Important issues heating up now…..Many of the issues RRWPC has been tracking for years are now becoming more active. They don’t fit our current mailer schedule and we decided a special mailer was necessary to keep you informed. We would much prefer to send brief email notices when appropriate, but many supporters have not yet shared email addresses with us. Please consider joining our list if not already on. Simply put your email address on our donor card, (donation not required), or simply send us a note to email address above. (To assure your privacy, RRWPC never shares our lists for any reason and we carefully limit number of messages sent out.)
Annual Estuary Project Community Meeting
Wednesday, April 20th at 6 pm: Monte Rio Community Center
Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA), lead agency for implementing the Biological Opinion, will update attendees on progress regarding Estuary Plan as required by the Biological Opinion and representing part of National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) efforts to protect juvenile steelhead.
The much-awaited Jetty Study will be released then, describing how the structure influences the river mouth’s opening and closing, and information about their efforts to create a fresh water lagoon each year (May 15-Oct.15). We expect that information about water quality, fish, and seal studies conducted over the prior year will also be included. (agenda not released yet)
Please try to attend meeting (and help us spread the word), as the Estuary Project provides justification for lower flows proposed in Fish Flow Project, which intends to permanently lower river flows (by 44%) every summer. The Biological Opinion asserts, mistakenly we believe, that low river flows keep the mouth closed longer, helping to sustain a fresh water lagoon for juvenile steelhead.
We believe that the ocean controls river mouth closures. Even when river flows have been naturally very low, the mouth has remained open in summer for long periods, as the ocean tends to be less active then. SCWA staff made a statement at a recent meeting that supports this theory. For many reasons, lowering flows in our area is a bad idea. We have written a detailed article (Sonoma County Gazette: April 1 edition) on this issue. Article can also be accessed on our website on our Home Page (www.rrwpc.org). Mother Nature should be in charge of opening and closing the river’s mouth!
Fish Flow Project EIR to be released in June or July….We recently learned that the Fish Flow Project Environmental Impact Report (EIR) should finally come out in June or July of this year, and is long overdue. That project intends to permanently lower minimum Russian River flows (May 15th through Oct. 15th) in our area by 44%. SCWA staff mentioned recently that there would be a 60-day comment period. There is no action to take on this issue immediately, but we will keep you posted in future mailings. (Our next goes out in mid-May.) RRWPC will organize responses to the document this summer. In the meantime, please try to attend Monte Rio meeting and bring your friends. Also please check our website periodically (www.rrwpc.org) since we will place future meeting notices and other important announcements on our Home Page.
Water Reuse should be labeled “Water Misuse”…..In our February mailer, we requested that you sign and send a prewritten letter to the State Water Board concerning the Proposed Order for Recycled Water Use. Unfortunately, we were unable to make it available until a week before the comment deadline. Some people were able to mail it in time and, if you haven’t already, we ask you to send it now, before the date of the hearing in Sacramento on April 19th (it should be mailed by April 16th.) Letter is included with this mailer. Please sign and send to address on letter. We are hoping to attend hearing and report on what transpires.
It is our view that it is appropriate to send after the comment period because you would not be providing a separate comment, but rather simply adding your name to comments that have already been made. We want them to know that many people share our concerns. We submitted 20 pages of comments before the deadline, which you can find on our website under Recycled Wastewater Documents (subheading under Recycled Wastewater) or you can send us an email requesting the letter. (email address above)
There are many unaddressed issues of concern about recycled water reuse that include the following. United States Geological Survey (USGS) has conducted many studies around the nation to determine the extent of transgender fish incidence. They have found transgender fish in a large number of rivers nationwide, most commonly downstream of wastewater treatment facilities. Another finding of note is that studies have indicated that plants irrigated with wastewater take up toxins within the plant that end up in the eatable portions. Furthermore, what you might not know is that organic farmers are allowed to reuse wastewater for irrigating organic food crops. Of course, many don’t, but we have no way of knowing who does and who doesn’t.
RRWPC tracking several other issues…RRWPC is tracking the Nutrient Credit Trading Program, intended to repair sites in the Laguna that have caused harm with excessive nutrients to creeks. Through an independent trade bank, Santa Rosa would provide funds for projects in exchange for being allowed to discharge wastewater with comparable amounts of nutrients.
We took part in a day long workshop on toxic algae, which may be invading the river and is a topic about which people who use the river need to be informed. The three main contributors to the problem are high temperatures, excessive nutrients (which we have in abundance) and low flows. If flows are lowered permanently, that almost guarantees toxic algae will occur and is main reason we need to stop low flow project.
We also continue to track the Bacteria Total Maximum Daily Load process at the Regional Board. Staff is responding to comments now and will begin to have public meetings in a few months. This will involve the adoption of new septic system policies by the County Planning Department (Supervisors).
Many of you probably didn’t see the Press Democrat’s pictures of 25 Women who shaped the North Coast. I was honored to be part of this incredible group of women.
(# 22) Copy: 25 women who shaped the North Coast into your browser to see the list.
RRWPC needs your continued support….RRWPC has ceaselessly advocated for the health of the lower Russian River over the past 37 years. We successfully influenced many changes in river management through our writings, presentations, and advocacy on water quality and flow. You can view some of our work at our website: www.rrwpc.org RRWPC depends exclusively on our mailers for funds and deeply appreciate your help.
Thank you for caring about the Russian River.