[env-trinity] Trinity River projects to be aired

[Josh Allen]

Trinity River projects to be aired



http://www.times-standard.com/local/ci_3105869 

Wednesday, October 12, 2005 

John Driscoll 

 

 

With one significant river rehab project nearly complete, the Trinity
River Restoration Program is preparing to launch another suite of
efforts aimed at improving fisheries. 

The four new projects involve removing vegetation from the banks of the
Trinity River near Canyon Creek, knocking down the streamside berm and
lowering the flood plain. Some backwater channels and channels to
accommodate high water will also be formed in the approximately 6 miles
between Junction City and Helena. 

"We're taking the handcuffs off the river," said program senior
scientist Rod Wittler. "We're allowing it to be a river again." 

Since the Lewiston Dam and diversion project was completed in the 1960s,
the vast majority of the upper watershed's water has been sent to the
Sacramento River, where it's pumped to Central Valley farms. A 2000
decision signed by former U.S. Interior Department Secretary Bruce
Babbitt ordered roughly half the water to flow down the river to aid its
ailing fishery. 

The Hoopa Valley Tribe successfully fought off irrigators' legal
challenges to that decision, and work on the river began in full swing
last year. 

During wet years, the program intends to use high flows -- in
combination with mechanically prepared areas -- to reshape the river.
The goal is to create more rearing habitat, Wittler said, areas where
young salmon can grow before migrating to the Klamath River and out to
sea. 

There will be effects on species like turtles, frogs and birds that
shelter or nest in the streamside vegetation the program will remove.
But the change is likely to be temporary, Wittler said. The projects are
being done in phases, and riparian vegetation will be replanted farther
from the river channel, he said. 

This year's Hocker Flat project has gone more quickly than expected,
Wittler said, with the contractor able to use more efficient equipment
than was first believed necessary. The lessons learned from that
$800,000 effort may help drop costs for the Canyon Creek projects, which
are estimated to be around $1.3 million altogether. 

Mike Orcutt, senior biologist with the Hoopa Tribe, said he's concerned
that the science and monitoring elements of the projects won't be fully
funded in an era of tight budgets. 

"Our general sense is that a lot of the construction was taking a higher
priority, and that may be all right," Orcutt said. "But if we lose some
of the monitoring programs ... where's the money going to come from?" 

A notice of preparation for a draft environmental impact report and
environmental assessment for the projects has been filed for the
projects at Conner Creek, Valdor Gulch, Elk Horn and Pear Tree. 

A scoping meeting will be held on Oct. 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the Junction
City Community Hall, 71 Dutch Creek Road. 

Comments must be received by Nov. 7, and should be sent to Brandt
Gutermuth, Trinity River Restoration Program, P.O. Box 1300,
Weaverville, CA 96093, or e-mailed to bgutermuth at mp.usbr.gov. For
further information or to receive a copy of the NOP, contact Gutermuth
at (530) 623-1806, or Dean Prat at (707) 576-2801. 

For more information, go to http://www.trrp.net. 

 

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