SU0004094 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

6. OTHER STATUTORY CONSIDERATIONS V Valley region,including the area surrounding the Proposed Project site, municipalities and water districts are implementing efforts to reduce dependency on groundwater and provide surface water sources, as is currently the case in the city of Tracy. Municipalities, such as Tracy and other entities have developed or are in the process of developing Groundwater Management Plans as required under the Groundwater Management Act [Sections 10750-10756 of the Califomia Water Code(AB 3030)]. These plans assist in establishing sustainable groundwater yields to reduce adverse groundwater resource impacts. These efforts are allowing groundwater levels to increase in certain areas that had experienced water level declines through the mid- 1900s. Proposed or existing projects in the region that use groundwater could cumulatively contribute to increased groundwater pumping and an eventual decline of groundwater levels in the lower Tulare Formation. However,the potential for this to occur and result in cumulatively significant effects is low considering the extent and volume of the lower Tulare Formation aquifer and its increased ability to accommodate increased extraction due to regional efforts to reduce groundwater dependency and use. Furthermore,the mitigation measures developed for this project(see Hydrology and Water Quality, Section 4.8)would reduce the potential that the project would contribute cumulatively because the prescribed mitigation requires that the Proposed Project determine an acceptable drawdown to avoid adverse impacts on the underlying aquifer. With mitigation,the Proposed Project would not contribute to cumulative,regional adverse impacts on the lower Tulare Formation aquifer. Cumulative impacts would be less-than- significant. Groundwater Quality The Proposed Project would limit mining to at least 5 feet above the seasonally fluctuating groundwater level and therefore reduce the potential that mining operations would contribute to cumulative water quality degradation. With the implementation of the mitigation measures discussed in Section 4.8, Hydrology and Water Quality,project impacts related to water quality will be reduced to a less-than-significant level and will eliminate any potential cumulatively r. considerable incremental contributions to groundwater quality. Surface Water The project under Mining Option 2 (mining out Hospital Creek and constructing a berm to form a large detention basin) could contribute to the cumulative reduction of flows to the San Joaquin River. Hospital Creek,Lone Tree Creek, and Ingram Creek combine downstream of the project site and enter the San Joaquin River near Vernalis. The flow contribution provided by Hospital Creek represents approximately 50 percent of the total flows provided to the San Joaquin River by these three creeks. Therefore,if the Proposed Project is approved under Mining Option 2,it would be a significant cumulative impact. RMC Pacific Vernalis Quany Mining and RttIamation Project 6-13 ESA/703015 Administrative Draft EER March 2004