San Joaquin River Restoration

 

The objective of the San Joaquin River Restoration Program (SJRRP) is to implement the Stipulation of Settlement in NRDC, et al., v. Rodgers, et al., consistent with and as supplement by, the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act. The Settlement identifies the following two goals: (1) Restoration Goal - Restore and maintain fish populations in good condition in the main stem of the San Joaquin River below Friant Dam to the confluence of the Merced River, including naturally-reproducing and self-sustaining populations of salmon and other fish; and, (2) Water Management Goal - Reduce or avoid adverse water supply impacts to all of the Friant Division long-term contractors that may result from the Interim Flows and Restoration Flows provided for in this Settlement.

Active 15.555 Bureau of Reclamation, Department of The Interior B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2017 Information not available. All of the project funded will work towards the implementation of the Stipulation of Settlement in NRDC, et al., v. Rodgers, et al., consistent with and as supplement by, the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act. These projects will contribute towards meeting the Restoration and Water Management goals of the Settlement. The SJRRP focuses on restoring flows and fish, including Chinook salmon, to the San Joaquin River. These efforts will have wide reaching benefits, including: restoring riparian habitat to more than 30 miles of the San Joaquin River; restoring ecosystem function and aquatic, riparian, and upland species habitats along the river; improving river channel capacities and flood control operations; and reconnecting the upper San Joaquin River to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Beyond the scope of the Settlement, a restored river will enhance recreational access and opportunities for many communities along the river. Specific Program accomplishments include, but are not limited to the following: • Successfully moved fall-run adults into the upper reaches of the San Joaquin River and documented successful fall-run spawning in the river • Successfully spawned spring-run Chinook salmon in the San Joaquin River • Completed the Restoration Flows Guidelines and began the Program’s long-term flow releases, termed Restoration Flows • Completed various planning and design efforts in working towards implementing the Program’s highest priority infrastructure projects to prepare for construction of Reach 2B projects in 2019 • Continued flow releases since 2009 and worked to recapture and recirculate these release consistent with the Settlement’s Water Management Goal • Continued local groundwater banking project intended to reduce, avoid, or offset the water supply impacts to Friant Division long-term contractors. • Continued implementation of comprehensive groundwater seepage management and monitoring program, including implementation of seepage management actions. • Began repairs and isolation of a gravel pit at the Sycamore Island recreation area.
Fiscal Year 2019 All of the project funded will work towards the implementation of the Stipulation of Settlement in NRDC, et al., v. Rodgers, et al., consistent with and as supplement by, the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act. These projects will contribute towards meeting the Restoration and Water Management goals of the Settlement. The SJRRP focuses on restoring flows and fish, including Chinook salmon, to the San Joaquin River. These efforts will have wide reaching benefits, including: restoring riparian habitat to the Restoration Area of the San Joaquin River; restoring ecosystem function and aquatic, riparian, and upland species habitats along the river; improving river channel capacities and flood control operations; and reconnecting the upper San Joaquin River to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Beyond the scope of the Settlement, a restored river will enhance recreational access and opportunities for many communities along the river. Specific Program accomplishments include, but are not limited to the following: • San Joaquin River remains continuously connected from Friant Dam to Delta since October 2016 . • Twenty-three spring-run Chinook salmon adults returned to the Restoration Area from a 2017 release, the first in over 60 years. Successful spawning ongoing since 2017. • Spring-run Chinook salmon reintroduced in 2014 with 60,000 juveniles released and continues annually with 250,000. Target of 1 million once hatchery is completed. • Completed the Funding Constrained Framework for Implementation in May 2017 which provides a more realistic schedule and budget that focuses on SJRRP actions from 2017–2024 for Stage 1 of Restoration. • Three of four ground water projects are built and operating, contributing to resolve SGMA. • The Restoration Program funded capacity correction actions on the Friant Kern Canal to repair subsidence. • Actively recapturing up to 5,000 acre-feet for recirculation consistent with the Settlement’s Water Management Goal • Progressing on various planning and design efforts for implementing the highest priority infrastructure projects.
Fiscal Year 2020 Completed engineering and design for a fish screen and fish passage project.
Fiscal Year 2021 The City of Mendota and its contractor completed construction of the Mowry Bridge, which was funded by a Reclamation grant. Reclamation now has construction access to the southern end of the Reach 2B improvement project and a future access point for operations and maintenance of the project. Additionally, this bridge serves as a potable water pipeline conduit to the underserved community of the City of Mendota. Tulare Irrigation District completed a groundwater recharge basin through a grant with Reclamation. In addition, the Program received grant funding from the State of California to support Airborne Snow Observatory survey of snowpack above Friant Dam. The Program is substantially involved with satellite snowpack monitoring with the University of Colorado, Boulder, combined with modeling to produce estimated peak snowpack conditions from 2000- 2022.
Fiscal Year 2023 In partnership with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), the San Joaquin River Restoration Program funded the Salmon Conservation and Research Facility (SCARF). This project will provide the following: (1) develop and maintain a genetically diverse brood stock of spring and potentially fall run Chinook to support the restoration of Chinook Salmon to self-sustaining levels; (2) produce targets set by the San Joaquin River Restoration Program to the maximum extent practicable given the limitations of tank space and water supply at the Interim Facility, until the full-scale Conservation Facility becomes operational; (3) produce juvenile spring-run and fall-run Chinook, with an emphasis on spring-run Chinook production, to support the restoration of Chinook Salmon runs to self-sustaining levels; (4) support and provide research needs associated with restoring spring and/or fall run Chinook populations to self-sustaining levels. Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, Subtitle A, Part I, San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act (123 Stat. 1349), Part II, Study to Develop Water Plan Report, and Part III, Friant Division Improvements, Title X, Public Law 111-11 State, tribal, and local governmental agencies, and with private parties, including agreements related to construction, improvement, and operation and maintenance of facilities, subject to any terms and conditions that the Secretary deems necessary to achieve the purposes of the Settlement. State, tribal, and local governmental agencies, private parties, and the general public Not applicable. Preapplication coordination is required. An environmental impact statement is required for this listing. An environmental impact assessment is required for this listing. Environmental compliance for this program may be required depending on the scope of the specific project funded. This may result in the need for an environmental impact assessment or environmental impact statement prior to the commencement of project activities. Federal, state, or local permits and approvals for the program may be required depending on the scope of the specific project funded. This may result in the need for the issuance of the required permits and approvals prior to the commencement of project activities. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Funding announcements for this program, along with registration procedures, application packages and instructions, points of contact, and procedures for submitting applications will be available on www.grants.gov. All applications will be initially screened by Bureau of Reclamation personnel for eligibility and compliance with the requirements stated in the program funding announcement. Applications passing this screening process will be forwarded for review by the issuing office. Qualified experts from the Bureau of Reclamation will review applications against the proposal evaluation criteria, and any additional review factors, as stated in the funding announcement. Final selection will be determined by the Commissioner, Bureau of Reclamation, or regional officials, as applicable to the project. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines Varies depending on the type and complexity of the project. Further information will be available for each specific project at the time the funding opportunity announcement is posted on www.grants.gov and may be obtained by contacting the Bureau of Reclamation personnel listed as the point of contact in the funding announcement. None. Final award decisions are not subject to appeal; however, the Bureau of Reclamation will provide all applicants with information on why their proposals were not selected for award. Projects may generally be renewed on an annual basis, not to exceed a total of 5 years. If renewals or extensions are applicable to the project, this information will be included in the funding opportunity announcement. When renewals or extensions are applicable, continuation of funding for these activities is at the discretion of Congress and will be subject to availability of appropriated funds. Specific evaluation criteria will be included in the funding announcements posted on www.grants.gov. Assistance can be used only to implement the Settlement consistent with and as supplement by, the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act. It is anticipated that all activities funded will be Project Grants or Financial Assistance that will relate to implementing specific activities in the Settlement and the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act or specific monitoring, mitigation or other commitments that are necessary to implement the Settlement or the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act (such as project implementation or mitigation commitments in environmental compliance documents prepared for SJRRP actions, including the SJRRP's Program Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision signed in September 2012). Not applicable. Not applicable. All recipients of Federal awards shall maintain project records in accordance with 2 CFR 200.333 Retention requirements for records. Financial records, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other non-Federal entity records pertinent to a Federal award must be retained for a period of three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report or, for Federal awards that are renewed quarterly or annually, from the date of the submission of the quarterly or annual financial report, respectively, as reported to the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity in the case of a subrecipient. Federal awarding agencies and pass-through entities must not impose any other record retention requirements upon non-Federal entities, except as noted in 2 CFR 200.333. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching is mandatory. Projects undertaken under Section 10004 have no matching requirements. Projects undertaken under Section 10202 require a 50 percent share of the costs associated with planning, design, and environmental compliance activities associated with such a project and a 50 percent share of the costs associated with construction of any such project. For these projects, all operation, maintenance, and replacement and rehabilitation costs of such projects shall be the responsibility of the local agency. The Secretary shall not provide funding for any operation, maintenance, or replacement and rehabilitation costs of projects funded.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Varies depending on the type and complexity of the project. Further information will be available for each specific project at the time the funding opportunity announcement is posted on www.grants.gov and may be obtained by contacting the Bureau of Reclamation personnel listed as the point of contact in the funding announcement. Payment terms vary by agreement awarded under this program. Christopher M. Ryan San Joaquin River Restoration Program Bureau of Reclamation 2800 Cottage Way, CGB-170 Sacramento, CA 95825 916-217-7461 cryan@usbr.gov Donald Portz, Ph.D.
San Joaquin River Restoration Program
Bureau of Reclamation
2800 Cottage Way, CGB-170
Sacramento, CA 95825 US
dportz@usbr.gov
Phone: 916-978-5464 http://www.restoresjr.net 14-5537-0-2-301 (Project Grants (Cooperative Agreements)) FY 22$2,511,211.00; FY 23 est $2,440,000.00; FY 24 est $1,000,000.00; FY 21$2,400,000.00; FY 20$7,395,412.00; FY 19$16,196,477.00; FY 18$2,389,925.00; FY 17$4,339,481.00; - Range: $2,000,000 - $5,000,000 Average: $ 2,294,246 2 CFR 200 UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS, COST PRINCIPLES, AND AUDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR FEDERAL AWARDS and the applicable OMB Circulars. These documents may also be obtained by contacting the Bureau of Reclamation Office listed below. Fiscal Year 2017 Information not available. Four example projects from FY 2012 and FY 2013 are provided below. Other types of projects would be considered in the future. 1. Extended a grant awarded to a not for profit organization for the management and removal of invasive vegetation species along the San Joaquin River from Friant Dam to the confluence with the Merced River consistent with commitments made in the Finding of No Significant Impact statements for the Water Year 2010 and Water Year 2011 Interim Flows Projects. 2. Financial assistance awarded to a local water district to install remotely operated gates on a dam to improve worker safety and better measure and manage passing the SJRRP’s Interim Flows past the structure. 3. Financial assistance awarded to a local reclamation district to participate in the environmental compliance and design activities for possible modifications to their facilities consistent with the Settlement. 4. Financial assistance under Part III of the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act awarded to local agencies within the Friant Division and Central Valley Project to from new partnerships dedicated to building projects to reduce, or offset the quantity of water supple impacts caused by the Settlement.
Fiscal Year 2019 Example projects are provided below. Other types of projects would be considered in the future. 1. A Financial Assistance Agreement was awarded to a local irrigation district for the design of the Mendota Pool Fish Screen and Control Structure. 2. A Financial Assistance Agreement was awarded to a local water district for the design of a fish passage around a low-head dam and design for a fish screen at the adjacent diversion. 3. A Financial Assistance Agreement was awarded to fund feasibility studies (required by the Settlement Act and WIIN), design, environmental compliance, and an immediate repair action that would restore 300 cubic feet per second to a subsided section of the Friant-Kern Canal. 4. Financial assistance provided under Part III of the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act was awarded to local agencies within the Friant Division and Central Valley Project to form new partnerships dedicated to building projects to reduce, or offset the quantity of water supply impacts caused by the Settlement.
Fiscal Year 2021 The City of Mendota and its contractor completed construction of the Mowry Bridge, which was funded by a Reclamation grant. Reclamation now has construction access to the southern end of the Reach 2B improvement project and a future access point for operations and maintenance of the project. Additionally, this bridge serves as a potable water pipeline conduit to the underserved community of the City of Mendota. Tulare Irrigation District completed a groundwater recharge basin through a grant with Reclamation. In addition, the Program received grant funding from the State of California to support Airborne Snow Observatory survey of snowpack above Friant Dam.
Fiscal Year 2022 Advancement of scientific tools to provide data for runoff water forecasting for internal and external agency partners.
Fiscal Year 2023 Developing and maintaining genetically diverse salmon brood stock to restore self-sustaining levels.