Despite growing opposition from a key partner, plans are moving forward to build the twin-tunnels project to export more California Delta water to cities in Northern and Southern California and the Central Valley. On October 10, the project’s main partner, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD), reaffirmed its commitment to move ahead with the project, despite the loss of a major funding partner, the Westlands Water District (WWD). In mid-September, the WWD’s board of directors withdrew its support and its pledge to pay $3 billion toward the project’s cost. The WWD provides water to 700 family-owned farms that average 875 acres each and are spread over 1,000 square miles in western Fresno and Kings Counties. MWD, which provides water to 14 cities, including Los Angeles, Long Beach, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, and others in fast-growing urban areas, agreed to pay $4.3 billion as its share of the project’s cost.
Like almost all aspects of the project, the total cost has been subject to extensive debate. The project’s proponent — the State Water Resources Control Board — set the cost at $17 billion, with an additional $8 billion earmarked for habitat restoration. Environmental groups, which commissioned their own study, set the cost at between $32 and $41 billion. The cost varies so much, according to the Stockton-based Restore the Delta conservation group that commissioned the study, because no one knows what the interest rates will be during the 50-year financing period.
“Today’s vote by Metropolitan Water District’s board members shows leadership and a commitment to the region’s water supply future,” said Secretary for Resources John Laird, who also reaffirmed Governor Jerry Brown’s support of the project.
Some Southern California leaders suggested the project would have to be scaled back because of limited funds, perhaps to building just one tunnel. Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, executive director of Restore the Delta, which opposes the tunnels, said the project is a nostalgic effort to build a massive state water project that is not needed.
Known officially as California WaterFix, the project proposes to construct two 40-foot-wide underground tunnels to divert Sacramento River water around the troubled Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta. Water would be diverted by three intakes with a capacity of 3,000 cubic feet per second each on the east bank of the Sacramento River between Clarksburg and Courtland and then sent 30 miles south to the massive pumping station at Tracy. The diversion intakes would include screens to prevent fish from entering the system. At the Tracy station, two new pumping plants would be constructed to handle the water levels.
Key to the project is whether it would harm or help endangered fish. Proponents argue that the more reliable water flows would help such fish, notably salmon, steelhead, Delta smelt, and others. Opponents say that the project would worsen the Delta environment and its fish.
Regardless of the actions by the agency funders, the courts are likely to play a major role in the final project. Environmental and other water-focused groups have filed legal challenges, based on how much water the state has earmarked to protect fisheries and on the project’s bond financing.
Trump Will Let Klamath Dam Removal Project Go Ahead
In a surprise move, an aide to President Donald Trump said the president would not stand in the way of a proposal to remove dams on the Klamath River. Alan Mikkelsen, the acting commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, told the media, “We do not intend to intervene materially in any way in this process.”
The “we” he is the Trump administration, and the “process” is the remaining action necessary to remove four aging hydroelectric dams from the river, which would open up some 400 miles of habitat for migratory fish such as salmon and steelhead. Three of the dams are in Siskiyou County in California, and one is in Klamath County in Oregon.
If the project survives other procedural and legal hurdles, the dams would come down in 2020, ending one of the longest-running water wars in California. It would be the largest dam-removal project in U.S. history.
For over 15 years, the issue of whether to remove the dams has pitted Indian tribes, environmentalists, and the salmon fishing industry against ranchers in Oregon and California. Lawsuits over dam removal led to parties beginning talks in 2004 and eventually reaching agreement on a plan to remove the facilities, which are owned by Portland-based PacificCorp, which was seeking to avoid having to pay $400 million to upgrade them as part of the relicensing process. The agreement died in 2015 when Republicans in Congress refused to authorize millions for the dam removal process. A year later, the agreement was revised in a way that didn’t need congressional approval and instead went directly to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which regulates dam construction and operation.
With the federal government giving its go-ahead to the project, presumably talks would resume to deal with highly technical issues, such as gaining waterquality certifications from the states and determining finding and a process habitat restoration.
In other action, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approved a proposal by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and Southern California water interests to allow an additional 400,000 acre-feet of water (around 130 billion gallons) to be shipped through the Delta to southof-the-Delta cities and those in Silicon Valley this fall. Environmental groups opposed the plan, unsuccessfully arguing that more of that water should be used for critical habitat for endangered Delta smelt. “It’s outrageous,” said Doug Abegi, senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council in San Francisco, who added that his and other environmental groups are considering whether to challenge the decision in court.
New Salmon Habitat Partnership Created
California Trout and Trout Unlimited have signed an agreement to serve as founders of the new Central Valley Salmon Habitat Partnership. The partnership is a collaboration between resource agencies, conservation groups, fishing advocates, and water suppliers to help reverse the decline of Central Valley salmon and steelhead. The action follows adoption of a flood and habitat plan designed to benefit the health of salmon and steelhead.
“It is no secret that good conservation outcomes, as a rule, don’t happen overnight. Today’s action by California’s Central Valley Flood Protection Board to adopt a new plan for reducing flood risks and restoring ecosystem health is a huge step forward for salmon and steelhead conservation that has been years in the making,” said Rob Masonis, TU’s vice president for Western conservation.
CalTrout reports that “the new Central Valley Flood Protection Plan integrates a dramatically different approach called ‘multi-benefit’ flood management. This approach recognizes that by strategically expanding floodplains, floodways, and flood bypasses, we can reduce flood risk to people and property while providing myriad additional benefits.”
Lodgepole Pines Overtake Sierra Mountain Meadows
Many anglers know that the water-holding capacity of a mountain meadow is good for fish. Meadows are critical to holding water from snowpack and then releasing it slowly to sustain streams in the spring, summer, and fall months. But meadows are shrinking, according to a study by the University of California, Merced, which projects that these meadows may disappear, because they are being invaded primarily by lodgepole pine trees. Researchers say that as a result of a changing climate, pines are now growing in meadows, and their roots drawing water that is critical to meadow survival. By the end of the century, the average meadow will be found only in a few locations, the study predicts.
Be More Aware of Bears During the Fall Months
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Forest Service remind anglers who visit or live in the Sierra Nevada and foothills that autumn is the time of year for increased bear foraging activity, so more encounters are possible. California black bears are typically active and foraging between April and the middle of the fall, but then black bears experience changes in metabolism that drive the need to consume as many rich calories as possible. Scientists estimate that black bears may forage as many as 20 hours a day at this time.
Here are some things to know:
- Bears have a sense of smell seven times stronger than a bloodhound and eyesight as good as a human.
- Any scent, especially one of odorous foods like fish or other meats, may attract a bear to your home and yard.
- Remove bird feeders completely until later in the year.
- Remove fallen fruit from the ground promptly.
- Use bear-resistant garbage cans and wait to set trash out until the day of pickup.
- Store pet food inside.
- Do not leave food or other scented items in your car.
- Bears fed intentionally or unintentionally by people may become bold and aggressive — they may be killed if they become a threat to public safety or cause property damage.
- In the rare event that a bear breaks into your home, move to a safe location and contact local authorities.
- Wildlife experts caution against directly confronting a bear or blocking its escape route.
- Visitors to bear country should act responsibly and be mindful of their safety while in bear habitat.
Camping season is ending in many areas, but fall hiking is very popular in the mountains and foothills, and visitors often flock to salmon spawning sites in hopes of getting a glimpse of a bear. Wildlife experts offer these tips:
- Be alert on trails. (Avoid wearing headphones.)
- Keep a respectful and safe distance from bears at all times.
- Do not attempt to take “selfies” with bears.
- Never feed a bear — it is unlawful and dangerous to people and may result in the needless death of the animal.
Electric Boats May Be Wave of the Future for Angling
How many fly fishers have had to endure a cloud of blue smoke when starting a two-stroke outboard motor on fishing trips? That could be a thing of the past with new, fast-emerging technology that may make electric outboard motors possible.
A company called Designboats Tender recently showed off its 20-foot runabout at Lake Tahoe. The boat has an 80-horsepower-equivalent electric outboard and can zip along at 30 miles per hour while making no engine sound. Ruck Marine Electric Sportboats of Truckee made possible the appearance of the electric boat at Tahoe.
