Thousand Palms Flood Control Project

In order to comply with both the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), CVWD and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) will prepare a joint Environmental Impact Report & Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for the Thousand Palms Flood Control Project proposed by CVWD. The Project consists of a series of flood control improvements designed to meet the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 0.01 chance, or 100-year, flood event thereby providing flood protection for developed and planned development areas in Thousand Palms and the vicinity. The need for flood control has increased substantially in recent years due to continued growth and development in the Coachella Valley. The proposed Project is also designed to support continued aeolian (wind-driven) transport of sand to the Coachella Valley Preserve, where it forms habitat for the sensitive Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard (State-listed as endangered and federally-listed as threatened).
Flooding Miles

The Project site is located in the Thousand Palms area of the Coachella Valley, within north-central Riverside County between the Indio Hills and Interstate 10. The unincorporated community of Thousand Palms, located south and east of the Project, is roughly 10 miles east of the city of Palm Springs and immediately north of the city of Palm Desert. The Project is located along the southern boundary of the Thousand Palms Conservation Area of the Coachella Valley Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan and the Coachella Valley Preserve.

The CVWD and USACE invite your written comments as to the scope of the environmental analysis topics and identification of potential environmental issues related to the Project. The 30-day public scoping period runs from November 18, 2016 to December 19, 2016. A public scoping meeting will be held on December 6, 2016, 6PM at the Thousand Palms Community Center located at: 31189 Robert Road, Thousand Palms, CA 92276.

Project Documents