California Aqueduct Reach 5 Vegetation Management
Summary
SCH Number
2024120998
Public Agency
California Department of Water Resources
(DWR)
Document Title
California Aqueduct Reach 5 Vegetation Management
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
12/20/2024
Document Description
San Luis Field Division (SLFD) will use a 320-excavator equipped with a standard digging bucket and a hydraulic thumb attachment to mechanically remove vegetation shorter than 8 feet in the work sites; the vegetation is predominantly honey mesquite (Neltuma odorata). Vegetation taller than 8 feet will be left in place, but limbs up to 8 feet off the ground will be removed. The removed material will be piled on site using a backhoe equipped with a clamshell bucket; the piles will be burned when there is an authorized burn day under SLFD’s burn permit. The sites will be accessed using the existing Aqueduct asphalt and toe roads. All work will occur outside the nesting season.
Work will occur in Reach 5 of the California Aqueduct (Aqueduct) in the Department of Water Resources (DWR) right of way (ROW) on the right (R) side of the Aqueduct. Work will occur in approximately 55 feet-wide areas along the Aqueduct toe roads from Aqueduct milepost (MP) 122.15R to MP 125.31R. The northernmost point of the work site, MP 122.15R, is about three miles northwest of the intersection of the Aqueduct and State Route (SR) 33. The southernmost point of the work site, MP 125.31R, is at the intersection of the Aqueduct and SR 33.
Overgrown vegetation prevents SLFD from being able to visually inspect the Aqueduct embankments; work is necessary for SLFD to inspect and maintain the Aqueduct and DWR ROW. The State Water Project will benefit from this work.
Contact Information
Name
Mark Mcdaniel
Agency Name
California Department of Water Resource - San Luis Field Division
Job Title
Planner/Scheduler/UC Supervisor
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
Cantua Creek
Counties
Fresno
Regions
Citywide
Cross Streets
California Aqueduct and State Route 33
State Highways
State Route 33
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Type – Class 1; 15301(h) (Existing Facilities – Maintenance of existing native growth)
Reasons for Exemption
Work involves maintenance of existing native vegetation in the DWR right of way to improve visual inspection of the Aqueduct embankments. There will be no expansion of existing or former use of the Aqueduct or toe roads.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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