Category Archives: Water Quality

Landmark Lawsuit Settlement Between CSPA and State Water Board to Protect Public Trust Fisheries

Posted on July 17, 2020 by Bill Jennings

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 … Continue reading →

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CSPA, Coalition Sues Interior and Westlands Over Long-Term Water Contracts

Posted on July 9, 2020 by Bill Jennings

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 … Continue reading →

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Here We Go Again – FERC Rapidly Issuing Waivers on Water Quality Certifications for California Dams

Posted on June 29, 2020 by Cindy Charles

By Cindy Charles The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) continues to roll out waivers for water quality certifications for dam relicensings in California at an alarming rate.  On June 22, CSPA and allies in the Foothills Water Network[1] (Network) filed … Continue reading →

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A Deal is a Deal – El Dorado Irrigation District Seeks to Add More Diversions from SF American River

Posted on June 1, 2020 by Cindy Charles

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 … Continue reading →

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Foothills Network Files for Rehearing of 401 Waiver on Nevada Irrigation District’s Yuba-Bear Project

Posted on May 18, 2020 by Cindy Charles

By Cindy Charles CSPA and allies in the Foothills Water Network (Network) filed a Request for Rehearing on an “Order on Waiver of Water Quality Certification” for Nevada Irrigation District’s (NID) Yuba-Bear Hydroelectric Project.  The Network filed the Request with … Continue reading →

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Letter Sent to Governor – Preserve the Application of the Clean Water Act to California’s Hydroelectric Projects

Posted on May 17, 2020 by Cindy Charles

By Cindy Charles CSPA, as a leading member of a coalition of environmental and fishing organizations, sent a joint letter to Governor Newsom on May 11, 2020 urging his Administration to prioritize action on an urgent threat to California’s rivers, … Continue reading →

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CSPA, Coalition Sues Bureau Over Long-Term Water Transfers

Posted on May 12, 2020 by Bill Jennings

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 … Continue reading →

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Risky Business Again – Merced Irrigation District Selling Water Out of District in Critically Dry Year

Posted on May 7, 2020 by Cindy Charles

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 … Continue reading →

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CSPA, Coalition Sues Waterboards Over Grasslands Bypass Pollutant Discharges to San Joaquin River

Posted on May 6, 2020 by Bill Jennings

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 … Continue reading →

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A Busy End-of-Year for CSPA

Posted on January 7, 2020 by Bill Jennings

As we wait for the Newsom Administration to unveil the details of its proposed Portfolio Project, with a single Delta tunnel, results of the “Voluntary Agreement” process to replace/argument the existing Water Quality Control Plan proceeding and efforts by the … Continue reading →

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Hydropower Reform Coalition Opposes Another Trump Administration Attack on the Clean Water Act

Posted on October 27, 2019 by Chris Shutes

The Hydropower Reform Coalition (HRC), including CSPA and allied hydropower advocates, has submitted extensive comments in opposition to the Trump Administration’s attack on Section 401 of the Clean Water Act.  Trump’s Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a … Continue reading →

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CSPA, Coalition Comment on Grasslands Management Plan

Posted on September 10, 2019 by Bill Jennings

On 9 September 2019, CSPA and a coalition of fishing, environmental, tribal and environmental justice organizations submitted comments to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) and the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board) regarding the Grasslands Bypass … Continue reading →

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CSPA Wins Huge Ninth Circuit Court Victory

Posted on September 8, 2019 by Bill Jennings

On 6 September 2019, CSPA joined by the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, Friends of the River, San Francisco Crab Boat Owners Association, Institute for Fisheries Resources and Felix Smith prevailed in a major decision by the federal Ninth … Continue reading →

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Sacramento Temperature Misc Documents

Posted on September 7, 2019 by Bill Jennings

Below are misc. historical documents related to Sacramento temperature standards Red Bluff Temperature 2001-2019 pdf copy Salmon Pop, Sac R, 2017, CDFW copy nmfs_s_draft_proposed_2017_rpa_amendment_-_january_19__2017 4-30-20 drafrt TMP CNRA et al. v. Ross et al. First Amended Complain 042120

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Misc Historical Documents

Posted on September 7, 2019 by Bill Jennings

Below are misc. historical documents related to Grasslands, Westlands and Discharges into the San Joaquin River Cost Allocation Letters http://calsport.org/news/wp-content/uploads/Final-USBR-Cost-Allocation-Methodology-Cmt-Letter-6-4-2014-IFR-Coalition….pdf http://calsport.org/news/wp-content/uploads/PCL-et.-al.-Cmts-Re-Draft-CVP-Cost-Allocation-Study-April-2019.highlight….pdf http://calsport.org/news/wp-content/uploads/PCL-IFR-Coalition-CVP-Cost-Allocation-Completion-October-2019-Cmts.pdf RE_ Meeting Availability for Cost Allocation Study listening sessions – August 19-23, 2019 RE_ Meeting Availability for Cost … Continue reading →

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CSPA Legal Wins Generate Significant Environmental Mitigation Funds

Posted on June 6, 2019 by Cindy Charles

CSPA is proud to report that our legal work to protect water quality continues to generate monetary settlements that are donated to foundations and other organizations that protect water quality.  While the primary focus of CSPA’s enforcement efforts is to … 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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What the Water Deals Mean, Part 2: Voluntary Settlements Privatize the Public Trust

Posted on January 7, 2019 by Chris Shutes

The holidays are over, and the sales are on.  Karla Nemeth, Director of the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) published an op-ed in CALmatters on December 26, 2018 to tell the world “what new water deals mean.”  Tom Birmingham, … 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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Irrigation Districts and Trump Administration Bludgeon Federal Fish Agency into Submission

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Chris Shutes

On October 1, 2018, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service wrote a letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) retracting its January 29, 2018 flow recommendations for the lower Tuolumne River (see pp. 65-74).  In its October 1 … Continue reading →

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