2 gates page
Directions
1) Download the comment form.
***
Download the Comment FORM
click here ***
2) Fill out the form and tell Sacramento
why 2 gates is BAD for the Delta!
3) Fax it to the number on the form.
ACTION MUST BE TAKEN BY NOVEMBER 17TH
Suggested points:
ALL
COMMENTS ARE DUE BY NOVEMBER 17 - ASK FOR MORE TIME ON THE COMMENT FORM!
*******
ALSO - HERE IS THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS PERMIT APPLICATION INFO HOT OFF THE
PRESS....SEND THEM THE SAME COMMENTS IN EMAIL (SEE BELOW)
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Sacramento District has posted Public Notice
SPK-2009-01197 to
http://www.spk.usace.army.mil/regulatory.html
San Luis and Delta Mendota Water Authority, Ara Azhderian has applied for a
permit to place dredged or fill material and work in approximately 1.97 acres of
waters of the United States to construct 2 temporary operable gate structures.
This 5 year project would test if such structures could reduce entrainment of
sensitive fish species at the State (SWP) and Federal (CVP) water export
facilities. This project is located on Old River and Connection Slough, Sec 30,
T2N, R4E, and Sec 22, T2N, R4E San Joaquin and Contra Costa Counties,
California.
Written comments and/or a request for a paper copy of the notice may be
submitted to project manager William Guthrie at, email
William.H.Guthrie@usace.army.mil,
or telephone 916-557-5269.
Comments must be received by November 30, 2009.
Eileen
Imamura
Regulatory Tech, Regulatory Division
U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento District
916-557-5262
Eileen.R.Imamura@usace.army.mil
http://www.spk.usace.army.mil/regulatory.html/
From October
to mid-December, I plan on being at work every Monday, Wednesday and Friday
(except holidays). I will be out 1/2 days on Tuesdays and Thursdays (out from
0930 - 1700).
Thursday, October 29, 2009
MORE
FUN AND GAMES FROM OUR WONDERFUL GOVERNMENT
by
Amanda Dove
Editor In Chief
Delta Sun Times
See contacts for elected officials at end of
story...
Town shows up to protest
Two Gates (DISCOVERY BAY ) Concerned citizens
from Discovery Bay and around the Delta filled
the gymnasium at Discovery Bay School Tuesday
night. The crowd (of approx. 600) hoped to
dissuade the Bureau of Reclamation from
continuing forward with plans to build two gates
at Old River and Connection Slough, which will
virtually cut off Discovery Bay from 1,100
miles of navigable Delta waterways. Concerns
about the Two Gates project are serious. The
project will almost certainly threaten Discovery
Bay ’s water quality, aquatic life, boater
safety, and the overall health of the Delta in
the long-term. Property values, business
survival and quality of life in the community of
17,000 residents are at stake.
The Two-Gates project is an
$80 million dollar experiment, proposed to
remain in place for five years. The experiment,
proposed by (and paid for) by southern
California water concerns and land developers,
is a part of the California Department of
Natural Resources modeling elements for the
extremely controversial Peripheral Canal . If
the two gates project can demonstrate it helps
to protect the Delta’s endangered smelt
population, this will help the Peripheral Canal
project along in the approval process. The
project is clearly pitched as a “Save the
Smelt” project. Discovery Bay Chamber of
Commerce president-elect, Greg Spivak, put
it well: “I’m amazed that Southern California
is so concerned about these tiny fish that live
only here, in the Northern California Delta.”
This statement was echoed throughout the night,
as speakers from the crowd stated again and
again that this project is about increasing
water to Southern California residents.
Many left frustrated, as it was clear that
the Bureau of Reclamation intends to proceed
with this project, despite dozens of legitimate
concerns, and questions of the science and
research that is actually in place for this
project. The real concerns over the lack of
research on the impact in Discovery Bay clearly
demonstrates the need for an Environmental
Impact Report, a move that Reclamation officials
said they “would wrestle with” (whether or not
it is needed). The Two Gates project must still
obtain a permit from the Army Corps of
Engineers, a last stop for public comment, which
will likely take place within a month’s time.
This will be an essential moment in Discovery
Bay history. Even five years could change the
Delta and Discovery Bay forever. Changing tidal
flows and fish migration could lead to lack of
fish and wildlife in the southern Delta,
increased aquatic plant life growth (which is
already inundating Discovery Bay), and decreased
water quality (muddy and/or smelly water) due to
the stagnate water that could result from
stopping water flow 10-20 hours per day.
Even with all of the environmental impact
concerns, boaters will be most affected. Boats
would not be able to freely pass through these
gated areas, forcing southern Delta boaters
hours further to the east and north to reach
their destinations. Those trying to
reach Discovery Bay and the surrounding area
would be severely deterred from making the
effort to travel so far. Marinas such as
Holland Riverside, Orwood Resort and
Discovery Bay Marina would be the last place one
might want to berth their vessel, being the
furthest point away from the most
desired destinations to the west.
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