[Water_news] 3. DWR'S CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS: WATERSHEDS - 3/10/09

Department of Water Resources

California Water News

A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment

 

March 10, 2009

 

3. Watersheds –

 

 

 

Steelhead trout getting migration help

Associated Press – 3/10/09

 

SATICOY, Calif. -- The United Water Conservation District is changing the flow from a Ventura County diversion dam to give migrating steelhead trout a better chance at getting upstream.

 

The 30-foot Vern Freeman Diversion dam in Saticoy prevented the few hundred remaining steelhead from migrating up the Ventura River to spawn. An ineffective fish ladder was installed in 1991.

 

The National Marine Fisheries Service ruled last year that the dam jeopardized the federally protected fish and CalTrout environmentalists sued to force United Water to comply with agency recommendations, including stream flow changes and a new fish passage.

 

United Water agreed to the recommended water-flow changes and CalTrout agreed Monday to withdraw its lawsuit during the migration season ending May 31. #

http://www.sacbee.com/state_wire/story/1687030.html

 

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