[env-trinity] Trinity Journal article and opinions

[Tom Stokely]

River council meets Wednesday on 2012 projects
http://www.trinityjournal.com/news/2011-12-28/Front_Page/River_council_meets_Wednesday_on_2012_projects.html 

The Trinity Management Council, which governs the work of the Trinity River Restoration Program, will hold a special meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 4, to make decisions pertinent to modifications to the 2012 program of work for the Trinity River.
    "We are working very hard to integrate community concerns about changes in fish habitat in the river into the technical planning process," said restoration program Executive Director Robin Schrock, "specifically those of river guides, who are some of the best eyes we have out there on the water."
    Restoration program technical experts met with interested stakeholders, including river guides, on Dec. 19 to determine what restoration project design features could be modified and still reach habitat restoration goals. As a result of these discussions and other analysis, some of the modifications technical teams are recommending include reduction in the size and scope of proposed project features, including side channels, and large gravel and wood geomorphic structures.
    "These recommendations are being made in response to input received over the last few months," Schrock said. "We are working very hard to listen to our community partners to be sure that our efforts are aligned."
    The Trinity Management Council meeting will be held at the Trinity Public Utilities District conference room in Weaverville from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with the discussion surrounding the 2012 project modifications scheduled for the morning session.
    For more information contact the Trinity River Restoration Program at 623-1800, or visit www.trrp.net.


Not fooled by TRRP’s PR push

http://www.trinityjournal.com/news/2011-12-28/Opinion/Not_fooled_by_TRRPs_PR_push.html 
FROM LIZ MUIR
DOUGLAS CITY
The Trinity River Restoration Program (TRRP) pays the Resource Conservation District to create an illusion.

The federal government’s river restoration staff treats poorly our private landowners and businesses so it hires people to improve its public relations. No one is fooled.

Rather than buying a buffer for its engineers, TRRP and Bureau of Reclamation need to respect the river and its people.

The best public relation TRRP can buy is to pay landowners and businesses for river changes up front, rather than forcing tort claims.

Another feel good move would be to pay all who have to come to public meetings, not just the government employees and their contractors.

These would be respectful actions that benefit all.


Trinity River status about as natural as it’s going to get

http://www.trinityjournal.com/news/2011-12-28/Opinion/Trinity_River_status_about_as_natural_as_its_going.html 

FROM BRUCE HEFFINGTON
WEAVERVILLE
I am enclosing a picture of a large catch of fish and a group of people claiming to be fishermen. Don’t worry, all the people in the October 1948 picture are dead but me. I am that young kid with the fishing pole. The point of this letter is in answer to Trinity River Restoration Program Executive Director Robin Schrock’s statement that it is to return natural river processes to the Trinity River. I wonder if after looking at Gene Goodyear and crew’s property that washing out the existing bridges wouldn’t be called natural, too. You don’t know how close they came. And yes, I was there when they turned out all that water.

This brings me to the picture. The man sitting is Royal Trimble, an avid fly fisherman. California Highway Patrolman Walt Loomis, chief over the Wintus, Lloyd Smith and son (Smith Lumber), Armon Heffington and son Bruce and unknown person.

At daylight Royal Trimble, Walt Loomis and myself threw our first hook in the water. Mine was an airplane spinner with a fly tied two feet above the spinner. We hit the best known riffle on the river at that time. The first cast I hooked a fish, he stood on his tail and threw the hook back at me. That was the last fish we saw until we arrived in Hoopa in an opentopped Jeep. We bought the fish from the Indians. These fish in the picture are the fish. Well, you aren’t supposed to buy the fish anymore but the Indians in Hoopa want you to pay for fishing rights.

Now what could be more natural than that for the Trinity River? I’d say, go home Trinity River Restoration, you done a good job. Everything on the Trinity is natural now. And yes that trip was darn cold from Weaverville to Hoopa and back in an open-top Jeep, but we were fishing, and look at how many fish we brought home!


Stokely's note:  You can read a lot about Armon Heffington's role as an agent for Westlands Water District and Congressman Clair Engle in getting the Trinity River Division approved by Trinity County in the e-book "How the Trinity Lost its Water" by Dane Durham, located at: http://www.c-win.org/webfm_send/175 



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