News Release Archive

Reclamation Releases Environmental Documents for Fresno Irrigation District Groundwater Bank

Media Contact: Pete Lucero, 916-978-5100 TTY 916-978-5608 , plucero@usbr.gov
Rain Healer, 559-487-5196 TTY 800-735-2929, rhealer@usbr.gov

For Release: January 10, 2011

The Bureau of Reclamation has released for public review a Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact for construction of a groundwater bank by the Fresno Irrigation District.  Reclamation would partially finance the facility with a $300,000 grant under the 2009 Water Conservation Challenge Grant Program.

The 23-acre Oleander Basin Banking Project would be used to store Fresno Irrigation District (FID) surplus Kings River and Central Valley Project surface water supplies in an underground aquifer for later use.  Up to about 4,500 acre-feet would be drawn from the bank annually.  The project would be located northeast of the intersection of Lincoln and Chestnut avenues in Fresno County, California.

The 2009 Water Conservation Challenge Grant Program provides partial funding for water management improvement projects and the recipient provides the rest of the funds.  The FID would combine the $300,000 grant with more than $1.3 million of its funds to construct its water banking project.  

The Draft Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact (Draft EA/FONSI) were prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, and are available online at online.  If you encounter problems accessing the document, please call 916-978-5100 or e-mail mpPublicAffairs@usbr.gov.

Please send written comments to Rain Healer, Bureau of Reclamation, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 93721, by Friday, February 8, 2011.  Comments may also be faxed to Ms. Healer at 559-487-5194, or e-mailed to rhealer@usbr.gov.  For additional information or to request a copy of the Draft EA/FONSI, please contact Ms. Healer at 559-487-5196 (TTY 800-735-2929).  Copies of the Draft EA/FONSI may also be viewed at Reclamation's Fresno office at above address.

# # #

The Bureau of Reclamation is a federal agency under the U.S. Department of the Interior and is the nation's largest wholesale water supplier and second largest producer of hydroelectric power. Our facilities also provide substantial flood control, recreation opportunities, and environmental benefits. Visit our website at https://www.usbr.gov and follow us on Twitter @USBR; Facebook @bureau.of.reclamation; LinkedIn @Bureau of Reclamation; Instagram @bureau_of_reclamation; and YouTube @reclamation.

Relevant Link:

NEPA Document Link