New North Coast water guidelines proposed

Staff Report
Amador Ledger Dispatch
01/01/2008

Responding to new legislation, California Water Resources Control Board staff has drafted guidelines for maintaining adequate flows of water in North Coast streams and rivers.

Acting in response to the mandates of AB 2121, the five-member water board will consider the proposed guidelines in 2008.

AB 2121 requires the state Water Resources Control Board to adopt guidelines to determine how much water must remain in the North Coast streams to protect salmon and other fish and to follow those guidelines when considering more than 310 pending applications to appropriate water from North Coast streams.

If adopted, the policy would apply to water diversions from streams in five counties including Marin, Sonoma and parts of Mendocino and Napa counties.

Water board staff has released the draft policy, which starts a public comment period and scientific peer review. The scientific peer review will extend for 30 days and the public review period will run concurrently for 45 days.

Under California law, the state acts as guardian for in stream needs for aquatic habitat, recreation and navigation, and must balance the needs of other uses in stream requirements and other environmental uses.

Click to read the draft policy on the state water board's Web site.