Auburn Dam Watch - (January 11, 2007) is an effort spear-headed by All Outdoors Whitewater Rafting to provide accurate, up-to-date information about the social and environmental issues that shape the debate over constructing the Auburn Dam.
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ConservationPlease contact Robin Egan via email for further information |
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Mission Statement To provide conservation direction and leadership for Granite Bay Flycasters by promoting the protection of fisheries and water resources, and to stimulate participation, awareness, and education of our club members and the community regarding conservation efforts. |
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(click above link to prior months' archive of messages)
Meetings:
On Thursday, April 10, 2008 the conservation committee is going to meet at the Granite Bay Raley's Market Coffee Shop located in front of the store at Douglas Blvd. & Folsom-Auburn Road. The meeting will begin at 5:30 PM on the same day as the general meeting and will be held in the Raley's coffee shop (just inside the right entrance). We have scheduled future meetings in the Raley's Granite Bay conference room. We will break in time to get to the general meeting. Please contact John Carroz via email or at 916-783-0802 for further information. Report from March, 2008 Conservation Meeting:
If April Showers bring May Flowers, I wonder what March showers will bring? First, I’d like to congratulate Heath Wakelee as this year’s recipient of the Jim Coleman Conservation Award, which was presented at the GBF Annual Dinner/Silent Auction in March. He has played a very large role in our conservation committee over the years, and we thank him for all of his time and effort.
Edmund Sullivan, Senior planner for Placer County, attended our March conservation meeting, briefed us on the Placer Legacy project and answered our questions. We spent about 40 minutes discussing the project and agreed to continue to support our commitment of $10,000 as seed money for construction of two cascade fish passages in our local watershed in order to promote restoration of the Chinook Salmon and Rainbow Trout resources in the Auburn Ravine. This project is the fulfillment of over 2 years of effort by GBF conservation, led by Heath Wakelee and Edmund Sullivan at Placer County. Stay tuned for more information as we schedule the presentation of our donation at an upcoming Placer County supervisor's meeting. GBF hopes to get additional PR from this in the local press.
Well, we have many opportunities for members to volunteer their time and expertise this month. Back in January, the conservation committee recommended, and the board approved, a grant of $3,000 to be given to the Placer Nature Center located in Auburn to support their Watershed Explorers program. Activities are designed to challenge and engage students in hands on investigations and critical thinking about water resources. Curricula are based on student grade level and aligned with the California Content Standards in Science. Placer Nature Center’s Watershed Learning Center exhibits, nature trail, quality hands-on materials and visual aids augment programming concepts. Each year they also have a “Family Day”, this year’s being held on Saturday, April 12th from 11 am to 2 pm. They have asked if we could provide a few volunteers to provide demonstrations and/or information on fly-fishing, casting, tying, etc. Please contact Robin Egan at (916) 396-0030 or Tggr514@yahoo.com if you are able to volunteer for this activity.
Roseville is having an Earth Day celebration on Saturday, April 19th, to be held at their new Utility Exploration Center and we still need 2 more volunteers! The event kicks off at 10 a.m. and will feature several activities speakers, and environmental workshops that will run throughout the day. GBF will have an information table there. The city will have tours of the exploration center (www.roseville.ca.us/explore) a one-of-kind learning center featuring hand-on exhibits for students to learn how to preserve the environment. They also will hold a panel discussion on climate change, have an environmentally friendly ventriloquist and magician to entertain the kids, representatives to discuss rebate and incentive programs to help people go green, and vendor booths showing energy efficient products and services. The most important topic to emphasize at the GBF table will be the classroom fish-rearing program. The 12 pm and 2 pm slots are still open. Please contact John Carroz at (916) 782-0802 or Dave Baker at (916) 315-0715 ASAP if you are able to volunteer for these times or have any questions.
Sign yourselves up at the April general meeting and grab your waders for the removal of invasive water hyacinth along Linda Creek in East Roseville on Friday, April 26th. Water hyacinth, widely distributed because of its large purple flowers, has tremendous growth and reproduction rates and its free-floating mats cause substantial problems. Please contact Dave Baker at (916) 315-0715 if you have any questions about this activity.
We are also working to develop an ongoing multi- year agreement with a college/university for our annual GBF scholarship donations. The GBF donation would be given to assist graduate students working on freshwater and/or anadromous fish and the habitats upon which they depend. We will expect the school to agree to provide a description of the specific area(s) of research our money will be supporting and some form of brief annual report or presentation, on the status and/or findings from the research associated with our donation and/or the most significant results from the school's overall fisheries related graduate research program. This approach should make it much easier for the Conservation Committee to grant a scholarship every year. In the past it took considerable effort each year to start the process, evaluate individual proposals, and grant scholarships. Our new approach is intended to eliminate this work and hopefully making it essentially self-sustaining.
Last, but not least, the FERC re-licensing issue has been tabled until further information can be received from James Navicky of the CA DFG. Ron Otto will keep the committee updated as he receives the information.
Until next month…. Robin Egan 2008 Conservation Calendar Note: some activities do not have specific dates announced by the collaborating organization, who sometimes may not announce the actual date until a few days prior; however, the anticipated month is indicated when known to give you a general timeline to plan your schedule. Updates will be provided on this page and in the GBF Message Board when dates become available, so please check back often.
For more information, contact Robin Egan Classroom Aquarium Education Program - In-service Training Session, Sept. 8, 2007 http://www.dfg.ca.gov/oceo/caep/
There will be a sign-up for volunteers for this program at the August, 2007 general meeting. On Saturday Sept. 8, 2007 there will be an in-service training given to new Teachers for this program at the Nimbus Fish Hatchery Visitor Center from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. New GBF Volunteers are invited to attend. Salmon egg deliveries are the 2nd Wednesday of November. Pick up eggs at the Nimbus Hatchery at 08:00 AM.
While we don’t require the volunteers to attend this in-service training session it is highly recommended. We deliver eggs to classrooms twice a year, once in November for Salmon and again in February for Steelhead. This program is open to all GBF members and we invite your participation. If this interests you or if you have any questions about the program call Frank Stolten 725-6894 or Rick Radoff 624-2107 for more information.
Steelhead In-service Training - January ?? & Egg Deliveries - 2nd Wednesday in February, 2008 Click the link below to see the webpage of one of our 70+ teachers that GBF sponsors in the Salmon and Steelhead in the Classroom Program and see the process that GBF helped start with these children who learn the lifecycle of the Salmon and Steelhead, and along the way learn about conservation issues that affect the well-being of these fish. Marilyn Moody is one of the original 4 teachers that GBF sponsored in this program back in the 1980s. GBF currently has 72 aquariums with chillers and the needed tools on loan to teachers throughout Placer, Eldorado and Sacramento counties. Each setup is valued at $140. Click this link to see Marilyn's website and scroll down to see photos of her classes' "Sammies" before they were released in the American River during December, 2006: http://www.rocklin.k12.ca.us/staff/mmoody/
The CAEP program is co-sponsored by the California Department of Fish & Game. GBF sponsors teachers who attend a half day in-service training at the Nimbus Hatchery where they receive course curriculum and training by DFG staff. GBF co-chairmen Rick Radoff and Frank Stolten coordinate this worthwhile program for GBF. Past Activities At the January, 2008 general meeting the new Conservation Committee leaders met and approved a recommendation to submit to the GBF Board of Directors to approve a $3,000 donation to the Placer Nature Center before their matching funds deadline. The GBF Board approved this recommendation at its January meeting.
Future Activities Bear River Restoration Repairs - Jim Coleman has alerted us that GBF is needed to repair some of the restoration work the club did about six years ago on the Bear River. It is urgent that we get involved with this again in order to preserve all the hard work that GBF members did on this project. Click the link to see more about this project from 1998 - 2001. Dry Creek Salmon Count - Rescheduled to 9:00AM, Friday, Dec. 14, 2007. The Nov. 9 planned date for the event was delayed for lack of salmon and rain. We’re still hoping to have the right combination of flow in Dry Creek and response from Salmon so we can help GBF member David Baker with the Annual Dry Creek Conservancy Salmon Count. This is a very popular event with GBF members because it can be extremely interesting to wade in a narrow, shallow creek with salmon weighing from 10 to 30 lbs. sharing it with you. Please email Gregg Bates at dcc@surewest.net if you can participate on December 14th. For more info, please click here.
Placer Nature Center's outreach program needs our help. They want to continue to teach watershed conservation and they need some volunteers from GBF to show the teachers & students the connection between the natural hatches and the artificial flies that are so important to our fisheries and our enjoyment of the fisheries. We’ve received a request from Linda Desai and Leslie Warren for volunteers and $3,000 to help expand their outdoor education to meet the need they have from teachers and students in the region. Update: At its February, 2008 meeting the GBF Board of Directors approved the Conservation Committee's recommendation to fund this program's $3,000 request.
Earth Day Events at Roseville, Sierra College and CSU Sacramento - David Baker is leading the GBF display-tabling effort for this year’s Earth Day in Roseville. This event is Saturday, April 19, 2008. This will be a good follow up to our annual showings at the ISE Show in January. It’s a lot of fun to get involved with these events; you should try it.
Low Flow American River Fishing
Closure Requested
(Click
here to see GBF message board for more
updates)
News
Smashing dams to save salmon (on the Klamath River) Story Highlights Billion dollar dam removal deal would help endangered salmon Government, tribes, farmers, environmental groups negotiated plan Four dams on Klamath River would be removed under plan
GRANTS PASS, Oregon (AP) -- More than 300 miles of struggling salmon runs would be restored along the Klamath River as part of a landmark $1 billion proposal that represents the largest dam removal project in the nation's history. The plan, announced Tuesday, followed two years of closed-door negotiations between farmers, Indian tribes, fishermen, conservation groups and government agencies battling over the fate of scarce water and fish protected by the Endangered Species Act. "What we've come up with is a blueprint for how to solve the Klamath crisis," said Craig Tucker, a coordinator for the Karuk Tribe, which has been working for years to restore dwindling salmon catches that were once key to members' diet and culture. The proposal calls for the scrapping of four aging hydroelectric dams that have stood on the river for nearly a century -- providing electricity for 70,000 customers but also blocking salmon from reaching their spawning grounds. The agreement faces significant hurdles. It must be reviewed by federal agencies, including the U.S. Justice Department, and the dams' owner, PacifiCorp, which must agree to their removal, perhaps as soon as 2015. In addition to money already being spent to mitigate the impact of the dams, the deal also calls for some $400 million in new spending on salmon restoration, primarily from Congress, for a total of $1 billion over 10 years. The plan contains no provision for paying the estimated $180 million to remove the dams, leaving that to PacifiCorp, a unit of MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co., which is controlled by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. PacifiCorp has previously said it would be willing to remove the dams if its ratepayers don't have to pay. But it has also been pursuing a new 30- or 50-year operating license, which would require it to spend about $300 million to build fish ladders. "It's worth taking a pretty serious look at it," said PacifiCorp spokesman Paul Vogel, who noted his company wasn't part of the negotiations. "We don't know whether anyone has seriously represented our customers on our behalf, because our customers have to be protected in this." Steve Thompson, director of the California-Nevada office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Sacramento, California, said the Bush administration has supported the settlement process, but the plan must be reviewed by federal agencies. Thompson added that he knew of no dam removal project in the country that has restored more habitat or would generate more fish, and characterized the new spending as a better investment than past disaster relief to farmers and fishermen. Opposition to the agreement is coming from the Hoopa Valley Tribe, based on the Trinity River, which flows into the Klamath below the dams; some farmers who are not part of the Klamath Reclamation Project; and two conservation groups tossed out of the talks last spring, Oregon Wild and WaterWatch. Hoopa Chairman Clifford Marshall said the agreement gives irrigation water priority over the needs of salmon and requires the tribe to waive its water rights on behalf of fish, without any hard assurances the dams would come out. "Dangling a carrot like this will not work for Hoopa," he said. Luther Horsley, president of the Klamath Water Users Association, which represents the 1,000 farms on the project, said farmers would achieve their goals of predictable irrigation deliveries, affordable power for irrigation pumps, and freedom from future lawsuits involving endangered species. Steve Pedery of Oregon Wild and Robert Hunter of WaterWatch said they were skeptical that the deal could actually produce the extra water that salmon need to thrive, or that Congress could come up with the money. They characterized the agreement as a sweetheart deal for the Bush administration to give farmers what they want. The Klamath, straddling the Oregon-California line, was once the third most productive salmon river system on the West Coast, but it has declined because of misguided hatchery practices, overfishing, development and the loss of habitat to dams, mining, and logging. Fish returns have become so small that in 2006 commercial salmon fishing had to be nearly shut down off most of Oregon and California, causing a federal disaster declaration. Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
By Scott Hed, Sportsman’s Alliance for Alaska December 2007
You’ve likely heard that a Canadian company called Northern Dynasty is proposing to build North America’s largest open-pit gold and copper mine between Lake Iliamna and the Mulchatna River. The permitting process began in July 2006, as Northern Dynasty applied for water rights from Upper Talarik Creek and the North and South Forks of the Koktuli River.
In August 2007, Northern Dynasty announced it was forming a partnership with Anglo-American, the world’s third-largest mining company. Despite its name, Anglo is not an American company – it is based in London. So, now that 2 foreign companies are trying to lay claim to some of the world’s most productive salmon and trout waters, what’s next?
Support for Bristol Bay conservation continues to grow around the country and the globe. While Trout Unlimited and the Federation of Fly Fishers have been engaged for a while, new opposition to Pebble has been registered by the Izaak Walton League of America, Dallas Safari Club, and Wildlife Forever (the conservation affiliate of the North American Hunting Club and North American Fishing Club). Nearly 100 companies in the fly fishing industry have gone on record as opposing mining plans in Bristol Bay, and fishing publications continue to give the subject coverage.
Perhaps of most immediate importance is an effort to place several initiatives on the 2008 election ballot in Alaska that would protect the clean water resources of the State from new large mining projects. Signature gatherers have been working since late October to acquire over 23,000 valid signatures, the amount required to put the initiatives up for a vote in November 2008. The signatures must be submitted by mid-January, so there is a lot to do in a short time.
In coming months, there will be several opportunities to learn more and do your part to help protect Bristol Bay.
There’s only one Bristol Bay. If you’ve been there you know how incredible the land and the fishing are. If you dream of fishing there someday, or if you dream of returning, now is the time to get involved.
Visit www.savebristolbay.org, www.sportsmansalliance4ak.org, and www.renewableresourcescoalition.org to learn more. TO: Key Stakeholders of California Trout FROM: Brian Stranko, Chief Executive Officer DATE: July 3, 2007 SUBJECT: Major Victory in Nestlé Battle
** NESTLÉ BLINKS **
California Trout has just scored a huge victory in our ongoing battle with Nestlé Waters of North America over their plan to bottle the pristine waters of the McCloud River.
The Swiss multi-national has asked Siskiyou County to withdraw the Draft Environmental Impact Report (“DEIR”) drawn up for their proposed water bottling plant – the largest in the world - on the McCloud. Nestlé’s action comes in response to the detailed and science-based comments we filed on the fatally-flawed Draft.
Missing from the DEIR:
Due to our pressure and that of our local partners, Nestlé has “blinked” and has wisely agreed to meet with the County and return to the drawing board. Recognizing the key leadership role we play, they have asked California Trout and its conservation partners to help in the drafting process.
While we applaud Nestlé for this about-face, we will remain vigilant to ensure that they propose a comprehensive, honest and scientifically valid Draft. I am grateful to you and our other dedicated supporters who enable us to do our work and welcome your input and further involvement in our efforts to win this important battle. Please feel free to contact me at (415) 392-8887, extension 109 or at bstranko@caltrout.org. Victories like this are possible when we work together. NCCFFF position on
California Water issues - With the recent flurry of
news articles and Mark Rockwell emails regarding the Delta and California water
policy, I've been asked to recap the NCCFFF policies and provide some context.
This is an opportunity for all interested organizations and groups to voice their opinions, concerns and desires for the good of our fisheries. All are welcome, and anyone interested in being scheduled to speak please contact Justin Wolff ASAP.
WIN RIVER CASINO (near Redding, CA) Wednesday, April 4 EAGLE ROOM 6:00-9:00PM 800-280-UWIN
Keynote speaker Gary Loomis will share an informative overview of how Fish First has restored native runs in Washington and what we can do in Northern California to ensure the survival of our wild salmon and steelhead. Please visit http://www.fishfirst.org for more information on Fish First. Please call Justin Wolff for more information. 530-510-0514 mailto:jwolff@anglerwest.com
Delta Advisory (March 4, 2007) - California Sportfishing Protection Alliance advisory includes: (1) The Resources Secretary Appoints an Angler to the Delta Vision Process; (2) Letter on the Delta Crisis to the LA Times by Dorothy Green, Secretary, California Water Impact Network that speaks clearly to the benefits of using water conservation practices; and (3) Water For Fish Press Conference that kicked off a critical effort to acquire and organize angler support for obtaining the water vital to our fishery populations. Water For Fish - please sign the petition NOW! California is in the process of restructuring its water policies to meet the needs of its population growth. The “Water Wars” have reached new proportions and fish and fishermen are losing the battle. If fishermen don’t unite and make their voices heard in the political process, we will lose millions of fish and the many benefits they bring to fishermen and to the economy. Auburn Dam Watch - (January 11, 2007) is an effort spear-headed by All Outdoors Whitewater Rafting to provide accurate, up-to-date information about the social and environmental issues that shape the debate over constructing the Auburn Dam. Westlands Water District - (June 12, 2006) State plans to retire half of water district's farms (click link for full story)
Thank You Wal-Mart! In March 2006 Wal-Mart was contacted by Gary Flanagan to see if they would donate an item for the raffle at our 20th Annual Dinner. When the Community Involvement Coordinator in the Personnel Department learned about all the work GBF does with our Classroom Aquarium Education Program and our donation of 75 aquarium sets and twice yearly distribution of Salmon and Steelhead eggs, as well as the GBF scholarships we award to college students working on conservation issues, she took it a step further. On April 7th the Roseville Wal-Mart Employee Committee presented GBF with a $500 check from the Wal-Mart Foundation's Community Grant Program to be used in one of our upcoming Conservation Programs! GBF gratefully accepts this generous donation and will put the funds to good use. Thank you again, Wal-Mart! (click above) Click the link above to jump to the new webpage for GBF Legislative Action information and recommendations. GBF urges members to communicate their views to our local, state and federal legislators regarding issues and bills which affect our flyfishing resources and heritage. In addition to our goal for all members to participate in some conservation activity for at least 4 hours per year, it is important that our voices be heard when so many decisions are being made that will affect the future enjoyment of flyfishing. Conservation Events
Creek Week 2005 - This is one of GBF's annual local creek clean-up events that we sponsor through the Dry Creek Conservancy. We will meet at the trail head behind the United Artists' Theater complex at Sunrise & Eureka Blvd. at 9:00AM. Our plan is to clean up the Secret Ravine Creek by noon. Click the DCC link above and download the cities' volunteer release forms and other pertinent information. Salmon Count (click the link at left to see Gary Flanagan's Article) - Salmon Count with the Dry Creek Conservancy organized by Dave Baker. See Gary Flanagan's "A Day on a Local Salmon Creek" (click here to display an Acrobat PDF format of Gary's article and photos) Classroom Aquarium Education Program - Frank Stolten and Rick Radoff will get the in-house training programs going in October and January. These training classes for teachers are also available to members of Granite Bay Flycasters. If you would like to help deliver eggs in November and February, please let Frank or Rick know. Interested teachers can send Rick a written letter requesting an upcoming class, usually held in October and January. GBF has donated 75 aquarium sets for this DFG CAEP program. Nimbus Hatchery Docent program - Training for the docents program is in the September/October timeframe. The actual program runs from November to February. This is a lot of fun and very rewarding. Stream Ecology Workshop (click link to see Mike Brune's article and photos) - The Conservation Committee hosts a very popular stream ecology and entomology workshop at the UC Berkeley Sagehen Creek Field Station. |
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Projects Granite Bay Flycasters have participated in many conservation projects. Below is a list of some of the projects in which GBF has been involved:
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Partners Granite Bay Flycasters in cooperation with other organizations, strives to improve the environment for current and future generation. For a list of partners, please visit our partner page. |
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Meetings
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Overview Conservation of cold water fisheries is a cornerstone of the club's activities and expenditures. We are active in a number of areas that we hope will help conserve our streams and lakes. If you are interested in more information, would like to help, or have ideas on where our efforts should go, please contact John Carroz, Email: jwcarroz@surewest.net |
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