News Release Archive

Reclamation Releases Draft Feasibility Report and Environmental Documents on Restoring the Capacity of the Friant-Kern Canal

Media Contact: Pete Lucero, 916-978-5100, 06/03/2011 15:12

For Release: June 03, 2011

The Bureau of Reclamation has released for public review the Draft Feasibility Report (FR), Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Friant-Kern Canal (FKC) Capacity Restoration Feasibility Study. The Proposed Action would consist of restoring the capacity of the FKC as previously designed and constructed by Reclamation from Milepost 29.14 up to 88.22, including modifications to the Little Dry Creek Wasteway Facility at Milepost 5.44. 

The 2006 Stipulation of Settlement (Settlement) in NRDC, et al., v. Rodgers, et al., establishes two primary goals for restoration and water management. The San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act (Act), included in Public Law 111-11, authorizes and directs the Secretary of the Interior to implement the Settlement. In order to achieve the water management goal, Paragraph 16 of the Settlement and Part III of the Act provide for certain activities to be developed and implemented to reduce or avoid adverse water supply impacts to the Friant Division long-term contractors that may result from implementation of the Settlement. The Act specifically provides for "restoration of the Friant-Kern and Madera Canals to such capacity as previously designed and constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation." The Proposed Action would implement this provision of the Act with respect to the FKC and would contribute to the implementation of the Settlement. Similar analyses are underway for the Madera Canal and will be completed later this year.

The Draft FR, Draft EA and Draft FONSI for the proposed action were prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and are available at http://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=7695. If you encounter problems accessing the documents online, please call 916-978-5100 or e-mail mppublicaffairs@usbr.gov.

Please send written comments to Michelle Banonis, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-170, Sacramento, CA 95825, by 5 p.m., Tuesday, July 5, 2011. Comments may also be faxed to 916-978-5469 or e-mailed to mbanonis@usbr.gov. For additional information or to request a copy of the draft environmental documents, please contact Margaret Gidding at 916-978-5461 (TTY 800-735-2922) or mgidding@usbr.gov. Copies of the documents may also be viewed at Reclamation's South-Central California Area Office, 1243 N Street, Fresno, CA 93721, 559-487-5041.

For more information about the SJRRP, please visit www.restoresjr.net.

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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.