[Water_news] 3. DWR'S CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS: WATERSHEDS - 2/23/09

Department of Water Resources

California Water News

A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment

 

February 23, 2009

 

3. Watersheds –

 

 

 

Water officials say they violated Delta flow standard to aid salmon

Sacramento Bee

 

Opinion: Protect fishing rights

Eureka Times Standard

 

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Water officials say they violated Delta flow standard to aid salmon

Sacramento Bee – 2/20/09

By Matt Weiser

California water officials admitted this week they have already violated a key water flow standard in the Delta intended to protect imperiled fish.

 

The admission came in hearings Tuesday and Wednesday before the state Water Resources Control Board. The hearings were held to consider a petition from the state Department of Water Resources and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to win exemptions from the standard because of drought.

 

Board members and Delta advocates were surprised to learn the flow standard had already been violated while the petition was pending.

 

"There probably were some days where we were not meeting the outflow standards," said Jerry Johns, deputy director of the California Department of Water Resources. "At least we had the petition in before any of these things took place."

 

The agencies sought the exemption because they believe they need to retain cold water in the state's depleted reservoirs to ensure healthy salmon runs this fall.

 

But in doing so, they risked violating a minimum-outflow standard in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. That standard is designed to protect other fish, including the Delta smelt and longfin smelt. It requires meeting flow targets over a certain number of days in a month, usually by releasing water from upstream dams.

 

The drought, in other words, posed a tough choice between fish species.

 

The agencies acted after consulting with wildlife officials, he said, who agreed that saving water for salmon runs was a prudent step.

 

Johns said they couldn't wait for the water board's lengthy review process. As a result, he said, they retained about 100,000 acre-feet of water in state and federal reservoirs.

 

"Technically, we did not actually meet the number of days in February that's called for by the board," Johns said. "We took what actions we thought were the best overall mix to better protect fish."

 

Subsequent rains created enough natural flow to avoid continued violations, though the drought is far from over.

 

Bill Rukeyser, spokesman for the state water board, said no penalties will be assessed if the board approves the petition. It would become a retroactive endorsement of violations that have already occurred, a fact that does not sit well with critics.

 

If the petition is rejected, fines or other penalties may be assessed, Rukeyser said. A decision could come next week.

Mike Jackson, an attorney for the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, wants penalties levied to force the agencies to plan more carefully.

 

"The danger of suspending those rules is that they're really the only protection the ecosystem has," Jackson said. #

http://www.sacbee.com/politics/story/1638883.html?mi_rss=State+Politics

 

Protect fishing rights

Eureka Times Standard – 2/20/09

By Casey Allen

Casey Allen is the Public Information Officer for the Humboldt Area Saltwater Anglers.

 

Salmon season was closed last year on the North Coast to protect the Sacramento River Chinook salmon that are believed to roam into our ocean waters. The Sacramento River was also closed, but a last minute change opened the river to fishing and the freshwater fishermen caught more fish than the ocean fishermen were projected to catch offshore. It seems the river fishermen had a louder voice than those on the coast did.

 

The organization known as HASA (Humboldt Area Saltwater Anglers) intends to correct that imbalance.

 

The issues facing the North Coast now are another possible salmon closure; the Marine Life Protection Act creating Marine Protected Areas that will close rock fishing spots and portions of Humboldt Bay forever; wave energy projects that will also close large tracts of ocean fishing grounds; and yelloweye rockfish closures. HASA is also taking a lead in artificial reef projects.

 

The mission of Humboldt Area Saltwater Anglers is to represent the North Coast fishing community's historic and ongoing right to sport fish along the Northern California coast; advocate reasonable and rational sport fishing seasons and regulations; educate our members and the general public about the economic and cultural contributions of sport fishing to our local economies; and promote sustainable stewardship of the resource.

 

HASA was formed to give local fishermen a unified voice on these and other issues relating to saltwater sport fishing. Last year's salmon closure -- and the realization that local fishermen found themselves late in providing input -- illustrated the need for this type of organization. HASA is determined not to be caught unaware again. Saltwater anglers in California spent $3 billion in 2006, and they are not getting their money's worth in legislation.

 

In some circumstances, HASA could be in favor of closures, because everyone agrees, we don't want to catch the last fish. But HASA does not want decisions based on bad science and does not want the local sport fishing community left out.

 

This nonprofit organization needs membership and is open to everyone. HASA will provide its membership information on important issues, meetings, and events through a quarterly electronic newsletter and the Humboldt Tuna Club Web site. A hard copy of the newsletter will be available for those old salts without e-mail.

Donations are tax-deductible; an individual/family membership is $20 a year. Associate memberships are offered free and include everything but the right to vote on club matters.

 

HASA exists to protect fishing rights, to promote the sport, to help people learn to fish, and to have some fun along the way.

 

To join, go to the Humboldt Tuna Club Web site, humboldttuna.com, and download the HASA membership application. The site has loads of information about what's going on from HASA to what size hook is best for tuna. You can also find applications at your local sporting goods stores. Applications can be mailed to HASA, P.O. Box 6191, Eureka, Ca. 95502.

 

Casey Allen is the Public Information Officer for the Humboldt Area Saltwater Anglers. He lives in Bayside. #

http://www.times-standard.com/ci_11747282?IADID=Search-www.times-standard.com-www.times-standard.com

 

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