River Friends:
On August 19, 2016, the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) will release the long awaited Fish Flow Project Environmental Impact Report (EIR). There will be a 60-day comment period (to October 17, 2016), during which you will have your ONLY opportunity to express concerns about this proposed PERMANENT reduction of summer river flows by up to 50%. (Normal summer flows are 125 cfs at Hacienda; Fish Flow Project will reduce summer flows down as low as 60 cfs FOREVER) The document will be posted on their website. Only a limited number of hard copies will be available for sale. Contact Ann Dubay (SCWA) for further information. [email protected]
This project is required by National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to ostensibly facilitate the creation of a lagoon at the Estuary, which would provide habitat for juvenile Steelhead, a threatened species. Project goals are in effect between May 15 and Oct. 15, and can be implemented after the mouth closes naturally. Yet NMFS failed to consider that the mouth rarely opens (or stays open) in the months of July and August. SCWA data indicates that in the last 20 years, the mouth was breached only five times in July and two times in August. Wave action creates the force to close the mouth, but low river flows appear to do little to lengthen the closure. (Mouth closes most often in October and November.) SCWA has failed to implement the project, but for one time, during six years of attempts. In other words, they will lower summer flows forever in the hope that someday they may be able to implement project for short periods of time.
If this project succeeds in moving forward, conditions are ripe for proliferation of algae in the lower river, and possibly TOXIC blue green algae as well (a common occurrence in the Eel and Klamath rivers). The lower river has excessively high temperatures and phosphorus, (according to agency monitoring data) and lowering flows in these circumstances can greatly exacerbate algal bloom conditions. This would be a risk for human and environmental health and can be deadly for dogs. Such conditions might exacerbate issues with bacteria, and possible concentration and bio-magnification of toxic substances as well. Only future monitoring will define to what extent toxins are an issue. Once this EIR is authorized by Supervisors, it goes to the State Water Board, an entity likely to approve the Supervisor’s action. (Please see attached press release that came through right before sending this message out.)
The other part of the story is that SCWA, in their 2015 Urban Water Management Plan which describes water availability for contractors’ General Plan growth and development, ASSUMES low flow proposal will be approved, and will subsequently assure adequate water supplies in Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino to serve all General Plan Growth projections. Contractors include: Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Cotati, Windsor, City of Sonoma, Valley of the Moon, Petaluma, North Marin Water District, and Marin Municipal Water District (with whom they have a separate contract). Contractors have recently bragged about what good shape they are in with water supplies as they anticipate a new housing boom and more funds from water sales (at increased rates), while cutbacks in conservation are now the norm.
None of SCWA’s other plans have analyzed impacts of their actions on the lower river environment and communities along the lower river. These included Dry Creek Habitat Projects to slow flows from Lake Sonoma, groundwater projects advocating aquifer storage of ‘surplus’ winter water for summer shortages, the Biological Opinion, Estuary Project, Urban Water Management Plans, etc.
The Water Agency announced they will hold an OPEN HOUSE to take questions on the Fish Flow Project EIR on August 24th at the Monte Rio Community Center between 4 pm and 8 pm. This is only five days after the release of the document (likely to be quite lengthy and complex). Staff will meet with people one by one and answer their questions. Of course, there is inadequate time to formulate those questions. In the past, questions and responses were never recorded or distributed, and the rest of the community would not have the benefit of the interchange. Because of the importance of this action, we are requesting that the Agency hold a regular community meeting format in September, including information on the contents of the document and publicly answer questions so that all could hear the response. We recommend that this meeting take place around 6 pm or on a Saturday morning in Monte Rio several weeks after release of the document. (WE NEED TIME TO ABSORB ALL THE INFORMATION IN DOCUMENT!)
PLEASE HELP! HERE ARE ACTIONS YOU CAN TAKE:
1. Send email soon to Ann Dubay (SCWA staff-email address above) asking that SCWA hold a group community meeting at Monte Rio (NOT an Open House) in late afternoon or early evening in September, after people have had time to examine the document and formulate questions. Please copy Supervisor Efren Carrillo with your message at [email protected] If you can send me a separate email to [email protected] informing me you sent email, it would be a big help. I can get you on my list to keep you informed.
2. An alternative approach, since we are not sure they will agree to an extra meeting, is for most people to show up at the August 24th open house at 5:30. We are hoping that if a large crowd of people showed up at the same time that day, we might persuade staff to hold a regular meeting format. (Of course then they may not hold an additional meeting in September. This is a gamble either way. I suggest that people show up on the 24th and then demand an additional meeting.) If you ask to be put on Ann’s list, you will be informed as to what they decide.
3. There is one public hearing before the Board of Supervisors on this massive project: September 13th at 3 pm (Tuesday) in Supervisor’s Chambers in Santa Rosa. We are hoping a lot of people will attend and protest LOW FLOWS!
4. Let us know if you can help circulate flyers in lower river communities. We want to get the word out.
5. I would welcome opportunities to speak to groups about this project in late September (I need time to absorb information in document.) Contact me if interested ([email protected] )
Please forward this information to anyone who might be interested. We need to give it broad circulation. Thank you!
RRWPC is building a legal fund, so donations of any size will be most welcome. You can donate through PayPal at our website (www.rrwpc.org ) or send a check of any size made out to RRWPC and mail to P.O. Box 501, Guerneville, CA 95446. Please let me know by email if you are able to help with this effort.
Brenda Adelman
Russian River Watershed Protection Committee
P.O. Box 501, Guerneville, CA 95446
Email: [email protected]
RRWPC Website: www.rrwpc.org