CSPA
Arroyo Grande Creek Steelhead
CSPA Letter to Division of Water Rights, SWRCB
December 1997
CALIFORNIA SPORTFISHING PROTECTION ALLIANCE
P.O. BOX 357
QUINCY, CALIFORNIA 95971
Jerry Johns, Asst. Chief December 10, 1997
Division of Water Rights
State Water Resources Control Board
P.O. Box 2000
Sacramento, CA 95812-2000
Re: Arroyo Grande Creek; San Luis Obispo County; CSPA Complaint
Dear Mr. Johns:
In 1994 the CSPA filed a complaint with the SWRCB regarding Arroyo Grande Creek. That complaint requested the SWRCB to take responsible actions against San Luis Obispo County, and require the County to release water at all times from Lopez Dam to keep in good condition steelhead below the dam as required by state law. The SWRCB did not order San Luis Obispo County to release water at all times from Lopez Dam when the SWRCB issued the water right permit, and the resulting impact is that the steelhead populations in the stream have been adversely impacted to the point that the fish were listed for protection under the federal ESA.
The CSPA complaint is still pending before the SWRCB.
It has been about four(4) years since the CSPA requested the SWRCB to order water to be released from Lopez Dam to protect the steelhead. Steelhead were recently listed for protection under the federal ESA.
Please provide me with a status report regarding the CSPA complaint; whether your staff have completed the written investigation of the complaint; and exactly what the SWRCB and its staff propose to do about Lopez Dam and the steelhead.
In a related matter, your staff advised the CSPA in 1994 that the SWRCB would take legal actions against San Luis Obispo County in the event the County continued to divert and use water illegally. Please provide me with a status report regarding whether the unauthorized diversion and use of the state's water is still on-going by the County; and whether the SWRCB will take legal actions against the County for past unauthorized diversion and use violations. We urge the SWRCB to take legal actions against the County for past violations.
A written response is appreciated.
Respectfully Submitted
_____________________________________________
Robert J. Baiocchi, Consultant
For: California Sportfishing Protection Alliance
P.O. Box 357
Quincy, CA 95971
Bus Tel: 530-836-1115 or 530-283-3767; Fax: 530-283-5017
e-mail - cspa@psln.com (Note new area code)
Service List
Mr. Jim Bybee, Supervisor
U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service
777 Sonoma Avenue, Room 325
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Diane Noda, Field Supervisor
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office
2493 Portola Road, Suite B
Ventura, CA 93003
Chris Mobley, Staff
U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service
777 Sonoma Avenue, Room 325
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Nancee Murray, Esquire - Legal Affairs Division
California Department of Fish and Game
1416 Ninth Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Supervisor, Environmental Services
California Department of Fish and Game
1416 Ninth Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Michael Jackson, Esquire
P.O. Drawer 207
Quincy, CA 95971
Steve Volker
Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund
180 Montgomery Street, Suite 1400
San Francisco, CA 94104
William H. L'Hommedieu
CSPA Representative
1355 Las Encinas Drive
Los Osos, CA 93402
Jim Crenshaw, President
California Sportfishing Protection Alliance
1248 East Oak Avenue, Suite D
Woodland, CA 95695
Interested Parties (numerous by e-mail)
For further information contact Bob Baiocchi at either 530-836-1115 or
at e-mail address: cspa@psln.com