Reclamation today released for public review a Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact to execute a Warren Act contract with Westlands Water District.

The Warren Act authorizes Reclamation to negotiate agreements to store or convey non-federal water when excess capacity is available in federal facilities. The Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact (EA/FONSI) addresses potential impacts to the environment involved with executing a five-year Warren Act contract with Westlands Water District (WWD), which would allow the district to convey up to 50,000 acre-feet annually of Kings River flood flows in the San Luis Canal during calendar years 2012 through 2016. WWD would use the Kings River flood flows to supplement their surface water supplies and to maintain existing agriculture within the district’s service area boundary in Fresno and Kings counties.

The Draft EA/FONSI was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and are available at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=8805. If you encounter problems accessing the documents online, please call 916-978-5100 or e-mail mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.

Written comments must be received by close of business Friday, January 20, 2012, and should be sent to Chuck Siek, Bureau of Reclamation, South-Central California Area Office, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 93721.  Comments may also be faxed to Mr. Siek at 559-487-5397 or e-mailed to csiek@usbr.gov.

For additional information or to request a copy of the Draft EA/FONSI, please contact Mr. Siek at 559-487-5138, TTY 800-735-2929. Copies of the draft documents may also be viewed at Reclamation's Fresno office at the above address.