[env-trinity] CDFW and NOAA Fisheries Introduce Voluntary Drought Initiative to Protect Salmon and Steelhead

[Sari Sommarstrom]

CDFW and NOAA Fisheries Introduce Voluntary Drought Initiative to Protect
Salmon and Steelhead

May 14, 2014 

 <http://cdfgnews.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/nooaa-cdfw-logosd.jpg> nooaa
cdfw logosd

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries announced a Voluntary
Drought Initiative today designed to protect populations of salmon and
steelhead from the effects of the current unprecedented drought.

"This is one of many measures we're attempting to get us through this
extreme drought and keep enough water in the state's rivers and streams to
protect our fish resources," said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. "I am
thankful that water users and landowners came to our agencies with ideas
about working together in northern California, which allowed us to take this
immediate, voluntary action during this important spawning time and improve
regulatory certainty for rural communities."

The initiative provides a framework for water users to enter into individual
agreements with the two agencies in an effort to maintain enough water for
fish spawning in specific high priority streams, and implement other
collaborative actions like fish rescue, relocation, monitoring and habitat
restoration. The geographic focus includes some Sacramento River tributaries
(Antelope, Deer and Mill creeks) and the Russian, Shasta and Scott rivers.
In return, landowners and water users will benefit from greater regulatory
certainty under the federal and state endangered species laws, and may
receive incidental take authorizations for California Endangered Species Act
(CESA)-listed fish in case a participant unintentionally takes listed fish
species while withdrawing water.

Archie "Red" Emmerson, owner of Sierra Pacific Industries and the largest
private landowner in California, was among the first to participate in the
voluntary program. "This is one of the toughest water years in recent memory
for people, cattle and fish," Emmerson said. "We have learned a great deal
about salmon spawning and rearing on our properties. This year we are
volunteering to keep additional cold water in the creek to help salmon. We
hope working with the fish agencies will give the salmon a better chance to
survive this difficult drought."

This is a temporary, voluntary initiative that is only being implemented
during federal and state drought declarations or designations, with the goal
of supporting agricultural activities while protecting the survival and
recovery of federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) and CESA-listed salmon and
steelhead during this crucial time in their life cycle.

"This initiative is a great example of how to we can respond, in a
meaningful way, to the ill effects of a drought" said NOAA Fisheries West
Coast Regional Administrator William Stelle, Jr. "Instead of fighting over
scarce water supplies and possible regulatory violations, we are building
partnerships with landowners and water users who value the salmon resources
of California. The voluntary salmon protections coming out of these
partnerships are significant."

NOAA Fisheries and CDFW are aware that the State Water Resources Control
Board is currently considering curtailing water rights to respond to current
drought conditions. This Voluntary Drought Initiative, under the ESA and
CESA, is limited to those authorities and responsibilities of NOAA Fisheries
and CDFW. However NOAA Fisheries and CDFW are coordinating closely with the
State Water Board. While this initiative is separate from the Board's
authorities and independent actions that it may pursue related to the
drought, including emergency curtailments, NOAA Fisheries and CDFW intend to
support any local cooperative solution formalized through an executed
voluntary agreement before the State Water Board as an alternative to
mandatory curtailments.

A description of the fish agencies' Voluntary Drought Initiative can be
found at
www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/protected_species/salmon_steelhead/voluntar
y_drought_initiative.html.

Today, NOAA Fisheries and CDFW are also announcing the execution of the
first set of voluntary agreements with key landowners in the Scott and
Shasta river watersheds covering land access for fish rescue and providing
critical flows to maintain suitable habitat. For copies of those agreements,
please continue to check
www.westcoast.fisheries.noaa.gov/protected_species/salmon_steelhead/voluntar
y_drought_initiative.html which will be updated as agreements are available.

Governor Brown has called on all Californians to reduce their water use by
20 percent and prevent water waste - visit saveourH2O.org
<http://www.saveourh20.org/>  to find out how everyone can do their part,
and visit drought.ca.gov <http://ca.gov/drought/>  to learn more about how
California is dealing with the effects of the drought.

Media Contacts:
Jordan Traverso, CDFW Communications, (916) 654-9937
Jim Milbury, NOAA Fisheries Communications, (562) 980-4006

 

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