Monterey
Peninsula Water Management District
Aquifer
Storage and Recovery Project
Environmental
Impact Report
Notice of
Preparation
The Monterey Peninsula Water Management District
(MPWMD) is proposing a water management project that will allow for changes in water supply operations
in the Carmel River and Seaside Groundwater Basins that will benefit the
natural resources of the Carmel River and the groundwater resources of the
Seaside Groundwater Basin. The
project includes both near-term and long-term modifications to MPWMD’s existing
test-scale aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) project located on former Fort
Ord lands overlying the coastal subunits of the Seaside Groundwater Basin. The ASR project would continue and expand
diversions of excess winter flows from the Carmel River under specified
conditions and store this water in the Seaside Groundwater Basin coastal
subareas. A portion of this stored water
would be available for extraction and use through the California American Water
(Cal-Am) existing distribution system during dry periods in lieu of pumping
water from the Carmel River Basin. A
smaller portion of the injected water would remain in the Seaside Groundwater
Basin to facilitate recovery of water levels from over-pumping in the
Basin. The MPWMD will also be evaluating
alternatives to achieve its water management goals.
The MPWMD is acting as the lead agency for this
project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and is preparing
an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to evaluate the environmental effects of
the ASR project and its alternatives.
The EIR will be structured to provide a detailed level of analysis for
the first phase of the project and a programmatic evaluation of longer-term
elements of the project.
The project is located in Monterey
County, California and is within the boundaries of the MPWMD (Figure 1). The infrastructure for the ASR component
includes groundwater extraction wells in the Carmel River Basin; a pipeline
extending from Carmel Valley north to Fort Ord; water pumping, storage and
treatment facilities located along this pipeline; and injection and extraction
wells located on former Fort Ord (Figures 2,
3 and 4).
The MPWMD manages and regulates the use,
reuse, reclamation, and conservation of water within its boundaries. The MPWMD conserves and augments water
supplies by the integrated management of ground and surface water resources. About 80% of water within the MPWMD
boundaries is collected, stored, and distributed by Cal-Am, which serves about
95% of Peninsula residents and businesses.
Over 70% of the water delivered by Cal-Am is diverted from the Carmel
River Basin. Cal-Am owns two dams and a
series of wells along the Carmel River.
For many years it has been recognized that the current level of pumping
from the Carmel River Basin has adverse effects on lower Carmel River natural
resources, particularly in dry years.
Cal-Am, MPWMD and the State have sought alternative water sources and
alternative water management actions so that pumping could be reduced in the
lower river and natural habitats could recover. Pumping of water from the Seaside
Groundwater Basin has increased, especially in dry periods, to allow for a
lowered level of pumping in the Carmel River Basin. This increased groundwater pumping has, in
turn, led to a gradual lowering of water levels in the Seaside Basin,
threatening its long-term reliability as a local source of domestic water supply.
Since 1996, the MPWMD has evaluated
the feasibility of an ASR project.
Efforts have included hydrogeologic testing and construction of pilot
and full-scale test injection wells on former Fort Ord. This testing has found that the Seaside Basin
can be successfully used to store water for future use in the Cal-Am system.
Recently, MPWMD’s Santa Margarita test well has been used to provide water to
the Cal-Am system when Cal-Am’s wells have required repair or maintenance. An ASR project is viewed by MPWMD as one way
to improve water management capabilities to the benefit of Carmel River natural
resources and Seaside Groundwater Basin long-term reliability.
The SWRCB is the entity that
administers water rights in the Carmel Valley alluvial aquifer area. Previous decisions by the SWRCB have
identified water rights held (or permits that need to be obtained) by various
entities in Carmel Valley. The SWRCB
has determined that the Carmel River is over-appropriated in the drier season
of the year (i.e., May 1 to December 31).
The MPWMD was issued water rights associated with mainstem reservoirs on
the Carmel River (SWRCB Permits 20808 and 7130B). As part of the existing ASR project testing,
the SWRCB issued annual temporary urgency permits to MPWMD to divert Carmel
River water for injection well testing.
In October 2001, MPWMD submitted a Petition for Change based on the 1995
water rights permits associated with the New Los Padres Project. The petition
requests use of the Seaside Basin as a place of storage for some of the Carmel
River water, rather than use of a dam on the Carmel River. The petition was revised in September
2003. Approval of this petition would
provide a water source (up to 7,300 AFA) for the ASR project that is the
subject of this Notice Of Preparation (NOP).
The SWRCB will use the information in this EIR to help determine whether
the petition should be granted.
The
proposed ASR project would be constructed in phases.
The
first phase
would require minimal new construction and would take advantage of existing
water collection, delivery and injection/extraction facilities, owned and
operated by Cal-Am and MPWMD. This phase
will be described and analyzed in detail in the EIR, as the location, size and
operational characteristics are well defined.
Water would be diverted from the Carmel River during high flow periods
using existing Cal-Am wells in the lower stretches of the river. Up to 2,022 AF would be diverted annually
between December and May, and would be treated at the Cal-Am Begonia Iron
Removal Plant (BIRP) before being transported through the Segunda pipeline to
the Seaside portion of the Cal-Am water distribution network. A new booster pump would be constructed at
the Cal-Am’s Hilby Avenue pump site and a new 16-inch diameter, 6,800 feet
long, water conveyance pipeline would be placed in the ground on Army property
along the western side of General Jim Moore Boulevard from the east end of
Hilby Avenue to the existing MPWMD Santa Margarita ASR test well site just south
of Eucalyptus Road (Figure 2).
These
improvements would allow transport of up to 2,022 AFA to the well site for
injection. A second injection/extraction
well would be constructed at the Santa Margarita test well site, allowing for
injection and extraction of water at approximately 800 feet below the ground
surface, in the Santa Margarita Sandstone aquifer. These two wells would allow for injection of
Carmel River water during wet periods and extraction of water for use by Cal-Am
customers during dry periods. Maximum
extraction would be approximately 1,690 AFA, and the project would be operated
to initially leave a portion of the injected water in the aquifer to allow for
groundwater basin recovery.
The
second phase of
the project would provide for a greater diversion of water from the Carmel
River during high flows for transport and injection into the Seaside
Groundwater Basin. This
intermediate-term project will be analyzed at a program-level in the EIR because
detailed planning and description of the facilities have not been
completed. The Phase I ASR facilities
would be augmented with:
·
a second dual-well site (four ASR wells total) located north and east
of the existing site;
·
a new 400 horsepower (hp) pump at the existing Cal-Am Del Rey Oaks pumping
station; and
·
a new dedicated transmission pipeline (18- to 24-inch diameter)
constructed along General Jim Moore Boulevard to the new well site (Figure 3).
This
phase would maximize utilization of “excess” capacity in existing Cal-Am Carmel
Valley diversion, treatment, and conveyance facilities to the Seaside/Del Rey
Oaks area. Up to 3,234 AF would be
diverted annually and injected into the Santa Margarita Sandstone aquifer in
the Seaside Groundwater Basin to serve the same purposes as Phase I facilities.
Maximum extraction would be approximately 4,057 AFA. A separate project-level EIR will be prepared
for Phase II when a decision to pursue Phase II is approved by the MPWMD Board
and facilities are better defined.
The third phase of
the project would be designed to maximize use of MPWMD’s Petition for Change on
the Carmel River, allowing diversion of up to 7,300 AFA from the river for
injection in the Seaside Groundwater Basin.
This long-term project will be analyzed at a program-level in the EIR because
detailed planning has not been completed for the various elements of the
project. The Phase I and II project
facilities would be augmented by some significant new construction, including:
These
new facilities would allow MPWMD to inject up to 7,300 AFA into the Santa
Margarita Sandstone aquifer and extract up to 6,085 AFA for use in the Cal-Am
water distribution system. A separate project-level EIR will be prepared
for Phase III when a decision to pursue Phase III is approved by the MPWMD
Board and facilities are better defined.
The MPWMD is proposing to evaluate a full range of
alternatives in the EIR that meet the project purposes of protecting Carmel
River natural resources and Seaside Groundwater Basin water resources through
improved water management within MPWMD’s boundaries. Currently, the EIR will
include evaluation of:
§
a no project alternative;
§
alternative water sources (including reclaimed wastewater) that could
be obtained to allow for reduced dry season pumping along the Carmel River and
restoration of groundwater levels in the
Seaside Groundwater Basin;
§
alternative locations for pipelines transporting water from former Fort
Ord’s southern boundary to the MPWMD Santa Margarita test well site; and
§
alternative injection/extraction well sites.
The MPWMD may formulate
additional alternatives as the scoping and alternatives development process
moves forward.
Scoping
is an early and open process designed to determine the issues and alternatives
to be addressed in the EIR. At this
point in the project planning process, MPWMD has identified the following
issues as likely concerns of the community and agencies:
§
impacts to federal and state protected species, including (but not
limited to) Carmel River steelhead, California red-legged frog, California
tiger salamander, California black legless lizard, and numerous plant species
associated with maritime chaparral;
§
impacts to sensitive habitats, including riparian areas, oak woodland,
and maritime chaparral;
§
impacts to cultural resources;
§
impacts to surface water hydrology, quantity and quality in the Carmel
River;
§
impacts to groundwater quantity
and quality in the Seaside Groundwater Basin;
§
impacts related to geologic and soil conditions, including seismic
events and slope stability;
§
impacts to local and regional air quality from construction activities
and operation of project facilities;
§
changes in land use patterns and creation of incompatible land use
conditions;
§
changes in local views and natural landscapes;
§
increases in local noise conditions associated with construction
activities and operation of project facilities;
§
increases in public health and safety risks associated with
construction activities and storage and use of hazardous materials;
§
impacts to existing infrastructure and utility systems, including water
supply distribution and roadways;
§
cumulative effects; and
§
growth inducing effects
The MPWMD plans to hold scoping meetings to solicit
public and agency input to the planning process and impact assessment for the
ASR project. Two meetings will be held on
one day as described below:
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
3:00 pm - 4:30
pm (first session)
6:30 pm - 8:00
pm (second session)
Location:
MPWMD Conference
Room
5 Harris Court, Building G
Ryan Ranch
Monterey, CA
The MPWMD requests agency and public input on
the scope and issues that should be evaluated in the EIR. CEQA requires that comments be submitted to
the MPWMD at the earliest possible date, but not later than January 17, 2005. Comments should be sent to:
Henrietta
Stern, Project Manager
Monterey
Peninsula Water Management District
P.O.
Box 85
(5
Harris Court, Building G)
Monterey,
CA 93942-0085
Phone: 831.658.5621
Documents
and files related to the proposed project can be reviewed at the above address.
U:\staff\word\boardpacket\2006\2006boardpackets\20060125\01\item1_exh1d_noticeofprep.doc
Prepared
by Jones & Stokes, December 7, 2004