TURN ON THE PUMPS!!!
Posted on 06/04/2009 12:48:24 PM PDT by TenthAmendmentChampion
• Salmon, sturgeon being killed by pumping, says new report • ‘Chips away at our ability to provide a reliable water supply for California’
The National Marine Fisheries Service has ruled that the operation of both the federal and state water projects in California are contributing to the possible extinction of salmon, sturgeon, southern resident killer whale, and steelhead.
In a briefing for Congressional offices held earlier Thursday, NMFS announced exports from the Delta would be reduced 330,000 acre feet.
The state has an even grimmer view.
“The new opinion, which could reduce Delta export on average by about 300,000 to 500,000 acre feet, further chips away at our ability to provide a reliable water supply for California,” says Lester Snow, director of the California Department of Water Resources.
The National Marine Fisheries Service calculates that its biological opinion will reduce by 5 percent to 7 percent combined the amount of water state and federal projects will be able to deliver from the Delta to the San Francisco Bay Area, San Joaquin Valley, Central Coast and Southern California.
DWR’s initial estimates show the average year impacts closer to 10 percent. That is in addition to current pumping restrictions imposed by biological opinions to protect the Delta smelt and other species.
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/06/04/18600419.php
Federal Government Announces Salmon Restoration Actions Today
by Dan Bacher
Thursday Jun 4th, 2009 7:40 AM
The federal National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) will today announce changes the agency will require in the operations of the state and federal Central Valley Water Projects to protect the salmon listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ASA). Representatives of commercial and recreational salmon fishing groups are hopeful for better management of the water projects so that the Central Valley fall, spring and winter run Chinook runs can be restored.
For Immediate Release: June 4, 2009
Contacts:
Paul Pierce, Coastside Fishing Club, (510) 432-8820
Dick Pool, Water4Fish (925) 963-6350
Roger Thomas, Golden Gate Fishermen’s Assn. (415) 760-9362
Dave Bitts, PCFFA, (707) 498-3512
Mike Hudson, SalmonAid Foundation, (510) 407-2000
Federal Government Announces Salmon Restoration Actions
Salmon Fishing Industry Hopeful
San Francisco, CA — The federal National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) today announces changes the agency will require in the operations of the state and federal Central Valley Water Projects to protect the salmon listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act. The new rules, primarily governing movement of water through the Sacramento River and Bay-Delta Estuary, are designed to protect both the Spring and Winter Run Chinook Salmon runs as well as other species.
The actions are expected to require changes in the state’s reservoir operations, changes in river flows and changes in the way delta water is unnaturally redirected to giant pumps that send it hundreds of miles to the south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. Members of the salmon fishing industry are hopeful for better results after years of steady declines in the salmon populations and no ocean salmon fishing seasons in 2008 and 2009 due to a lack of fish.
Paul Pierce represents The Coastside Fishing Club and serves on the Pacific Fishery Management Council Salmon Advisory Subpanel. Pierce said, “We are hopeful the actions of the National Marine Fishery Service will begin the turnaround of these species which are nearing extinction. The courts demanded a better plan and the agency has responded. With three years of scientific work by NMFS, we now have a better idea how and where the destruction of the salmon is occurring. Based on this science, the agency should direct the changes necessary to see that these fish survive. We support their decisions and we look forward to seeing positive changes.”
Dick Pool is a manufacturer of salmon fishing equipment and leads the Water4Fish advocacy program which now has 70,000 supporters who have been asking for changes in the states water management to benefit salmon. Pool echoed Paul Pierce’s thanks and congratulations to the National Marine Fisheries Service and added, “These changes are exactly what we have been looking for. We have been operating on an environmental disaster course for salmon and these actions are the beginning of the turnaround.”
Pool added, “Fishing is big business in California. There are 4.2 million recreational fishermen in the state generating $4.8 billion in economic impact and supporting 41,000 jobs. Salmon are a big part of this. There are 904 retailers and 327 other businesses that drive their income from the $1 billion salmon industry. These businesses and their leaders join us in supporting the leadership provided by NMFS and the other fishery agencies in mapping some solutions.”
Roger Thomas is President of the Golden Gate Fishermen’s Association. The charter boats of this organization carry 200,000 salmon fishermen a year in their pursuit of catching a salmon. Roger says, “There are approximately 500,000 recreational salmon fishermen in California. They are passionate about their sport and are livid about what has happened. I am sure they all join me in congratulating the National Marine Fisheries Service in the bold actions to begin the restoration process.”
Roger cautioned, “These actions are designed to protect only two of the four salmon runs of the Central Valley. We hope the Fall Run which has been the largest and the backbone of the ocean and river fishery for decades will also benefit from the new rules to be announced today.
Dave Bitts, President of the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, said, “This year I can’t fish at all, mainly because water in California follows money, and fishermen don’t have the megabucks available to the San Joaquin grower interests. This isn’t about either fish or farms. It’s about how we use our limited, vastly oversubscribed water resources wisely in order to have both. Continuing to hand out huge volumes of public water dirt cheap is not the answer. If you continue taking so much water that salmon go extinct in the California, what wild creatures will be next?”
Most of the problems of the salmon runs have resulted from the over subscription of water from California’s rivers, reservoirs and the delta. These problems have to be solved not only for the environment but for all sectors of the California economy. The vast majority of natural water sources have already been tapped. Climate change will compound the problems.
The fishery groups are strong supporters of the major new sources of water that have been identified but are not being implemented fast enough. These include water conservation, water recycling and groundwater management. We urge the state and federal governments to provide the leadership, incentives and financial resources to significantly speed up these developments.
Mike Hudson, commercial fisherman and executive director of the SalmonAid Foundation, adds “Today we will find out if we ever will get our salmon back in any numbers to speak of. We have had all the laws on the books for decades now, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and others. Sometimes it’s not that the rules are not in place, but the lack of commitment to enforce them. It is not too late to bring our salmon back. I’m cautiously optimistic that today is the day that may start meaningful restoration of this fantastic fish. If the fisheries service decides to do the right thing today, I and thousands of my fellow fishermen will applaud them.”
An acre foot of water is about 220,000 gallons, about what a family uses in a year. So this is enough water to support 330,000 families for a year. They are intent on emptying out the conservative Central Valley of California.
And don’t think this is limited to just us. Once this takes hold, you are all in danger.
Amy can you ping the Fresno list?
Stupid. We are at 95% rainfall, we have tons of water there in no drought!
This is all courts taking water.
Can you say desalination?
Enviro-tards have sued to block them from being built.
Yeah like the great lakes. States that border the lakes have some laws on the books and so does a co-op with Canada.
But I’m sure the west is eyeing all that fresh water!
Sounds like a consortium.
God forbid if more water for fish helps all those liberal sport and commercial fishermen. There is excellent science right now that salt water is moving furthur and furthur up the delta and that the pumps are grinding up forage fish eaten by salmon, sturgeon, stripers etc.
I have not been able to fish for salmon for 2 years in a row now because of dwindling salmon runs up the delta. The San Joaquin river nows run in the opposite direction because the pumps remove the water so fast.
I know a lot of commercial fishermen and party boat operations that have quit and sold their boats because of the problems arising out of lower Sacramento river flows. This is probably the only issue that I agree with the Enviros on and I ally myself with them on this issue.
California
just
sucks
There is nothing “greener” than desalination. The effect on the ocean is zero, but the effect on land would be immense. It would completely relieve the strain on the Colorado River and the water supplies of No Cal.
The problem is that it takes a lot of energy to do that. Where is the power going to come from??? Lord knows we can’t build anymore Nuke plants...No clean coal...NOTHING! Power has come to from somewhere. These plants can’t run on good intentions. The enviro-tards are complaining that fish will be sucked into the pipes and the dumping of the salt into the water..BLAH-BLAH-BLAH. You can take the salt and sell it for human consumption or to cities with snow problems.
Ridiculous man, unreal. This is an awesome solution but the enviro-tards block it. Did you know that we trained and gave the technology to the Saudis for desaliznation? They are now the world’s leader in that process.
Plus, to build a desalination plant, you’d have to do a huge environmental impact study, which would take years to get done; then you’d have to do another study to cover all the pipeline/aqueduct that would be needed to carry the water over the Coast Range. Oh and the pipeline crosses the San Andreas Fault so there would have to be earthquake considerations too.
JUST TURN ON THE PUMPS!!
Hey everyone ..... the Government is planning to destroy our agriculture.
Where Water Flows, Food Grows!!
No Water=
No Jobs=
No Food!!!
Contact your Representatives about turning on the pumps!!!
When the Government conrols our food supply, we will all be slaves to the Socialist Ones.
TURN ON THE PUMPS!!
A Revolution is Brewing!!
TURN ON THE PUMPS!!!
GReat picture, MamaBear.
Love the sign ... No Water=No Jobs=No Food!!
Food Grows where Water Flows!!
TURN ON THE PUMPS!!
Thanks for the “heads up”, Just Amy!
I know our Rep., (Devin Nunes) is on top of this
battle.
Great signs & picture, Mama Bear.
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