Draft Environmental Document for Fremont Weir Adult Fish Passage Modification Project

Documents were released late last week by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) for public review of the draft Initial Study and Environmental Assessment (IS/EA) for the proposed Fremont Weir Adult Fish Passage Modification Project. The project, located in the northern portion of the Yolo Bypass, is approximately 8 miles northeast of Woodland in Yolo County.

A prominent feature of California’s State Plan of Flood Control, the Yolo Bypass provides valuable rearing habitat for downstream migrating juvenile salmon while also providing a fish migration corridor for adult anadromous fish. However, Chinook salmon, steelhead, and green sturgeon and the special-status adult fish have been delayed from migrating upstream through the Yolo Bypass and returning to the Sacramento due to structures within the Yolo Bypass and prevented adult special-status fish species.

The intent of the proposed project is to improve fish passage at the Fremont Weir and within the Tule Canal. The project would modify an existing fish ladder at the Fremont Weir in order to improve fish passage within the channel both upstream and downstream of the Fremont Weir. In addition, one downstream agricultural road crossing would be removed; another such crossing within the Tule Canal would be replaced with a structure that provides improved fish passage.

The proposed project is being carried out to meet requirements in the 2009 National Marine Fisheries Service’s Biological Opinion and Conference Opinion on the Long-Term Operations of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project. Construction is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2017.

The proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration and draft IS/EA have been prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. They are available for public review and comment from Feb. 3 through March 6, 2017. Copies of the documents are available at:

http://www.water.ca.gov/environmentalservices/yolobypass/projects/yolo_fremont.cfm

https://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=12670

https://www.usbr.gov/mp/BayDeltaOffice/yolo-bypass.html

A printed copy is also available to view during business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at the DWR office located at 3500 Industrial Blvd. in West Sacramento and Reclamation’s Bay-Delta Office at 801 I St., Suite 140, in Sacramento.

Written comments must be received by close of business Monday, March 6, 2017. Comments regarding the Mitigated Negative Declaration and draft IS/EA can be submitted in writing or via email to either:

Karen Enstrom, California Department of Water Resources, 3500 Industrial Blvd., West Sacramento, CA 95691 or [email protected]. or

Ben Nelson, Bureau of Reclamation, Bay-Delta Office, 801 I St., Suite 140, Sacramento, CA 95814 or [email protected].

For further information contact Karen Enstrom at 916-376-9778 or [email protected]  or Ben Nelson at 916-414-2424 (TTY 800-877-8339) or [email protected].