[env-trinity] Times-Standard:Klamath River to receive more Trinity River reservoir water

[Tom Stokely]

Klamath River to receive more Trinity River reservoir water
The Times-Standard Eureka Times Standard
Created:

http://www.times-standard.com/ci_21290316/klamath-river-receive-more-trinity-river-reservoir-water?source=most_viewed 
Releases from Lewiston Dam will begin in the early morning hours Monday and end the last week of September, according to a Bureau of Reclamation press release on Friday. Additional water is being released to help protect a possible record-breaking run of adult Chinook salmon from disease outbreak and death.

The Trinity River is the Klamath's largest tributary, and water is often diverted from the river to farmers and residents of Southern California. In 2002, the diversion led to a massive fish kill on the Klamath.

Flows in the lower Klamath River will be targeted this year at 3,200 cubic feet per second, the release said. Current river flow forecasts indicate that Lewiston Dam releases will increase from the current rate of 450 cubic feet per second Monday and will vary from 1,000 to 1,200 cubic feet per second prior to dropping to 450 cubic feet per second in late September.

The rate of increasing releases could be as high as 250 cubic feet per second every two hours, and the rate of flow reductions could be as high as 100 cubic feet per second every four hours, the release said. The public is asked to take all necessary precautions on or near the river while flows are increased.

Regina Chichizola, communications coordinator for the Hoopa Valley Tribe and former executive director of the Klamath Riverkeeper group, said the Hoopa Valley Tribe is pleased by the announcement, but concerned for the future.

”We worry that in future years water releases for Klamath salmon runs may not available. Both the peripheral tunnel plans and Klamath Basin Restoration agreements ignore the fact that salmon need water to survive,” Chichizola said in a statement.

An environmental assessment and finding of no significant impact were prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The draft documents were released for public review July 17 and public comments have been addressed in the final document.

The documents are available at www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_projdetails.cfm?Project_ID=10230.

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