FARAD DAM REPORT NEEDS YOUR COMMENTS
OVERVIEW
Letters Needed To Protect The Truckee River! Anglers, whitewater boaters,and river lovers have a once in a lifetime opportunity to ensure that anaturally restored segment of the Truckee River remains free flowing andhealthy.
The California State Water Resources Control Board is soliciting publiccomments in response to the draft environmental impact report (DEIR) forthe proposed reconstruction of the Farad hydroelectric dam on the TruckeeRiver, approximately 12 miles downstream of the town of Truckee.
The original Farad hydroelectric dam was destroyed in the 1997 flood.The dam formerly diverted most of the water from the river for nearly twomiles, degrading fish and aquatic habitat, and reducing recreational opportunities,including angling and whitewater boating. Since the flood removed the dam,the Truckee River has largely restored itself and now provides excellentfish and aquatic habitat, as well as outstanding opportunities for anglingand boating.
The Sierra Pacific Power Company wants to rebuild the Farad hydro dam,even though the Farad hydro project produces a nearly insignificant amountof energy. Even without the Farad dam, Sierra Pacific can utilize its TruckeeRiver water rights using other existing downstream diversions.
The Water Board is soliciting public comments on the alternatives forthe project, including no construction, as well as proposed measures tomitigate impacts on fish habitat and recreational activities if the diversiondam were to be rebuilt. Now is the time for the public to speak out infavor of maintaining this segment of the Truckee as a healthy, free flowingriver.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Attend the public meetings. The Water Board will be holding twopublic meetings concerning the Farad project in Truckee on April 26 at1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The meetings will be held at the Truckee City CouncilChambers, 10183 Truckee Airport Road, Truckee CA.
Write a letter today. Address your comments on the Farad Damproposal to: Russ Kanz, State Water Resources Control Board, Division ofWater Rights, PO Box 2000, Sacramento, CA 95812-2000. Comments mustbe received by May 13, 2002.
Be sure to mention the following key points at the public meeting andin your written comments:
- No Dam. Support the “No Project” alternative. Not rebuilding theFarad diversion dam best meets state and federal goals and objectives forthe Truckee River, including water quality objectives; providing optimumflows for fish, recreation, and other beneficial uses; restoring the threatenedLahontan cutthroat trout; and maintaining public trust values.
Mitigation measures needed if the dam were rebuilt include:
- Boat & Fish Passage. If the dam were to be rebuilt, than theproposed mitigation measures intended to provide for safe boating and fishpassage over the dam, as well as provide whitewater flows for one weekendper month, should be adopted.
- Fish Flows. Providing minimum fish flows of 250 cubic feet per second(cfs) instead the proposed 150 cfs. Biologists consider 250 cfs to be optimumfish flows for the Truckee River. This is particularly important for therestoration of native fish such as the threatened Lahontan cutthroat trout.
- Public Access. Providing public access around the diversion damfor boaters who do not wish to boat over the dam.
COMMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY MAY 13, 2002
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
For more information concerning this issue, you can access the FaradDEIR on the Water Board¹s web site at www.waterrights.ca.gov. Formore information concerning this alert, contact Maureen Rose at Friendsof the River, (916) 442-3155 Ext. 217 or via email at mrose@friendsoftheriver.org.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kathie Schmiechen
Legislative Advocate
Friends of the River
915 20th Street, Sacramento CA 95814
kathie@friendsoftheriver.org
www.friendsoftheriver.org