[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 246 (Wednesday, December 23, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Page 71153]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-33950]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Reclamation
Central Valley Project Improvement Act, Criteria for Evaluating
Water Management Plans
AGENCY: Bureau of Reclamation, Interior.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: To meet the requirements of the Central Valley Project
Improvement Act (CVPIA) and the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982, the
Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) developed and published the
Criteria for Evaluating Water Conservation Plans, dated April 30, 1993.
In September 1996, Reclamation revised and renamed the Criteria for
Evaluating Water Conservation Plans to Criteria for Evaluating Water
Management Plans (Criteria). These Criteria were developed based on
information provided during public scoping and public review sessions
held throughout Reclamation's Mid-Pacific (MP) Region. Reclamation uses
these Criteria to evaluate the adequacy of all water management plans
developed by Central Valley Project contractors. The Criteria were
developed and the plans evaluated for the purpose of promoting the most
efficient water use reasonably achievable by all MP Region contractors.
Reclamation made a commitment (stated within the Criteria) to publish a
notice of its draft determination of the adequacy of each contractor's
water management plan in the Federal Register to allow the public a
minimum of 30 days to comment on its preliminary determinations.
DATES: All public comments must be received by January 22, 1999.
ADDRESSES: Please mail comments to Lucille Billingsley, Bureau of
Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, MP-410, Sacramento CA 95825.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
To be placed on a mailing list for any subsequent information, please
contact Lucille Billingsley at the address above, or by telephone at
(916) 978-5215 (TDD 978-5608).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under provision of Section 3405(e) of the
CVPIA (Title 34 Public Law 102-575), ``The Secretary [of the Interior]
shall establish and administer an office on Central Valley Project
water conservation best management practices that shall . . . develop
criteria for evaluating the adequacy of all water conservation plans
developed by project contractors, including those plans required by
section 210 of of the Reclamation Reform act or 1982.'' Also, according
to Section 3405(e) (1), these criteria will be developed ``* * * with
the purpose of promoting the highest level of water use efficiency
reasonably achievable by project contractors using best available cost-
effective technology and best management practices.''
The Criteria states that all parties (districts) that contract with
Reclamation for water supplies (municipal and industrial contracts over
2,000 irrigable acre-feet and agricultural contract over 2,000
irrigable acres) will prepare water management plans which will be
evaluated by Reclamation based on the following required information
detailed in the steps listed below to develop, implement, monitor, and
update their water management plans. The steps are:
1. Describe the district.
2. Inventory water resources available to the District.
3. Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Agricultural Contractors.
4. BMPs for Urban Contractors.
5. Exemption Process.
Tulare Irrigation District has developed a water management plan
which Reclamation has evaluated and preliminarily determined to meet
the requirements of the Criteria.
Public comment on Reclamation's preliminary (i.e., draft)
determinations is invited at this time. A copy of the plan will be
available for review at Reclamation's MP Regional Office located in
Sacramento, California and MP's South-Central California Area Office
located in Fresno, California, If you wish to review a copy of the
plan, please contact Ms. Billingsley to find the office nearest you.
Dated: November 9, 1998.
Robert F. Stackhouse,
Regional Resources Manager, Mid-Pacific Region.
[FR Doc. 98-33950 Filed 12-22-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-94-M
