Shallow Well Drilling and Water Conservation Project

2 Documents in Project

Summary

SCH Number
2024080044
Lead Agency
Turner Island Water District
Document Title
Shallow Well Drilling and Water Conservation Project
Document Type
NOD - Notice of Determination
Received
Posted
9/26/2024
Document Description
The shallow well drilling portion of the Project would involve the construction and operation of two new agricultural irrigation wells screened above the Corcoran Clay so that their use could reduce the District’s reliance on the lower aquifer water. Well No. 1 would be located roughly at the midway point on the eastern edge of APN 074-030-011 near the Eastside Canal. Well No. 2 would be located roughly at the southeastern corner of APN 065-050-004 near the Eastside Canal. The new wells would be drilled to a maximum depth of approximately 200 feet. Up to two existing wells that have been drilled and screened below the Corcoran Clay may be abandoned as part of the Project. Transitioning pumping from the deep aquifer below the Corcoran Clay to the shallow aquifer above the Corcoran Clay would reduce subsidence over the long term. A Variance application approved by Merced County would be required to allow the two new wells to be located at a distance closer to the existing deep wells and a surface waterway than would normally be permitted (300 and 100 feet, respectively). The water conservation portion of the Project would involve the modification of three existing weirs along the Mariposa Slough, and construction of two recharge basins adjacent to the Mariposa Slough. The weirs would be equipped with automated canal gates and flow measurement devices. Additionally, the existing pumps at each weir would be replaced with new pumps and would be sized with a capacity of up to 35 cubic feet per second (CFS). The new pumps which would return water to the head of the District’s system and avoid or reduce losses in the last reach of Mariposa Slough. One recharge basin would be approximately 30 acres and would have the capacity to store up to 150 acre-feet (AF) of water. The second recharge basin would be approximately 23 acres and would have the capacity to store up to 115 AF of water. Both recharge basins would be constructed with levees that would be built up to a maximum height of six feet tall and would be comprised of excavation material from the proposed basin construction. No excavation material would be exported as it would be balanced onsite. Water would be diverted to each recharge basin via proposed pumps connecting to the Mariposa Slough. Each pump would have a conveyance capacity of up to 70 CFS. The proposed Project would allow the District to store surface water when available and delay the pumping of lower aquifer wells, thereby reducing strain on the groundwater resources from which these wells draw.

Contact Information

Name
Kel Mitchel
Agency Name
Turner Island Water District
Job Title
President
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency

Name
Chase Hurley
Agency Name
Turner Island Water District
Job Title
General Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency

Location

Cities
Merced
Counties
Merced
Regions
Northern California
Parcel #
074-030-011, 065-050-004
Other Location Info
The proposed Project is located in Merced County, California, approximately 100 miles south-southeast of Sacramento and 150 miles north-northwest of Bakersfield. The Project area is located approximately 12 miles southwest of the City of Merced located within Merced County.

Notice of Determination

Approving Agency
Turner Island Water District
Approving Agency Role
Lead Agency
Approved On
County Clerk
Merced
Final Environmental Document Available at
Turner Island Water District, located at 7543 North Ingram, Suite 102, Fresno, California 93711

Determinations

(1) The project will have a significant impact on the environment
No
(2a) An Environmental Impact Report was prepared for this project pursuant to the provisions of CEQA
No
(2b) A Mitigated or a Negative Declaration was prepared for this project pursuant to the provisions of CEQA
Yes
(2c) An other document type was prepared for this project pursuant to the provisions of CEQA
No
(3) Mitigated measures were made a condition of the approval of the project
Yes
(4) A mitigation reporting or monitoring plan was adopted for this project
Yes
(5) A Statement of Overriding Considerations was adopted for this project
No
(6) Findings were made pursuant to the provisions of CEQA
No

Attachments

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. For more information, please visit OPR’s Accessibility Site.

Download CSV New Search Print