DWR Opens Public Comment Period for Geotechnical Engineering Studies for the Bay Delta Conservation Plan and/or for Preliminary Engineering Studies for the Delta Habitat Conservation and Conveyance Program

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) is the Lead State Agency under the California Environmental Quality Act and has prepared a Draft Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND). DWR is planning additional land and overwater geotechnical borings in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to obtain information for proposed alignments of the water conveyance facilities associated with the Bay Delta Conservation Plan and preliminary engineering studies for the Delta Habitat Conservation and Conveyance Program.

The public comment period runs from June 15, 2010 to July 31, 2010.

Please submit comments via postal mail to: Michelle Beachley, Staff Environmental Scientist, Department of Water Resources, PO Box 942836, Sacramento CA, 94236; or by electronic mail at mbeachle@water.ca.gov.

View the MND

View the Notice of Intent (NOI)

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BDCP Releases Status Update 3
The BDCP has released Status Update 3 – June 2010, a document outlining recent decisions made by the Steering Committee and the status of the Conservation Plan. To download the full document click here

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Delta Stewardship Council Clarifies Role Related to the BDCP
In a letter from Joseph Grindstaff, the Delta Stewardship Council clarifies several roles that it will play in the BDCP process. The letter indicates that the BDCP will be considered for inclusion in the Delta Plan, a comprehensive resource management plan mandated by the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Reform Act of 2009.

Read the full letter here

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2009 EIR/EIS Scoping Report Released
The 2009 Scoping Report has been released for the Bay Delta Conservation Plan EIR/EIS. To view the entire scoping report and appendices click here.

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Steering Committee to Conduct Focused Analysis on Tunnel Conveyance - 02/11/10
After careful review of preliminary technical, environmental and economic reports, the Steering Committee members agreed to focus further analyses on a tunnel approach to conveyance. A decision on the final plan and a preferred alternative (which could include a canal, tunnel, through-Delta, or a combination thereof) will be made after further analyses, including optimization, are completed and public input is received.View the Steering Committee agreement regarding the tunnel water conveyance.

In addition to the above, an independent cost assessment of the options was released and reviewed at the February 11, 2010 BDCP meeting.

Updated Conveyance Costs, Comparison and All Tunnel Information Released :- 12/03/09

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In-water Geotechnical Drilling Session Completed

In-water geotechnical drilling activities in of environmental review for Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) have come an end. Information gathered during this process will be used to support the BDCP Report Environmental Impact Statement (EIR EIS).Click here for more information.

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BDCP Delta Workshop Report Now Available