REP. MIKE THOMPSON ANNOUNCES CRITICAL DRY CREEK HABITAT ENHANCEMENT STUDY INCLUDED IN U.S. ARMY CORPS FY14 WORK PLAN
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) announced today that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers delivered to Congress its Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 work plan for the Army Civil Works program which includes $300,000 for a new start feasibility study for Dry Creek (Warm Springs Dam) and Coyote Valley Dam restoration. This provides much needed funding to begin a feasibility study on work which was included in the Russian River Biological Opinion, but for which the Corps believes it currently lacks authority. The Corps only included eight new starts in its budget nationwide. In addition, the President’s Fiscal Year 2015 budget proposal for the Civil Works Program of the Corps includes a request for $200,000 each for continuing the new start studies.
“These funds are a big win for Sonoma County that will help our efforts to protect and restore critical habitat for threatened or endangered species of steelhead trout, and coho and Chinook salmon,” said Thompson. “Many thanks to everyone who worked to make sure the Army Corps recognized this project as a top priority.”
“The inclusion of our environmental enhancement work on Dry Creek into the Corps work plan is a major milestone for fully implementing the Russian River Biological Opinion,” said Water Agency Chairman David Rabbitt. “The Water Agency greatly appreciates the Corps for making the implementation of the Biological Opinion a top priority, and for the support of our Washington, D.C. delegation for helping make this new start project happen, including Representatives Thompson and Huffman, and U.S. Senators Feinstein and Boxer. Enhancing critical habitat for coho and steelhead in the Russian River and its tributaries, including Dry Creek, is an essential mission of the Water Agency.”
The Russian River Biological Opinion is a federally mandated 15-year blueprint to restore and protect threatened steelhead trout and endangered coho salmon. Issued after more than 10 years of studies by the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Biological Opinion found that some aspects of flood control and water supply operations managed by the Corps and the Sonoma County Water Agency threatened steelhead and coho within the Russian River watershed. The Biological Opinion calls on the Corps and the Water Agency to change operations and restore critical fisheries habitat.
In particular, the Biological Opinion found that summertime flows in Dry Creek are too high for juvenile coho salmon to thrive. The fourteen-mile Dry Creek acts as the conduit for water released from Lake Sonoma to get to the Russian River for flood control and drinking water supply purposes. The Corps manages flood control releases and the Water Agency water supply releases from Warm Springs dam. The Biological Opinion requires the Corps and the Water Agency to enhance six miles of Dry Creek by changing the configuration of the creek to create slow-moving pools and fish refuge. The six miles must be completed by 2017 with evaluations completed by 2020.
For more information about the Biological Opinion, please visit www.sonomacountywater.org.
Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California’s 5th Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and chairs the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.
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