FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Ferbuary 16, 2023
Contact:
Matt Clifford, Trout Unlimited – matt.clifford@tu.org, (406) 370-9431
Liz Forsburg Pardi, The Nature Conservancy – eforsburg@tnc.org, (510) 322-7676
Redgie Collins, California Trout – rcollins@caltrout.org, (415) 748-8755
AB 1272 would improve drought planning, response and climate resiliency in North and Central Coast Watersheds
Sacramento – The California Salmon and Steelhead Coalition, a partnership comprised of California Trout, The Nature Conservancy, and Trout Unlimited, welcomes the introduction of AB 1272, which will lay the groundwork for creating a more climate-resilient future for native fish and water supplies in coastal California.
The bill, introduced by Assemblymember Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg), would direct the State Water Resources Control Board and California Department of Fish and Wildlife to work together to develop principles and guidelines for the diversion and use of water in coastal watersheds during times of water shortage, for the purpose of enhancing drought preparedness and climate resiliency. Developing dry-year water management plans at the watershed level will enable water users and stakeholders to create drought response measures that are tailored to local conditions and inform future investments in watershed health and water supply reliability.
“Having consistent and predictable drought response helps both fish and people,” said Redgie Collins, Legal and Policy Director for California Trout. “Our salmon and steelhead are in decline and common- sense actions, such as AB 1272, will ensure that they have a future here in California.”
“Drought is not an episodic event and has not been for decades,” said Wood. “The periods of drought are longer, more frequent, more severe and seriously threaten the health of rivers and streams, the wildlife that inhabit them and the ability to provide our communities, including the North Coast in my district, with safe and affordable drinking water.”
Matt Clifford, California Director of Law and Policy for Trout Unlimited stated “The North and Central Coast have suffered widespread impacts during the recent spate of severe dry years, with rural communities literally running out of water and salmon streams going dry. Yet in contrast to other parts of the state, there is currently no region-wide process in place to address these impacts – even though we know solutions exist. What we need are workable plans to preserve streamflows for drinking water and fish habitat under drought conditions, based on solid science and input from water users and local communities.”
“California is experiencing water whiplash—more frequent and longer droughts, punctuated by more intense storms—a byproduct of our changing climate. Assembly Bill 1272 is critical to proactively address this new reality that we are facing” said Jay Ziegler, Director of Policy and External Affairs for The Nature Conservancy. “By enacting Assembly Bill 1272, we can better protect important coastal rivers and provide more sustainable water supplies for both people and nature.”
About
The Salmon & Steelhead Coalition is a strategic partnership between The Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, and California Trout that works to restore salmon and steelhead rivers on California’s North and Central Coasts. We coordinate on science, on-the-ground projects, and local and state policy that advance our mission to support both the water supply needs of people and the recovery of coho salmon and steelhead.
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Cover Photo: CalTrout Policy Team with Assemblymember Jim Wood.
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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.