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Notes from the field: Silver Fork American River—Part 2
Last month, I was back in the Silver Fork American River watershed, roughly 6 miles east of reaches covered in my previous article. The outing inspired me to write a sequel. But before I give you the skinny on the trip’s fly-fishing adventures, there is a bit of business to discuss. The Silver Fork American…
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Which state government agency has jurisdiction and the political will to enforce instream flows?
California is world-renowned as an environmental leader. Yet agencies are reluctant to enforce laws that ensure people and fish have clean water. Those who advocate for salmon recovery and track agency performance on reversing damage to aquatic ecosystems can attest: the enactment of environmental regulations does not guarantee that those laws will get enforced. Enforcement…
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Pulling the Rug out from under: “Updating” Water Rights Decision 1641
A July 11, 2026 article in Valley Ag Voice reports that Adam Nickels, acting Regional Director for the California-Great Basin region of the Bureau of Reclamation, is on record as proposing to improve “water supply reliability” by “updating” Water Rights Decision 1641. The article quotes Mr. Nickels as follows: “We actually know today that D-1641…
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Upholding Tribal Beneficial Uses in water management
On July 22, 2026, the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) held a workshop about Draft Guidance on designating Tribal Beneficial Uses (TBUs). The phrase “designating TBUs” means the State will officially identify and recognize specific tribal uses. The State will also call out specific water bodies in which those uses are explicitly…
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Notes from the Field: Silver Fork American River
Summertime allows me to venture into the high country of the Sierra Nevada mountain range and assess river and stream conditions for CSPA. Last week, I made my way up to the Silver Fork American River. The El Dorado Hydroelectric Project (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Project no. 184) controls summer flows in the Silver Fork.…
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