DPEIR Comment Excerpts

Excerpts from Various Commentson the WSIP DPEIR(Prepared by Peter Drekmeier, Peter@Tuolumne.org, (415) 292-3531)California Department of Fish and Game"DFG is concerned that the current FERC required flow regime (i.e. PEIR’s CEQAbaseline conditions) may not be sufficient to prevent salmon populations in theTuolumne River from declining.  In fact, we have evidence demonstrating thatadult Tuolumne River fall-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)produced at a given spring flow has declined by about 50% (mean of 6,805recruits) since the FERC Settlement Agreement (FSA) was implemented in1996..."Page 4"...it is irrefutable that the actions of the SFPUC on the Tuolumne River at EarlyIntake, Cherry Valley Dam, and Hetch Hetchy, and Lake Eleanor reservoirsinfluence the water releases from the New Don Pedro Dam.  Increased diversionof waters from a river system which currently lacks sufficient flow to supportsustainable anadromous fisheries (including Federally Threatened steelhead)should be considered a significant cumulative impact...In this context we believethe WSIP has the potential to cause anadramous fish populations to drop belowself-sustaining levels and further reduce the number and restrict range FederalThreatened Central Valley steelhead – thereby requiring a finding of significanteffect [CCR Title 14, section 15065 (a)(1)]…Consequently, we respectfully requestthat the SFPUC use alternative water sources other than the Tuolumne riversystem ...