On October 13, 2009 East Bay Municipal Utility District's (EMUD) Board Members voted to approve their Waste Supply Management Program (WSMP) 2040. Proposals to enlarge Pardee Reservoir, included in this plan, remain a threat to our whitewater interests on the Molkelumne River. American Whitewater encourages members to support National Wild & Scenic River designation as the best option to permanently fend off agencies, like EBMUD, who threaten to flood the last free flowing sections of the Mokelumne. But keep in mind, while designation as a National Wild & Scenic River will provide the needed protection there is no guarantee that legislation will be enacted this year. In other words, it remains a work in progress for the future of the Mokelumne River.

In the meantime, if the $11 billion California water bond passes next year, the Pardee enlargement could be among the dams to receive funding. Thus American Whitewater's partner organizations - Foothill Conservancy, Friends of the River and California Sportfishing Protection Alliance - made the decision to act now. They have challenged EBMUD and their Board of Directors in the Superior Court of the State of California. Following EBMUD's Board of Directors approval of the WSMP 2040, our partner organizations filed suit citing:
 

• Violation of CEQA; Failure to Identify Significant Impacts of Project
• Violation of CEQA; Failure to Prepare and Certify an Informationally Adequate EIR
• Failure to Respond Adequately to Comments
• Failure to Support Findings with Substantial Evidence

American Whitewater has decided to use funding from the Larry Berg California River Stewardship Fund to join our partner organizations in this challenge of EBMUD's WSMP 2040. If you would like to protect our whitewater interests on the Mokelumne River in the future or the now, please go to the Foothill Conservancy webpage to add your name to the Wild and Scenic River support list or send a donation to American Whitewater and add in the comments section that your contribution is for the Mokelumne River.