Protecting Desert Wildlife and Air Quality
Field surveys and environmental studies guide the Mojave Groundwater Bank’s wildlife protections, dust controls, and groundwater monitoring.
The Mojave Groundwater Bank, a water supply and groundwater storage project being developed by Cadiz, Inc. in partnership with public agencies and Native American tribes, uses protections developed through field surveys and environmental review to safeguard desert wildlife and air quality. The 2012 review found biological impacts less than significant with mitigation. Later reviews assessed project changes and the Northern Pipeline conversion, reaffirming wildlife protections and incorporating air-quality controls.
Summary
- Field surveys informed the Mojave Groundwater Bank’s protections for desert tortoises, bighorn sheep movement, and other biological resources.
- The 2026 assessment of the Northern Pipeline’s conversion to water conveyance projects emissions below applicable thresholds and includes wildlife conservation and avoidance measures.
- County oversight and groundwater monitoring give the Mojave Groundwater Bank a process for identifying changes and adjusting operations to protect desert resources.
- Bonanza Spring studies support hydraulic separation from the aquifer below; a 2013 hydrology review concluded project pumping would not affect spring flows.
Field Surveys Shaped the Project’s Wildlife Protections
The 2012 Environmental Impact Report assessed special-status species and wildlife movement across the proposed wellfield, pipeline alignment, and storage areas. Multiple field surveys identified plants, animals, reptiles, and birds in the area and supported the project’s biological-resource protections.
The review found biological-resource effects less than significant with mitigation. Adopted measures protect desert tortoises, bighorn sheep movement, and other resources during construction and operation. The 2019 addendum retained those protections following review of modifications. The 2025 Northern Pipeline addendum found the existing mitigation feasible and sufficient to reduce any biological impacts to less than significant.
Reusing the Northern Pipeline Limits New Disturbance
The Northern Pipeline conversion uses an existing underground pipeline, limiting new surface disturbance. New construction is localized around pump stations and ancillary facilities. The 2026 federal assessment evaluated habitats and wildlife along the conversion route and found that biological impacts would not be significant with adopted conservation and avoidance measures.
For air quality, the assessment projected construction and operational emissions below applicable thresholds. Dust controls include water-truck use during grading and operations and compliance with applicable air-district rules. Pump-station designs include renewable energy from rooftop solar panels to power building lighting, ventilation, and air conditioning.
The Bureau of Land Management issued a Finding of No Significant Impact. The Northern Pipeline federal approval allows conversion of the existing pipeline to water service across public lands.
County Oversight Supports Wildlife and Air-Quality Protection
San Bernardino County’s groundwater management plan focuses on six critical resources: basin aquifers, springs, brine resources, air quality, project-area vegetation, and the Colorado River and its tributary water sources. Monitoring tracks groundwater, spring flows, airborne dust, weather, and land elevation so operators can respond to any changes if they occur.
For dry-lake dust, the plan’s air-quality monitoring requirements direct Cadiz to prepare monitoring methods, performance criteria, and station locations in consultation with the Technical Review Panel.
The Technical Review Panel is responsible for reviewing monitoring protocols and data and recommends management responses. San Bernardino County retains final oversight authority. Fenner Gap Mutual Water Company manages operations and supplies monitoring data; the framework allows pumping adjustments to protect resources. The project’s groundwater monitoring history provides further detail on observations at Cadiz Ranch.
Spring Studies Support Separation From the Valley Aquifer
Bonanza Spring is fed by precipitation entering fractured mountain bedrock above the regional alluvial aquifer. The 2018 geological and hydrogeological assessment concluded that the spring system is hydraulically separated from the Fenner Valley aquifer. Aquilogic’s 2013 hydrology review likewise concluded that project pumping would have no measurable effect on spring flows.
The 2019 peer-review report found that the weight of evidence favored no direct hydraulic connection between Bonanza Spring and the alluvial aquifer below. Its monitoring recommendations were designed to support management of the project under the environmental review and County-approved plan. Monitoring of groundwater, spring flow, weather, and vegetation helps distinguish changes in spring conditions and guide operational responses.
In a 2025 study, Luke Stevens and David Kreamer reported chemical and isotopic differences between Bonanza Spring and Cadiz wells that did not support a hydrogeologic connection.
Studies and Enforceable Measures Protect Desert Resources
The Mojave Groundwater Bank’s wildlife protections draw on field surveys, environmental studies, and adopted mitigation. The 2012 review and subsequent addenda found biological impacts less than significant with those measures. The Northern Pipeline’s 2026 assessment projected emissions below applicable thresholds and specified conservation and dust controls. County oversight and monitoring connect these protections to day-to-day groundwater management, including authority to adjust or stop pumping to protect resources.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Did the Review Find About Desert Tortoises and Bighorn Sheep?
The Mojave Groundwater Bank’s 2012 Environmental Impact Report found biological impacts less than significant with mitigation, including effects on desert tortoises and bighorn sheep movement. Adopted protections address wildlife during construction and operation. The 2019 and 2025 addenda retained biological-resource protections for the modifications each reviewed.
How Does the Mojave Groundwater Bank Control Dust?
The Northern Pipeline’s 2026 assessment specifies water-truck use during grading and operations and compliance with applicable air-district dust rules. The County’s groundwater plan also addresses any potential dry-lake dust through air-quality monitoring, performance criteria, and corrective measures. The County must approve the dry-lake dust monitoring plan before project construction begins.
Who Reviews the Groundwater Monitoring Program?
The Technical Review Panel reviews monitoring protocols, data collection, and analysis and recommends management responses. Fenner Gap Mutual Water Company collects the data and presents monitoring reports. San Bernardino County retains final oversight authority under the groundwater management plan.
What Have Studies Found About Bonanza Spring?
The 2013 hydrology review concluded that project pumping would have no measurable effect on spring flows. The 2018 assessment concluded that Bonanza Spring is hydraulically separated from the regional alluvial aquifer. The 2019 panel found that the weight of evidence favored no direct connection between project water and springs. In 2025, Stevens and Kreamer found chemical and isotopic differences between Bonanza Spring and Cadiz wells that did not support a hydrogeologic connection.
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