Take action to meet our water needs — without another big dam.
Have you heard about the controversial plan to build the 275-foot Centennial Dam on the Bear River?
In the 21st century, dams are a last resort because they harm the environment and have skyrocketing costs. Today, smart water managers are using sustainable and innovative solutions to meet future water needs.
We don’t need a new dam generating more polluting sprawl and traffic. Let’s work together to increase our water supply by restoring our forests and meadows, and use the water we do have more wisely.
More than half of the water in the upper Middle and South Yuba River watersheds is diverted to the Bear River.
Will they take more in the future when Centennial doesn’t fill?
On August 4, 2022, a panel of judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit overruled the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), re-establishing California’s right to protect water quality in the Yuba, Bear, and Merced River Watersheds for the next 40 years.
After a year away from the river, the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) is happy to announce a successful Salmon Expeditions season. Nearly 1,200 students from Nevada and Yuba counties joined us for a day to explore the lower Yuba, reflect on the history of the people and the space, and witness Chinook salmon spawning.
Nevada Irrigation District is re-engaging in an effort to plan for their future water needs. The resulting plan will be known as the Plan for Water and the public process kicks off on November 9th at 4PM. The final version of the plan will reassess hydrology, water supply, and demand over the next 50 years. Ultimately, the plan will help NID determine if our region needs additional water storage. Thus, this planning process will be an important inflection point in the campaign against Centennial Dam.
Earlier this month, we resumed Salmon Expeditions for grade school students from Nevada and Yuba counties after a year away from the river.
SYRCL has worked with schools to implement COVID-safety precautions so the organization can float nearly 1,200 students down the lower Yuba River on rafts to witness spawning salmon. Thanks to a generous grant from Yuba Water Agency, students from Title 1 schools in Yuba County are able to attend free of charge.
SYRCL and Friends of the River recently sent a letter to the National Marine Fisheries Service to compel the agency to craft a watershed-wide solution to save the threatened species native to the Yuba Watershed, including Spring-run Chinook salmon, steelhead trout, and green sturgeon. The letter demands a new biological opinion, presenting compelling evidence that harm caused by the Corps’ dams, compounded by increased harm from climate change, is responsible for the dramatic decrease in Yuba River fish populations. Details
A misleading mailer, sent by Rich Johansen, a candidate for the Nevada Irrigation District Board of Directors, implies that SYRCL is a “backer” of his opponent, John Norton.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, SYRCL cannot and does not engage in any political activity, and as an organization SYRCL does not support, oppose, or contribute to any candidates for elected office—period. Details
Did you know that the Yuba and Bear River watersheds are severely impacted by some of the oldest hydropower dams in the country? That is why we are writing to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to ask them to protect our rivers by reversing the recent waivers of vital Clean Water Act protections in our watersheds. Details
Did you know that the Yuba and Bear River watersheds are severely impacted by some of the oldest hydropower dams in the country? That is why we are writing to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to ask them to protect our rivers by reversing the recent waivers of vital Clean Water Act protections in our watersheds. Details
Pledge to become a Centennial Dam Watchdog
We’ve assembled a strong team of Dam Watchdogs. Together, we are scrutinizing every angle of the Centennial Dam project and raising awareness of the impacts on the Yuba and Bear Rivers, water supply and wildlife.
With your help, we’ll shine a light on the project so the community knows what the dangers could be for the two watersheds.