Bureau of Reclamation – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Bureau of Reclamation intends to seek approval of the following proposed information collection: Collection and Compilation of Water Pipeline Field Performance Data. Before submitting the information collection request to the Office of Management and Budget for approval, the Bureau of Reclamation is soliciting public comments on this information collection.

The Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Work Group (AMWG) makes recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior concerning Glen Canyon Dam operations and other management actions to protect resources downstream of Glen Canyon Dam, consistent with the Grand Canyon Protection Act. The AMWG meets two to three times a year.

Notice is hereby given of contractual actions that have been proposed to the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and are new, discontinued, or completed since the last publication of this notice on February 19, 2016 (81 FR 8537). This notice is one of a variety of means used to inform the public about proposed contractual actions for capital recovery and management of project resources and facilities consistent with section 9(f) of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939. Additional announcements of individual contract actions may be published in the Federal Register and in newspapers of general circulation in the areas determined by Reclamation to be affected by the proposed action.

The Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Advisory Council (Council) was established by the Colorado River Basin Salinity Control Act of 1974 (Pub. L. 93-320) (Act) to receive reports and advise Federal agencies on implementing the Act. In accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, the Bureau of Reclamation announces that the Council will meet as detailed below. The meeting of the Council is open to the public.

The Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Work Group (AMWG) makes recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior concerning Glen Canyon Dam operations and other management actions to protect resources downstream of Glen Canyon Dam consistent with the Grand Canyon Protection Act. The AMWG meets two to three times a year.

The Department of the Interior, through the Bureau of Reclamation and the National Park Service, is extending the public comment period for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Adoption of a Long-Term Experimental and Management Plan (LTEMP) for the Operation of Glen Canyon Dam to Monday, May 9, 2016. The Notice of Availability and Notice of Public Meetings for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement was published in the Federal Register on January 8, 2016 (81 FR 963). The public comment period for the Draft EIS was originally scheduled to end on Thursday, April 7, 2016.

The Bureau of Reclamation, in collaboration with other Federal agencies (U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-National Marine Fisheries Service, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers), is seeking new ideas for gaining successful and cost-effective downstream passage of juvenile fish at tall (high-head) dams. The solutions should minimize stress (e.g. crowding, removal from water, disorientation), physical damage on fish, interference with the operation of the dam (flood control, energy, water distribution), and total costs.

The Bureau of Reclamation has made available for public review and comment the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on continuing to implement the 2008 Operating Agreement for the Rio Grande Project(Operating Agreement), and to implement long-term contracts for storage of San Juan-Chama Project water in Elephant Butte Reservoir. The Operating Agreement is a description of how Reclamation allocates, releases from storage, and delivers Rio Grande Project water to Mexico, the Elephant Butte Irrigation District in New Mexico, and the El Paso County Water Improvement District No. 1 in Texas.

The Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Work Group (AMWG) makes recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior concerning Glen Canyon Dam operations and other management actions to protect resources downstream of Glen Canyon Dam, consistent with the Grand Canyon Protection Act. The AMWG meets two to three times a year.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) propose to jointly prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that analyzes and discloses effects associated with actions to provide fish passage at the Intake Diversion Dam. The proposed Federal action is to improve passage for endangered pallid sturgeon and other native fish at Intake Diversion Dam in the lower Yellowstone River. The Corps and Reclamation will serve as joint lead Federal agencies in the preparation of the Intake Diversion Dam Fish Passage EIS. The Corps will serve as administrative lead for National Environmental Policy Act compliance activities during preparation of the EIS. The EIS will include consideration of a range of reasonable alternatives to the proposed Federal action that meet the purpose and need of improving passage while continuing a viable and effective operation of the Lower Yellowstone Project. The Corps and Reclamation will each consider and approve a Record of Decision regarding actions and decisions for which the respective agencies are responsible.

The Bureau of Reclamation, the California Tahoe Conservancy (Conservancy), and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency have prepared the final Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement/ Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS/EIS) for the Upper Truckee River and Marsh Restoration Project (Project). The purpose of the Project is to restore natural geomorphic processes and improve ecological functions and values in this lowest reach of the Upper Truckee River and the surrounding marsh and help reduce the river's discharge of nutrients and sediment that diminish Lake Tahoe's clarity.

The Bureau of Reclamation has made available to the public the Water Management Plans for seven entities. For the purpose of this announcement, Water Management Plans (Plans) are considered the same as Water Conservation Plans. Reclamation is publishing this notice in order to allow the public an opportunity to review the Plans and comment on the preliminary determinations.

The Bureau of Reclamation has made available the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the impacts of implementing the 2008 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biological Opinion and the 2009 National Marine Fisheries Service Biological Opinion, including the Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives, for the Coordinated Long-Term Operation of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project. The preferred alternative identified in the Final EIS will be to continue the operation of the Central Valley Project in coordination with the State Water Project, and implement the 2008 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and 2009 National Marine Fisheries Service biological opinions and reasonable and prudent alternatives stated in the No Action Alternative. The Final EIS is in response to the November 16, 2009 and March 5, 2010 rulings by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California that the Bureau of Reclamation failed to conduct a National Environmental Policy Act review prior to accepting and implementing the Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives from the 2008 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and 2009 National Marine Fisheries Service Biological Opinions.

Notice is hereby given of contractual actions that have been proposed to the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and are new, discontinued, or completed since the last publication of this notice. This notice is one of a variety of means used to inform the public about proposed contractual actions for capital recovery and management of project resources and facilities consistent with section 9(f) of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939. Additional announcements of individual contract actions may be published in the Federal Register and in newspapers of general circulation in the areas determined by Reclamation to be affected by the proposed action.

The Bureau of Reclamation, in collaboration with other federal agencies (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) is announcing a prize competition for seeking a way to economically detect, count, and identify zooplankton and drift invertebrates in river and estuary systems. Problems identified that prevent the simple transfer of oceanographic techniques to rivers and streams are higher water velocities, turbidity, higher surface/depth ratio, and costs (time and money).

We, the Bureau of Reclamation, have forwarded the following Information Collection Request to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval: Bureau of Reclamation Use Authorization Application (Form 7-2540), OMB Control Number: 1006-0003. The Information Collection Request describes the nature of the information collection and its expected cost burden.

The Bureau of Reclamation has made available the North Valley Regional Recycled Water Program Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The North Valley Regional Recycled Water Program would provide recycled water from the Cities of Turlock and Modesto via the Central Valley Project's Delta-Mendota Canal to Del Puerto Water District for irrigation purposes, and would further provide annual supplemental water to south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta Central Valley Project Improvement Act-designated wildlife refuges.

This notice announces the availability of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan/California WaterFix Partially Recirculated Draft Environmental Impact Report/Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (RDEIR/SDEIS) for public review and comment. The RDEIR/SDEIS has been prepared jointly between the Bureau of Reclamation and the California Department of Water Resources to describe and analyze refinement of the resource area analyses, alternatives, and actions, including three additional alternatives that describe conveyance options not containing all the elements of a Habitat Conservation Plan/ Natural Communities Conservation Plan described in the previously circulated Draft EIR/EIS released on December 13, 2013. Based on project revisions and in consideration of comments received on the Draft Bay Delta Conservation Plan, Draft EIR/EIS, and Draft Implementing Agreement, the State and Federal lead agencies recognize that additional information is appropriate to address comments and to enhance the environmental analysis.

The Bureau of Reclamation and the California Department of Water Resources intend to prepare a partially Recirculated Draft Environmental Impact Report/Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement (RDEIR/SDEIS) on the Draft Bay Delta Conservation Plan and Natural Community Conservation Plan (BDCP, or the Plan). The RDEIR/SDEIS will describe and analyze refinement of the resource area analyses, alternatives, and actions, including additional alternatives that describe conveyance alternatives that do not contain all the elements of a Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Communities Conservation Plan that are described in the previously circulated Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS).

Notice is hereby given of contractual actions that have been proposed to the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and are new, discontinued, or completed since the last publication of this notice. This notice is one of a variety of means used to inform the public about proposed contractual actions for capital recovery and management of project resources and facilities consistent with section 9(f) of the Reclamation Project Act of 1939. Additional announcements of individual contract actions may be published in the Federal Register and in newspapers of general circulation in the areas determined by Reclamation to be affected by the proposed action.

The Bureau of Reclamation published a notice in the Federal Register on April 17, 2015 (80 FR 21261) announcing an open public WebEx meeting of the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Work Group. The date of May 28, 2014 for the WebEx meeting was incorrect. The correct date for the meeting is May 28, 2015. All other information regarding the meeting remains the same.

The Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Work Group (AMWG) makes recommendations to the Secretary of the Interior concerning Glen Canyon Dam operations and other management actions to protect resources downstream of Glen Canyon Dam, consistent with the Grand Canyon Protection Act. The AMWG meets two to three times a year.

The Bureau of Reclamation is reopening the public comment period for the Kachess Drought Relief Pumping Plant and Keechelus Reservoir-to-Kachess Reservoir Conveyance Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for another 60 days to allow the public more time to comment. We are also announcing four additional public meetings to be held in May 2015.

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) is notifying the public that Reclamation has prepared a Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the Northwest Area Water Supply Project (Project). Reclamation has evaluated comments received from the public on the Draft SEIS and is recommending a preferred alternative for approval. The Missouri River and Groundwater Alternative would provide a high quality and reliable water supply to meet existing and future water needs. This alternative would include conventional treatment at the biota water treatment plant, located within the Missouri River Basin, and the proposed intake for the Project would be located within Reclamation's Snake Creek Pumping Plant on Lake Sakakawea.

The Bureau of Reclamation has made available to the public the Water Management Plans for 10 entities. For the purpose of this announcement, Water Management Plans (Plans) are considered the same as Water Conservation Plans. Reclamation is publishing this notice in order to allow the public an opportunity to review the Plans and comment on the preliminary determinations.