Draft Environmental Impact Report - East Bay Municipal Utility District

SUMMARYS.1 IntroductionThis Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) assesses the potential impacts of the EstatesReservoir Replacement Project (the Project) proposed by the East Bay Municipal UtilityDistrict (EBMUD). Figure S-1 identifies the Project location, as well as nearby cities andmajor roadways in the Project vicinity, and shows the disposition of the three reservoirs in theDingee Pressure Zone. The Piedmont Reservoir is presently out of service and the DingeeReservoir will be removed from service once the Project is constructed and in service.This document has been prepared in accordance with the California EnvironmentalQuality Act (CEQA) statutes and guidelines. EBMUD is the lead agency for this CEQAprocess. Written comments about the Project or EIR should be directed to:Gwen Alie, Associate PlannerEast Bay Municipal Utility District375 Eleventh Street (Mail Slot 701)Oakland, CA 94607-4240galie@ebmud.comS.2 BackgroundEstates Reservoir is located on a 6.7-acre parcel of land on the south side ofEstates Drive, at 6317 Estates Drive, in the City of Oakland. The site is situated westof Highway 13, south of Moraga Road and north of Park Avenue. Estates Reservoir isone of two open-cut reservoirs in the Dingee Pressure Zone; Dingee Reservoir is theother reservoir also located on the South side of Highway 13, approximately 500 feetto the north of Estates Reservoir, on Bullard Drive. Both the Estates and DingeeReservoirs are currently in service. The Montclair Pumping Plant is located at theEstates Reservoir site. Figure S-1 also shows the location of all three facilities.The proposed Estates Reservoir Replacement Project will improve water quality andincrease system reliability and operating efficiency by removing excess, inefficientstorage and aging facilities requiring major rehabilitation or replacement in the DingeePressure Zone. The Project will also address seismic issues related to the Estatesreservoir embankment in response to a 2004 letter request by the California Divisionof Safety of Dams (DSOD) for seismic study and remediation of the Estates Dam.Based on consultant seismic studies, EBMUD determined that there was a potential forcrest deformation and settlement and that redesign of the facility was required. In theinterim, the Estates Reservoir is currently operating at a reduced capacity of about 13.4million gallon (MG) compared to its original capacity of 17.6 MG. In addition, theexisting roof structure does not meet current seismic requirements.sb09_001.doc S-1 7/22/2009