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According to Rep. John T. Doolittle, R-Roseville, the Auburn Dam project isn’t dead, just delayed. The renewed interest in the dam, sparked by possible water shortages and flood protection for the valley, was also the subject of debate at the Eggs & Issues Congressional candidates forum in Auburn last week (see story on this page). The Auburn Dam site, shown above early Monday morning, can be seen from the Western States Trail.
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Stalled dam construction means feds may lose water rights
Plans for construction of a dam in Auburn are far from dead if the current Republicans serving in the House of Representatives have anything to say about the matter. The dam was even the subject of debate as last week’s Republican contenders for the 4th Congressional District seat spoke in Auburn.
Late last week, every member of the California Republican Delegation in the House formally protested a water rights relinquishment proposal tied to the dam.
Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-Roseville) was one of many California GOP House members who sent a group letter last week to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger opposing a proposal to revoke the existing water rights held by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for the Auburn Dam.
“As recent conditions demonstrate, now is not the time for the State
Water Resources Control Board to be using its resources to decrease
potential water supply for the state,” Doolittle wrote in the letter.
“The existing water rights for the Auburn Dam would assist in our
combined efforts to provide California’s residents with adequate water
supply.”
The renewed interest in the dam stems from the State Water Resources
Control Board’s efforts to hold hearings in June and July “to determine
if the federal water rights should be revoked, under State Water Code
Section 1410, since work has not been completed on the dam and the
water has not been applied to beneficial use as contemplated in the
permits,” according to a letter sent to the Placer County Water Agency.
“While construction of the Auburn Dam has been delayed, the existing water rights are a valuable potential source of much-needed water,” Doolittle wrote. He also wrote the dam would provide additional flood control, recreation, and environmental benefits.
The topic of the fed’s water rights was the primary focus of the PCWA’s Board of Directors meeting last Thursday.
If the federal water rights on the North Fork American River were revoked, the PCWA will request that any resulting “unappropriated” water be reserved as a supply for unmet local needs.
“We do see an opportunity to possibly secure additional water rights on the North Fork American River for our county and possibly others within the watershed,” said PCWA Director of Strategic Affairs Einar Maisch.
Water is proving scarce
The Northern Sierra region has received only 73 percent of its seasonal rainfall totals this year, according to a report issued by the state Department of Water Resources. Rainfall totals in April were 18 percent of normal and March was 23 percent of normal, making both months some of the driest in 88 years.
The Nevada Irrigation District is expecting a rough year.
In a water outlook briefing to the NID Board of Directors, Water Operations Manager Don Wight said the May 1 snowpack reading was 72 percent of average and a May-July runoff forecast is expected to be 67 percent of average.
NID is expected to make full deliveries to water customers this year and plans to curtail the irrigation season on Oct. 15.
“We’re going to run a tight water delivery system,” Wight said.
NID currently has water storage levels at 96 percent of average for this time of year. NID warns that scant runoff will have impacts.
Unseasonably cool weather the first part of the year, coupled with heavy rainfall in January, means the call for water was also lower than usual. Now that the weather has warmed, NID and PCWA expect usage to soar.
Wight said the below average year would limit hydroelectric energy production and impact NID’s carryover storage for 2009.
Water recreation will probably take a hit due to lower than normal reservoir levels later this year. Wight said one of two boat ramps at Jackson Meadows would be out of water by Labor Day and that the Cascade Shores boat ramp at Scotts Flat remains in question for the Labor Day weekend.
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