[env-trinity] Trinity Journal Editorial: Reclamation’s Trinity water dilemma of its own making

[Tom Stokely]

http://www.trinityjournal.com/opinion/editorials/article_a8231cc8-280a-11e4-8bbf-0017a43b2370.html
Reclamation’s Trinity water dilemma of its own making
Posted: Tuesday, August 19, 2014 6:38 pm
The Bureau of Reclamation, following a site visit to the lower Klamath River and meetings with North Coast tribes and government officials last week, said it would reconsider its decision not to allow supplemental releases from Trinity Lake to aid migrating salmon. A decision is likely this week.
We’ll be interested in what the bureau decides, because it is now stuck between the proverbial rock and hard place. Allow more water down the Trinity and you may or may not save a fish run, but you will be depleting a rapidly shrinking cold water pool that may be more needed later this year and/or next year. Don’t allow the releases and you risk a fish die-off similar to September 2002.
Of course, the bureau has no one but itself to blame. Mismanagement of Trinity Lake waters during a lingering drought has brought the bureau to this point. While everyone from the governor on down was discussing water conservation as the prolonged drought continued during a hot summer, the bureau was merrily sending 3,000 cubic feet of water per second through the tunnel to Whiskeytown Lake and on to the Sacramento River while Trinity residents watched the lake shrink daily.
The bureau’s first consideration, as per law and just plain common sense, is to the area-of-origin watershed. Actions this year make it appear the Trinity River watershed fell much further down the list than it should have. Is it any wonder the Twin Tunnels plan and the Proposition 1 water bond measure on the November ballot are met with such skepticism in the North State?
In 2012, the bureau produced a report indicating that cold water carryover storage of less than 750,000 acre-feet in Trinity Lake is “problematic” for meeting temperature objectives in the river. As of Monday it sits at 764,271 acre-feet, 31 percent of total capacity. The National Marine Fisheries Service in 2000 issued a biological opinion indicating a minimum pool of 600,000 acre-feet by Sept. 30 is needed to meet Trinity River temperature. An updated NMFS study is reportedly under way.
We’ve pointed out several times before that Trinity Lake (actually a reservoir) serves a multitude of purposes which aren’t always congruent with one another. Besides water storage and flood control, the lake serves as a recreational playground with a positive impact on the county’s tourism economy. Keeping it full keeps recreational businesses happy. It also provides water for the Trinity River and the wildlife and human populations which depend on such. Allowing additional flows as needed keep the fish — and fishermen — happy. Sending flows through the tunnel and into the Sacramento River provides cheap electricity for the bulk of Trinity County and meets BOR obligations to farmers and other water contractors.
It’s a delicate balancing act. One the bureau failed miserably to maintain this year.
 
Posted: Tuesday, August 19, 2014 6:38 pm
The Bureau of Reclamation, following a site visit to the lower Klamath River and meetings with North Coast tribes and government officials last week, said it would reconsider its decision not to allow supplemental releases from Trinity Lake to aid migrating salmon. A decision is likely this week.
We’ll be interested in what the bureau decides, because it is now stuck between the proverbial rock and hard place. Allow more water down the Trinity and you may or may not save a fish run, but you will be depleting a rapidly shrinking cold water pool that may be more needed later this year and/or next year. Don’t allow the releases and you risk a fish die-off similar to September 2002.
Of course, the bureau has no one but itself to blame. Mismanagement of Trinity Lake waters during a lingering drought has brought the bureau to this point. While everyone from the governor on down was discussing water conservation as the prolonged drought continued during a hot summer, the bureau was merrily sending 3,000 cubic feet of water per second through the tunnel to Whiskeytown Lake and on to the Sacramento River while Trinity residents watched the lake shrink daily.
The bureau’s first consideration, as per law and just plain common sense, is to the area-of-origin watershed. Actions this year make it appear the Trinity River watershed fell much further down the list than it should have. Is it any wonder the Twin Tunnels plan and the Proposition 1 water bond measure on the November ballot are met with such skepticism in the North State?
In 2012, the bureau produced a report indicating that cold water carryover storage of less than 750,000 acre-feet in Trinity Lake is “problematic” for meeting temperature objectives in the river. As of Monday it sits at 764,271 acre-feet, 31 percent of total capacity. The National Marine Fisheries Service in 2000 issued a biological opinion indicating a minimum pool of 600,000 acre-feet by Sept. 30 is needed to meet Trinity River temperature. An updated NMFS study is reportedly under way.
We’ve pointed out several times before that Trinity Lake (actually a reservoir) serves a multitude of purposes which aren’t always congruent with one another. Besides water storage and flood control, the lake serves as a recreational playground with a positive impact on the county’s tourism economy. Keeping it full keeps recreational businesses happy. It also provides water for the Trinity River and the wildlife and human populations which depend on such. Allowing additional flows as needed keep the fish — and fishermen — happy. Sending flows through the tunnel and into the Sacramento River provides cheap electricity for the bulk of Trinity County and meets BOR obligations to farmers and other water contractors.
It’s a delicate balancing act. One the bureau failed miserably to maintain this year.
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