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Landmark Lawsuit Settlement Between CSPA and State Water Board to Protect Public Trust Fisheries
On 17 July 2020, shortly before trial, CSPA and its partners, California Water Impact Network and AquAlliance, settled a contentious 2015 lawsuit against the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board). The lawsuit alleged that the State Board had embraced a “pattern and practice” that failed: to comply with the Public Trust Doctrine; implement Sacramento…
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A Deal is a Deal – El Dorado Irrigation District Seeks to Add More Diversions from SF American River
By Cindy Charles CSPA and a coalition of environmental and recreation organizations submitted comments in response to the April 17, 2020 Notice of Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for El Dorado Irrigation District’s (EID) proposed modification of Water Right Permit 21112.[1] EID proposes to add points of diversion and rediversion to its existing…
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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 for the proposed Long-Term Water Transfer Project (Project). The Project proposes to transfer as much…
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Risky Business Again – Merced Irrigation District Selling Water Out of District in Critically Dry Year
By Cindy Charles In March, Merced Irrigation District (Merced ID) filed a petition with the CA State Water Board (Board) for a temporary change to transfer up to 45,000 acre-feet of water to out-of-district water agencies[1]. Merced ID plans to sell its water even though the San Joaquin Index shows us in a Critically Dry…
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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 Grasslands Bypass Project into the San Joaquin River. The Lawsuit alleges violations of the federal…
