Here’s a neat graphic of the relative size of America’s rivers. The Sacramento doesn’t look so big here. Which makes it important to note that to note that the Sacramento-San Joaquin system (40,000 cfs) carries about twice the flow of the Colorado under natural conditions (20,000 cfs). No wonder the Delta is in crisis.
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Archive for June, 2013
This week Save the California Delta Alliance joined with numerous other entities including environmental groups, commercial fishermen, water diverters and local governments in protesting the Delta Stewardship Council’s adoption of the Delta Plan. To view the STCDA Law Suit Filing click here.
The STCDA suit represents the interests of the large number of members in Discovery Bay, who “own waterfront homes with attached docks in the Delta”, and others who “swim, fish, boat, water-ski, wakeboard and otherwise recreate in the Delta. STCDA members earn their livings in Bay-Delta related businesses including marinas, fishing enterprises, water sports enterprises, Delta waterfront real estate agencies, and many other Bay-Delta related enterprises.” It stated that STCDA also represents the wider spectrum of membership including other Delta communities and the Bay.
Like the other suits, we object that the Delta Stewardship Council did not start with the scientific Delta Flows as directed by the Legislature. The Delta Flows are needed to identify how much water is available for export and how much must flow through the Delta to sustain it. The State Water Resources Control Board did produce its Delta Flow report in August 2010 but the answer was that the Delta needed less water exported out, not more. That was the wrong answer for the DSC so they have ignored the Delta Flows.
Our suit was able to take the Delta Stewardship Council to task for not specifically taking a position with regards to the still ‘on-hold’ Two-Gates Fish Protection Demonstration Project and The Plan makes no recommendations regarding them. As the last email to the membership noted, the Bacon Island Bridge is undergoing a one-month maintenance down-time in October during which, if the two-gates had been installed in 2009 as planned, Discovery Bay boats would not be able to come or go during that entire month. In addition, on Memorial Day, there was a tragic accident south of Mildred Island where a truck ran off the road into the slough and several people were missing. We were not allowed to pass through that slough to get from Mildred Island, through the Bacon Island Bridge to Discovery Bay due to the rescue operation and had to go the long way up Middle River and down Old River where the Two Gates would have not allowed us to return home with our grandbaby after the long weekend. We need to remain diligent to insure that gates do not get installed throughout the Delta, blocking navigation and causing other issues.
Our lawsuit further pointed out that the council has abdicated its responsibility to consider broad policy alternatives to “Big Conveyance” and have not followed the legislature’s mandate to “expand statewide water storage”. At prior DSC meetings we had requested the council consider a meaningful re-operation and conjuctive use strategy yet nothing is included in the Delta Plan and that the billions spent on the tunnels would be better spent on a series of smaller groundwater recharge projects that would be much less locally disruptive, spare Delta communities from annihilation, and would actually achieve the goals of providing a more reliable water supply to the state, restoring the Bay-Delta ecosystem, and expanding statewide storage capacity as mandated by the legislature. The re-operation and conjuctive use alternative is the one we have been raising money to hire scientists to help defend.
We are fortunate to have Michael Brodsky as a Discovery Bay resident and STCDA legal council. He once again has donated his time and expertise, working long hours and last weekend to put this suit together pro bono. Thank you again, Mr. Brodsky!
Links to news coverage of the law suits:
We are ordering more of our red & green “Stop the Tunnels!” signs seen in Discovery Bay and beyond!
We are happy to see that they have been springing up throughout Discovery Bay and beyond – along Highway 160 and up to Clarksburg, Hood, and Sacramento. Some have even been spotted in the Bay area and down south!
How can I get one?
Please click the “Display a Lawn Sign” link on the right side of the http://www.nodeltatunnels.com/ website or email “volunteers@nodeltagates.com”.
Include:
Your Name
Address
Phone #
so our volunteers can get you a sign. We are delivering in the Delta area but if you live elsewhere, please let our volunteers know if you can pick it up.
A small donation to cover the expenses is appreciated ($8.00) but not required. We are happy to have you display our signs and show your support for the cause. Together we can make a difference!
P.S. – More on the buses to Sacramento will be sent out soon for those of you who have volunteered to “Get on the Bus!” If you want your name added to the list to find out more details, please email “volunteers@NoDeltaGates.com”, include your name, address and phone # and say you want to “Get on the Bus!”
Save the California Delta Alliance (STCDA) 