Take Action to Save the American River!

Take Action To Save The American!

by John Beuttler, conservation director, California Sportfishing Projection Alliance

Since the inception of Folsom Dam on the American River some fifty years ago, the river has increasingly been jerked around by the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to export water to contractors and to meet salinity standards in the Delta.

The lack of flow and temperature standards needed to protect fisheries and aquatic habitat have significantly impacted the natural reproduction of the river's salmon, steelhead and American shad. With no flow or temperature requirements to prevent dropping the flows when fish are spawning, or to protect them from lethal thermal temperatures, poor river management has taken a huge toll on its fisheries!

According to Mike Healy, a biologist with the DFG, thirty-seven percent of the 2003 run, or 58,651 adults, died before spawning in the 22 miles of the river below Nimbus Dam in the fall of 2003. The vast majority were considered potential natural spawners. Big die-offs of pre-spawning salmon also occurred in 2002 and 2001. The 2002 run lost 30 percent of the run. The 2001 lost 87,626 fish or 67 percent before spawning! Most of this waste could have been prevented if flow standards were required as part of the agencies water right.

The CSPA letter to BOR and the USFWS that follows goes into greater detail on this. CSPA is asking everyone to who reads this alert to “stand up for the river and its fisheries” by contacting the BOR and urging them to take action now.

The addresses to send your letters are below. To make phone calls, contact: Lynnette Wirth, Deputy Director (916) 978-5100 or: Information Office: (916) 978 - 5100 / FAX (916) 978 – 5114.




California Sportfishing Protection Alliance
1360 Neilson Street / Berkeley / CA 94702 / 510-526-4049


August 11, 2004


Mr. Kirk Rodgers Mr. Steve Thompson
Regional Director CA/Nevada Operations Manager
Bureau of Reclamation U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
2800 Cottage Way 2800 Cottage Way
Sacramento, CA 95825 Sacramento, CA 95825

Re: American River Flow Standards


Dear Mr. Rodgers and Mr.Thompson:

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, on behalf of our several thousand members, would like to inform you of our support for establishing flow standards to protect the anadromous fisheries and aquatic environment of the lower American River as proposed by the Sacramento Valley Water Forum.

The proposed standards will correct the many years of fishery degradation due to BOR's flow releases from Folsom Dam. Since this proposal was developed through cooperation with your agencies, NOAA Fisheries and the California Department of Fish and Game, we urge your immediate action to adopt these flow standards. Such action would also help your agencies comply with the Central Valley Project Improvement Act to double populations of the river's naturally produced anadromous fisheries.

As you are aware, adopting these standards will require the actions of the State Water Resources Control Board to amend the BOR's permit to operate Folsom Reservoir established under Water Right Decision 893. We urge you to immediately initiate action to amend Decision 893.


Sincerely,


John Beuttler,
For the Board of Directors


cc: Robert Treanor - Executive Director, California Fish & Game Commission
Ryan Broddrick - Director, California Department of Fish & Game
Celeste Cantu - Executive Director, State Water Resources Control Board
Patrick Wright - Executive Director, California Bay-Delta Authority


You can support CSPA’s conservation efforts by becoming a member. Donations are tax-deductible, greatly needed and most appreciated. Send checks to CSPA at 1360 Neilson Street, Berkeley, CA 94702-1116. Membership starts a $25. If you are a member, then you know of the good work we do, so sign up a friend and help us restore our fisheries! Questions? Call me at 510-526-4049.