THE PONDS PROJECT - Sustainable Conservation

4) Each project must allow access for assessment and compliance monitoring.
5) Each project must comply with all applicable federal, State, and local laws.
II.
To ensure proposed projects are designed for water conservation rather than
increasing water consumption, all project participants shall:
1) participate in a water conservation or assessment program, and utilize all available
water conservation methods.
2) limit the total quantity of water used to the same amount (or less) than the amount
used prior to the project development. This would not preclude changing
cropping patterns where higher and lower demand crops were planted on the same
acreage resulting in the same amount (or less) of overall water use.
3) limit the purpose of use for the water right acquired under this program to
irrigation and/or instream flow protection in perpetuity. 19
III.
To ensure instream flow dedications remain in the stream and are not be
taken by other diverters upstream or downstream, Streambed Alteration
Agreements shall be required for all diverters in project watersheds.
PROPOSED “KEY” FOR PROCESSING PONDS PROJECTS
1. Does the applicant agree to the terms for participation in the project as
presented in the two-page coversheet, including participation in the Section
1707 dedication process to ensure flows conserved by the development of the
pond(s) remain instream for the benefit of aquatic resources?
a. Yes, the project will adhere to all the terms in the coversheet (proceed to #2
below).
b. No, this project will not adhere to all the terms in the coversheet (proceed to #4
below).
19 The project will be developing new water rights for the ponds and ultimately will result in additional
water diversions within the watershed. This water will be limited in purpose of use at the time the permits
are issued to irrigation, however, this purpose can be changed at a later date and the water can be
transferred to other uses. Since the purpose of the project is to promote the recovery of fisheries and
sustainable agriculture, water developed under this program should remain in agricultural use or revert back
to instream flow protection.
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