Category Archives: Authors

CSPA and Allied Groups Dissect Draft EIS for Don Pedro

Posted on April 16, 2019 by Chris Shutes

CSPA, nine other conservation and fishing groups, and four whitewater outfitters (“Conservation Groups”) jointly submitted 75 pages of comments on April 12, 2019 on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the relicensing of the Don Pedro Hydroelectric Project and … Continue reading →

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CSPA Submits Comments to EPA on New Selenium Criteria

Posted on April 2, 2019 by Bill Jennings

CSPA and a coalition of environmental, fishing and environmental justice organizations submitted comments to U.S. EPA regarding proposed federal water quality criteria for selenium applicable to California.  A protective water quality criterion for selenium is essential not only for various … Continue reading →

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Fishing and River Groups Analyze Voluntary Agreements

Posted on March 6, 2019 by Chris Shutes

CSPA, the Golden Gate Salmon Association, and other fishing and river groups have released an analysis critical of the outline of Voluntary Agreements submitted to the State Water Board as a proposed alternative to the Board’s regulatory update of the … Continue reading →

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WaterFix: Down One Tunnel, in Holding Pattern. What’s Next??

Posted on March 5, 2019 by Cindy Charles

In his State of the State address on February 12, 2019, newly elected Governor Gavin Newsom announced he didn’t support the “California WaterFix” as a two-tunnel project, and that he favored downsizing it to just one tunnel.  What does this … Continue reading →

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What the Water Deals Mean, Part 1: December 2018 Agreements between the Department of Water Resources and the Bureau of Reclamation

Posted on January 1, 2019 by Chris Shutes

On December 12, 2018, the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and the United States Bureau of Reclamation (Bureau) concluded a series of water agreements relating to DWR’s State Water Project (SWP) and the Bureau’s Central Valley Project (CVP).  On … Continue reading →

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Glass Half Full: State Water Board Adopts San Joaquin Flow Objectives for Update of Bay-Delta Plan

Posted on December 19, 2018 by Chris Shutes

The State Water Resources Control Board adopted new objectives for flows in the Lower San Joaquin River and for southern Delta salinity on Wednesday, December 12, 2018.  The new plan for flow in the San Joaquin River will require as … Continue reading →

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Major Setback for Delta Tunnels: DWR Withdraws Certification that WaterFix Is Consistent with Delta Plan

Posted on December 8, 2018 by Chris Shutes

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has withdrawn its Certification that its proposed Delta tunnels (WaterFix) project is consistent with the Delta Plan.  As anticipated in a November 16, 2018 CSPA post, there is now no chance that the Delta … Continue reading →

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Delta Tunnels Hearing at State Water Board Drawing to a Close

Posted on December 4, 2018 by Chris Shutes

After more than three years, 104 days of testimony, and over twenty-four thousand pages of hearing transcripts, the hearing before the State Water Resources Control Board (State Board) on the proposal to construct two tunnels to convey water under the … Continue reading →

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Water Budgets: Numbers Matter

Posted on November 30, 2018 by Chris Shutes

A recent series of articles and blog posts by Jeff Mount and others from the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) proposes a system of “water budgets” for the environment as part of a new system for managing water and … Continue reading →

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Delta Stewardship Council Recommends Pause in Delta Tunnels Project

Posted on November 16, 2018 by Chris Shutes

It now appears that there is almost no chance that Delta tunnels will be approved and begin construction before Governor Brown leaves office in January 2019.  The roadblock emerged on November 15, 2018 in a proceeding before a state agency … Continue reading →

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State Water Board Postpones Decision on San Joaquin River Flows

Posted on November 12, 2018 by Chris Shutes

“Let’s go.” “We can’t.” “Why not?” “We’re waiting for Godot.” ― Samuel Beckett, Waiting for Godot In response to a joint written request[1] from Governor Brown and incoming Governor Gavin Newsom, the State Water Resources Control Board on November 7, … Continue reading →

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Federal Dam Safety Regulators Describe Need for Big Changes at Oroville Dam

Posted on November 5, 2018 by Chris Shutes

The Division of Dam Safety and Inspections in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued a letter to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) on October 25, 2018 that requires DWR to reclassify the emergency spillway at Oroville Dam as … Continue reading →

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San Francisco Board of Supervisors Unanimously Supports Update of Bay-Delta Plan

Posted on October 31, 2018 by Chris Shutes

In an 11-0 vote on October 30, 2018, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a resolution supporting the State Water Resources Control Board’s immediate update of the San Joaquin Flow portion of the Bay-Delta Plan.  Introduced by Supervisor Aaron … Continue reading →

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Draft EIS for Yuba River Development Project Omits Key Recommendations to Improve the Lower Yuba River

Posted on August 7, 2018 by Cindy Charles

The California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, as a member of the Foothills Water Network (FWN), submitted 74 pages of comments on July 30, 2018 to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the relicensing … Continue reading →

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Tuolumne River Salmon and Steelhead’s Future Under Serious Political Attack

Posted on May 27, 2018 by Cindy Charles

Last week, San Joaquin Valley Republican Congressman Valadao attached an amendment to the appropriations bill for the Department of Commerce that would prohibit the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) from participation in the licensing proceedings of the Don Pedro and … Continue reading →

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CSPA Presents at Salmonid Restoration Federation Conference

Posted on April 24, 2018 by Cindy Charles

Chris Shutes, CSPA’s FERC Projects Director and Water Rights Advocate, gave a presentation at the 36th Annual Salmonid Restoration Federation Conference recently held in Eureka, CA.  The SRF Conference is the largest salmon restoration conference in California and brings together … Continue reading →

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Conservation Groups Submit Complete Flow Recommendation for Tuolumne River

Posted on February 5, 2018 by Chris Shutes

CSPA and nine other Conservation Groups filed extensive comments and recommendations January 29, 2018 for flow requirements and non-flow measures for the lower Tuolumne River.    The filing is an important milestone in the multi-year licensing process of the Don Pedro … Continue reading →

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CSPA Comments on Sites Reservoir Project

Posted on January 28, 2018 by Cindy Charles

CSPA, AquAlliance and the California Water Impact Network submitted comments on January 12, 2018 on the proposed Sites Reservoir Draft Environmental Impact Report/Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIR/DEIS).  The proposed Sites Project would create a $4 billion reservoir outside of Maxwell, … Continue reading →

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CSPA Submits Testimony on Delta Tunnels – Months of Hearings Start in January

Posted on December 12, 2017 by Chris Shutes

On November 30, CSPA filed testimony and exhibits for the State Water Board’s hearings on the Delta Tunnels (“WaterFix”). This new testimony is for Part 2 of the hearings: impacts to fish and wildlife, recreation, and other Public Trust values. … Continue reading →

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Potter Valley Project Dam Relicensing – Second Comment Letter Submitted to FERC Urging Dam Safety Considerations

Posted on November 22, 2017 by Cindy Charles

In early November, California Sportfishing Protection Alliance, Friends of the River and American Whitewater filed a comment letter with FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) in response to their Scoping Document 2 for the Potter Valley Project. The letter calls for … Continue reading →

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