Fall River Valley Community Services District – McArthur Groundwater Test Well
Summary
SCH Number
2025061272
Public Agency
Fall River Valley Community Services District
Document Title
Fall River Valley Community Services District – McArthur Groundwater Test Well
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/26/2025
Document Description
The purpose of the proposed project is to evaluate a location for an additional permanent well to ensure a safe and reliable potable water supply for customers in the Fall River Valley Community Services District (FRVCSD).
The FRVCSD provides water to the residents and businesses in the community of Fall River Mills and McArthur. Currently, FRVCSD maintains two wells, however, the district relies on a single well located in McArthur (McArthur Well No. 1). The well is currently producing 370 gallons per minute (gpm). The secondary well, located in Fall River Mills, is unused due to low-quality water resulting from high levels of iron and manganese, and a low yield (120 gpm). In the case of mechanical failure or an emergency, the secondary well would be unable to provide adequate water to the District. FRVCSD has a current maximum water demand of 390 gpm, and often requires 24-hour pumping during summer months and fire events. While the estimated maximum daily demand is 94% of the existing storage volume, there is little room for error during the summer months.
The proposed project would include drilling one test well to locate a secondary quality water source. As shown on Figure 2, a proposed well site has been identified by FRVCSD. If this site provides adequate water supply of at least 475 gpm, and satisfactory water quality, the test well will later be converted to a permanent well to provide a second source of water supply to FRVCSD.
Drilling operations at the site would require minimal site preparation and grading; no trees would be removed. Construction of the test well would not provide for future build-out or induce population growth in the area.
Contact Information
Name
Cecil Ray
Agency Name
FRVCSD
Job Title
General Manager
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
McArthur (Unincorporated)
Counties
Shasta
Regions
Unincorporated
Cross Streets
Lewis Road
Zip
96028
Total Acres
0.7
Parcel #
018-450-019
State Highways
State Highway 299
Township
37N
Range
05E
Section
3
Base
MDM
Other Location Info
Fall River Junior-Senior High School, Soldier Mountain High School
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4 and Class 6, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Division 6, Chapter 3, §15304 and §15306
Reasons for Exemption
Class 4 applies to minor alternations to the condition of land (e.g., clearing, trenching, and backfilling) that do not involve the removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees, provided that the surface is restored following construction. The Class 6 exemption consists of basic data collection, research, experimental management, and resource evaluation activities which do not result in a serious or major disturbance to an environmental resource. The project is consistent with the categorical exemptions noted above because work would consist of installation of a new well for data collection.
As documented in the Notice of Exemption, the proposed project would not have a significant effect on the environment due to unusual circumstances; would not result in damage to scenic resources within a scenic highway; is not located on a hazardous waste site pursuant to §65962.5 of the Government Code; would not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource; and would not result in cumulative impacts.
County Clerk
Shasta
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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