High Groundwater Mitigation Project

High Groundwater Mitigation Project

San Luis Canal Company (SLCC or Company) is one of the four San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors with historical water rights off of the San Joaquin River. The Company encompasses approximately 47,000 acres of irrigable land in Merced and Fresno Counties. Under normal hydrology, SLCC receives their water from the Bureau of Reclamation under the agreed upon Exchange Contract. The water originates from Shasta Dam, is conveyed down the Sacramento River into the Northern and South Delta and then pumped at Jones Pumping Plant into the Delta Mendota Canal (DMC). The water is then transported down the DMC, into the Mendota Pool and then down the San Joaquin River and into the Arroyo Canal. SLCC’s delivery system consists of canals, drains, low lift pumps and regulating reservoirs that incorporate the following water types: (1) USBR surface water (2) tailwater generated within SLCC boundaries (3) Henry Miller Reclamation District (HMRD) #2131 Groundwater wells (4) SLCC Landowner private Groundwater wells A large portion of SLCC’s acreage is plagued by shallow groundwater which impacts crop growth and can restrict the planting of permanent crops. As a mechanism to mitigate for the impacts associated with this shallow groundwater, SLCC plans to implement a two-tiered program consisting primarily of (1) elimination of seepage losses through infrastructure improvement projects including lining and piping of canals and (2) shallow groundwater pumping. For the shallow groundwater pumping, the groundwater will be pumped from the upper water table through a series of existing shallow wells and conveyed through SLCC’s existing water delivery system for use within the Company’s service area. A like amount of SLCC’s CVP water supply (up to 10,000 acre feet per year [afy]) would be made available to be transferred to San Joaquin Valley Wildlife Refuges, Tulare Lake Basin Wildlife Refuges, and other CVP contractors including but not limited to Friant Division and San Luis Unit CVP contractors, and/or all State Water Project contractors including but not limited to Kern County Water Agency, Valley Water (CVP/SWP Water), East Bay Municipal Utility District, Contra Costa Water District and Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency (collectively; Transfer Recipients). All transfers would be consistent with CVP Place of Use requirements.

Dos Palos

Merced

Countywide

California Air Resources Board (ARB), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Central Region 4 (CDFW), California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Habitat Conservation Planning (CDFW), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), California Department of Transportation, District 10 (DOT), California Department of Water Resources (DWR), California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (OES), California Highway Patrol (CHP), California Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC), California Natural Resources Agency, California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Fresno Region 5 (RWQCB), California State Lands Commission (SLC), Central Valley Flood Protection Board, Office of Historic Preservation, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Quality, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Rights, State Water Resources Control Board, Divison of Financial Assistance

Other (Agriculture)

General Plan Element

Hydrology/Water Quality