[env-trinity] Trinity Journal LTE- Aaron Martin: TRRP equals water and fish

[Tom Stokely]

http://www.trinityjournal.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/article_56626710-9e92-11e3-b4b6-0017a43b2370.html 

TRRP equals water and fish
Posted: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 6:15 am
From Aaron Martin
Big Bar
In his letter to the editor titled “Trinity River Restoration Program has lost its way” (Feb. 12), Tom Stokely sure knows how to bluster on about doom and gloom and government bogeymen. However, his claim that restoration isn’t working is simply wrong. Monitoring on the river is showing that restoration is improving fish habitat. Does anyone remember trying to catch at steelhead on the Trinity in the 1970s or ‘80s. Not likely, not many people were. It would be a triumph to just hook a fish back in those days.  
The Web site of the Redding Fly Shop says “The Trinity River is arguably one of the finest steelhead streams in the West … recent restoration efforts along the river (Trinity River Restoration Program) have brought the steelhead back by the thousands, and recent years on the Trinity have boasted some of the finest runs and greatest steelheading in decades.” Many people are developing short-term memories, “what have you done for me lately?” Did Mr. Stokely forget? We had the one of the biggest salmon returns on record last year.
Mainstem restoration with increased flows is the way to get more salmon in the river. Working in the tributaries will help, and no one argues that, but it represents smaller gains. If we want to help our creeks, let’s get the pot growers out of here and get some water flowing for the critters and fish. With the current state of drought in California and our reluctant ties to the 30 million people living south of here (represented by the two 13-foot wide tunnels that connect the Trinity to Southern California), water in the river now and into the future is the most important detail we all need to worry about. The water in the river flows through the TRRP and its actions. We must support the TRRP and recognize how much the water and dollars flowing through here mean for the people and fish of Trinity County.
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