2014-069 - Final Environmental Impact Report No. 2014-01

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HARBOR BLVD. MIXED USE TRANSIT CORRIDOR PLAN FINAL FIR CITY OF SANTA ANA 4. Environmental Setting Hydrology and Water Quality The project area is in the Santa Ana River Watershed, which includes much of Orange County, much of western Riverside County, part of southwestern San Bernardino County, and a small portion of Los Angeles County. The watershed covers approximately 2,800 square miles, with about 700 miles of rivers and major tributaries. The Santa Ana River extends 96 miles from the San Bernardino Mountains in San Bernardino County to the Pacific Ocean at the boundary between the cities of Huntington Beach and Newport Beach. Individual lots in the project area generally surface -drain to Harbor Boulevard and other side streets, and the runoff is captured and conveyed in the storm drain systems. Runoff is managed by a combination of closed and open drainage channels. A 90 -inch culvert crosses Harbor Boulevard at Washington Street. A second large closed drainage system is midway between 1st and 5th Streets. All drainage ultimately discharges into the Orange County Flood Control Channel. The project area lies over the Main Orange County Groundwater Basin that underlies most of north and central Orange County. Most water pumped from the basin for municipal use is of potable quality. Much of the northern half of the project area is in Zone A, a 100 -year flood zone designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Areas along the west side of Harbor Boulevard from 1st Street north to 5th Street are in Zone A, as are areas along both sides of Harbor Boulevard from 5th Street north to Westminster Avenue. The remainder of the project area, south of the above specified areas, is in Shaded Zone X, meaning that it is protected from 100 -year floods by levees. Additionally, the entire project area is in the dam inundation area for Prado Dam, which is on the Santa Ana River 18 miles northeast of the project area. Refer to Section 5.7, Hydrology and Abater Quality, for additional information regarding hydrological conditions and an analysis of project impacts on hydrology and water quality. Noise Noise levels in the project area are influenced primarily by motor vehicle traffic on project area roadways (Harbor Boulevard, Hazard Avenue, 1st Street, 5th Street, McFadden Avenue, Jackson Street, and Gloxinia Avenue), which are a steady source of ambient noise. In addition to transportation - related noise, nontransportation sources generate noise in the project area. Noise from the existing mechanical equipment (ground level and rooftop) of the various commercial uses throughout the project area add to the noise levels in the project area. Other commercial related noise sources include noise from car wash equipment, auto sales and repair, and drive -thru speakerphones of fast -food establishments. Refer to Section 5.9, Noise, for additional information concerning the noise environment and an analysis of project related noise impacts. Public Services and Utilities and Service Systems The project area is in a highly urbanized area of the City, with existing public services and utilities available to the area. Local utilities and service systems that serve the existing uses in the project area are available to serve individual development projects that would be accommodated by the Harbor Corridor Plan. October 2014 Page 4 -5