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Thursday’s top of the scroll: Short term compromise reached in Delta smelt protections; Both sides claim victory in water compromise

Posted by: Maven on June 24, 2010 at 7:52 am

From the Fresno Bee:

“Water users have reached a short-term compromise with environmentalists and their federal government allies on Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta pumping levels that face potential cutbacks to protect the threatened delta smelt.

Even as they compromised, however, both sides claimed victory.

A management plan for the smelt — known as a biological opinion — regulate delta pumping levels by setting a range of water flows in parts of the San Joaquin River known as the Old and Middle rivers. The compromise permits the pumping of the maximum amount of water allowed by the biological opinion, which pleased water users. But it also keeps the biological opinion in place and doesn’t allow pumping at levels higher than those set forth in the plan, which satisfied environmentalists. … “

Continue reading from the Fresno Bee by clicking here.

From the Central Valley Times:

” … Under the terms of the negotiated agreement by the water users and environmental groups:

• The two huge irrigation systems in California — the federal Central Valley Project and the state-owned State Water Project — jointly will conduct pumping operations that maintain the Old and Middle River (OMR) flows so as not to be more negative than -5,000 cubic feet per second.

• The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may require reduced pumping operations in order to maintain OMR flows less negative than -5,000 cubic feet per second if the numbers of smelt harmed at the pumps exceeds agreed upon levels or if trends of smelt salvaged at the pumps show an imminent threat to the species.

• If information shows a rising daily trend in smelt kills that results in an imminent threat to the species or if a daily kill event at the CVP’s Jones Pumping Facilities results in an imminent threat to the species, then the Fish and Wildlife Service may require a reduction in OMR flow in order to avoid such an imminent threat to the species. “

Read the full text at the Central Valley Business Times by clicking here.

MORE COVERAGE:

June 24, 2010 · Filed Under Delta Issues, Wildlife & Endangered Species

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