The Timeline.
By now, most of you have heard of the monumental biological opinion announced last Thursday by the National Marine Fisheries Services. Sacramento Bee reporter Matt Weiser stated, “The new rules mark the largest single rulemaking action ever in the United States to restore fish access above habitat-blocking dams, according to the environmental group American Rivers. The goal is to protect Central Valley steelhead, winter- and spring-run salmon, and green sturgeon, all protected by the Endangered Species Act.”
The ruling, which officially is just called a biological opinion, requires the rivers above several major California reservoirs be restored and made accessible to salmon and steelhead trout. Expenses of the several billion dollar project will most likely come from increased water costs for both municipal and agricultural users.
Weisser continued “The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will be required to restore fish populations above Nimbus and Folsom dams on the American River, Shasta Dam on the Sacramento River, and New Melones Dam on the Stanislaus River.”
The preliminary planning for the monumental and massive project begins with large-scale testing, followed by inter-agency recommendations on the best possible solutions by 2016. The recommendations are scheduled to be carried out by 2020.
