Act Now to Save the Mokelumne River from Proposed Pardee Expansion
East Bay MUD has announced its intent to expand Pardee Reservoir as part of its latest water plan. The expansion would flood the entire Middle Bar reach of the Mokelumne and nearly a mile of the Mokelumne above Highway 49. These miles of river are popular for fishing and kayaking, and used by local people and visitors to our area.
The expanded Pardee would flood nearly a mile of the Mokelumne found eligible for designation as a National Wild and Scenic River by the Bureau of Land Management.
EBMUD is including the Pardee expansion in its plan to help meet its water needs in dry years. Conservationists believe EBMUD can meet those needs in other ways – by adopting higher conservation standards, using the water it will soon obtain from the American River, and by other less destructive means.
East Bay MUD has announced its intent to expand Pardee Reservoir as part of its latest water plan. The expansion would flood the entire Middle Bar reach of the Mokelumne and nearly a mile of the Mokelumne above Highway 49. These miles of river are popular for fishing and kayaking, and used by local people and visitors to our area.
The expanded Pardee would flood nearly a mile of the Mokelumne found eligible for designation as a National Wild and Scenic River by the Bureau of Land Management.
EBMUD is including the Pardee expansion in its plan to help meet its water needs in dry years. Conservationists believe EBMUD can meet those needs in other ways – by adopting higher conservation standards, using the water it will soon obtain from the American River, and by other less destructive means.
Tell East Bay MUD you care about the Mokelumne River
The Mokelumne River is an iconic part of our area. For thousands of years, it was home to native people. In the Gold Rush, it was popular prospecting and settlement site. Later, it was home to some of the earliest hydroelectric development in the state.
Now people take their kids there for family picnics and to learn about the nature. Locals fish, swim, pan for gold, watch birds, and walk there. Others kayak, raft and inner tube the river. Still more visit its historic sites, including the Middle Bar Bridge. And the river draws anglers and paddlers from elsewhere who spend money in our local businesses.
But EBMUD thinks it's OK to drown more of our river and historic and cultural sites rather than ask East Bay residents to save more water in dry periods.
They need to know you disagree.
The Mokelumne River is an iconic part of our area. For thousands of years, it was home to native people. In the Gold Rush, it was popular prospecting and settlement site. Later, it was home to some of the earliest hydroelectric development in the state.
Now people take their kids there for family picnics and to learn about the nature. Locals fish, swim, pan for gold, watch birds, and walk there. Others kayak, raft and inner tube the river. Still more visit its historic sites, including the Middle Bar Bridge. And the river draws anglers and paddlers from elsewhere who spend money in our local businesses.
But EBMUD thinks it's OK to drown more of our river and historic and cultural sites rather than ask East Bay residents to save more water in dry periods.
They need to know you disagree.
These shots were taken at the Meeting in Amador County on Monday.
Over 150 Amador and Calaveras area residents turned out to show opposition to the project. Way more than the little room EBMUD chose for the meeting could hold. 
Chris Wright from the Foothill Conservancy made it very clear that they do NOT support this proposal. 
So far, Friends of the River, The Foothill Conservancy, The Sierra Club, Trout Unlimited, Oars rafting company and hundreds of individual local residents have spoken out to show their opposition to the proposal. You should speak up as well. Mail or e-mail comments to Tom Francis at EBMUD today.
Letters with Comments for EBMUD must be emailed by April 6, 2009 and sent to:
Thomas B. Francis
Tfrancis@ebmud.com
375 11th Street MS 407
Oakland, CA 94607
Learn more on this issue at:
http://www.friendsoftheriver.org/site/PageServer?pagename=InterviewMikeyWeiror
www.foothillconservancy.org/pardee
2 comments:
Hey man,
What can us non-residents due to help out?
Bryan
Best of luck in your crusades to protect good waters. We're currently engaged in a fight up here with city council regarding dispersion of raw sewage into our rivers.
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