A Public Education Effort of South San Joaquin and Oakdale Irrigation Districts
O. mykiss is the scientific species name for the entire population of Central Valley steelhead. The Stanislaus River currently has more than 20,000 rainbow trout.
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Q&A
- What Is the Save the Stan Effort All About?
- What Are O. mykiss and the Central Valley Steelhead?
- What Is the Biological Opinion?
- What Is Predation?
- How Do Increase Flows in the River Negatively Impact the Regional Economy?
- How Will Recreation Be Impacted?
- What Do the Districts Hope to Accomplish?
- What Have the Two Districts Done to Help Protect the Stanislaus River and its
Native Fish to Date? - How Can I Support the Save the Stan Effort?
What Is the Save the Stan Effort All About?
The Stanislaus River, lifeblood of our region, is in serious jeopardy due to a recent federal decision, commonly called the OCAP-BO, or “Biological Opinion” (BO).
There is concern that the BO is based on inadequate studies, analysis and faulty science. The physical science shows the BO will severely impact storage in New Melones Reservoir, flows and water temperature in the Stanislaus River. The implementation of the BO could kill the very fish it attempts to save, devastate the regional agriculture and curtail recreation on the river and reservoirs. To make our communities aware of this issue, the South San Joaquin and Oakdale Irrigation Districts have launched an information campaign.
What Are O. mykiss and the Central Valley Steelhead?
O. mykiss is the scientific species name for the entire population of rainbow trout and Central Valley steelhead. While steelhead are the ocean going form of O. mykiss, rainbow trout are the resident form staying in the rivers and deltas. Steelhead are anadromous, meaning they primarily live in the ocean but breed in fresh water. Rainbow trout may or may not become anadromous at some point in their life-cycle. More >
What Is the Biological Opinion?
The Biological Opinion (BO) is a document by the federal government’s National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Fisheries Service, (National Marine Fisheries Service or NMFS). It was released on June 4, 2009. The purpose of the document is to protect the Central Valley steelhead from the operations of New Melones Reservoir. More >
Not only is the BO an operationally unsound means of managing New Melones Reservoir, the BO fails to take into account other major factors, like predation, which is a major source of the decline of steelhead. More >
Where Will the Water Come From?
New Melones Reservoir will release more to meet the OCAP-BO RPA’s. The New Melones Reservoir has rarely filled in past years. New Melones can currently barely meet its regulatory and contractual obligations without the increased burden from the OCAP-BO RPA’s. The BO does not address how New Melones’ unmet needs will be met when water storage has been depleted by these increased flows. The modeling done by NMFS showed that there was not a viable operation for New Melones under the RPA’s unless New Melones did not meet its contractual and regulatory obligations.
How Do Increase Flows in the River Negatively Impact the Regional Economy?
Agriculture is the economic engine of both San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties. Agriculture creates a substantial part of the revenue and jobs in our region and without water, ag will suffer. Farms may go out of business and others may have to drastically cut back which could result in less overall revenue for the counties and fewer jobs. Both the South San Joaquin Irrigation and the Oakdale Irrigation Districts divert their water from the Stanislaus River under water rights dating to 1853. This water is used to grow food and provides drinking water for 160,000 people. Diversions will be significantly impacted under the BO and may even have to be curtailed completely during certain years.
Groundwater likely cannot solely meet this large a need for water. Impacts to permanent agriculture crops such as almonds and grapes could devastate the local economy as has occurred over the last several years in the southern part of the SJ Valley from reduced CVP allocations.
How Will Recreation Be Impacted?
New Melones Reservoir currently has some of the best camping, fishing and water sports available in the state. With less water in the reservoir, the recreational activities will be reduced. This will turn away fishers, campers, house-boaters and families who simply want to enjoy the lake. Experts who have studied the BO’s affect on New Melones say that the required flows may actually cause the reservoir to go dry in certain years. Imagine the fourth largest man made lake in California without any water in it at all! Unthinkable.
What Do the Districts Hope to Accomplish?
By educating our community about these issues the Districts hope to gain public support to have NMFS reexamine the BO. The Districts will support legislation that directs the California Department of Fish and Game to eliminate the predatory fish in the Stanislaus.
What Have the Two Districts Done to Help Protect the Stanislaus River and its Native Fish to Date?
Plenty. The Districts have participated and funded studies on the river. Both water Districts participate by providing water in the Vernalis Adaptive Management Program, a large scale and long term program designed to protect juvenile chinook salmon migrating from the San Joaquin River through the Sacramento- San Joaquin Delta. More >
How Can I Support the Save the Stan Effort?
You can support this effort by signing up to receive our free eNewsletters. Then pass them on to your family and friends. You can email or write to your local congressional representatives and senators letting them know you are concerned about the river and the effect the BO will have on it and our region. When there are community events about these issues you can show your support by attending and voicing your concerns. You can write a letter to the editor of your local paper and voice support for modifying the BO. Most importantly you can show your support by becoming informed about the BO and its impacts on our region.
