells to contamination plumes is considered to be sufficient separation to post a low threat to human health, safety, or the environment, and appropriate for no further action determination based on the groundwater-specific criteria specified. Under this assumption, well separated by 1000 feet or more should have negligible effect on each other. This is further shown by modeling work done by Santa Barbara County demonstrating that a new or replacement well located more than 1,000 feet from an existing well is not likely to interfere with the production of that well. The modeling is based on hypothetical water well drawdown using conservative yet anticipated values to transmissivity, storage coefficient, and anticipated pumping yields to support field grown agriculture commodities. In addition, because there is no direct instrumental evidence of subsidence occurring in the Antelope Valley, the potential for subsidence is considered to be low. Further, because groundwater extractions in the Antelope Valley area are distributed throughout the area rather than being concentrated in small zones, the effects of subsidence, if any, may be more area wide.

Categorical Exemption

15268

Mapping resources indicate the nearest well in the vicinity of the proposed well site is on APN 002-060-041, a neighboring property to the north, and is more than 1,000 feet to the northeast of the proposed well site. The applicant's own domestic well on the same property as the proposed well is more than 1,800 feet distance to the proposed well site. Based on a review of the State Water Resources Control Board's Low-Threat Underground Storage Tank Case Closure Policy, a 1,000-foot separation from active production wells to contamination plumes is considered to be sufficient separation to post a low threat to human health, safety, or the environment, and appropriate for no further action determination based on the groundwater-specific criteria specified. Under this assumption, well separated by 1000 feet or more should have negligible effect on each other. This is further shown by modeling work done by Santa Barbara County demonstrating that a new or replacement well located more than 1,000 feet from an existing well is not likely to interfere with the production of that well. The modeling is based on hypothetical water well drawdown using conservative yet anticipated values to transmissivity, storage coefficient, and anticipated pumping yields to support field grown agriculture commodities. In addition, because there is no direct instrumental evidence of subsidence occurring in the Antelope Valley, the potential for subsidence is considered to be low. Further, because groundwater extractions in the Antelope Valley area are distributed throughout the area rather than being concentrated in small zones, the effects of subsidence, if any, may be more area wide.