Great opinion article by Matt Weiser in the San Francisco Chronicle that highlights concerns shared by CalTrout over the future of America’s rivers and the upcoming appointments for the Federal Energy Regulations Committee (FERC).
The FERC appointments will have huge implications for our work on the Klamath, McCloud, Eel, and the Santa Clara Rivers, to name a few, all which have hydro-power dams that affect water flows and fish passage. FERC is the responsible agency for issuing hydro-power licenses, which have up to 50 year terms. As dams come up for relicensing, FERC must consult with natural resource agencies in preparing license applications to ensure that “equal consideration” is given to recreational, environmental, and conservation uses of a river. For example, installing a fish ladder, and in some cases even removing dams, to help native steelhead move past the facility on their way to upstream spawning and spawning areas. Unfortunately, the environmental progress we’ve seen across many relicensed dam projects may soon be halted as priorities under the new administration shift. Rather than fish ladders, less-efficient methods may be used in place, such as the “trap-and-haul” system where fish are transported upstream around the dam in tanker trunks or even no consideration for fish passage at all.
Read on for Weiser’s full story.
Dams, fish, and kayakers must share our rivers, by Matt Weiser
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Peter Moyle is the Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology and Associate Director of the Center for Watershed Sciences, at UC Davis. He is author or co-author of more than 240 publications, including the definitive Inland Fishes of California (2002). He is co-author of the 2017 book, Floodplains: Processes and Management for Ecosystem Services. His research interests include conservation of aquatic species, habitats, and ecosystems, including salmon; ecology of fishes of the San Francisco Estuary; ecology of California stream fishes; impact of introduced aquatic organisms; and use of floodplains by fish.
Robert Lusardi is the California Trout/UC Davis Wild and Coldwater Fish Researcher focused on establishing the basis for long-term science specific to California Trout’s wild and coldwater fish initiatives. His work bridges the widening gap between academic science and applied conservation policy, ensuring that rapidly developing science informs conservation projects throughout California. Dr. Lusardi resides at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences and works closely with Dr. Peter Moyle on numerous projects to help inform California Trout conservation policy. His recent research interests include Coho salmon on the Shasta River, the ecology of volcanic spring-fed rivers, inland trout conservation and management, and policy implications of trap and haul programs for anadromous fishes in California.
Patrick Samuel is the Conservation Program Coordinator for California Trout, a position he has held for almost two years, where he coordinates special research projects for California Trout, including the State of the Salmonids report. Prior to joining CalTrout, he worked with the Fisheries Leadership & Sustainability Forum, a non-profit that supports the eight federal regional fishery management councils around the country. Patrick got his start in fisheries as an undergraduate intern with NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources Division in Sacramento, and in his first field job as a crew member of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife’s Wild and Heritage Trout Program.
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Lake Pillsbury is a treasure to Northern California and a haven for many local families. Please save the lake!