East Ames-Reche Recharge Facility Project

The East Ames-Reche Recharge Facility Project, managed by the Mojave Water Agency, involves the development of two new recharge basins on 10 acres in Landers, San Bernardino County, California. The project is designed to increase groundwater recharge capacity for annual State Water Project Table A allocations, targeting an annual recharge capacity of 1,500 AFY with a maximum flow rate of 5 cubic feet per second. Key infrastructure improvements include 12-foot tall berms, perimeter access roads, 6-foot barbed wire fencing, and approximately 500 linear feet of 12-inch nonpotable water pipeline from Winters Road. Additional components include a new tee connection, two headwalls, an outlet with an energy dissipator, and a nested or multi-completion monitoring well to track water quality, groundwater levels, and infiltration rates. The project is subject to the California Environmental Quality Act and is governed by a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program to address environmental impacts. Compliance requirements include the implementation of a project-specific Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan and the coordination of specialized personnel, including a qualified archaeologist, a paleontological resources specialist, and a biologist. Specific biological mandates include conducting Desert Tortoise Clearance Surveys 30 days prior to ground disturbance and obtaining an incidental take permit for the removal of 68 western Joshua trees. The project was approved on December 11, 2025, with Melody Bailey serving as the primary point of contact for the Mojave Water Agency.