A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
October 14, 2008
3. Watersheds –
Number of Devil's Hole pupfish increasing
Fish ladder idle at American River
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By Michael Doyle / Bee
With two Valley water districts raising pointed questions recently about whether farmers would get enough water, negotiators continue to tinker with the ambitious plan. Some options could delay the time when water starts flowing downstream from Friant Dam to help the salmon population.
"There's a lot that has to be hashed out here," said Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Visalia. "A lot of chess moves have to be made."
River-restoration supporters acknowledge they will have "a busy couple of weeks," Friant Water Users Authority General Manager Ron Jacobsma said Friday night, but they still hope that they can get a bill passed before January.
"Our hopes are that we can meet with all the parties, and be able to move a widely supported bill," Jacobsma said. "We're going to try to work through these issues."
Nunes represents many farmers served by Friant irrigation water. He also is a vehement critic of the plan to divert more water toward restoring the
He is watching closely, though, as Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein and other river-restoration supporters refine a plan with many delicate moving parts -- legal, political and personal.
On Monday in Chowchilla, and again in
Participants called the meetings amicable. Still, they reflected some of the unraveling that has occurred since unified Friant farmers and environmentalists in September 2006 announced settlement of an 18-year-old lawsuit.
The settlement called for interim water flows to resume through the
Congress hasn't passed the legislation needed to put the plan into practice, and lawmakers now are in a classic Capitol Hill bind: Every change made to overcome one obstacle raises impediments somewhere else.
"The [Tulare Irrigation] District has watched with concern the process in
Feinstein has raised the possibility of removing much of the guaranteed funding. This would overcome congressional budget obstacles, which require such spending to be paid for. But it worries some farmers, who fear future Congresses won't restore the money.
More recently, lawmakers have suggested postponing the start of interim water flows from Friant Dam until the Interior Department completes cost-and-impact studies. This new twist could potentially push back the original October 2009 start date, already strained by the congressional delay, but the exact effect is unclear.
With its early October letter, the
The district was the second to invoke a settlement provision that requires a 30-day cooling-off period before any party formally voids the agreement.
The Chowchilla Water District had earlier invoked the same provision, leading to the most recent meeting Monday in which district leaders presented a six-page set of questions.
"We're reasonable people, and we'd like to see how these questions are answered," said
The Chowchilla district could now potentially withdraw from the river settlement as early as Oct. 16; the
Friant officials say they still could proceed with the river plan even if the individual water districts pulled out;
Nor is it even clear whether Congress will have time to deal with the issue this year.
A post-election lame-duck session needed to pass any legislation might not take place if Democratic Sen. Barack Obama wins the presidency in November.
Practically speaking, congressional Democrats might then choose to postpone all legislation to a more favorable political environment next year. #
http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/930386.html
Number of Devil's Hole pupfish increasing
By
The tiny Devil's Hole pupfish, found only in a small, deep pool in the desert near
The reasons for the decline are unclear. But government scientists trying to reverse the trend appear to be enjoying a bit of success. The autumn count of the iridescent blue fish has risen for three years, to 126 this fall, the first steady increase in more than a decade.
Convinced that the pupfish problems are tied to a shortage of nutrients, biologists took the unusual step of feeding the fish. "It was not done lightly," said Bob Williams,
The high-nutrient fish food, made at a federal research lab in
Winter is the most difficult time for the pupfish, and Williams said supplemental feeding will probably be considered in the coming months.
Devil's Hole is a detached piece of nearby
The pupfish are an isolated colony that has survived in the hole for at least 10,000 years, a remnant of wetter times in the desert. They have been found as deep as 66 feet but forage and spawn on a rock shelf near the pool's surface.
Devil's Hole was the subject of a landmark ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1976, when justices recognized its water rights and restricted nearby agricultural pumping that was lowering pool levels to levels lethal to the fish.#
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-pupfish14-2008oct14,0,4555303.story
Western Aggregates and SYRCL Announce Agreement For 180-acre Salmon Habitat Enhancement Along
By: SYRCL and Western Aggregates
Marysville, California, October 10, 2008 - Western Aggregates (Western) and the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) announced today that they, along with the Yuba River Preservation Foundation (YRPF) and Yuba Outdoor Adventures (YOA), have signed an Agreement in Principle to establish a conservation easement along three miles of river frontage of the Yuba River downstream of the Parks Bar Bridge. The easement area, consisting of approximately 180 acres of land owned by Western Aggregates, will be used by the four signatories for habitat restoration for salmon, trout, and other native
"Western Aggregates is excited about being involved in this habitat restoration project," said David Greenblatt, Senior Vice President of Western Aggregates. "Western has teamed up with SYRCL to utilize SYRCL's expertise and experience in these salmon restoration projects to promote opportunities for salmon population growth, riparian habitat restoration, and general improvement to the
The 24 miles of the lower
"For the last 10 years SYRCL has worked with diverse stakeholders to find common ground for salmon protections," states Jason Rainey, Executive Director of SYRCL. "In Yuba County, we've brought in funding and technical expertise that have resulted in levee projects that reduce flood hazard while improving salmon habitat, we've negotiated for improved river flows and a commitment to salmon research and restoration through the Yuba Accord, and today we're working with Western Aggregates in a project that not only will protect up to 3 miles of river bank, but will also initiate the first robust effort to transform the cobblefields of the lower Yuba into functional and diverse riparian habitats for our uniquely wild Yuba salmon," concludes Rainey.
Western Aggregates and SYRCL commenced discussion about a conservation easement on Western's lands in the Yuba Goldfields about six months ago.
Since then, the parties have discussed and now agreed in principle on a plan to protect existing habitat and promote the enhancement of additional riparian and floodplain habitat. The lands to be encumbered with a conservation easement include Western's lands in Sections 30 and
25 and portions of Section 26 west of the
The parties plan to implement the project in three phases. Initially, the project will protect and conserve land from vehicular damage to habitat. Concurrently, SYRCL will lead design and feasibility studies for physical habitat restoration. In the second phase, habitat for salmon and riparian wildlife will be restored through a series of projects over the encumbered lands. Finally, the project contemplates implementing long-term enhancement and monitoring of these restored habitats. The timing of the completion of the three phases is unknown at this time because of the funding needs of the project. Western has initiated a Yuba Salmon Enhancement Fund through a "challenge grant" to SYRCL of $50,000 â€" Western will match SYRCL's fund-raising of the project dollar for dollar for the first $50,000 raised by SYRCL.
Obviously, the project will require funding substantially in excess of the initial seed money. The four parties to the Agreement in Principle also must obtain the consent of certain third parties who have varying interests in some of the lands contemplated for the conservation easement.
Western Aggregates is a sand and gravel mining company that commenced its activities in the Yuba Goldfields in 1987. SYRCL, founded in 1983, is a community-based public benefit organization (501c3) with a mission to protect and restore the
Yuba River Preservation Foundation is a 501c3 organization that is dedicated to protect and enhance the
http://yubanet.com/regional/Western-Aggregates-and-SYRCL.php
Fish ladder idle at American River
Sacramento
By Sandy Louey
Rich Cowell brought his 3-year-old grandson to the Nimbus Hatchery on Saturday so he could see salmon jumping the fish ladder to complete their life cycle.
"They'll jump over each of those woods," the 52-year-old Penryn resident pointed out to Drew Chaddock.
Unfortunately the pair had to imagine the scene.
The fish ladder, which is a major regional attraction, is usually open for the annual American River Salmon Festival. But Saturday, during the festival's 12th run, the ladder was idle.
The closure was a precautionary measure because of concern over what's expected to be a small fall salmon run in the
"It's very stressful on the fish," he said.
The fish ladder, operated as part of the hatchery by the California Department of Fish and Game, accommodates salmon and steelhead returning from the
The festival, which ends its annual weekend run today, usually draws more than 20,000 people to the hatchery and
The festival is coordinated by the Department of Fish and game, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the American River Natural History Association and the Save the American River Association.
Even though the only salmon some visitors may have seen Saturday were in a giant aquarium, Burks said the festival offers an opportunity for the public to learn more about the need to protect the river's natural resources.
"(It's) for folks to come out and have a great time, but to take away from it information about how fragile our resources are," he said.
There was no shortage of educational resources on Saturday. Groups such as the Sacramento Audubon Society and Friends of the River all had booths at the festival.
Except for a preview run during the festival, the fish ladder usually opens each year in early November. The peak of the fall salmon run is usually from mid-November to mid-December, Burks said.
The
Burks said there is a combination of factors behind the decreased salmon population, including ocean currents and changing water conditions.
The low population numbers led federal and state officials to cancel most of the commercial and recreational salmon fishing seasons this year in
It's lessons like the ones offered at the festival that can help future generations of migrating fish, officials said.
Another is a project, launched last week, aimed at deepening a side channel on the
Steelhead use the channel for spawning when water flows are high, said Sarah Foley, deputy director of the Water Forum.
Lowering the channel will allow water and steelhead to move through it under lower flows.
At the festival on Saturday, Cowell said he'll come back to the hatchery later this year with his grandson.
"(You see) how hard the fish have to fight to have babies and start the new fish for the next round," he said.
"This generation can grow up to protect the natural resources," Cowell said. #
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/1307224.html
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