California Natural Resources Agency

August 10, 2018

 

Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration for Winter Island Tidal Habitat Restoration Project – The Department of Water Resources is the Lead State Agency under the California Environmental Quality Act and has prepared in cooperation with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife a Draft Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Winter Island Tidal Habitat Restoration Project.

The Project is located in Suisun Bay between Broad Slough and Middle Slough, just north of the City of Pittsburg, in Contra Costa County. Winter Island sits at the confluence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers, in the corridor between Browns Island and Sherman Island Waterfowl Management Area. The Winter Island Tidal Habitat Restoration Project is proposed by DWR to restore connectivity to the interior of Winter Island to create aquatic and riparian habitat to benefit native species. Winter Island was formerly managed for duck hunting and currently receives muted tidal flows. The Project will enhance up to 544-acres of tidal wetland, associated high marsh and riparian habitats benefiting listed fish species including Delta Smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus), Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), and Longfin Smelt (Spirinchus thaleichthys).The Project is intended to partially fulfill the 8,000-acre tidal habitat restoration obligations of DWR, contained within the 2008 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Delta Smelt Biological Opinion and referenced in the 2009 National Marine Fisheries Service Salmonid Biological Opinion, for long-term coordinated operations of the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project.

Public Review Period
The IS/MND is being circulated for public review and comment for a period of 30 days beginning 08/10/18.   Comments on the IS/MND are welcomed and should be submitted no later than 5 P.M. on 09/10/18. Please send comments to:

Department of Water Resources
Fish Restoration Program
Attn: Joy Khamphanh
P.O. Box 942836
Sacramento, California 94236-0001
manisay.khamphanh@water.ca.gov |  (916) 376-9824

Related Documents: 
Appendix A: Response to Comments
Appendix B: Air Quality Calculations
Appendix C: CNDDB
Appendix D: IPaC List
Appendix E: Cultural Resource Report
Appendix F: Peak Velocity Modeling
Appendix G: Greenhouse Gas Calculations
Appendix H: Salinity Modeling
Appendix I: 90% Design Drawings