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<H1 class=articleTitle>Water bond presents puzzle for North Coast</H1><!--subtitle--><!--byline-->
<DIV id=articleByline class=articleByline>John Driscoll/The Times-Standard</DIV><!--date-->
<DIV id=articleDate class=articleDate>Posted: 11/06/2009 01:30:25 AM
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<P>A massive water bond developed by state legislators for the November 2010
election presents a conundrum for supporters of removing the Klamath River's
dams. </P>
<P>In the $11.1 billion bond measure is $250 million that would satisfy
California's portion of funding to remove four dams on the Klamath. </P>
<P>The legislative package passed Wednesday contains provisions for water
conservation and even groundwater monitoring -- elements that could drastically
change the state's notorious water policies. But the lion's share of the bond
money, if approved by voters, would go toward new dams, water projects and
development of a peripheral canal to pump water around the Sacramento River
delta to cities and farms to the south. </P>
<P>Serious concerns are being voiced by Northern California river advocates that
the bill loosens restrictions on water transfers in the Central Valley Project
-- CVP -- that could tap cold water supplies in Trinity Lake, Shasta Lake and
Folsom Reservoir. </P>
<P>That puts Klamath Dam removal proponents in the position of supporting a bill
that could harm the Klamath's main tributary, the Trinity River, and its
fisheries. </P>
<P>”We don't want to rob Peter to pay Paul,” said Craig Tucker, Klamath campaign
coordinator for the Karuk Tribe. </P>
<P>A draft agreement reached among 28 agencies, tribes, and fishing and
environmental groups to remove the Klamath's four hydroelectric dams was
released in September. The organizations' governing bodies are now reviewing the
deal, which calls for California to put up $250 million, to be added to $200
million from electricity ratepayers in Oregon, for dam removal costs. </P>
<P>Dam owner Pacificorp has agreed to give up the dams and transfer them to a
federal agency for dam removal beginning in 2020. The dams block migration of
salmon to the upper 300 miles of the Klamath River and its tributaries and its
reservoirs have severe water quality problems. </P>
<P>The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is asking the State Water Resources Control
Board for extensions of its water permits on the Trinity River and other Central
Valley rivers. But it doesn't include in its application restrictions on water
diversions to the Sacramento River called for in a 2000 U.S. Interior
Secretary's order to improve conditions for salmon and steelhead. </P>
<P>Tom Stokely with the California Water Impact Network wrote in a letter to
federal and state legislators this week that the legislative package just
approved could make more Trinity River water available for transfer to other
parts of the state -- water needed for fish. </P>
<P>”This appears to be another effort by the CVP water contractors to wring
every last drop of water from CVP reservoirs that they can't currently get their
hands on,” Stokely wrote. </P>
<P>The National Marine Fisheries Service has also taken notice of Reclamation's
water permit applications. In a response to them, NMFS wrote that the petitions
call for much lower flows to the Trinity River than allowed under the 2000
decision, which could breach temperature restrictions. </P>
<P>Concerns about the legislative package's possible effects on Northern
California prompted Assemblyman Wesley Chesbro to vote against the bills. </P>
<P>”In an era of drought and climate change, California should be maximizing
water recycling, reuse and restoration as the pathway to solving our water
problems,” the Arcata Democrat said. “Despite efforts to make it better, this
legislation only puts off the day of reckoning when we will be forced to
radically change the way we use water in California.” </P>
<P>The enormity of the bond alone is also likely to generate opposition from a
wide range of interests. Spreck Rosekrans with the Environmental Defense Fund
said that his group supported the bills, which he said contain measures to
secure water for farms and cities while finally requiring the monitoring of
groundwater. But the organization has not taken a position on the bond. </P>
<P>”The voters of California will have to decide whether it's something
California can afford,” Rosekrans said, “and whether it's good policy to put $11
billion into these projects.” </P>
<P>He said that there will likely be other opportunities to seek money to remove
the Klamath River's dams if the bond fails in November. </P>
<P>The September agreement does not require that signatories of a final dam
removal deal support a bond measure, but some are concerned that there may not
be another good opportunity to introduce money for Klamath dam removal any time
soon. </P>
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<P>John Driscoll can be reached at 441-0504 or <A
href="">jdriscoll@times-standard.com</A>.</P></DIV></SPAN></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>