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City of Santa Ana <br />Environmental Checklist <br />b. Substantially deplete groundwatersupplies or interfere substantially with groundwater <br />recharge, resulting in a net deficit in aquifer volume or a lowering of the local groundwater <br />table level (e.g., the production rate of pre- existing nearby wells would drop to a level that <br />would not support existing land uses or planned uses for which permits have been granted)? <br />Less than- Significant Impact. The City of Santa Ana is a member agency of the Orange County <br />Water District (OCWD), which provides the City of Santa Ana with approximately 62% of its water <br />from the Orange County Groundwater Basin. The remaining 38% of the City's water demand is <br />imported from Northern California and the Colorado River by the Metropolitan Water District of <br />Southern California (Metropolitan). Water recharge in Orange County occurs from the Santa Ana <br />River, recycled water, and imported water. The OCWD recharge basins are located solely in the cities <br />of Anaheim and Orange (OCWD 2012). The OCWD maintains 30 recharge facilities with a combined <br />total storage volume of about 26,000 acre -feet and 1,067 acres of wetted areas, none of which are <br />located near the proposed project site (OCWD 2009). However, the Santa Ana River is located within <br />500 feet east of the project site and, although it is concrete -lined through the City, it is identified as a <br />source for groundwater recharge. <br />The project site is currently covered with 74% impervious surfaces that consist of concrete slabs <br />and paving. The site is not a source for groundwater recharge. The project would redevelop the site <br />with school uses that would not result in a substantial change in impervious surfaces. The <br />redeveloped site would be 72% impervious. Because the project would not result in a substantial <br />change over existing conditions, and because the site does not contain recharge facilities, the project <br />would not interfere with groundwater recharge. <br />The projected water demand associated with the proposed project is estimated at approximately <br />25,992 gallons per day at maximum capacity on a school day, which is substantially less than the <br />historic water use from the project site. This volume of water use by the proposed project will not <br />result in substantial depletion of water resources from the Orange County Groundwater Basin (see <br />Utilities and Service Systems for an expanded discussion on water). Therefore, the proposed project <br />would not result in the substantial depletion of groundwater supplies or substantially interfere with <br />groundwater recharge such that there would be net deficit in aquifer volurne or lowering of the <br />groundwater table. Impacts related to lowering the groundwater table and groundwater recharge <br />are less than significant. <br />c. Substantially alter the existing drainage pattern of the site or area, Including through tine <br />alteration of the course of a stream or river, in a manner that would result in substantial <br />erosion or siltation on site or off site? <br />Less -than- Significant Impact. The proposed project would result in minimal changes to the <br />amount of impervious surfaces on site, and will not substantially alter the existing drainage pattern <br />of the project site or alter the course of the Santa Ana River in a manner that would result in <br />substantial erosion or siltation onsite or offsite. Although the project site is within 500 feet of the <br />Santa Ana River, development of the proposed project would not directly affect its course or flow <br />patterns. Current drainage patterns consist of surface flow across the site and into an offsite storm <br />drain system along 17th Street, which empties into a concrete -lined portion of the Santa Ana River <br />channel and levee located south -east of the project site. <br />The project would slightly increase pervious surfaces (approximately 2% or 6,000 sf of area) on the <br />project site that would result in less storm flow. The planned operational stormwater drainage for <br />the center portion of the project site will direct surface flow to drain into a bioretention system that <br />The Academy Charter High School 3 57 June 2012 <br />20 <br />initial Study /Mitigated Negative Declaration ICF ne 2011 <br />l Y, <br />