Bureau of Reclamation Grant: Grassland Bypass Project Biological Monitoring in San Joaquin River

This Funding Announcement is not a request for applications. This announcement is to provide public notice of the Bureau of Reclamation’s intention to fund the following project activities without full and open competition.

ABSTRACT
Funding Announcement R16AN20003
Project Title Grassland Bypass Project – Biological Monitoring in the San Joaquin River
Recipient California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Principal Investigator / Program Manager Andy Gordus (CA Department of Fish and Wildlife)
1234 E. Shaw Avenue
Fresno, CA
Anticipated Federal Amount $239,087.26
Cost Share None
Total Anticipated Award Amount $239,087.26
New Award or Continuation? New Award
Anticipated Period of Performance January 2016 – December 2020
Award Instrument Grant
Statutory Authority San Luis Unit, Public Law 86-488, Section 1(a) and 5
CFDA # and Title 15.527 San Luis Unit, Central Valley Project
Single Source Justification Criteria Cited (4) Unique Qualifications
Reclamation Point of Contact Stacy Brown (USBR – SCCAO)

OVERVIEW

This agreement supports activities related to the Grassland Bypass Project. The project has separated agricultural drainage water from wetland water supply channels since October 1996, significantly improving the quality of water and habitat in central California.

The overall purposes of the Grassland Bypass Project are to:

1. To extend the San Luis Drain (SLD) Use Agreement to allow the Grassland Area Farmers more time to acquire funds and develop, test and implement feasible drain-water treatment and disposal technologies to meet revised Basin Plan Objectives for full implementation, i.e., zero discharge into Mud Slough (North) and the San Joaquin river by December 31, 2019;

2. To continue collection and discharge of contaminated agricultural drain-water from the Grassland Drainage Area (GDA) into the SLD and away from wetland water supply conveyance channels for the period 2010 to 2019; and,

3. To facilitate drainage management that maintains the viability of agricultural lands in the GDA and promotes improvement in water quality in the San Joaquin River over the life of the project.

Under the 2010 Agreement for Continued Use of the San Luis Drain No. 10-WC-20-3975, the Grassland Area Farmers will use a portion of the San Luis Drain to convey agricultural drainage water to Mud Slough (North), a tributary of the San Joaquin River. The 2010 Agreement specifies the loads of salts and selenium that can be discharged in accordance with the revised 2015 Waste Discharge Requirements. A monitoring program is being conducted to measure the effects of the project on water quality, biology, toxicity, sediment accumulation, and selenium quality.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

The objective of this grant is to continue funding for biological sampling to monitor the effects of the GBP on biota in the San Joaquin River. This agreement will fund the collection of fish and invertebrates at one location on the San Joaquin River. The sampling requirements are specified in the 2015 Grassland Bypass Monitoring plan. The objectives to be fulfilled by the recipient are listed below.

Objective 1: Collection of Biological Samples
Sampling will occur at Site R (San Joaquin River at China Island). This site is located in the San Joaquin River downstream of the Mud Slough confluence. This site is representative of the impact the project is having on the river. Table 1 below outlines the expected sampling analysis and frequency.
Table 1: Biological Sampling Outline

Analysis to be Performed Frequency of Collection
Physicals of Water (flow, EC, Temp, DO, pH)

Quarterly (March, June, September, December)*

Selenium in Whole-body Fish
Mercury in Whole-body Fish
Fish Community Assessment
Selenium in Fish Muscle Tissue
Mercury in Fish Muscle Tissue
Selenium in Aquatic Insects Biannual (June & September)*
Mercury in Aquatic Insects
* The months suggested under frequency are subject to change based on contractor needs (weather, staffing, site conditions etc.). If the sampling schedule is expected to deviate from those months the contractor will inform the Reclamation.
All samples will be collected, handled, and analyzed in accordance with the 2015 GBP Monitoring Program and associated Quality Assurance Project Plan. The recipient will arrange to have samples analyzed by a Reclamation approved lab of their choosing. The recipient will also receive the completed results of the analysis directly from the laboratory for interpretation. Funds have been provided in the budget to have this laboratory work completed.
Objective 2: Annual Data Interpretation and Reporting
The results of the sample collection will be compiled and analyzed on an annual basis. This analysis will coincide with Reclamations drafting of the Annual Report for the GBP.
The recipient will write one chapter interpreting the data that has been collected for that year and comparing it to any relevant data that was collected in the past.
These results will be compiled into a chapter and sent to Reclamation for review.

RECLAMATION INVOLVEMENT

Reclamation will be responsible for federal monitoring and oversight of activities performed under this agreement. Such responsibilities include review of financial status and performance reports. Additional monitoring activities could include site visits, conference calls, and other on and off-site monitoring activities. At the Recipient’s request, Reclamation may also provide technical assistance to the Recipient in support of the scope of work and objectives of this agreement.Reclamation did not solicit full and open competition for this award based the following criteria:

(4) UNIQUE QUALIFICATIONS

Single Source Justification Description:

A sole source justification is recommended in this financial assistance agreement because the applicant is uniquely qualified based on their long history and extensive knowledge of the Grassland Bypass Project (GBP). California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has been conducting work on this project since its inception in 1996. They have published collected biological data, published and reviewed annual reports, and participated in DCRT meetings. Their long history has provided them with an extensive familiarity of the program and has helped them establish a good working relationship with project stake holders. They own the land where the current monitoring site is located and are familiar with the sampling protocols and laboratory analysis. They are also familiar with the annual report requirements and the layout in which project data should be reported. This is a benefit to Reclamation because it will not require staff to provide any additional training/staff time outside of the general GOTR duties. This will save the government time, money and resources.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY

San Luis Unit, Public Law 86-488, Section 1(a) and 5
Section 1(a) – To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to construct the San Luis Unit of the Central Valley Project, California, to enter into an agreement with the State of California with respect to the construction and operation of such unit, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That (a) for the principal purpose of furnishing water for the irrigation of approximately five hundred thousand acres of land in Merced, Fresno, and Kings Counties, California, hereinafter referred to as the Federal San Luis unit service area, and as incidents thereto of furnishing water for municipal and domestic use and providing recreation and fish and wildlife benefits, the secretary of the interior (hereinafter referred to as the Secretary) is authorized to construct, operate, and maintain the San Luis unit as an integral part of the Central Valley project. The principal engineering features of said unit shall be a dam and reservoir at or near the San Luis site, a forebay and afterbay, the San Luis Canal, the Pleasant Valley Canal, and necessary pumping plants, distribution systems, drains, channels, levees, flood works, and related facilities, but no facilities shall be constructed for electrical transmission or distribution service which the Secretary determines, on the basis of an offer of a firm fifty year contract from a local public or private agency, can through such contract be obtained at less cost to the Federal Government than by construction and operation of Government facilities. The works (hereinafter referred to as joint-use facilities) for joint use with the State of California (hereinafter referred to as the State) shall be the dam and reservoir at or near the San Luis site, forebay and afterbay, pumping plants, and the San Luis Canal. The joint-use facilities consisting of the dam and reservoir shall be constructed, and other joint-use facilities may be constructed, so as to permit future expansion or the join-use facilities shall be constructed initially to the capacities necessary to serve both the Federal San Luis unit service area and the State’s service area, as hereinafter provided. In constructing, operating, and maintaining the San Luis unit, the Secretary shall be governed by the Federal reclamation laws (Act of June 17, 1902 (32 Stat. 388), an Acts amendatory thereof supplementary thereto). Construction of the San Luis unit shall not be commenced until the Secretary has (1) secured, or has satisfactory assurance of his ability to secure, all rights to the use of water which are necessary to carry out the purposes of the unit and the terms and conditions of this Act, and (2) received satisfactory assurances for the State of California that it will make provision for a master drainage outlet and disposal channel for the San Joaquin Valley, as generally outlined in the California water plan, Bulletin Numbered 3, of the California Department of Water Resources, which will adequately serve, by connection therewith, the drainage system for the San Luis unit or has made provision for constructing the San Luis interceptor drain to the delta designed to meet the drainage requirements of the San Luis unit as generally outlined in the report of the Department of the Interior, entitled “San Luis Unit, Central Valley Project,” dated December 17, 1956.