R14AN20022 RF-102-NOI CCID--Seepage Projects.pdf

Bureau of Reclamation Form, RF-102

12-2011

NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD

This Funding Announcement is not a request for applications. This announcement is to provide public notice of the Bureau of Reclamation’s intention to fund the following project activities without full and open competition.

ABSTRACT

Funding

Announcement

R14AN20022

Project Title San Joaquin River Restoration Program Seepage Projects

Recipient Central California Irrigation District (CCID)

Principal

Investigator /

Program Manager

Chris White, General Manager

Anticipated Federal

Amount

$6,258,149.20 / FY14: $6,258,149.20

Cost Share $0.00

Total Anticipated

Award Amount $6,258,149.20

New Award or

Continuation?

New Award

Anticipated Period of Performance Date of Execution through September 30, 2019

Award Instrument Cooperative Agreement

Statutory Authority Public Law 111-11, San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement, Title X, Part I;

Section 10002, Section 10004(b)(2) and Section 10004(d)

CFDA # and Title 15.555—San Joaquin River Restoration Program (SJRRP)

Single Source

Justification

Criteria Cited

(4) Unique Qualifications

Reclamation Point of Contact Katrina Harrison / Megan Bryant

OVERVIEW

The hydrology of the San Joaquin River following the construction of Friant Dam in 1942 and the Flood Project in 1967 consisted of minimal or no water in the lower San Joaquin River except upon the infrequent occasion of flood management releases from Friant and/or Pine Flat dams. As a result of the “dry river”, agricultural development encroached upon channel and allowed for the production of crops that do not tolerate inundation.

In 2006, the Department of the Interior entered into the San Joaquin River Settlement

(Settlement) in Natural Resources Defense Council et al., v. Kirk Rodgers et al. In March of

2009, Title X, the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act, in the Omnibus Public Lands

Bill, Public Law 111-11, authorized and directed the Secretary of the Interior to implement the

Settlement. The Settlement calls for the Secretary of the Interior to make additional releases of water from Friant Dam, construct a combination of channel and structural improvements along the San Joaquin River below Friant Dam, reintroduce Chinook salmon, and to reduce or avoid water supply impacts to the Friant Division long-term contractors. Reclamation signed a Record of Decision on the Program Environmental Impact Statement/Report (PEIS/R) for the release of additional water into the San Joaquin River in an initial program of Interim Flows to collect data.

The PEIS/R determined that the release of Interim and Restoration flows would cause material adverse impacts due to groundwater seepage and prescribed a Seepage Management Plan that identified seepage projects to mitigate impacts.

The implementation of the San Joaquin River Restoration Program (SJRRP) will result in a perennially wet channel and annual high flow pulses in the fall and spring. As described in the

SJRRP Seepage Management Plan, these high flow pulses will seep into the adjacent lands, raise the shallow groundwater table, and reduce agricultural productivity through water-logging of the root zone and transport of salts to the surface. Prior to making increasing flows, the SJRRP uses monitoring data to perform a flow bench evaluation to determine whether the channel can convey the release. The monitoring network and modeling data will determine the most flow-restrictive areas that would require a seepage project.

The purpose of this project is to evaluate a potentially impacted parcel and determine the appropriate measures to convey flows without causing material adverse impacts. CCID will construct, operate, and maintain seepage projects, including interceptor lines, drainage ditches, seepage berms, or land re-leveling, in support of seepage management under the SJRRP.

The objectives of the project are to: 1) Prevent river flows from seeping into adjacent lands,

2) Augment the in-stream flows, and 3) Provide water supply to adjacent crops.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

The CCID Program Manager will perform the coordination and communication with the landowners, complete the necessary environmental permits, execute the design, bidding, construction and the operations & maintenance of each seepage project installation. CCID will work closely with Reclamation to test the system and ensure performance

CCID shall complete the following objectives and provide the following deliverables.

Objective 1: Prevent river flows from seeping into adjacent lands by installing the proper mechanism such as interceptor lines, drainage ditches, slurry walls, or shallow groundwater well pumping

Objective 2: Augment the in-stream flows through the monitoring of each seepage project.

Objective 3: Provide water supply to adjacent crops through the operations and maintenance of each seepage project, as applicable at each site.

Deliverables:

Complete a 60% Design Plan which includes 60% design, plans, drawings, specifications and cost estimates.

Complete a 90% Design Plan which includes 90% design, plans, drawings, specifications and cost estimates.

Submit Environmental Compliance notification.

Develop and announce a Request for Proposal with the Final Bid Design package.

Submit Draft as-built plans and Final as-built plans

Prepare an Operations and Maintenance Plan for each project site.

Submit monthly meter amounts and water quality monitoring reports

RECLAMATION INVOLVEMENT

Substantial involvement on the part Reclamation is anticipated for the successful completion of the objectives to be funded by this award. In particular, Reclamation will be responsible for the following:

Identifying appraisal level designs and selected projects

Review of Environmental Compliance and Design

Create the Agreement for ownership and operation

Inspection during site construction

Provide comments on the 60% Design Plan and the 90% Design Plan

Review the draft reports and approve testing the system by increasing San Joaquin River flows gradually

SINGLE-SOURCE JUSTIFICATION

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

SINGLE SOURCE POLICY REQUIREMENTS

Department of the Interior Policy (505 DM 2) requires a written justification which explains why competition is not practicable for each single-source award. The justification must address one or more of the following criteria as well as discussion of the program legislative history, unique capabilities of the proposed recipient, and cost-sharing contribution offered by the proposed recipient, as applicable.

In order for an assistance award to be made without competition, the award must satisfy one or more of the following criteria:

(1) Unsolicited Proposal – The proposed award is the result of an unsolicited assistance application which represents a unique or innovative idea, method, or approach which is not the subject of a current or planned contract or assistance award, but which is deemed advantageous to the program objectives;

(2) Continuation – The activity to be funded is necessary to the satisfactory completion of, or is a continuation of an activity presently being funded, and for which competition would have a significant adverse effect on the continuity or completion of the activity;

(3) Legislative intent – The language in the applicable authorizing legislation or legislative history clearly indicates Congress’ intent to restrict the award to a particular recipient of purpose;

(4) Unique Qualifications – The applicant is uniquely qualified to perform the activity based upon a variety of demonstrable factors such as location, property ownership, voluntary support capacity, cost-sharing ability if applicable, technical expertise, or other such unique qualifications;

(5) Emergencies – Program/award where there is insufficient time available (due to a compelling and unusual urgency, or substantial danger to health or safety) for adequate competitive procedures to be followed.

Reclamation did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria:

(4) UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS

Single Source Justification Description:

CCID operates and maintains water supply infrastructure on and around the lands adjacent to the

SJRRP and has successfully installed and operated interceptor drains for several reaches of their canals, installed drainage ditches as well as conducted earthwork. Construction and operation of the seepage projects will require close cooperation with the adjacent landowners and will require compatibility with existing facilities and management practices. CCID is uniquely qualified as the largest irrigation district in the area, a leader amongst the landowners, and the owner of infrastructure required for construction. CCID possesses the local knowledge, experience, and property rights to integrate the seepage projects into the existing infrastructure and the ability to operate the projects for the SJRRP.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

Public Law 111-11, San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement, Title X, Part I; Section

10002, Section 10004(b)(2), and Section 10004(d)

SEC. 10002. PURPOSE.

The purpose of this part is to authorize implementation of the Settlement.

SEC. 10004. IMPLEMENTATION OF SETTLEMENT.

(b) AGREEMENTS.—

(2) OTHER AGREEMENTS— The Secretary is authorized to enter into contracts, memoranda of understanding, financial assistance agreements, cost sharing agreements, and other appropriate agreements with State, tribal, and local governmental agencies, and with private parties, including agreements related to construction, improvement, and operation and maintenance of facilities, subject to any terms and conditions that the Secretary deems necessary to achieve the purposes of the Settlement.

(d) MITIGATION OF IMPACTS.—

Prior to the implementation of decisions or agreements to construct, improve, operate, or maintain facilities that the Secretary determines are needed to implement the Settlement, the

Secretary shall identify—

(1) the impacts associated with such actions; and

(2) the measures which shall be implemented to mitigate impacts on adjacent and downstream water users and landowners.