FRESNO, Calif. – The Bureau of Reclamation has released for public review the Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for a Warren Act contract for transfer of up to 10,000 acre-feet of water from Merced Irrigation District to Westlands Water District.

Reclamation proposes to approve a Warren Act contract for the delivery, over a period of one year, of up to 10,000 acre-feet of Merced Irrigation District’s non-federal water to Westlands Water District. The water would be released from storage in Lake McClure/New Exchequer Dam and conveyed in the San Joaquin River to Patterson Irrigation District. Patterson would then convey the water to the Delta-Mendota Canal for delivery to Westlands.

The EA/FONSI were prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and are available online at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=11130. If you encounter problems accessing the documents online, please call 916-978-5100 or email mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.

Comments are due by close of business Friday, October 12. Comments may be emailed to Ben Lawrence at blawrence@usbr.gov or mailed to Lawrence at Bureau of Reclamation, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 93721 or faxed to 559-487-5397.

For additional information or to request a copy of the EA/FONSI, please contact Lawrence at 559-487-5039 (TTY 800-735-2929). Copies of the EA/FONSI may also be viewed at Reclamation’s Fresno office at the above address.