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Managed Marsh /
Water Department- Water Conservation - QSA/Water Transfer - Environmental Compliance - Mitigation Implementation -
The IID Water Conservation and Transfer Project (Transfer Project) is being implemented by IID together with the biological mitigation measures included in the 2002 Draft Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and the measures required under existing incidental take authorizations issued pursuant to ESA and CESA. Following initiation of the Transfer Project and using the 2002 Draft HCP as a basis, IID began preparation of an HCP and a Natural Communities Conservation Plan (NCCP) to support applications for incidental take authorizations for the Transfer Project pursuant to ESA Section 10 and California Fish and Game Code Section 2835, the California Natural Communities Conservation Planning Act. As a result of consultation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG), it is expected that the proposed HCP/NCCP under preparation will contain certain modified or new mitigation and conservation measures that were neither included in the 2002 Draft HCP nor evaluated in the Transfer Project Final EIR/EIS. Specifically, it is expected that the managed marsh requirement will be increased in size by 307 acres to a total of 959 acres, including the addition of a non-emergent vegetation component. The increase in the acreage of the managed marsh complex is primarily the result of a drain vegetation survey completed by IID in 2004, which documented more drain vegetation than the amount estimated in the 2002 Draft HCP. Development of the Draft HCP/NCCP is still in process; however, IID is required to begin creating the managed marsh complex pursuant to the existing biological mitigation measures and ESA/CESA approvals. IID wishes to designate a site that will accommodate the managed marsh currently required (up to 652 acres) as well as the expanded managed marsh (959 acres) anticipated to be required by the Draft HCP/NCCP. The requirements of the In-Valley Biological Opinion, the In-Valley CESA Permit, and the 2002 Draft HCP were assessed as part of the evaluation of the Transfer Project in the Transfer Project Final EIR/EIS. Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the IID has prepared a Supplement to the Transfer Project Final EIR/EIS to provide any additional environmental assessment required to designate, construct, and manage a specific site for the expanded managed marsh complex, including an analysis of four potential sites for the marsh; provided, however, that the implementation of the expanded managed marsh is subject to and contingent upon final approval of the HCP/NCCP by IID, USFWS, and CDFG. IID wishes to assess the expanded managed marsh complex at this time in order to permit the designation of a single contiguous site to satisfy the requirements for both the smaller and the expanded managed marsh. This combined assessment is intended to avoid segmentation of the project and to satisfy the purpose and intent of CEQA. It should be noted that the Supplement will not support approval of the Draft HCP/NCCP in its entirety. After the Draft HCP/NCCP has been prepared, IID, USFWS, and CDFG will evaluate the need for further supplemental assessment of that document and conduct the appropriate assessment pursuant to CEQA and NEPA. IID has conducted an environmental review for the Managed Marsh Complex project and has prepared the enclosed Final Supplement to the IID Water Conservation and Transfer Project Final Environmental Impact Report / Environmental Impact Statement for the Managed Marsh Complex (Final Supplement) pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The IID Board of Directors will hold an informational session on the Final Supplement at its June 17, 2008 Board of Directors meeting and is anticipated to consider the Final Supplement for certification at its June 24, 2008 Board of Directors meeting. Additional information, including time and location for these meetings can be found on IID’s website at: http://www.iid.com/About/BoardAgendaPackets. This Final Supplement is composed of two documents, the Draft Supplement and the Final Supplement. The Draft Supplement was issued in January 2008 and distributed to the California State Clearinghouse and other potentially interested parties for a 45-day public review period as mandated by CEQA. The Final Supplement contains a list of commenters on the Draft Supplement and their comment letters; the Lead Agency’s responses to significant environmental points raised in the review and consultation process; and revisions to the Draft Supplement. Both volumes of the Final Supplement must be read together. This Final Supplement does not repeat the information included in the Draft Supplement. The Draft and Final Supplements are available for downloading below.
Copies of the Draft and Final Supplements are also available for review at the following locations: IID Community Relations Office, 333 E. Barioni Boulevard, Imperial; Imperial County Library-Calipatria Branch, 105 South Lake Street, Calipatria; Imperial County Library-Niland Branch, 8105 Highway 111, Niland; El Centro Public Library, 539 State Street, El Centro; and Brawley Public Library, 400 Main Street, Brawley.
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| Notice of Determination for the Supplement to the IID Water Conservation and Transfer Project Final EIR/EIS for the Managed Marsh Complex
NOD-MM-Complex-06262008.pdf |
| Appendixes to the Draft Supplement to the IID Water Conservation and Transfer Project EIR/EIS for the Managed Marsh Complex
MMC_SEIR_MMC_Appendixes.pdf |
| Notice of Availability of a Draft Supplement to the IID Water Conservation and Transfer Project EIR/EIS for the Managed Marsh Complex
MMC_DraftSEIR_NOA_Final.pdf |
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