<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:14pt"><div><span>There has been some confusion about the term "causal linkage" in the recent motion by the Trinity Adaptive Management Working Group regarding watersheds.</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 19px; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; "><span><br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 19px; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; "><span>The term comes from the attached 1998 Interior Solicitor's Opinion regarding use of Reclamation funds for various fishery restoration activities. It states that there must be a "causal linkage" between construction and operation of the Trinity River Division of the CVP and the proposed
work.</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 19px; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; "><span><br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 19px; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; "><span>Reclamation's interpretation is that there is no causal linkage for work in any watershed below the North Fork confluence. </span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 19px; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; "><span><br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 19px; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; "><span>Also attached is a 1993 white paper on the issue that explains why there is a causal linkage between work
in the South Fork and other tributaries. Several of us have disagreed for over a decade.</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 19px; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; "><span><br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 19px; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; "><span>The intent of the motion is to put the issue of "causal linkage" into the realm of science, not politics, by having the Science Advisory Board make a determination about causal linkage and watershed work in tributaries below the North Fork. The Trinity Management Council did not make a decision on this issue on Weds but will take it up on their January monthly conference call where the public is excluded.</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 19px; font-family: 'times new roman',
'new york', times, serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; "><span><br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 19px; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; "><span>Sincerely,</span></div><div></div><div> </div><div>Tom Stokely<br>Water Policy Analyst/Media Contact<br>California Water Impact Network<br>V/FAX 530-926-9727<br>Cell 530-524-0315<br>tstokely@att.net<br>http://www.c-win.org</div></div></body></html>