NOI to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Thompson Meadow Restoration and Water Budget Evaluation Project

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and United States Forest Service (USFS) have released a draft Environmental Assessment/Initial Study (EA/IS), and DWR intends to adopt a proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND), for the Thompson Meadow Restoration and Water Budget Evaluation Project (proposed project). The draft EA/IS and proposed MND have been prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and the California Environmental Quality Act to provide agencies, the public, and interested parties an opportunity to review the environmental analysis of the proposed project.

The proposed project is located on National Forest System lands within the Beckwourth Ranger District of the Plumas National Forest, approximately 11 air miles north of Portola, CA, in Plumas County. The purpose of the proposed project is to restore channel/floodplain function to 0.68 miles of degraded stream channel along Thompson Creek and 47 acres of degraded meadow in Thompson Meadow to reestablish the historical meadow water table elevation, stabilize eroding stream banks, improve water quality, attenuate flood flows, and restore meadow vegetation.  A secondary purpose of the proposed project is to improve the quality and quantity of woody and non-woody riparian vegetation along stream reaches and to improve wildlife habitat and livestock forage. A full water budget evaluation will be conducted comparing pre- and post-project implementation conditions. A complete description of the proposed project is included in the draft EA/IS.

The EA/IS provides an assessment of the proposed project’s potential significant adverse impacts on the environment. The EA/IS concludes the proposed project would not have any significant adverse effects on the environment after implementation of mitigation measures.

The EA/IS is being circulated for public review and comment for a period of 30 days starting January 8, 2020. Written comments should be submitted and received no later than close of business on February 7, 2020.

Copies of the draft EA/IS and proposed MND are available at:

• http://www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=52760
• A printed copy is available to view during business hours (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) at the DWR office located at 2440 Main Street in Red Bluff and at the Plumas National Forest, Beckwourth Ranger District at 23 Mohawk Road in Blairsden.

Please submit comments in writing or email to either:

• Todd Hillaire, California Department of Water Resources, 2440 Main Street, Red Bluff, CA 96080 or Todd.Hillaire@water.ca.gov.
• Responsible Official, Matt Jedra, District Ranger c/o Plumas National Forest, Attn: Joe Hoffman, 159 Lawrence Street, Quincy, CA 95971 (Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), FAX (530) 283-7746. Comments may be mailed, delivered, faxed, or emailed (comments-pacificsouthwest-plumas-beckwourth@usda.gov).

The most effective comments are those that follow the guidelines below:

• Comments should be concise and focus directly on the analysis in the EA/IS.
• Comments should identify the specific part of the EA/IS at issue and include supporting evidence and facts.
• The commenter should provide complete references and/or citations, particularly when referring to websites (that is, provide a specific URL address rather than simply citing “DWR website,” for example).

Written comments must be received by close of business February 7, 2020. For further information, please contact Todd Hillaire at (530) 529-7347 or Todd.Hillaire@water.ca.gov or Matt Jedra at (530) 836-2575 or mjedra@fs.fed.us.