Notice of Intent of the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Rice Canyon Reservoir Access Road and New Conduit Project, W.O. No. C2038.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District (EVMWD) has completed an Initial Study for the Rice Canyon Reservoir Access Road and New Conduit Project, W.O. No. C2038, in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Initial Study is a preliminary analysis prepared by EVMWD, as Lead Agency, to inform the EVMWD Board of Directors, affected agencies, and the public of potential environmental impacts associated with the implementation of the proposed Project. Based on the analysis in the Initial Study, it has been determined that all Project-related environmental impacts will be reduced to a level that is less than significant with the incorporation of mitigation measures. Accordingly, a Mitigated Negative Declaration will meet the requirements of CEQA.
PROJECT LOCATION: The Project site consists of 2.6 acres, along portions of Assessor’s Parcel Numbers (APNs) 394-140-001, -003, -004, and 394-150-001, and -011. APN 394-140-001, which contains the District’s Reservoir, and is owned by the City of Lake Elsinore, within Riverside County. The existing access road is approximately 2,500 linear feet (LF) from approximately the terminus of Dale Court to the Reservoir.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The improvements proposed as part of the Project aim to restore permanent access to the District’s Rice Canyon Reservoir, while protecting the existing 16-inch water pipeline and the proposed electrical conduit from future flooding and vehicle traffic. The proposed Project includes the following components: (1) replace the existing electrical conduit; (2) replace the three existing concrete low water crossings; (3) clear vegetation, regrade and compact the access road, and construct earthen drainage swales along the road in areas where natural ditches have already formed; (4) perform reservoir rehabilitation repairs; and (5) ongoing maintenance of roadway to keep clear for access. All Project-related activities are planned and designed to stay within the proposed Project footprint.
Existing onsite crossings will be replaced with two new concrete low-flow crossings (Crossing A+B and Crossing C) that total approximately 0.2-acre in surface area (9,036 square feet). Existing Crossings A and B will be combined into one stretch of concrete (“Crossing A+B”) that is 487 feet long and 12 feet wide. Existing Crossing C will be replaced with a new low flow Crossing C that is 266 feet long and 12 feet wide. Each creek crossing will have upstream and downstream underground sloped cut-off walls that cover an additional subsurface footprint of 0.2-acre. At Crossing C, Class V grouted riprap is proposed to provide slope stabilization. Additional riprap is required on the west side of Crossing A+B and midway down the access road to dissipate water velocity from the hillside and help reduce potential erosion to the roadway.
Road repairs consist of grading and earthen drainage swales along the road in areas where natural ditches have already formed. EVMWD proposes yearly maintenance to the access road as needed to maintain vehicular access to the reservoir.
The Project will include essential anti-corrosion repairs (i.e., cathodic protection system), structural retrofit, safety improvements, and recoating to the interior and exterior of the Rice Canyon Reservoir.
Project construction is expected to commence in 2024 and will be broken down in two phases: the first phase consisting of the conduit and road repairs lasting approximately three months and the second phase consisting of the reservoir rehabilitation lasting another 9-12 months.
CORTESE LIST NOTICE: Pursuant to Public Resources Code § 21092.6(a), the Project site is not included on a list of hazardous materials sites compiled pursuant to Government Code § 65962.5 (California Department of Toxic Substances Control List of various hazardous sites).
DOCUMENT AVAILABILITY: Copies of the Initial Study and the proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) are available for public review at the EVMWD’s office located at 31315 Chaney Street, Lake Elsinore, California 92530. The IS/MND is also available HERE. All documents referenced in the Initial Study are available for public review at those locations identified in the Initial Study.
PROJECT CONTACT: Questions or request for electronic copies of the Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration should be directed to Andrea Kraft at the address provided above, by phone at (951) 674-3146, or by e-mail at akraft@evmwd.net.
COMMENTS: In accordance with Section 15072(a) of the State CEQA Guidelines, this Public Notice is to officially notify the general public, public agencies, and landowners that a 30-day public review period will begin on February 15, 2023. Any comments on the proposed Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration or requests for information should be sent to: Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District, Attn: Andrea Kraft, Assistant Engineer (akraft@evmwd.net), P.O. Box 3000, Lake Elsinore, California 92531.
Written comments must be received at the above address or via email by 5:00 p.m. pm on March 16, 2023. Any written comments received will be forwarded to the EVMWD’s Board of Directors and will be considered before the Mitigated Negative Declaration is approved for adoption.
PUBLIC MEETING: A public hearing of EVMWD’s Board of Directors to take action on the Initial Study and Mitigated Negative Declaration will be held at a future public meeting at the District’s Boardroom located at 31315 Chaney Street, Lake Elsinore, California 92530.
