Action Alert from the Golden Gate Salmon Association (GGSA):
We have a very rare opportunity right now to increase desperately needed river flows for salmon but we're going to need your help to make it happen.
Everyone knows we've been struggling with low and wavering salmon populations in recent years. The drought has hit us all hard on top of a growing population, and ever more landscape being converted to irrigated agriculture. And with five times more water already promised than nature delivers, California is now in a permanent drought, even when it rains....
In addition to losing historic prime salmon spawning and rearing habitat both above and below Central Valley dams, salmon are badly harmed by a lack of water in the rivers today. In the spring baby salmon need big volumes of runoff to hide in the stirred up sediment from predators and move quickly downstream to the ocean. But big runoff flows are short supply these days. Help us get some back.
GGSA has been fighting for more salmon water but most of that water is instead diverted to those with legally binding water rights and opportunities to get water back for salmon are few and far between.
We have such an opportunity right now but it won't happen without your help.
The State Water Resources Control Board has scheduled public hearings in a few weeks on a proposal calling for reducing diversions in the Merced, Tuolumne and Stanislaus so more water will be left for salmon. These are the three main tributaries of the San Joaquin River. All three have small salmon runs that are on life support. All three are heavily diverted with up to 90 percent of the flow reduced in some years. No wonder our fish and wildlife are dying.
Cutting diversions of these rivers is only the first step to restoring salmon. The state needs to guarantee that water is untouched through the Delta and all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge if we're going to make a difference for salmon. The state also needs to increase flows from the Sacramento River through the Delta and they're posed to do that next if we succeed here.
The California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife says that 60 percent of the three tributary rivers is needed from February to June to rebuild salmon runs. However, the proposal in front of the State Water Board is to leave only 40 of the rivers untouched, not the needed 60 percent.
The decision makers are hearing a lot from the big irrigated agriculture operators in the affected area who are opposing the proposal with everything they've got. Studies show that reducing the diversions to leave 60 percent in the spring for salmon would still leave over 95 percent of current agriculture untouched. In addition, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission which supplies water to SF and the peninsula that comes from the Tuolumne River is opposing the proposal too.
It's up to us salmon fishermen to make the case that California's rivers need to be managed to keep salmon runs alive. It's about being able to fish and bring salmon home. It's about protecting the best of our natural environment which has made California so special. It's about the tens of thousands of jobs tied to both commercial and recreational salmon fishing in California and the many people who would economically benefit from a restored Central Valley, Delta and San Francisco Bay. It's about basic fairness.
Please consider adding your voice by telling the State Water Board to reduce the water diversions in the Merced, Tuolumne and Stanislaus rivers for the sake of our salmon stocks, the ecological health of our rivers, Delta and Bay and indeed for the future of California. Click here to easily send a note to the decision makers.
Also, if you can, please attend any of the three public comment hearings on the topic. Once there, fill out the little blue card telling them you want to speak and share your views when called. You can be sure the other side will pack the place to convince the water board that the status quo is just fine. It's not. Our salmon future relies on a rebalancing of water allocation to leave at least a bit for salmon and the water board needs to hear that from us. We may never get this chance to restore our rivers for salmon again in our lifetime.
Thanks!
Tuesday, November 29 - 9:00 a.m.
CalEPA Headquarters, 1001 I Street, Sacramento
Friday, December 16 - 9:00 a.m.
Stockton Memorial Civic Auditorium, 525 N. Center Street, Stockton
Monday, December 19 - 9:00 a.m.
Multicultural Arts Center, 645 W. Main Street, Merced
Tuesday, December 20 - 9:00 a.m.
Modesto Centre Plaza, 1000 L Street, Modesto
Tuesday, January 3 - 9:00 a.m.
CalEPA Headquarters, 1001 I Street, Sacramento
Click the link below to log in and send your message:
www.votervoice.net/...