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Take Action for the Headwaters & the Lower Yuba River

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1. ATTEND the Van Norden Dam Spillway Modification Project a Public Scoping Meeting for CEQA — Wednesday, February 21

The Nevada County Planning Department has released a Notice of Preparation (NOP) for the Van Norden Dam Spillway Modification Project Environmental Impact Report (EIR). All interested parties are encouraged to attend the Public Scoping Meeting.

WHAT: Van Norden Dam Spillway Modification Project a Public Scoping Meeting for CEQA
WHEN:
Wednesday, February 21, 5:00-7:30pm
WHERE: Sugar Bowl Ski Resort in the Coldstream Conference Room, 629 Sugar Bowl Road, Norden, Ca.

Read the County’s NOP

2. COMMENT on the Army Corps Feasibility Report & Environmental Assessment for the Yuba River — Comment Period Closes Friday, February 23

In January, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a Draft Interim Feasibility Report & Environmental Assessment for the Yuba River. This interim study, which is now out for public review and comment (through February 23), presents a variety of actions and alternatives for restoring the Yuba River. Yet, in its suite of suggestions, it discounts the removal of Englebright and Daguerre Point Dams as restoration options for the Yuba.

Draft Interim Feasibility Report & Environmental Assessment for the Yuba River
Prepared Written Comments

You can help by writing a letter to the Army Corps, asking them to give fish passage a chance. Be sure to send us a copy as well (cc: info@syrcl.org). Written comments on the draft FR/EA may be submitted (by Feb. 23) to:

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Sacramento District, Attn: Planning Division
1325 J Street, 10th Floor, Sacramento, California 95814

Or by email to: Yuba-River-Eco-Study@usace.army.mil

For e-mailed comments, please include “Yuba River Ecosystem Restoration Feasibility Study” in the subject line and include the commenter’s U.S. Postal Service mailing address.

Please share your letter with SYRCL by sending us a copy to 313 Railroad Ave, Suite 101, Nevada City, 95959, or copy us at info@syrcl.org.

Comments on the draft must be submitted by Friday, February 23, 2018.

Background

When this study was initiated in 2015, SYRCL and our members asked the Army Corps of Engineers to include actions that would restore salmon populations. We turned out 180 attendees to public meetings and submitted 224 written comments.

SYRCL commends the study for focusing on alternatives that will restore habitat in the Lower Yuba River, which is a critical component to restoring fish populations in the Yuba River watershed.

However, even though the study describes options for improving fish passage at Daguerre Point and Englebright Dams, it determines that improving or removing these structures is not feasible. The report states, “Although the range of proposed restoration actions included…would result in significant ecosystem restoration outcomes, the absence of proposed solutions to fish passage (connectivity) problems may be perceived as disappointing.”

More background information here:
https://yubariver.org/2015/07/army-corps-starts-3-million-yuba-river-ecosystem-restoration-feasibility-study/

https://yubariver.org/2015/04/what-costs-3-million-is-3-inches-thick-and-takes-3-years-to-complete/


 

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