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River friends:
Here is a letter I wrote recently to sum up the issues. If you haven’t written your letter yet, you can base a letter on this information if you like. Please email your letters to: ESA at estuaryproject@esassoc.com and also Jessica Martini-Lamb at Jessica.Martini.Lamb@scwa.ca.gov Please ask them to respond that they received your comments. The deadline for submission of comments is February 14, 2011, at 5 pm. The project description and DEIR can find on Sonoma County Water Agency’s (SCWA) website at: www.scwa.ca.gov/estuary-eir/
The Biological Opinion (BO) can be accessed at the same website and you can skim pages 241 to 253 in reference to D1610 if you are ambitious. Guerneville’s gauge is at Hacienda. The minimum flow proposed for Hacienda, is from 125 cfs down to 70 cfs. We are only concerned about lower river issue at this time.
Background Summary:
In mid-nineties Coho were listed as endangered by the State and “threatened” by National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and have since been listed as endangered. Steelhead and Chinook were soon after listed as “threatened”. Russian River used to be the fourth largest run of steelhead in California.
These listings triggered a consultation between ACOE, SCWA, and two other agencies, to address impacts on the fish of SCWA water delivery system and associated diversions. As operators of the system during the summer, SCWA has taken the lead and has overseen the development of the EIR. They first developed a Biological Assessment, which was submitted to NMFS around 2007. In September, 2008, the Biological Opinion (BO) was released and it directed SCWA to fulfill certain tasks including low flow and a closed estuary.
The Estuary project is really an adaptive management project and subject to trial and error. While they are not sure how or if this project is going to work, our main concern is that they not make permanent flow changes until there is some level of certainty about this plan. We don’t think they should separate the Estuary Project EIR from the D1610 flow change EIR. There have already been two scoping processes on the D1610 EIR by both SCWA and the State. RRWPC submitted extensive comments on both.
February 1, 2011
Estuary Project DEIR: Key Issues
Introduction:
The issues listed here represent RRWPC concerns about the Estuary Project DEIR. No attempt has been made to cover all issues. It is assumed that many other issues will be raised. The purpose of this work is to help organize our thoughts about the main issues of concern, primarily having to do with water quality, flows, project description, and process (CEQA). Please feel free to add or subtract issues to meet your own needs and opinions. We welcome all suggestions for consideration. This is just a rough draft and not meant to be comprehensive. It might not make complete sense within very short phrases.
Sonoma County Water Agency
Attn: Jessica Martini-Lamb
404 Aviation Blvd.
Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Email: estuaryproject@esassoc.com
June 21, 2010
Russian River Watershed Protection Committee (RRWPC) Scoping comments on SCWA’s Notice of Preparation of a Draft EIR for the Russian River Estuary
Comments by Brenda Adelman
Introduction:
These comments are being filed on behalf of Russian River Watershed Protection Committee (RRWPC). We are a nonprofit public benefit organization incorporated in the State of California since 1980. Our supporters number approximately 1200 property and business owners, recreationists, and other concerned citizens in the lower river area from Healdsburg to Jenner. We also have a great deal of support from many others who appreciate our advocacy on behalf of the Russian River.
RRWPC Comments:
Russian River Estuary Project Hearing
Jan. 18, 2009
Thank you for having Board of Supervisors meeting in Jenner. It demonstrates your interest and concern about the lower river/West County community and we are grateful that you have come out to experience first hand this very incredible place.
Topics of Concern:
DEIR includes extensive use of word “natural” as in “natural environment”, implying that there was a formerly ideal state that needs to be recovered.