Estill Ranches, LLC: Hearing for Groundwater Exportation Application

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

LASSEN COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

The Lassen County Planning Commission held a public hearing on Tuesday, February 02, 2021, and is recommending that the Board of Supervisors approve the following project:

Applicant:                        Estill Ranches, LLC (John and Lani Estill)

File:                                    GW2020-001, Groundwater Exportation Application

Project:            Proposal to export an annual maximum of 504.4 acre-feet of groundwater (at a rate of 3.0 CFS) from the Lassen County portion of the Surprise Valley groundwater basin (Bulletin 118 basin #6-001) to the Washoe County, Nevada portion of the same basin, for irrigation of 129 acres of land in Nevada. Pursuant to Lassen County Code Chapter 17.01, a permit is required for this proposal. The two proposed points of diversion serving the export are located at Latitude 41°09’43” N Longitude 120°00’56” W and Latitude 41°09’59” N Longitude 120°01’54” W, with the point of use at Latitude 41°09’07” N and Longitude 119°59’32” W. The Environmental Review Officer has determined that this project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines.

Project Site

(Point of diversion):            The proposed points of diversion are in portions of Section 10 and Section 14, Township 38 North, Range 17 East, M.D.B. and M, which are located in Surprise Valley. This is approximately 1.5 miles southwest of the northeastern most corner of Lassen County (junction of the Lassen County, Modoc County, and Nevada borders) at 748-925 Bare Ranch Road, California.

Point of Use:            The proposed point of use is a portion of Section 29, Township 38 North, Range 18 East, M.D.B. and M., which is located in Washoe County, Nevada.

Zoning:            The project site (point of diversion) is zoned U-C-2-A-P (Upland Conservation/Resource Management District, Agricultural Preserve Combining District) and is designated Extensive Agriculture by the Lassen County General Plan, 2000.

A.P.N.:                        011-040-03, 011-080-02

Staff Contact:                        Cortney Flather, Natural Resources Technician

The Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing to receive the Planning Commission’s recommendation and consider adoption of the proposed approval of Groundwater Exportation Application at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 23, 2021, at Jensen Hall, 195 Russell Avenue, Susanville. All interested persons are invited to attend the meeting and be heard, or to submit comments to the Department of Planning and Building Services, 707 Nevada Street, Susanville, CA 96130.