San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Bay-Delta) Program

DRAFT REVISED SUBSTITUTE ENVIRONMENTAL DOCUMENT IN SUPPORT OF POTENTIAL CHANGES TO THE WATER QUALITY CONTROL PLAN FOR THE BAY-DELTA: SAN JOAQUIN RIVER FLOWS AND SOUTHERN DELTA WATER QUALITY

On September 15, 2016, the State Water Board released the draft revised Substitute Environmental Document (SED) in support of potential changes to San Joaquin River flow and southern Delta water quality objectives and program of implementation included in the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Bay-Delta Plan).

Proposed changes to the Bay-Delta Plan include:

1. New narrative February through June Lower San Joaquin River (LSJR) flow objective applicable to the San Joaquin River and its salmon-bearing tributaries – the Stanislaus, Tuolumne, and Merced rivers – and an associated program of implementation to support and maintain the natural production of viable native LSJR Watershed fish populations migrating through the Delta; and
2. Revised numeric southern Delta salinity objectives and an associated program of implementation to protect agricultural beneficial uses in the southern Delta.

The SED and associated appendices were prepared in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the California Water Code, and other applicable State and federal requirements and include an analysis of the expected environmental, water supply, economic, and hydropower effects of the LSJR flow and southern Delta salinity alternatives.

The State Water Board will make any needed changes to the SED and prepare written responses to comments along with a final draft SED and final draft changes to the Bay-Delta Plan for consideration by the State Water Board. Changes to the Bay-Delta Plan must be approved by the State Water Board and the Office of Administrative Law before becoming effective.

Notice of Filing and Public Hearing

PUBLIC COMMENTS

The 6-month public comment period to receive public comments on the proposed Plan Amendment and the SED ended on Friday, March 17, 2017 at noon. The public comments received during the comment period are available at the link below.

• New! Public comments regarding the draft Bay-Delta Plan Update and draft Revised SED

PUBLIC HEARING MATERIALS

A five-day public hearing was held to receive public comments on the proposed Plan Amendment and the SED. The hearing began on November 29, 2016 in Sacramento; continued on December 16, 2016 in Stockton, December 19, 2016 in Merced, and December 20, 2016 in Modesto; and concluded on January 3, 2017 in Sacramento.

• Hearing Transcript: Nov 29 | Dec 16 | Dec 19 vol. 1 | Dec 19 vol. 2 | Dec 20 vol. 1 | Dec 20 vol. 2 | Jan 3
• Video of hearing: Nov 29 | Dec 16 | Dec 19 | Dec 20 | Jan 3
• Presentations
• Agenda: SECOND REVISED Draft Order of Proceeding for the hearing that begins on November 29, 2016(12/06/16)

Notice

Notice of Filing and Recirculation and of Public Comment Period and Hearing on the Amendment to the Water Quality Control Plan for the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary and Supporting Draft SED

• Fourth Revised Notice (12/22/16)
  • Deadline to submit written comments extended to Friday, March 17, 2017 (by 12 noon).
  • Letter from State Water Board Chair Felicia Marcus to Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. (12/22/16)
• Third Revised Notice(12/9/16)
  
  
• Second Revised Notice (10/18/16)

• Revised (10/7/16)

• Notice (9/15/16)

Staff Technical Workshop

A two-day public staff technical workshop was held December 5 and 12, 2016. The workshop provided technical information and an explanation of the analytical tools used in developing the proposed updates to the Bay-Delta Plan and the recirculated draft SED.

• Video of workshop: Dec 5 | Dec 12
• Presentations
• Agenda
• Notice of Staff Technical Workshop

Fact Sheets

• Fact Sheet: Revised Draft SED for Flow Requirements on the Lower San Joaquin River and Salinity Standards for the Southern Delta
• Summary of Proposed Updates to the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan
• Press Release: State Water Board Releases Draft Flow Objectives for San Joaquin River; Salinity Objectives for the Southern Delta

Bay-Delta Plan and Draft Revised SED – September 15, 2016

• Errata (11/18/16)
• Executive Summary
• Title Page
• Table of Contents
• Chapters
  • 1 - Introduction
  • 2 - Water Resources
  • 3 - Alternatives Description
  • 4 - Introduction to Analysis
  • 5 - Surface Hydrology and Water Quality
  • 6 - Flooding, Sediment, and Erosion
  • 7 - Aquatic Biological Resources
  • 8 - Terrestrial Biological Resources
  • 9 - Groundwater Resources
  • 10 - Recreational Resources and Aesthetics
  • 11 - Agricultural Resources
  • 12 - Cultural Resources
  • 13 - Service Providers
  • 14 - Energy and Greenhouse Gases
  • 15 - No Project Alternative (LSJR Alternative 1 and SDWQ Alternative 1)
  • 16 - Evaluation of Other Indirect and Additional Actions
  • 17 - Cumulative Impacts, Growth-Inducing Effects, and Irreversible Commitment of Resources
  • 18 - Summary of Impacts and Comparison of Alternatives
  • 19 - Analyses of Benefits to Native Fish Populations from Increased Flow between February 1 and June 30
  • 20 - Economic Analyses
  • 21 - Drought Evaluation
  • 22 - Integrated Discussion of Potential Municipal and Domestic Water Supply Management Options
  • 23 - Antidegradation Analysis
  • 24 - List of Preparers
• Appendices
  • A - NOP Scoping and Other Public Meetings
  • B - State Water Board's Environmental Checklist
  • C - Technical Report on the Scientific Basis for Alternative San Joaquin River Flow and Southern Delta Salinity Objectives
  • D - Evaluation of the No Project Alternative (LSJR Alternative 1 and SDWQ Alternative 1)
  • E - Salt Tolerance of Crops in the Southern Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta
  • F1 - Hydrologic and Water Quality Modeling
    • Part 1 Sections F.1.1 – F.1.3
    • Part 2 Sections F.1.4 – F.1.6
    • Part 3 Sections F.1.7 – F.1.8 and Attachment 1
  • F2 - Evaluation of Historical Flow and Salinity Measurements of the Lower San Joaquin River and Southern Delta
  • G - Agricultural Economic Effects of the Lower San Joaquin River Flow Alternatives: Methodology and Modeling Results
  • H - Supporting Materials for Chapter 16
  • I - Cultural Resources Overview
  • J - Hydropower and Electric Grid Analysis of Lower San Joaquin River Flow Alternatives
  • K - Revised Water Quality Control Plan
  • L - City and County of San Francisco Analyses
  • M - Summary of Public Comment on 2012 Draft SED
• Modeling Tools Information and Files
  • General Information
  • Water Supply Effects Model (Zip File) [35 MB]
  • Agricultural Economic Analysis (Zip File) [45 MB]
  • Ground Water and Surface Water Use Analysis (Zip File) [3.5 MB]
  • Temperature Models (Available Upon Request)

More Information

• For questions about the material presented on this web page, please contact:
  • Chris Carr at (916) 341-5305 or by email at Chris.Carr@waterboards.ca.gov
    OR
    
  • Timothy Nelson at (916) 445-5987 or by email at Timothy.Nelson@waterboards.ca.gov

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