Category Archives: Authors

CSPA, Coalition Sues Bureau Over Long-Term Water Transfers

On 11 May 2020, CSPA, AquAlliance, California Water Impact Network and the South and Central Delta Water Agencies filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and the San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority over the EIS/EIR … Continue reading

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CSPA, Coalition Sues Waterboards Over Grasslands Bypass Pollutant Discharges to San Joaquin River

On 5 May 2020, CSPA and a coalition of fishing and tribal groups (CSPA et al.) sued the State and Regional Water Boards, Bureau of Reclamation and San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority over illegal discharges of pollutants from the … Continue reading

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CSPA Scopes Out Delta Tunnel Do-Over

CSPA has identified 69 issues that the Department of Water Resources (DWR) must confront in its forthcoming Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the new incarnation of its “Delta Conveyance” project.  Delta Conveyance means a proposed tunnel under the Sacramento-San Joaquin … Continue reading

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CSPA and Coalition Oppose Waiver of Clean Water Act

CSPA and allies in the Foothills Water Network have filed a Response in Opposition to Yuba Water Agency’s Request for Waiver of water quality certification for the Yuba River Development Project.  The Network filed its letter with the Federal Energy … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Shutes, Hydroelectric (FERC) | Comments Off on CSPA and Coalition Oppose Waiver of Clean Water Act

Hydropower Reform Coalition Opposes Weakening of Federal Environmental Review

The Hydropower Reform Coalition submitted comments on March 10, 2020 in opposition to proposed changes to the implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).  The Coalition’s comments state that the proposed new NEPA rule would make analysis worse and … Continue reading

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Salmonid Restoration Federation Conference Postponed Indefinitely

One of California’s premier annual gatherings of fisheries restorationists, scientists and advocates has been postponed indefinitely in order to protect public health.  The conference of the Salmonid Restoration Federation (SRF)[1] planned for March 31-April 3 in Santa Cruz will not … Continue reading

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The First Law of Holes Is: Stop Digging.

Water in California is overallocated and overappropriated.  Too much is promised, too much is delivered, and not enough is left in rivers and in the ground.  The result is ecosystem collapse, sinking land and dry wells, and dying communities in … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Shutes, Water Rights | Comments Off on The First Law of Holes Is: Stop Digging.

We’ve Waited Long Enough – It’s Time to Restart the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan

CSPA, as part of a coalition of environmental, fishing, tribal and environmental justice groups and businesses, sent a letter to the State Water Resources Control Board on January 17, 2020 urging the Board to move forward on the update of … Continue reading

Posted in Cindy Charles | Comments Off on We’ve Waited Long Enough – It’s Time to Restart the Bay-Delta Water Quality Control Plan

CSPA and Allies Oppose another DWR Delta Boondoggle

CSPA and California Water Research submitted comments on January 6, 2020 opposing the analysis of the Department of Water Resources (DWR) of proposed future Delta operations.  The comments responded to DWR’s Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Long-Term Operation of … Continue reading

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A Busy End-of-Year for CSPA

As we wait for the Newsom Administration to unveil the details of its proposed Portfolio Project, with a single Delta tunnel, results of the “Voluntary Agreement” process to replace/argument the existing Water Quality Control Plan proceeding and efforts by the … Continue reading

Posted in Bill Jennings, California Delta, Clean Farms - Clean Water, Fisheries, State Board Bay-Delta Standards, Water Quality | Comments Off on A Busy End-of-Year for CSPA

CSPA and Tuolumne advocates answer San Francisco on water supply

CSPA, the Tuolumne River Trust, Golden West Women Flyfishers and two unaffiliated Bay Area advocates (“TRT et al.”) continue to make the case that the City of San Francisco and its wholesale agency can both protect their water supply and … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Shutes, Hydroelectric (FERC), State Board Bay-Delta Standards | Comments Off on CSPA and Tuolumne advocates answer San Francisco on water supply

Fisheries Lost a Champion, I Lost a Friend

Jim Crenshaw, longtime President of CSPA, suddenly and unexpectedly passed away Thursday, November 28.  He had spent Thanksgiving Day with family, the evening with close friends, returned home and passed in his sleep.  Jim’s death is a grievous loss to … Continue reading

Posted in Bill Jennings, Miscellaneous | Comments Off on Fisheries Lost a Champion, I Lost a Friend

Calaveras River Plan Takes 14 Years to Keep All the Water

On November 14, 2019, CSPA filed comments critical of a new Habitat Conservation Plan for the Calaveras River and also filed comments critical of a supporting environmental review document.[1]   Stockton East Water District (Stockton East) and the National Marine Fisheries … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Shutes, Water Rights | Comments Off on Calaveras River Plan Takes 14 Years to Keep All the Water

Hydropower Reform Coalition Opposes Another Trump Administration Attack on the Clean Water Act

The Hydropower Reform Coalition (HRC), including CSPA and allied hydropower advocates, has submitted extensive comments in opposition to the Trump Administration’s attack on Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.  Trump’s Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a … Continue reading

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A Fresh Disaster for Fish – Bureau of Reclamation’s New Plan for Long-Term Operations of the CVP and SWP Water Export Business

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, California Water Impact Network and AquAlliance submitted joint comments September 3, 2019 on the Bureau of Reclamation’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the Long-Term Operations of the Central Valley Project and the California State … Continue reading

Posted in California Delta, Cindy Charles | Comments Off on A Fresh Disaster for Fish – Bureau of Reclamation’s New Plan for Long-Term Operations of the CVP and SWP Water Export Business

CSPA, Coalition Comment on Grasslands Management Plan

On 9 September 2019, CSPA and a coalition of fishing, environmental, tribal and environmental justice organizations submitted comments to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board) regarding the Grasslands Bypass … Continue reading

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CSPA Wins Huge Ninth Circuit Court Victory

On 6 September 2019, CSPA joined by the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, Friends of the River, San Francisco Crab Boat Owners Association, Institute for Fisheries Resources and Felix Smith prevailed in a major decision by the federal Ninth … Continue reading

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Misc Historical Documents

Below are misc. historical documents related to Grasslands, Westlands and Discharges into the San Joaquin River Cost Allocation Letters http://calsport.org/news/wp-content/uploads/Final-USBR-Cost-Allocation-Methodology-Cmt-Letter-6-4-2014-IFR-Coalition….pdf http://calsport.org/news/wp-content/uploads/PCL-et.-al.-Cmts-Re-Draft-CVP-Cost-Allocation-Study-April-2019.highlight….pdf http://calsport.org/news/wp-content/uploads/PCL-IFR-Coalition-CVP-Cost-Allocation-Completion-October-2019-Cmts.pdf RE_ Meeting Availability for Cost Allocation Study listening sessions – August 19-23, 2019 RE_ Meeting Availability for Cost … Continue reading

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Oops, DWR Did It Again

WaterFix version 1 is hung out to dry.  There have been welcome announcements by the Newsom administration of a clean start on California water policy.  But on June 10, 2019, the Department of Water Resources posted “Why Delta Conveyance” to … Continue reading

Posted in Chris Shutes, No Tunnels Campaign | Comments Off on Oops, DWR Did It Again

Cutting Funding for Ag Water Efficiency: A Backwards Portfolio for Managing Water

On May 9, 2019, Governor Newsom released his proposed budget for the coming fiscal year.  The website for CalCAN, the California Climate and Agricultural Network, reports[1] that the proposed budget would eliminate funding for SWEEP, [2] “the state’s on-farm water … Continue reading

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