Water Management in Payahuunadü
Learning Objectives
By the end of this module, you should be able to:
Understand what mitigation is and why the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) is responsible for mitigation projects in Inyo County.
Identify where and how to find information on specific mitigation projects and their current status.
Please enjoy this recording of our March 19th Virtual Workshop with Lynn Boulton where we discuss mitigation projects in Payahuunadü.
Understanding Mitigation
Mitigation is the act of reducing harm and adverse impacts resulting from a project or action.
The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires mitigation for projects that have significant impacts on the environment. In the Owens Valley, LADWP was required to complete mitigation for the impacts of its groundwater pumping which greatly increased in the early 1970s.
Mitigation as described in California regulation can be found here.
There are many mitigation projects that LADWP is responsible for and are tied to various documents that were developed during the legal processes of the 1980-1990s, with some projects having more recent updates. The two main governing documents are the 1991 Environmental Impact Report and 1997 Memorandum of Understanding.
1991 Environmental Impact Report (EIR)
Under CEQA, LADWP was required to complete an EIR to analyze the impacts of its groundwater pumping. Significant impacts, which had already occurred at the time of the writing of the EIR, were supposed to be addressed through the described mitigation projects. This EIR was finalized in 1991 after a public comment period and certification by Inyo County.
1997 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
Several agencies and local organizations did not believe that the 1991 EIR adequately addressed the environmental impacts of LADWP’s groundwater pumping and gained “friends of the court” status so that negotiations focused on mitigation projects would continue. In 1997, LADWP, Inyo County, Sierra Club, Owens Valley Committee, State Department of Fish and Game and California State Lands Commission agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding that adds additional provisions for mitigation projects.
Additional court stipulations and orders were issued through the 2000s, as the MOU parties continued to hold LADWP accountable for its mitigation obligations. Those discussions are ongoing for many projects.
The Status of Mitigation Projects
A good way to view the mitigation projects is through Inyo County’s interactive map, which includes some notes about the recent status of each project. Inyo County also publishes a table on the status of the projects, clarifying which ones LADWP and Inyo County may disagree on.
Inyo County’s map of mitigation projects
Inyo County’s mitigation status table.
The Sierra Club Range of Light Group is one of the organizations that continues to keep an eye on these mitigation projects and some additional information is on their website.