-
California’s White Sturgeon: An Endangered Species within the Foreseeable Future
On November 30th, 2023, San Francisco Baykeeper, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA), the Bay Institute, and Restore the Delta petitioned the California Fish and Game Commission to list the state’s white sturgeon as “threatened” under the California Endangered Species Act. The coalition also petitioned United States Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and NOAA Fisheries to…
-
The View from under the Bus: Newsom Administration and Fish Agencies Sell Out Yuba River Flow for Fish Passage
With nary a mention that the center of the prospective deal is no flow increases on the Yuba River, two fish agencies, a water agency, and the Newsom Administration used glowing words to announce on May 16, 2023 “a restoration plan” for the Yuba River. The rollout at a press conference[1] featured the Director of…
-
NMFS Gives Stockton East and Irrigators All the Water in the Calaveras River
On September 14, 2020, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and Stockton East Water District (Stockton East) issued a Final Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) for the Calaveras River. The HCP will require a minimum flow of 20 cfs upstream of Stockton East’s major water supply diversion at Bellota Weir (River Mile 24). It will also…
-
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…
-
CSPA, Coalition Sues Interior and Westlands Over Long-Term Water Contracts
On 8 July 2020, CSPA and a coalition of fishing organizations sued the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and Westlands, San Luis and Panoche Water Districts in federal court over a series of interim water service contracts and a series of permanent repayment (or conversion) contracts. The lawsuit alleges that the…
