CSPA and Conservation Allies Issue Support for Water Quality Certification on Butte Creek

CSPA and several conservation allies submitted comments today on the draft Water Quality Certification for the relicensing of the DeSabla – Centerville hydroelectric project on Butte Creek. These comments express general support for the conditions proposed by the State Water Resources Control Board, including the discontinuation of all water diversions from the Lower Centerville Reach of Butte Creek for five years to allow the assessment of the effects on fish populations. The conditions proposed in the draft certification stand in sharp contrast to the management approach proposed by PG&E and the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission, which opposed full summer flow in Butte Creek. The comments also support a defined role for conservation groups, including CSPA, in the future management of Butte Creek.

Since 2003 CSPA has advocated for improved salmon habitat in Butte Creek.  The draft Certification is a big step towards achieving this goal. You can learn more about CSPA’s involvement in the State Water Board Certification in our previous blog post.