ANNOUNCEMENT: The Draft EIR for the Interlake Tunnel and Spillway Modification Project is open for public review and comment between Friday January 20th, 2023 and March 21, 2023.

Draft EIR Documents

Overview

The Interlake Tunnel Project (Interlake Tunnel) was included in the July 1991 Water Facilities Capital Plan (Volume I, Volume II), prepared by Boyle Engineering Corporation for the Monterey County Water Resources Agency (MCWRA). Operationally, the Interlake Tunnel would divert water from Nacimiento Reservoir to San Antonio Reservoir that would have otherwise been spilled at Nacimiento Dam. The Nacimiento River basin produces nearly three times the average annual flow of the San Antonio River basin, therefore, capturing high Nacimiento River flows and diverting those flows to San Antonio Reservoir increases the overall storage capacity of the system.

Subsequent to 1991, MCWRA efforts were focused on completion of the Salinas Valley Water Project (Salinas River Diversion Facility and modification to the Nacimiento Dam Spillway). The current drought has created a renewed interest in the Interlake Tunnel concept.

The Interlake Tunnel requires a detailed engineering analysis; but is generally planned to consist of an 11,000 foot gravity flow tunnel with an intake structure in Nacimiento Reservoir and an exit structure in San Antonio. Total project cost is estimated at $48 million, including $3.4 million in contingency. Depending upon the degree of environmental documentation required the Interlake Tunnel could be completed in two to three years.

The Interlake Tunnel has been divided into three phases: project feasibility, including preliminary engineering and water rights requirements analysis; pre-construction tasks, including environmental review, permit applications, geotechnical and final design, right-of-way acquisition and financing arrangements; and construction.

The MCWRA, with approval of the Board of Supervisors of the MCWRA, proceeded to contract with a Program Manager to begin project feasibility and pre-construction tasks. However, the MCWRA will not proceed beyond the preliminary engineering and water rights requirements analysis until environmental review is completed and authorization to proceed is received from the Board of Supervisors of the MCWRA. The estimate of Pre-construction Phase costs is as follows:

Timeline of Events:

On June 3, 2014, the Board of Supervisors of the MCWRA authorized negotiation and execution of a funding agreement between Monterey County and the MCWRA for an amount not to exceed $500,000 for program management, engineering and environmental review of the Interlake Tunnel, said funds to be reimbursed to Monterey County if the Interlake Tunnel is approved and financed; and directed staff to return to the Board of Supervisors in July 2014 with a project status report and information on financial impact to the County in regards to funding the agreement. The Board of the MCWRA also authorized the MCWRA General Manager to enter into the necessary agreements to prepare for and commence environmental review of the Interlake Tunnel in an initial amount not to exceed $500,000 provided funding is approved by Monterey County. Presentation slides for this meeting are found here.

On July 1, 2014, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors approved a funding Agreement and approved the use of County funds for the Agreement. The MCWRA has contracted EPC Consultants as the Program Manager and Construction Manager, a legal firm to perform the water rights analysis, and will solicit a qualified environmental firm.

On August 25, 2014, the Board of the MCWRA held a public workshop to provide background information about the Interlake Tunnel and to provide an update of current project activities and accomplishments. The agenda and presentation slides for this workshop are found here.

On November 19, 2014, the Board of the MCWRA held a public workshop to provide current feasibility status on the Interlake Tunnel. The agenda, including technical memorandum, and presentation slides for this workshop are found here.

On January 15, 2015, MCWRA published an Informational Notice of pending RFP’s for engineering design.

On February 26, 2015, MCWRA held a public meeting on the proposed Interlake Tunnel and San Antonio Spillway Modification project. The meeting was held in the Heritage Ranch Conference Room, Paso Robles, CA. Updated slides are found here.

On March 13, 2015, MCWRA published an UPDATED Informational Notice of pending RFP’s for engineering design. This notice contains the RFP schedule.

On April 16, 2015, a RFP pre-proposal meeting was held. The presentation can be found here.

On April 28, 2016, a Notice of Preparation/Initial Study (NOP/IS) was circulated, initiating a 45-day scoping period for the Environmental Impact Report. The scoping period concluded on June 13, 2016. The NOP/IS can be found here.

On May 16 and 17, 2016, scoping meetings were held. The presentation can be found here.

Environmental Impact Report

NOP/IS
Scoping Comments
Scoping Presentation

Draft EIR Open for Public Review:

The Monterey County Water Resources Agency is circulating for public review and comment a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The Draft EIR has been prepared in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and is being circulated for public review and comment in accordance with Section 15088.5 of the State CEQA Guidelines. The Draft EIR public review period was changed due to 2023 winter storm emergencies and will be open between January 20, 2023 and March 21, 2023. 

The Draft EIR will be available for a 60‐day public review from January 20, 2023 to March 21, 2023. Please submit written comments on the Draft EIR by 5 p.m. PST March 21, 2023 via email at tunnelEIR@co.monterey.ca.us, at the public meetings described below, or via U.S. mail to: Alex Henson, Associate Water Resources Engineer, Monterey County Water Resources Agency, 1441 Schilling Place, North Building, Salinas, CA 93901.

The submittal of written comments by email would be greatly appreciated (attached documents in Microsoft Word or PDF format are encouraged). Written comments received in response to this Draft EIR during the public review period will be addressed in the Final EIR response-to-comments section.

Digital EIR files are below:

Notice of Availability

Public Notice of Extension

Resumen Ejecutivo en Español

Draft EIR Vol 1

Draft EIR Vol 2a, Appendices

Draft EIR Vol 2b, Appendices

Salinas Valley Operational Model Report

Hardcopy Draft EIRs are also available for review at the following locations:

• Monterey County Water Resources Agency, 1441 Schilling Place, North Building, Salinas, CA 93901
• Paso Robles City Library, 1000 Spring Street, Paso Robles, CA 93446

Public Meetings:

Public Meeting - Fact Sheet

Public Meeting - Presentation Slides

Public Meeting - Poster Boards

Two public meetings will be held to present the Project and associated findings of the Draft EIR, and receive written comments from individuals and organizations on the Draft EIR. Live webinars of both meetings will also be available as follows:

• February 1, 2023, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Bradley Elementary School, 65600 Dixie Street, Bradley, CA
Webinar: https://montereycty.zoom.us/j/94949490094?pwd=S3gzbXRjL04yUExDS2s0bGJsQkx5dz09
Passcode = 714405; Meeting ID = 949 4949 0094; Phone = +1 669 900 6833 US

• February 2, 2023, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Greenfield City Council Chambers, 599 El Camino Real, Greenfield, CA
Webinar: https://montereycty.zoom.us/j/99823161437?pwd=NXBkNGJDaHRIWGNGTWZNMGd2eUJGQT09
Passcode = 185485; Meeting ID = 998 2316 1437; Phone = +1 669 900 6833 US

• Greenfield February 2 Meeting - Part 1

• Greenfield February 2 Meeting - Part 2

Accommodations:

For individuals requesting reasonable accommodations, please contact Alex Henson at (831) 755-4874.

Contract Documents

Presentations

June 3, 2014
August 25, 2014
November 19, 2014
February 26, 2015
April 16, 2015
July 14, 2016
September 15, 2017
September 15, 2017 Q&A

May 10, 2018
July 6, 2018

March 22, 2022

KMZ

Miscellaneous

Well Resolution