Streamkeeper’s bLog – July 2016
Streamkeeper’s bLog – July 2016
In the heat of summer
A word from CalTrout’s ED, Curtis Knight
As we find ourselves in mid-summer with temperatures soaring and no drought relief in sight for most of the state, water is on everyone’s mind. Winter run-off and spring storms may have been scarce, but one source that is reliable and abundant is the water flowing from the volcanic springs in Northern California’s Shasta region. Contributing nearly 700 billion gallons annually to Shasta Reservoir, these cold-water springs are vital to California’s water supply yet they remain poorly understood and unprotected.
After passing through Shasta and flowing into the Central Valley Project, the water that originates in the volcanic springs accounts for about 20% of the summertime flow in the lower Sacramento River. At the current market rate, this spring flow represents a significant financial asset for the state.
The springs are not just important to the state’s water supply, the systems are also telling us something important about the overall health of our watersheds. If there is a healthy wild trout population in the rivers of the Shasta area, we know that our water supply is healthy, too. CalTrout recognizes that there is no time to waste in studying and protecting the irreplaceable and vital source of cold water that these volcanic aquifers represent and has put an action plan in place. That plan, as well as the history of the aquifers, is highlighted in the summer issue of The Current.
I hope you’ll take a few minutes to beat the heat of summer, grab a cold lemonade or beer, and read the issue.
With thanks,
