Klamath/Trinity water diversions

[Papasequoia]

This is copied from another board; electronically signing the petition takes less than a minute:

This is just complete BS what is happening here. The Klamath River and it's primary tributary the Trinity are Ca best Steelhead fishery and a tremendous King Salmon fishery. Both King's and Summer Steelhead enter the Lower Klamath in July thru September, which coincides with the warmest water of the year. Water that is supposed to enter the Trinity River from Trinity Lake gets diverted down the Sacramento River and ultimately to the Central San Joaquin valley to grow crops in in the desert. In 2002 an unprecedented fish kill (Ten's of thousands of Salmon and Steelhead) occurred because of the water temp in the Lower Klamath reached toxic levels for cold water fish like Salmon and Steelhead. This same scenario is about to happen again this year. Water temp is currently 72 degrees and with the forecast weather into the 100's inland,the water will reach the same toxic levels as in 2002. The Fed Goverment understand this and had planned to increase flows on the Trinity from 450 CFS to 2400 CFS on 8/15, giving the fish a much needed reprieve. The Westland Water District (which consists of Corporate Agri Biz members), has filed an injunction on the court order to release more water, which has led to the halting of the planned flow increase. The river remains at 450 CFS..

Please sign the petition below..

http://www.change.org/petitions/westlands-water-district-and-the-san-luis-delta-water-authority-allow-the-government-to-release-water-to-avert-a-klamath-fish-kill?share_id=JKiRvVSjuB&utm_campaign=signature_receipt&utm_medium=email&utm_source=share_petition

When you go to that address, here is some further info about the situation:

The Klamath and Trinity River salmon are facing dire conditions. Low flows and warm water coupled with an expected large run of salmon are creating the perfect conditions for a Klamath fish kill. During the last fish die off over 60,000 fish died in the Klamath River, devastating local Tribes and coastal fishermen.

The US government has proposed releasing water from the Trinity River, the Klamath's largest Tributary to advert a disaster in the Klamath, a move the Hoopa Valley Tribe and other Klamath River Tribes and communities support. However Westlands Water District and the San Luis &Delta Water Authority from the Central Valley have filed a lawsuit against using the Trinity River water to aid the Trinity and Klamath River salmon. They have obtained a restraining order for at least 9 days against the release of water from a Fresno judge, a move that puts the salmon at immediate risk. The irrigators only have junior water rights as opposed to River Tribes and are using procedural issues within environmental laws to stall action for the salmon.

When the fish kill of 2002 occurred it devastated California's three largest Tribes, along with fishing communities from Oregon to Central California. We cannot let this happen again. Tell Westlands and the San Luis &Delta Water Authority to pull their TRO and let the court procedures play out without putting the fish at risk of a fish kill. They have already received all the water they will get for this year and are doing this to preserve water for next year, but the fish need water now.

[Wildman]

I am 500 feet from the Trinity in Willow Creek and this is big news in this country. The Hoopa Valley Tribe is in unified command on the Corral Complex that I am working on and they, as well as the other tribes in the river corridor are very upset. The fire approaching their stand of timber that they derive their only income for generations to come is also threatened. Sad deal.

[fly addict]

Jon,
Thanks for the heads up. I copied this to the Kern forum.
Mark

[Jimbo Roberts]

Signed the petition.
I also posted a link on our GRTU site.
Good Luck!

Jimbo

[tenandtwo]

I just did, I was signature 1935... A lot more are needed.

[Dry Fly Rie]

I'm #1951. This is potentially a very sad situation.

[JoeFin]

I saw it on another forum and signed it also

Rather sad state of affairs. I looked up the President of the Water Board and he owns a pretty large citrus farm outside of Fresno.

[WanderingBlues]

I saw it on another forum and signed it also

Rather sad state of affairs. I looked up the President of the Water Board and he owns a pretty large citrus farm outside of Fresno.

Shock of shocks.....