NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN the Dudley Ridge Water District (DRWD; Lead Agency) has prepared a Draft Initial Study-Negative Declaration (IS-ND) for the project listed below pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) State Guidelines §15000 et seq. Anyone desiring to comment on the IS-ND may do so in writing within the 30-day public review period commencing February 17, 2026 and concluding on March 19, 2026. All written comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. on March 19, 2026.

 

Project Title: Westside Districts State Water Project Multi-Year Transfer Agreement with Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency

 

Project Location and Project Description: The proposed Project involves a 59-year transfer agreement of SWP Table A supplies between SCV Water and the Westside Districts. The agreement would initiate in 2026 and terminate on December 31, 2085. Under the agreement, SCV Water would annually assess its water supplies and determine whether it has surplus Table A water to transfer. On or before June 1 of each year, SCV Water would provide the Westside Districts with an updated quantity of available water for that calendar year. Within ten days of receipt of SCV Water’s updated quantity of available water, SCV Water and Westside Districts would finalize the quantity of water for transfer and/or exchange. No physical infrastructure upgrades would be required to implement this transfer agreement because the facilities (i.e., Banks Pumping Plant; California Aqueduct; Las Perillas, Badger Hill, and Oso Pumping Plants; KCWA’s, Westside Districts’, and SCV Water’s infrastructure; water banks) currently exist and are in regular use for delivery of SWP supplies to the Westside Districts and SCV Water. Because no new or upgraded physical infrastructure is required, there is no project site that could be included on existing lists of hazardous materials sites compiled pursuant to Government Code Section 65962.5.

Environmental Determination: Pursuant to the requirements of CEQA, an Initial Study was prepared, which describes the environmental impacts of the project and concludes the project will not generate a significant adverse impact on the environment. Based on this assessment, a Negative Declaration has been prepared.

Public Comments/Review:  In accordance with Section 15073 of the State CEQA Guidelines, a digital copy of the Draft IS-ND is available for public review for 30 days from February 17, 2026 to March 19, 2026 below or at the DRWD office (8501 Brimhall Road Building 200, Suite 202 Bakersfield, CA 93312) during normal business hours.

Public Review Draft IS-ND.pdf

 

Written comments must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. on March 19, 2026 to:

Dudley Ridge Water District

Atten: Morgan Campbell, Director of Regulatory Affairs

8501 Brimhall Road Building 200, Suite 202 Bakersfield, CA 93312

Or by email to: mcampbell@westsidewa.org