SCH Number 2024101179

Project Info

Title

Recharge Basin Phase III Project

Description

Fresno Irrigation District (FID or District) is proposing to construct three recharge basins in Fresno County within District boundaries. The basins will range in size from 19 to 53 acres and will all connect to the FID Thompson No. 54 canal, and a pipeline running north to Barstow Ave on adjacent private land connecting to the Herndon No. 39 Canal which is an existing District water conveyance facility. All three sites may have extraction wells and recovery wells constructed. All the proposed basins will have perimeter fencing. The total Project Area of Potential Affect (APE) for biological and cultural surveys is identified as 93 acres for all three sites. The proposed benefits of all three basins includes recharge, new storage of floodwater, providing new habitat for waterfowl and to assist the District to maintain its commitments to the Kings River fisheries management program by providing place for fish management water to be diverted in dry years. These basin sites are all in a critical location for the District to perform recharge and would capture and use storm and flood water supplies available to FID. The following components would be consistent at each basin site: • For turnout construction, the Project will cut a notch approximately 8 x 8 feet in the canal wall (like a box culvert) that water will go through. Then a gate outside the existing FID canal will be constructed that will measure and control flow. • Basin depth would be up to 20 feet below ground surface. (Vertical APE) • Up to two monitoring wells, placed approximately ¼ mile from existing wells at each basin site, • Each basin will have an automated gate with flow measurement and/or a canal gate with downstream metering stand, • Perimeter fencing- cattle fence, any fencing will not impact the existing canal infrastructure • Excavation would be balanced onsite or exported offsite, as needed to a District approved location, • Up to two recovery wells and discharge pipeline to deliver ~5 cfs to adjacent existing FID canal infrastructure, placed approximately ¼ mile from existing wells at each basin site. • Maximum berm height of six (6) feet measured from the lowest point at the downstream toe of the berm to its maximum storage elevation, which is typically the spillway crest. • No weirs or turnouts will be removed at any basin site location. Specific details that are unique to each recharge basin are outlined below. Metzler Recharge Basin: The Project includes construction of a new 19-acre recharge basin, including earthwork and structures located at the intersection of N. Jameson Avenue and W. Shaw Avenue, identified as APN 016-450-71S in Fresno County. The property is currently vacant and clear of vegetation. The proposed basin cells will use up the majority of the site with a berm buffer at the perimeter inside the proposed fencing. The District owns the conveyance canal, Thompson No. 54, crossing the Project site. The Project would provide approximately 220 AF of flood water surface storage and recharge approximately 1,320 AF/year annual average. There will be no impacts to the headgate in the southeast corner of the APE. The Project includes the following construction components that would connect to Thompson No. 54 Canal which exists to the east. • Two basin outlet structures with connections to Thompson No. 54 Canal and the proposed Schmall Recharge Basin. • Vehicular access would be off of Shaw Avenue. Schmall Recharge Basin The Project includes construction of a new 53-acre recharge basin including earthwork and structures near the intersection of N. Jameson Avenue and W. Shaw Avenue, identified as APNs 016-450-33, 51, and 62 in Fresno County. The land has been previously cleared of vines and the APE would extend along the east side of the Thompson No. 54 District-owned canal and potentially to the Herndon No. 39 canal to the north. The proposed basin cells will use up the majority of the site with a berm buffer at the perimeter inside the proposed fencing. The Project would provide approximately 300 AF of flood water surface storage and recharge approximately 1,800 AF/year annual average. The Project includes the following construction components that would connect to Thompson No. 54 canal which exists to the west. • Two basin outlet structures. • Vehicular access would be off of Jameson Ave. • Pipeline running north to Barstow Ave on adjacent private land connecting to the Herndon No. 39 Canal (an easement would be needed by FID) may be constructed. If this connection is made, a pipeline connection between the proposed Schmall Basin and Metzler Basin may also be made. • If the proposed basin will connect to the Thompson No. 54 canal, the pipeline would be within an open cut trench or jack and bore underneath. Schneider Recharge Basin The Project includes construction of a new 21-acre recharge basin including earthwork and structures, near the intersection of N. Jameson Avenue and W. Gettysburg Avenue, identified as APN 016-091-58, in Fresno County. The APE is located south of the Thompson No. 54 Canal. The proposed basin cells will use up the majority of the site with a berm buffer at the perimeter inside the proposed fencing. The Project would provide approximately 80 AF of flood water surface storage and recharge approximately 480 AF/year annual average. There will be no impacts to the private residential farm bridge. The Project includes the following construction components that would connect to Thompson No. 54 Canal which exists to the east. • Basin outlet structure. • Vehicular access would be off Jameson. Construction Construction of the Project is assumed to be completed over the course of approximately three years, with each of the three basins being constructed over approximately six months, starting each fall from the years 2025-2027. The Project parcels have been and/or would be cleared of vegetation, fencing, structures, and other debris. The Project includes mobilization, site preparation, berm construction surrounding the basins; earthwork and structures placement; Project turnout(s), metering stands, diversion check structures, intrabasin and basin outfall structures. New berm construction would not exceed six feet, measured from the exterior toe to the top of new levee. For the canal connections to the proposed basins, FID would cut a notch (less than 50-ft wide) in the existing District canal wall, insert a pipeline, and put up one outlet structure, pre-cast concrete ideally or cast in place into canal. The Project may include ponds/cells within the basins separated by berms/levees. After construction completion, performance testing and demobilization would occur. Equipment Construction equipment would likely include the following equipment used during construction: • Excavators, • Backhoes, • Graders, • Skid steers, Loaders, • Hauling trucks, • Scrapers, • Sheep’s foot compactors (Large and Small dependent on area conditions), • D9 dozer, • large tractor and large discing unit, • Water trucks supplying water for dust control and conditioning soil for compaction, and • Large watercannon and hoses. Post-construction activities would include system testing, commissioning, and site clean-up. Construction would require temporary staging and storage of materials and equipment. Staging areas would be located onsite. Operation and Maintenance Each of the proposed basin sites include construction of a recovery well and monitoring wells to assist the District with monitoring and managing the groundwater recharge basins and levels. The District’s operation of the basins would be consistent with the District’s other similar facilities in that groundwater conditions would be monitored to minimize negative impacts on the surrounding areas (such as nearby wells, crops, and septic systems).

2 documents in project