El Monte Dairy Agricultural Well
Summary
SCH Number
2025081087
Public Agency
Mono County
Document Title
El Monte Dairy Agricultural Well
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
8/25/2025
Document Description
New 18" diameter casing water well to be drilled to a depth of 900'+ for irrigation purposes.
Contact Information
Name
Jill Kearney
Agency Name
Mono County Environmental Health
Job Title
Environmental Health Director
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Name
El Monte Dairy
Agency Name
El Monte Dairy
Job Title
Owner
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Address
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Oasis
Counties
Mono
Regions
Unincorporated
Total Acres
313
Parcel #
027-160-002
State Highways
266, 168
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Ministerial
Type, Section or Code
Sec. 21080(b)(1); 15268
Reasons for Exemption
Mapping resources indicate the nearest well in the vicinity of the proposed well site is on APN 027-160-002, the same parcel as the proposed well. This well will be destroyed – the proposed agricultural well is intended to replace this well. The next closest well is on parcel 027-170-001, a neighboring property to the south, which is more than 2,500 feet to the south of the proposed well site and is owned by the applicant. Based on a review of the State Water Resources Control Board’s Low-Threat Underground Storage Tank Case Closure Policy, a 1,000-foot separation from active production wells to contamination plumes is considered to be sufficient separation to pose a low threat to human health, safety, or the environment, and appropriate for no further action determination based on the groundwater-specific criteria specified. Under this assumption, wells separated by 1000 feet or more should have negligeable effect on each other. This is further shown by modeling work done by Santa Barbara County demonstrating that a new or replacement well located more than 1,000 feet from an existing well is not likely to interfere with the production of that well. The modeling is based on hypothetical water well drawdown using conservative yet anticipated values for transmissivity, storage coefficient, and anticipated pumping yields to support field grown agriculture commodities.
In addition, because there is no direct instrumental evidence of subsidence occurring in the Fish Lake Valley, the potential for subsidence is considered to be low. Further, because groundwater extractions in the Fish Lake Valley area are distributed throughout the area rather than being concentrated in small zones, the effects of subsidence, if any, may be more area wide.
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
15268
Reasons for Exemption
Mapping resources indicate the nearest well in the vicinity of the proposed well site is on APN 027-160-002, the same parcel as the proposed well. This well will be destroyed – the proposed agricultural well is intended to replace this well. The next closest well is on parcel 027-170-001, a neighboring property to the south, which is more than 2,500 feet to the south of the proposed well site and is owned by the applicant. Based on a review of the State Water Resources Control Board’s Low-Threat Underground Storage Tank Case Closure Policy, a 1,000-foot separation from active production wells to contamination plumes is considered to be sufficient separation to pose a low threat to human health, safety, or the environment, and appropriate for no further action determination based on the groundwater-specific criteria specified. Under this assumption, wells separated by 1000 feet or more should have negligeable effect on each other. This is further shown by modeling work done by Santa Barbara County demonstrating that a new or replacement well located more than 1,000 feet from an existing well is not likely to interfere with the production of that well. The modeling is based on hypothetical water well drawdown using conservative yet anticipated values for transmissivity, storage coefficient, and anticipated pumping yields to support field grown agriculture commodities.
In addition, because there is no direct instrumental evidence of subsidence occurring in the Fish Lake Valley, the potential for subsidence is considered to be low. Further, because groundwater extractions in the Fish Lake Valley area are distributed throughout the area rather than being concentrated in small zones, the effects of subsidence, if any, may be more area wide.
County Clerk
Mono
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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