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<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Water
groups fight salmon plan in court <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Fresno
Bee-2/2/10<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>By John
Ellis <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>A coalition of water
districts and agencies asked a federal judge in Fresno on Tuesday to set aside
a controversial salmon management plan because it reduces water deliveries to
urban and agricultural users.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>U.S. District Judge Oliver
W. Wanger is weighing a decision after hearing four hours of testimony. <span
style='background:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow'>He promised a ruling by Tuesday,</span>
the date of another hearing dealing with the salmon management plan.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Among those seeking the
order were the Westlands Water District, which takes in a large portion of the
west side of the central San Joaquin Valley. Also among the plaintiffs were the
Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which serves 19 million
people. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>All depend on the
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta for water. The temporary ruling, if granted, would
be in place while a more permanent measure is sought. The water agencies want
the salmon management plan rewritten to allow more water to be pumped.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Federal officials had to
rewrite the plan after Wanger in 2008 found an earlier set of rules did not
adequately protect the endangered fish species. The rules cover salmon
varieties that are protected by the Endangered Species Act.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>On Tuesday, attorneys for
the water agencies argued that water cutbacks when salmon are in the vicinity
of the delta pumps are causing irreparable harm to water users. They also said
the salmon now near the pumps are fall-run salmon -- which are not endangered
-- and not the protected winter run.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>"We submit there is
no harm currently to the winter run [salmon], because there is no winter
run," said attorney Keith Adair, who represents Westlands and San Luis
& Delta-Mendota Water Authority.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Urban and agriculture
users that depend on delta water say they are losing 6,000 acre-feet of water
per day because of the new salmon rules. An acre-foot is about 326,000 gallons,
or enough water for a family of four for a year.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>But federal government
attorneys and their environmental allies defended the new salmon rules. U.S.
Department of Justice attorney Bridget Kennedy McNeil accused the water users
of "trying to eliminate protections."<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>McNeil also countered
Adair, saying "the winter-run [salmon] are on the move and more of them
can be expected in February."<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Tuesday's hearing was also
slated to include the delta smelt, but Wanger delayed action because the
species is not currently causing water cutbacks.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>Byron
Leydecker, JcT</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>Chair, Friends
of Trinity River</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>PO Box 2327</span></i><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>Mill Valley, CA
94942-2327</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>415 383 4810
land/fax (call first to fax)</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>415 519 4810
mobile</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'><a
href="mailto:bwl3@comcast.net"><span style='color:blue'>bwl3@comcast.net</span></a></span></i></b><b><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'><a
href="mailto:bleydecker@stanfordalumni.org"><span style='color:blue'>bleydecker@stanfordalumni.org</span></a>
</span></i></b><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'>(secondary)</span></i><b><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:gray'><a
href="http://fotr.org/"><span style='color:blue'>http://www.fotr.org</span></a>
</span></i></b><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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