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Thursday’s top of the scroll: East Bay dam expansion plan raises hackles in Sierra

Posted by: Maven on June 18, 2009 at 8:06 am

From the Silicon Valley Mercury News:

Running through the shade of alders and towering valley oaks in the Sierra foothills, the Mokelumne River flows freely for miles before hitting a reservoir that has been a sore spot here for decades. The source of 90 percent of the water delivered in the East Bay’s largest water district, the river upstream of Pardee reservoir is remote and picturesque.

It is a popular place for leisurely floats and learning to kayak, with a few mild rapids, one moderate Class 3 run, and miles of remarkably pure water. Last year, federal land managers recommended classifying it as wild and scenic, the highest environmental protection possible for a river.

But the East Bay’s thirst is putting much of that at risk. The East Bay Municipal Utility District is considering raising the Pardee Dam, which would inundate some of the river and destroy riverside habitat.

“We think people in the East Bay don’t know where their water comes from,” said Katherine Evatt, president of the Foothills Conservancy, an environmental group. “This is not a river people boat for the white-water thrill. They boat it because it’s beautiful.”

Read more from the Silicon Valley Mercury News by clicking here.

June 18, 2009 · Filed Under Bay Area

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