Cooperative Agreement R23AC00131

PURPOSE:REFUGES SOUTH OF THE DELTA SUPPORT A RICH ARRAY OF BIRDS, ANIMAL SPECIES, AND PLANT LIFE, ALL OF WHICH DEPEND ON WATER. SECURING ADDITIONAL RELIABLE SUPPLIES OF INCREMENTAL LEVEL 4 WATER FOR THE REFUGES IS KEY TO SUSTAINING OPTIMAL HABITAT MANAGEMENT. UNITED STATES BUREAU OF RECLAMATION HAS A LEGISLATIVE OBLIGATION UNDER THE CENTRAL VALLEY PROJECT IMPROVEMENT ACT (CVPIA), IN COOPERATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES, TO PROVIDE FIRM AND RELIABLE WATER SUPPLIES OF SUITABLE QUALITY TO MAINTAIN AND IMPROVE WETLANDS AND WILDLIFE HABITAT. THE REFUGES SOUTH-OF-DELTA INCLUDES UNITS OF SAN LUIS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES (NWR), KERN NWR, LOS BANOS, MENDOTA, PIXLEY, MERCED, AND VOLTA WILDLIFE AREAS (WA) UNITS OF THE NORTH GRASSLANDS WA AND GRASSLAND RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT. THE CVPIA-MANDATED LEVELS OF LEVEL 4 RELIABLE WATER SUPPLY HAVE NOT YET BEEN ACHIEVED DUE TO A NUMBER OF CHALLENGES INCLUDING LACK OF WILLING SELLERS, ISSUES WITH TIMING OF DELIVERIES, CONVEYANCE CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS, AVAILABILITY OF WATER FOR ACQUISITION FOR INCREMENTAL LEVEL 4 WATER SUPPLIES, AND WATER COST. EXPANDED STORAGE SPACE WITHIN DEL PUERTO CANYON RESERVOIR CREATES POTENTIAL FOR THE REFUGES TO RECEIVE MORE ROBUST, RELIABLE FLOWS.ADDITIONALLY, MANAGING DEL PUERTO CREEK FLOOD FLOWS IN A MORE CONTROLLED WAY ALLOWS FOR EFFICIENT GROUNDWATER RECHARGE, WHICH WOULD BENEFIT THE RIPARIAN CORRIDOR EAST OF I-5. ADDITIONAL WATER STORAGE AND RELEASES FROM THE DEL PUERTO CANYON RESERVOIR WILL HELP SUSTAIN THESE ECOSYSTEMS.TYPICAL OF STREAMS ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY, DEL PUERTO CREEK FLOODS ADJACENT LANDS WHEN RUNOFF OCCURS DURING HIGH RAINFALL EVENTS. THIS FLOODING IMPACTS ORCHARDS, FARM STRUCTURES, ROADS, RESIDENTIAL AREAS, AND COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS. THE DEL PUERTO CANYON RESERVOIR COULD CAPTURE FLOOD FLOWS, WHICH CAN BE STORED AND RELEASED SO AS TO ELIMINATE NEARLY ALL FLOOD RISKS FROM DEL PUERTO CREEK, REMOVING RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES DOWNSTREAM FROM REQUIRING FEMA FLOOD INSURANCE, WHILE INCREASING GROUNDWATER RECHARGE AND MAINTAINING NATURAL HABITATS IN THE CREEK.ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED:- INCREASE SOUTH OF DELTA WATER STORAGE CAPACITY IN CALIFORNIA S CENTRAL VALLEY- PROVIDE LOCAL WATER STORAGE IN PROXIMITY TO THE DELTA MENDOTA CANAL (DMC)- ALLEVIATE CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS IN THE DMC- PROVIDE WATER SUPPLY TO SOUTH OF DELTA CVPIA REFUGES- IMPROVE WATER SUPPLY RELIABILITY- CONTRIBUTE TO FLOOD RISK REDUCTIONDELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOME(S):INCREASED WATER SUPPLY RELIABILITY FOR:- AGRICULTURAL WATER USERS IN THE DPWD AND THE SJRECWA SERVICE AREAS- MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLY TO THE CITY OF PATTERSON- REFUGE WATER SUPPLY- FLOOD PROTECTION FOR LANDS ADJACENT TO DEL PUERTO CREEK, INCLUDING A PORTION OF THE CITY OF PATTERSON, AND- RELIEF OF CAPACITY CONSTRAINTS IN THE DMC IN THE VICINITY OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT THAT ARE THE RESULT OF LAND SUBSIDENCE ALONG THE DMCBENEFICIARY: THE PUBLIC