Sacramento District
Comments Period: November 25, 2014 – December 24, 2014
SUBJECT: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District, (Corps) is evaluating a permit application to construct the Sherman Island Little Baja and Manzo Ranch Fish Release Sites Project, which would result in .0986 acres of temporary impacts and 1.31 acres of permanent impacts to waters of the United States, including wetlands adjacent to the Sacramento River. This notice is to inform interested parties of the proposed activity and to solicit comments.
AUTHORITY: This application is being evaluated under Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 for structures or work in or affecting navigable waters of the United States and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act for the discharge of dredged or fill material in waters of the United States.
APPLICANT: California Department of Water Resources, Attn: Paul Marshall, 1416 Ninth Street, Sacramento, California 95814
LOCATION: The 195-acre site is located on Section 30, Township 3 North, Range 2 East, Mount Diablo Meridian, Latitude 38.06560°, Longitude -121.77575°, Rio Vista, Sacramento County, California, and can be seen on the CA-ANTIOCH NORTH USGS Topographic Quadrangle.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The applicant is proposing to construct the Little Baja and Manzo Ranch fish release sites on the Sherman Island levee, on the northwest side of Sherman Island. The two fish release systems would extend approximately 80-100 feet from the levee into the Sacramento River, and each would consist of a release pipe, a screened intake pipe, and an asphalt operation pad. The project would include the installation of site lighting and security gates from the paved county road to fish release sites on the levee. A new Pacific Gas and Electric distribution line would be installed, and a service road constructed to provide power and utility maintenance access to the site. Due to levee stability, settlement, and seepage concerns, the Sherman Island levee would be widened, and the West Sherman Island Road would be improved and realigned by Reclamation District 341. Staging areas would be located on both the east and west ends of the proposed project area.
Based on the available information, the overall project purpose is to comply with the National Marine Fisheries Service Biological Opinion (NMFS BO) on the Long-term Operations of the Federal Central Valley Project and the State Water Project, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Longfin Smelt Incidental Take Permit (ITP) for the California State Water Project Delta Facilities and Operations. The purpose of the project is to build facilities to release fish that have been salvaged from the State's John E. Skinner Fish Protective Facility and the Federal Tracy Fish Salvage Facility back into the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. The attached drawings provide additional project details.
SUBMITTING COMMENTS: Written comments, referencing Public Notice SPK-2014-00763 must be submitted to the office listed below on or before December 24, 2014.
Susan Clark, Project Manager
US Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District
1325 J Street. Room 1350
Sacramento, California 95814-2922
Email: Susan.S.Clark@usace.army.mil
The Corps is particularly interested in receiving comments related to the proposal's probable impacts on the affected aquatic environment and the secondary and cumulative effects. Anyone may request, in writing, that a public hearing be held to consider this application. Requests shall specifically state, with particularity, the reason(s) for holding a public hearing. If the Corps determines that the information received in response to this notice is inadequate for thorough evaluation, a public hearing may be warranted. If a public hearing is warranted, interested parties will be notified of the time, date, and location. Please note that all comment letters received are subject to release to the public through the Freedom of Information Act. If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the applicant or the Corps' project manager, Susan Clark, by phone at 916-557-7666, or email at Susan.S.Clark@usace.army.mil.
Attachments: Figures #1-5