Page 6 - 2015 Annual Project Review

Potter Valley Project New
LONG-TERM GOAL
Improve streamflows and expand spawning habitat for Eel River salmonids in the upper mainstem Eel River.
WHAT WE WILL ACHIEVE IN 2015-16
• Coordinate conservation stakeholders to focus on key PG&E FERC relicensing, habitat, and fish population issues.
• Establish modeling tools for assessing flow releases at the Potter Valley Project.
Woodman Creek Fish Passage
LONG-TERM GOAL
Restore unimpeded access for Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead from the mainstem Eel River into Woodman Creek, completing a second state-of-art fish passage projects along the North Western Pacific Railroad line.
RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Completed the engineering designs for the $2 million barrier removal project.
• Achieved critical support from the North Coast Rail Authority and neighboring private landowners.
• Submitted a grant proposal for the entire project implementation.
WHAT WE WILL ACHIEVE IN 2015-16
• Pursue funding for the barrier removal project implementation.
KEYSTONE INITIATIVE
Regional Instream Flow Objectives and Water Policy
Establishing ‘Public Trust’ Streamflows to Sustain Salmon and Steelhead Throughout Their Freshwater Life Cycles.
Gradually diminishing streamflows in the spring are the natural stressful condition salmon and steelhead encounter in the South Fork Eel River annually. But with each passing decade, low-flows are becoming more severe and occurring earlier, caused by legal and unauthorized diversions. Although individual diversions (legal and otherwise) generally are small, the cumulative total diversion within many South Fork Eel River tributaries is becoming significantly high.
To improve water quality and avoid extinction of salmon and steelhead populations, water resource managers and their partners must work with the community of water users to implement water diversion management and water conservation measures. Eventually, the methodology developed in this program can be “regionalized” as water management policy.
South Fork Eel Sproul Creek Project New
LONG-TERM GOAL
Establish common and standardized procedures applicable throughout California’s coastal watersheds for identifying ‘instream flow objectives’ through the development and application of regional criteria and through development and adoption of standardized, site-specific flow study methodologies. Advocate for adoption of these approaches by state agencies (CDFW, RWB, SWRCB).
WHAT WE WILL ACHIEVE IN 2015-16
• Establish an agency Technical Working Group to focus on a Sproul Creek instream flow study and water management approach.
• Develop a Study Plan suitable for regional application in California’s coastal watersheds.
Coho Coalition
LONG-TERM GOAL
Reform state water policy, advance streamflow science, and address resource management challenges using the South Fork Eel River as a focal area to identify public trust instream flows for coho salmon and steelhead across their freshwater lifecycle, while increasing water supply reliability for people.
RECENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Completed the first-phase of establishing a scientific approach for identifying regional flow objectives.
• Collaborated with Coalition partners to develop and present our science and policy approach to the Regional and State Water Boards.
WHAT WE WILL ACHIEVE IN 2015-16
• Continue validation of regional flow criteria and objectives through field streamflow assessments and water management analyses.
• Monitor summer low-flow conditions and advocate for watershed protection and enforcement.
North Coast outreach
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