CSPA has joined a broad coalition in recommending that the Army Corps of Engineers delay work on an Environmental Impact Statement for Centennial Dam, proposed for construction by Nevada Irrigation District on the Bear River near Colfax. A Comment Letter submitted on April 10, 2017 under the banner of the Foothills Water Network is also signed by 17 environmental, fishing and watershed groups, the Nevada City Rancheria of the Nisenan Tribe, 2 whitewater outfitters, and 4 individuals.
The letter recommends: “Prior to processing NID’s permit application, the Corps should require NID to evaluate water conservation and efficiency as an alternative to the proposed Centennial Reservoir.” It elaborates:
NID has not meaningfully undertaken the integrated water management strategies described in EPA’s Best Practices Document. NID has not undertaken a credible evaluation of the potential for these best practices to address the stated purpose of the Proposed Action to increase resiliency and security in the local water supply in the face of drought, climate change, and currently planned growth. This evaluation may eliminate the need for the Proposed Action or reveal that a significantly reduced action is sufficient to achieve the stated purposes.
Prior to analyzing the Proposed Action, the Corps should require this evaluation, including an analysis of a full suite of non-structural strategies … .
Also on April 10, American Rivers named the Bear River the second most endangered river in the United States in 2017. See https://s3.amazonaws.com/american-rivers-website/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/11121018/MER2017_FinalFullReport_04062017.pdf