Cadiz Water Project's Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement Published

A supplement to the draft environmental impact statement and environmental impact report (EIS/EIR) for the proposed Cadiz Groundwater Storage and Dry-Year Supply Program in eastern San Bernardino County has been published jointly by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and is now available for public review. 

BLM, as the lead Federal agency, and Metropolitan, as the lead State agency, developed the supplement in response to public and agency concerns about groundwater management and potential air quality impacts associated with the project, proposed by Metropolitan in partnership with Cadiz, Inc.  Cooperating agencies in developing the supplement were the National Park Service (NPS) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). 

The project proposes to utilize the groundwater basins under a portion of the Cadiz and Fenner Valleys, about 60 miles southwest of Needles, Calif., to store water imported from Metropolitan's Colorado River Aqueduct during years with surplus water and extract the stored water and available indigenous groundwater for use by Metropolitan to serve its customers.  Some of the necessary facilities involved would be located on Cadiz, Inc. private land, while a 35-mile-long pipeline and other facilities would be located on public lands administered by BLM.

The supplement focuses on a detailed groundwater monitoring and management plan prepared by BLM, NPS, USGS, Metropolitan, San Bernardino County, and Cadiz, Inc. designed to provide safeguards that protect existing underground aquifers.  The key objective of the plan is to provide an "early warning" that protects critical resources and prevents adverse impacts through corrective measures.  The plan includes water monitoring facilities; air monitoring facilities related to Bristol and Cadiz dry lake beds; monitoring procedures; trigger levels for action; and specified responses if trigger levels are reached.  It also includes a process for scientists from federal agencies, Metropolitan, San Bernardino County, and Cadiz, Inc. to review information gathered under the management plan, discuss interpretations of the data and develop scientifically based findings on the Cadiz project.

Public comments are invited during the 45-day comment period, which ends Dec. 4, 2000.  Comments should be addressed to BLM (Attn: James Williams, 6221 Box Springs Blvd., Riverside, CA 92507) or Metropolitan (Attn: Jack Safely, P.O. Box 54153, Los Angeles, CA 90054).

For more information regarding the project or the supplement, contact BLM (James Williams) at (760) 697-5390 or Metropolitan (Jack Safely) at (213) 217-6981.

-end-