A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
June 23, 2008
3. Watersheds –
Recreational Miners Threaten Struggling Fisheries in
Fish screen program aims to help farmers, water life: New grant allows program to continue, adds study aspect
The Capitol Ag Press- 6/20/08
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Recreational Miners Threaten Struggling Fisheries in
By S. Craig Tucker, Klamath Coordinator Karuk Tribe
The Karuk Tribe along with allies in the commercial and recreational fishing communities are calling on Governor Schwarzenegger to restrict the controversial gold mining technique known as suction dredge mining. As we are in the midst of the worst fisheries collapse in
According to Brian Stranko, CEO of California Trout, “In April, the state and federal government took unprecedented emergency actions to completely close California’s coast to recreational and commercial salmon fishing, something that is causing severe economic harm to businesses and communities. This is why it is inappropriate and unacceptable for state government to allow recreational suction dredge mining operations to continue to harm fish, particularly endangered species like coho salmon.”
Suction dredges are powered by gas or diesel engines that are mounted on floating pontoons in the river. Attached to the engine is a powerful vacuum hose which the dredger uses to suction up the gravel and sand (sediment) from the bottom of the river.
The stream bed passes through a sluice box where heavier gold particles can settle into a series of riffles. The rest of the gravel and potentially toxic sediment is simply dumped back into the river. Depending on size, location and density of these machines they can turn a clear running mountain stream or river segment into a murky watercourse unfit for swimming.
Dredging disturbs spawning gravels and kills salmon eggs and immature lamprey that reside in the gravel for up to seven years before maturing. In a system like the Klamath where salmon can be stressed due to poor water quality, having a dredge running in the middle of the stream affects fish’s ability to reach their spawning grounds.
It is important to note that there is a lot of mercury settled on the bottom of these rivers from gold smelting operations from the 1800’s. Dredging reintroduces mercury to the stream creating a toxic hazard for fish and people. The call for a moratorium on dredging would not prevent miners from mining their claims with other less destructive techniques such as panning and metal detection.
Given the severity of the fisheries crisis, we hope that the Governor will agree to a provision added by the Legislature to the 2008 Budget Bill that would establish a temporary moratorium on suction dredge mining in areas that represent the most important habitat for salmon and trout while the Department of Fish and Game revises (DFG) its regulations in compliance with a 2006 court order.
For the governor, it should be an easy choice. There are over 2.2 million Californians purchase fishing licenses every year while only 3,000 suction dredge permits issued. This means that in
According to the American Sportfishing Association, licensed anglers in
For the Karuk Tribe the threat is even greater. According to Karuk Vice-chairman Leaf Hillman, “Suction dredge mining is nothing more than recreational genocide. The first gold rush killed more than half our people in 10 years. This modern gold rush continues to kill our fish and our culture.”
Currently, Tribal members are unable to harvest enough salmon to meet basic subsistence need or to provide for ceremonies.
At the same time miners are allowed to rip and tear our river bottoms to shreds.
In coming weeks the Governor will have to consider the groups’ proposal to limit mining as part of the 2008 Budget Bill to provide interim safeguards while DFG conducts a two-year effort to overhaul statewide regulations covering instream mining. #
http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2008/06/recreational_mi.html
Fish screen program aims to help farmers, water life: New grant allows program to continue, adds study aspect
The Capitol Ag Press- 6/20/08
By Elizabeth Larson
The Family Water Alliance said it will be able to continue its fish screen program in the
Ashley Indrieri, executive director of Family Water Alliance, said the group will use the funds for the seventh phase of its fish-screen program, which began in 1996. Since then, they've assisted with 24 fish screens - representing a cumulative screening of 563 cubic feet per second of
Water pumped through the screens helps irrigate 22,000 acres of prime agricultural land, while the screens help protect water rights and fishery resources, according to the organization.
"This is definitely our biggest endeavor," Indrieri said of the new funding, which should help complete between nine and 15 new screen installations on water diversions.
Funding is provided by the Central Valley Project Improvement Act's Anadromous Fish Screen Program administered by the Bureau of Reclamation and Proposition 84 bond monies administered by the California Department of Fish and Game, Indrieri said.
The screens are designed to meet Department of Fish and Game standards.
Farmers with agricultural water diversions along the
The fish-screen project's newest phase will begin with the alliance identifying landowners with river diversions willing to participate in a biological assessment.
"In the past, we've just installed fish screens," she said. "This program will have a study portion in it."
Two irrigation seasons before screen installation, a biologist will do an entrainment study for each of the prospective installation areas, Indrieri said.
Participating in the study will guarantee farmers a fish screen at no cost.
Dan Griffith, farm manager for Davis Ranches/Sycamore Family Trust near Colusa, said the operation has received four screens in two projects, beginning about five years ago.
He said Davis Ranches diverts about 30,000 acre feet of water annually from the Sacramento River, which is used to grow rice, walnuts, alfalfa, wheat, vine seeds and some tomatoes for processing.
Davis Ranches decided to install the screens because they could see the threat of lawsuits on the horizon, which would hit farming operations based on the assumption their diversions were also drawing in fish.
Installing screen is very expensive and wouldn't have been feasible without the grants and assistance through the Family Water Alliance, he said.
The screens are working fine, he said, and have prevented fingerling-sized fish from getting into the pumps.
Reclamation District 999, located between the Sacramento River and the ship channel in
The screen, which has been in operation since March 2007, works great, Webber said. It is located underwater to allow shipping traffic to pass.
"We're still able to deliver water and the fish can get by our screen and be OK," Webber said.
He said the screens also have helped keep other things out of the water pipes - from boats to logs.
Webber said the district volunteered to do the project and help develop the fish screen technology, realizing that due to its location on the river's main stemscreens would be mandatory at some point.
The project was paid for by the Bureau of Reclamation, the Wildlife Conservation Board and the district's landowners, with Family Water Alliance managing the project, including the permitting process and securing funding, Webber said.
The screen is designed to keep delta smelt and salmon out of the irrigation diversions.
"It's really worked out well," he said.#
http://www.capitalpress.info/main.asp?SectionID=67&SubSectionID=616&ArticleID=42392&TM=46996.39
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