[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 185 (Thursday, September 24, 1998)] [Notices] [Pages 51094-51095] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 98-25544] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Bureau of Reclamation Central Valley Project Improvement Act, Criteria for Evaluating Water Management Plans
Agency
Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
Action
Notice of draft decision of evaluation of water management plans.
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Summary
To meet the requirements of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA) and the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982, Reclamation developed and published the Criteria for Evaluating Water Conservation Plans, dated April 30, 1993, and revised and renamed in September 1996 to Criteria for Evaluating Water Management Plans (Criteria). These Criteria were developed based on information provided during public scoping and review sessions held throughout Reclamation's Mid-Pacific (MP) Region. Reclamation uses these Criteria to evaluate the adequacy of all water management plans developed by Central Valley Project contracts in the
MP Region. These Criteria were developed and the plans evaluated for the purpose of promoting the most efficient water use reasonably achievable by all MP Region contractors. Reclamation made a commitment (stated within the Criteria) to publish a notice of its draft determination of the adequacy of each contractor's water management plan in the Federal Register to allow the public a minimum of 30 days to comment on its preliminary determinations.
Dates
All public comments must be received by October 26, 1998.
Addresses
Please mail comments to Lucille Billingsley, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-410, Sacramento CA 95825.
For Further Information Contact
To be placed on a mailing list for any subsequent information, please contact Lucille Billingsley at the address above, or by telephone at (916) 978-5215 (TDD 978-5608).
Supplementary Information
Under provision of Section 3405 (e) of the CVPIA (Title 34, Public Law 102-575), ``The Secretary [of the Interior] shall establish and administer an office on Central Valley Project water conservation best management practices that shall . . . develop criteria for evaluating the adequacy of all water conservation plans developed by project contractors, including those plans required by Section 210 of the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982.'' Also, according to Section 3405(e)(1), these criteria will be developed ``. . . with the purpose of promoting the highest level of water use efficiency reasonably achievable by project contractors using best available cost- effective technology and best management practices.'' The MP Criteria states that all parties (districts) that contract with Reclamation for water supplies (municipal and industrial contracts over 2,000 irrigable acre-feet and agricultural contracts over 2,000 irrigable acres) will prepare water management plans which will be evaluated by Reclamation based on the following required information detailed in the steps listed below to develop, implement, monitor, and update their water management plans. The steps are:
1. Describe the district. 2. Inventory water resources available to the district. 3. Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Agricultural Contractors. 4. BMPs for Urban Contractors. 5. Exemption Process.
The MP Contractors listed below have developed water management plans which Reclamation has evaluated and preliminarily determined to meet the requirements of the Criteria. These MP Contractors include: Citrus Heights Water District, Fair Oaks Water District, City of Folsom, Lindmore Irrigation District, Lindsey-Strathmore Irrigation District, Orange Cove Irrigation District, and Orange Vale Water Company. The MP Contractors listed below have developed a ``cooperative'' water management plan which Reclamation has evaluated and preliminarily determined meet the requirements of the Criteria. These MP Contractors include: Central California Irrigation District, Columbia Canal Company, Firebaugh Canal Water District, and San Luis Canal Company. These districts are known as the San Joaquin Valley Exchange Contractors. Public comment on Reclamation's preliminary (i.e., draft) determinations is invited at this time. Copies of the plans listed above will be available for review at Reclamation's MP Regional Office and area office locations. If you wish to review a copy of the plans, please contact Ms. Billingsley to find the office nearest you.
Dated: September 17, 1998. Robert F. Stackhouse, Regional Resources Manager, Mid-Pacific Region. [FR Doc. 98-25544 Filed 9-23-98; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4310-94-M