Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat

1. Salton Sea Species Conservation Habitat Scoping Meetings •July 7 and 8, 2010

2. Meeting Purpose • Provide Species Conservation Habitat (SCH) Project information to agencies and public • Receive comments that help develop EIS/EIR scope and content

3. Presentation Team • Rick Davis – Davis Group • Arturo Delgado – California Department of Fish and Game • Lanika Cervantes – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers • Rob Thomson – ENTRIX, Inc.

4. Species Conservation Habitat Project Participating Agencies and Roles

5. Lead Agencies • California Natural Resources Agency (CEQA) • California Department of Fish and Game • EIR oversight • State permitting lead • California Department of Water Resources • Contract administration • Technical support • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Los Angeles District (NEPA) • EIS oversight • Federal permitting lead • Government-to-government consultation

6. State of California Products and Activities • California Natural Resources Agency role • CEQA Lead Agency • California Department of Fish and Game role • Oversee EIR preparation • California Endangered Species Act – section 2081 authorization • Fish and Game Code section 1602, Streambed Alteration Agreement • Applicant for Federal 404/401 permits, other permits and consultation • Project funding and implementation

7. Corps Products and Activities • NEPA Lead Agency/EIS oversight • Clean Water Act – section 404 permit, section 401 certification • National Historic Preservation Act – section 106 consultation • Federal Endangered Species Act compliance • Government-to-government (tribal) consultation

8. Species Conservation Habitat Project Project Overview

9. Need for SCH Project • Reduced inflows to Salton Sea will increase salinity and reduce key habitat • Increasing salinity will lead to fishery collapse • Fishery collapse will result in loss of forage base for fish-eating birds

10. SCH Project Purpose • Provide conservation measures while Legislature determines long-term action • Replace some near-term habitat loss from salinity increase • Target – fish-eating birds dependent on the Sea for: • Foraging – fishery resources • Essential habitat components (foraging, nesting, roosting, loafing) • Viability of significant portion of population

11. Goals and Objectives • Goal 1: Develop a range of aquatic habitats that will support fish and wildlife species dependent on the Salton Sea • Objectives • Provide appropriate foraging habitat for fish-eating bird species • Develop habitats required to support fish-eating bird species • Support a sustainable, productive aquatic community • Provide suitable water quality for fish • Minimize adverse effects on desert pupfish • Minimize risk of selenium • Minimize risk of disease/toxicity impacts

12. Goals and Objectives • Goal 2: Develop and refine information needed to successfully manage the SCH Project through an adaptive management process • Objectives • Identify uncertainties in achieving the objectives • Design science-based means to test alternatives and reduce uncertainty • Develop and implement a monitoring plan • Develop a decision-making framework • Provide proof-of-concept for future restoration efforts

13. Three Possible Alternative Locations

14. Key Project Components • Construct approximately 2,400 acres of ponds • Sited between -228 and -234 msl • Possible components include • Water diversion from river • Water treatment • Water conveyance • Sediment trap • Habitat ponds • Discharge to Sea • Range of salinity to maximize habitat value and function

15. Photos of Similar Salt Ponds

16. Impact Assessment Planning • Significance thresholds based on • Initial Study checklist • Salton Sea Programmatic EIR • Review of potential Project impacts • Key environmental issues • Biological resources • Hydrology/water quality • Complete list in Notice of Intent/Notice of Preparation

17. Current Schedule • NEPA/CEQA scoping – June/July 2010 • Draft EIS/EIR – late 2010 to early 2011 • Draft permit applications – early 2011 • Final EIS/EIR – mid 2011 • Final design – mid to late 2011 • Permits complete – mid to late 2011 • Begin construction – late 2011 to early 2012

18. SCH Information Dissemination • Website (www.water.ca.gov/saltonsea) • Periodic newsletters • Public meetings

19. Species Conservation Habitat Project Scoping Process

20. Public Scoping Period • Notice of Intent/Notice of Preparation – June 21 • Scoping period – June 21 to July 24 • Scoping meetings • July 7 • Palm Desert – UC Riverside (1:00 p.m.) • Thermal – Torres Martinez Administrative Building (6:30 p.m.) • July 8 • Calipatria – Calipatria Inn and Suites (1:00 p.m.) • Brawley – Elks Lodge (6:30 p.m.)

21. Ways to Comment • Speak at this meeting • Write comment at this meeting • Email Corps or Department of Fish and Game • Send letter to Corps or Department of Fish and Game

22. Where to Send Comments (by July 24) • Corps contact: Lanika Cervantes, Project ManagerSan Diego Section, Regulatory DivisionU.S. Army Corps of Engineers - Los Angeles District6010 Hidden Valley Road, Suite 105Carlsbad, CA 92011(760) 602-4838 Lanika.L.Cervantes@usace.army.mil • DFG contact: Kim Nicol, Environmental Program ManagerCalifornia Department of Fish and Game78078 Country Club Drive, Suite 109Bermuda Dunes, CA 92203(760) 200-9178 knicol@dfg.ca.gov

23. Public Comments on the EIS/EIR • Focus on scope and content of EIS/EIR • Goals and objectives • Alternatives • Potential effects • Be specific • Speak clearly so concerns are understood • Be succinct so others have time to comment