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higher holding capacity due to mulching and controlled crop maintenance. The irrigation <br /> project will be operated such that no runoff occurred during irrigation. Irrigation activities <br /> will cease upon rainfall events and only begin again when the runoff potential is precluded. <br /> c) Discharge into surface waters or other alteration of surface water quality(e.g. <br /> temperature, dissolved oxygen or turbidity)? <br /> The surface water which passes through the site would reflect the quality of runoff from <br /> grazing land. It would be expected to include pathogens and nitrates from cattle manure. <br /> Constituents of concern in the irrigation water include total dissolved solids, sodium, and <br /> chloride. Musco proposes to plant crops that are tolerant of these constituents. A percentage <br /> of these constituents will also be absorbed by the conditioned soil by mulching activities. <br /> Blending of surface runoff from the nominal 2,500 acre watershed, the 200 acres of Musco <br /> property irrigation water, and rainfall was calculated. The final combined runoff which exits <br /> the site as surface water would be approximately 19 parts rainfall/grazing land runoff and <br /> one part equivalent to irrigation water. <br /> V. AIR QUALITY. Would the proposal? <br /> c) Alter air movement, moisture, or temperature, or cause any change in climate? <br /> The irrigation project will result in the implementation of a standard agricultural spray field. <br /> This spray will likely increase the moisture content of the air on the site but not make a <br /> significant off-site contribution. <br /> d) Create objectionable odors? <br /> The irrigation water has an organic component which has a fertilizer value. The control of <br /> odors resulting from the application is the same concept which pertains to manure fertilizer <br /> applications in standard farming practice. The Biological Oxygen Demand(BOD) is <br /> measured periodically, as well as the loading rate which is controlled to prevent the <br /> development of an odor nuisance problem. In this case,the BOD loading rate will be <br /> maintained at less than 100 pounds BOD per acre per day. <br /> VII. BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES. Would the proposal result in impacts to: <br /> a) Endangered, threatened or rare species or their habitats(including but not limited to <br /> plants,fish, insects, animals, and birds)? <br /> The Final EIR described several rare plants located within the general area; the large <br /> flowered fiddleneck(Amsinckia gradiflora), Showy Indian Clover(trifolium amoenum), <br /> Buckwheat(eriogonum truncatum), and Aikau pod(Tropidocarpum capparideum). Since <br /> operations began at the facility,there have been no sightings of these species at the project <br /> location. However, since they are known to grow in the vicinity, there is a potential for their <br /> occurrence in the expansion area. <br /> The project area lies within the San Joaquin kit fox(vulpes macrotia mutica)range. The kit <br /> fox has been declared an endangered species by the United States Department of the Interior <br /> and a rare species by the CA Fish and Game Commission. There have been no sightings of <br /> this species at the project location. <br /> As described in the Final EIR, Musco is required to perform a survey of the area prior to <br /> expansion. After the on-site survey is complete, it should be reviewed by the Department of <br /> -15- <br />