The National Rivers Website, Rivers of California:

The following news is assembled from postings and information from various sources, as a public service. The sponsors of this website do not assume responsibility for accuracy. Always double-check information before relying on it, especially when your safety is involved!

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STATEWIDE ISSUES Click to jump down to descriptions and news about:

NEW!!--Trinity Divided

Latest CALFED Incarnation Still Poses Problems

New report looks at case studies of dam removal in California

New group champions Hetch Hetchy

Boating safety statistics

Fixing CALFED

Trinity to supply tribes, commerce

Following evidence that suggests already low water levels in the Trinity River are damaging the waterway's salmon runs, Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt has promised to divert millions of gallons of Trinity River water away from California's farm belt.

Federal projects from the 1950s dammed the river and diverted about 90 percent of it to the Sacramento River to supply growing demands for agriculture and power. While the demands have continued to grow over the last half century, a corresponding inverse reduction in the Trinity's salmon population has threatened the culture and economies of the region's Hoopa and Yurok tribes.

The new plan calls for a nearly 50 percent reduction in the amount of water currently diverted, so that 52 percent will go to the Central Valley, while 48 percent will stay in the north.

A request for a temporary restraining order on the new diversion plan has been rejected, although another hearing will be held in February.

Peripheral canal now out of sight

State and federal workers have put forth yet another proposal to solve California's growing water rights difficulties. Off the table is a "peripheral canal" that was to have moved fresh water from the Sacramento-San Joaqin river delta to canals headed for southern California. Northern Californians protested the draining of water from that part of the state, and environmentalists warned of the fish kill that would result from pumping water from the Delta.

CALFED was created in 1994 to address issues of water use and consumption in California. More information can be found at the Econews web site at www.necandeconews.to and at the CALFED site at www.calfed.ca.gov under "What's news."

Report could set off flood of other ideas

The California group Friends of the River has produced a report on removing dams to restore rivers. The California report looks at historical removals of some of the state's 1,400 dams and barriers for the sake of fisheries restoriation. It specifically recommends 20 more such removals. For a copy of the report, contact Charlie Casey at 916-442-3155, ext. 218, or email him at cecasey@friendsoftheriver.org.

Non-profit hopes to restore drowned valley

A new group is forming to seek the restoration of the Hetch Hetchy Valley, which John Muir called "a wonderfully exact counterpart of Yosemite Valley . . . a grand landscape garden, one of Nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples." The valley was originally dammed to provide water for San Francisco. Request information from the PCL Foundation; c/o Dr. Jerry Meral; 926 J Street, Ste 612; Sacramento, CA 95814.

Water safety still a concern

Canoes, kayaks, and rafts made up only 2% of all boating accidents in California in 1998, according to the Department of Boating and Waterways Boating Safety Report. The vast majority of accidents involved watercraft of other kinds, with open motorboats accounting for 42% of the mishaps. Still, there were nine whitewater deaths. The report cited heavy spring run-off and operator inexperience as the primary causes. Seven of the nine who died were wearing PFD's, emphasizing the need to assess river conditions carefully before attempting a run, as even lifejackets have their limitations in the face of overwhelming odds.

CALFED still falls short in protecting the environment

Despite CALFED's promises to cooperate with government and conservation groups working to protect California waters, its bureaucracy sometimes causes it to go against its own mandate, leaving rivers vulnerable to the mercy of special interests.

Jackie McCort, in an article for the September 1999 Tehipite Topic, writes that CALFED and the programs it oversees can be improved by capping and reducing water diversions from the Bay/Delta; by encouraging water conservation and recycling through government subsidies; and by committing to a moratorium on dam construction or expansion, among other steps.

CALFED is operated by state and federal agencies to oversee the protection, conservation, and appropriate use of California's water system. The Tehipite Topic is published by the Tehipite Chapter of the Sierra Club. The chapter can be reached by mail at PO Box 5396, Fresno, CA 93755-5396.

SPECIFIC RIVERS Click to jump down to descriptions and news about:

American River

Kaweah River

Lower Yuba

Merced River

Stoney Creek

South Yuba River

Trinity River

Upper Yuba River

Public input needed on river management plan

The El Dorado County Board of Supervisors is taking a new look at the County's River Management Plan. The Board is currently assessing 20 miles on the South Fork American River, from Chili Bar Dam to the Salmon Falls area in Folsom Lake State Recreation Area.

Calendar of events: Notice of Preparation (NOP) comment meeting -- November 18, 1999, 7-9 pm, County Board of Supervisors Meeting Room, 330 Fair Lane, Building A, Placerville, CA. November 29, 1999 -- Public comment period on NOP ends.

You can request copies of the NOP from El Dorado County, Parks and Recreat, 3000 Fairlane Court, Ste. 1, Placerville, CA 95667; (530) 621-5349; or email southfork@co.el-dorado.ca.us

NEW!!--South Yuba wild & scenic

The South Yuba River has made it onto the lists of wild and scenic rivers, thanks to SB 496. The designation, which takes effect January 2001, gives the river additional protection from resource exploitation, including the building of future dams. More information on the status of the river can be found at the South Yuba River Citizens League.

New monitoring program for South Yuba

The South Yuba River Citizens League has established a river quality monitoring program to make the South Yuba area water healthy for fish and wildlife, and safe for fishing, swimming, and drinking. Call Maureen at 265-5961 x 205 for further information and an application.

Governor Davis champions South Yuba

Thirty-nine miles of the South Yuba are now part of California's Wild and Scenic River system, thanks to the efforts of the South Yuba River Citizens League (www.syrcl.org and other concerned individuals and groups.

State Senator Byron Sher (D-Palo Alto) successfully shepherded Bill 496 through the Senate and onto the governor's desk. The designation prohibits the construction of new dams, reservoirs, and diversions on the river.

South Yuba River may become wild and scenic

The South Yuba River will become California's newest member of the state Wild and Scenic River System if Sen. Byron Sher's bill has continued success in the Assembly, but opposition to the passage leaves the outcome uncertain as yet. The bill would protect 39 miles between Spaulding and Englebright Reservoirs from future dams, reservoirs, and diversions.

The South Yuba River Citizens League (www.syrcl.org) has been organizing the fight to save the river. Nevada County residents, and local business and property owners, would have the river remain wild. Water developers hope to exploit the river. Backing the conservationists are more than two-thirds of property owners along the river, the daily newspaper the Nevada City-Grass Valley Union, and significantly, the Placer County Water Agency. Further bolstering the claims of SYRLC and its affiliates, the Forest Service has also recommended the South Yuba for Federal Wild and Scenic status, along with the North Yuba and Canyon Creek.

Senate moves South Yuba closer to Wild and Scenic

The California Assembly holds the fate of the South Yuba in its hands.

The Senate approved SB 496 that would designate the river as Wild and Scenic. If the assembly approves it, Governor Davis must sign the bill before October 10 for it to pass into law.

The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) (www.syrcl.org) hopes that a flood of money and telephone calls will convince the Assemply and the governor that they should pass the bill. You can send your comments to the governor by writing or calling Governor Gray Davis, State Capitol, Sacramento, CA 95814; tel. (916) 445-2841; fax (916) 445-4633. For more information about the fundraising campaign, contact SYRCL.

River studies look at fish runs on the Upper Yuba

CALFED, an organization dedicated to water planning in California, has organized a workgroup and a series of meetings to look at the feasibility of introducing chinook salmon and steelhead to the Upper Yuba watershed, which may include changing the Englebright Dam. The workgroup has culled opinions and information from concerned parties since late last year and has issued a series of recommendations regarding the process of looking at fisheries, environmental factors, economic impact, etc. CALFED has emphasized its concern that all voices should be heard. Meetings were held in December 1998 and January 1999; a new series of five workshops are scheduled for September 1999. You can find more information at calfed.ca.gov, then select Programs and Upper Yuba River Studies Program; 1-800-700-5752; or (916) 657-2666.

Commission waiting for comments on increasing water flow

The Trinity may not get the water it needs unless the public convinces the Department of the Interior to restore the Trinity. The Paddlers' News Bulletin reports that an Environmental Impact Statement has found that the river must retain 70% of its water to support healthy fish stocks, yet the current river management proposal seeks to divert at least half of the river's water.

Historically, up to 90% of the river has been removed, resulting in the corresponding loss of 90% of the fish population, in addition to other, equally dire losses among other ecological niches.

You can find more information at Friends of the Trinity River or by calling 530-756-2833. Send your comments regarding the river immediately to Mr. Joe Polos; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; 1125 16th St., Rm. 209; Arcata, CA 95521; or call 707-822-7201.

Trinity water held back

Water has been diverted from the Trinity for 100 years, and it may stay that way for a while yet. The Central Valley Project Water Association is lobbying to prevent public money from being used to end the diversions from the river until studies are finalized. CALFED is overseeing multi-party talks aimed at processing the data.

The Trinity gives up a million acre-feet to the Sacramento River for the San Joquin Valley near Fresno, endangering fish stocks in the Trinity and violating land agreements with the Hoopa and Yurok tribes. The Water Association delay is in response to an Interior Department study which recommended that, in order to protect the fish, only half of the Trinity River should be diverted. Sen. Feinstein (D-CA) may be able to block the delay; you can reach her at senator@ feinstein.senate.gov, (415) 536-6868, or fax (202) 224-3841.

Judge protects Merced from proposed road expansion

The National Park Service cannot widen the El Portal Road into Yosemite National Park until it has complied with the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (WSRA).

Federal Court Judge Ishii ruled on July 12 that the NPS had failed to provide an Environmental Impact Study or a Comprehensive River Management Plan. Without studies that prove the road widening can proceed without damage to the Merced River and surrounding habitats, the NPS violates both the NEPA and the WSRA. In addition to halting work on some parts of the road, the judge also ordered the removal of Cascades Dam to end until additional studies assessing the environmental impact have been conducted, another step with which the NPS failed to comply. Work will continue, however, on certain segments of the road. This construction directly affects the Merced.

The Merced is a popular river for rafters, kayakers, and canoeists for its whitewater, downstream from the Park.

River users and property owners confused about river access

Richard Skeen, of Three Rivers, California, reports: "Our community is having a meltdown over river access issues. Some of our town's youth have recently been cited for trespassing at the Kaweah River and it has caused half the town to worry about their river access rights and the other half to worry about their property rights." Richard will be using NORS River Law material to educate the local newspaper staff and other people about river navigability and public ownership of rivers up to the ordinary high water line. (Richard Skeen, Developer, Vantage Technology Group, Inc. 559-561-0121.)

Don't fence me in

The San Francisco Bay River Touring Section of the Sierra Club literally ran into problems on Stoney Creek last year. A local landowner had strung a barbed wire fence across the creek, apparently in an effort to prevent her cows from wandering downstream. Fortunately, Country Sheriff Anderson was able to convince the landowner to find other means of protecting her cows without endangering those of us who actually do want to wander down streams.

"Death trap" spawns lawsuit

The South Yuba River Citizens League, frustrated with the refusal of the Army Corps of Engineers to consult with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), filed a lawsuit against the Corps in August 1999.

The suit contends that the Corps has abrogated its responsibilities to maintaining a healthy environment for the river's fish populations. Specifically, the Corps has failed to consult and cooperate with the NMFS as mandated by the Endangered Species Act. As a result, the Daguerre Point Dam continues to operate in unsafe conditions, making it a virtual "death trap" for migrating salmon, according to SYRCL Executive Director Shawn Garvey.

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