Owner/Client: Sacramento Water Forum
The Water Forum for the Sacramento Region is proposing the Lower American River Flow Management Standard (FMS) on behalf of its stakeholders, including the City of Sacramento, County of Sacramento, and over 15 public water agencies and districts in the region. The FMS is intended to establish a flow release schedule that achieves the co-equal objectives of the Water Forum Agreement to protect the river’s fisheries and other natural resources while providing a reliable water supply to the region. The agreement, adopted in 2000, was the result of an innovative, regional collaboration of water, environmental, business, and public interests to end two decades of disputes regarding the Lower American River water resources. The City and County are co-lead agencies for the EIR preparation. Ascent is the as the primary CEQA consultant for the EIR. The original Sacramento Area Water Forum Agreement EIR was also prepared under the leadership of Ascent principals. To the extent that environmental information from that EIR is suitable as substantial evidence to support the currently proposed FMS, the information is being used or incorporated by reference, as appropriate. Ascent is leading the EIR preparation and serving as the technical consultant for terrestrial biology, wetlands, recreation, air quality and noise, land use, and greenhouse gas/climate change. Other consultants to the Water Forum are providing technical input to the EIR for hydrology and water supply modeling, fisheries and aquatic resources, hydropower, flood control, and water quality.