URGENT ALERT
>
>
>A DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME PRESS RELEASE SOLICITING PUBLIC
>COMMENT ON A PROPOSED RESTORATION PROJECT FOR FALL RIVER WAS
>PUBLISHED JAN 12 IN THE FALL RIVER MILLS LOCAL PAPER (THE MT.
>ECHO)
>
>
>
>In their published notice the Department of Fish and Game called for written
>comments from the public regarding the highly controversial proposed Bear
>Creek Meadow restoration project. If DFG were sincere in their willingness to
>listen to the public they would first have a public information meeting to explain
>what the project is and address our questions, followed by a scoping meeting
>where the public is allowed to register our concerns. The California
>Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires public have a legitimate
>opportunity to have input--WE URGE YOU TO DEMAND NOTHING LESS.
>
>For your information, a complete copy of the DFG press release follows. Note
>that the notice first appeared in a small local paper with limited circulation on
>Tuesday Jan 12 and required written comment by Monday Jan 25. With the
>three day holiday (Jan 16, 17, 18) that only allows 7 working days to get
>comments in the mail in time to arrive by the 25th. Just informing the local residents,
>let alone the many individuals who reside throughout California and the
>neighboring states who have a burning interest in Fall River is a major task, and
>to have them write thoughtful comments all in 7 days? It's absurd!
>
>And how is one to write thoughtful comments since the DFG notice fails to give
>a project description including the physical location? Finding out what they
>intend to actually do in terms of construction work has been a problem through
>this whole process--despite our persistent efforts for nearly 2 years, they
>continue to refuse to give us any information on the specifics of the project.
>
>The public needs to respond to DFG's notice by writing letters demanding
>(1) a public information meeting where DFG can explain just what the
>project is with all the experts who participated in the design of the project
>present, (2) a follow up "scoping" meeting with these same experts present
>where the public is allowed to register their concerns, and (3) both meetings
>should have ample advance notice and be held on a Saturday so individuals
>who work and/or are from out of town can attend.
>
>Please write a letter of comment, or sign the following form letters and
>send to:
>
>
> Mr. Donald Koch, Regional Manager
> Department of Fish and Game
> 601 Locust Street
> Redding, CA 96001
>
> and
>
> Ms. Mary Nichols, Secretary
> Secretary for Resources
> The California Resources Agency
> 1416 Ninth Street
> Sacramento, CA 95814
>
> and please send us a copy at
>
> The Fall River Wild Trout Foundation
> P.O. Box 862
> Fall River Mills, CA 96028
>
>If you miss the deadline, send the letters anyway to express your displeasure
>with the unreasonable deadline.January , 1999
>
>
>
>Mr. Donald Koch, Regional Manager
>Department of Fish and Game
>601 Locust Street
>Redding, CA 96001
>
>Dear Mr. Koch,
>
>I have reviewed the California Resource Agency, Department of Fish and Game's press
>release of January 9, 1999. In that press release you advised the pubic that initial comments
>and suggestions may be submitted by the public to you. You also advised the public that the
>deadline date for the first round of public comment is January 25,1999.
>
>The following are my comments and suggestions:
>
>1. The Department's press release did not include a description of the project including the
>physical location. I cannot submit comments and suggestions to the Department without a
>project description.
>
>2. The comment period is unreasonably short. The press release was not published until
>January 12, 1999. With the three day weekend, only 7 working days were allowed to get my
>comments in the mail in time to arrive on January 25.
>
>3. A public meeting with all the experts who participated in the design of the projects present
>to inform the public as to the project design and answer our questions.
>
>4. Following the informational public meeting, a second public scoping meeting, with all the
>experts who participated in the design of the project present, should be held to allow the
>public the opportunity to register our concerns with DFG.
>
>5. Both meetings should be held in the Fall River Mills area on a Saturday with advance
>notice of at least 30 days.
>
>Please advise me whether the Department will hold a public information meeting and a
>second scoping meeting, and whether the Department will provide a project description.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>
>
> January , 1999
>
>
>
>Ms. Mary Nichols, Secretary
>Secretary for Resources
>The California Resources Agency
>1416 Ninth Street
>Sacramento, CA 95814
>
>Dear Ms. Nichols,
>
>I have reviewed the California Resource Agency, Department of Fish and Game's press
>release of January 9, 1999. In that press release you advised the pubic that initial comments
>and suggestions may be submitted by the public to the Redding DFG office. You also
>advised the public that the deadline date for the first round of public
>comment is January 25, 1999.
>
>The following are my comments and suggestions:
>
>1. The press release did not include a description of the project including the physical
>location. I cannot submit comments and suggestions to the Department without a project
>description.
>
>2. The comment period is unreasonably short. The press release was not published until
>January 12, 1999. With the three day weekend, only 7 working days were allowed to get my
>comments in the mail in time to arrive on January 25.
>
>3. A public meeting needs to be held with all the experts who participated in the design of
>the project present to inform the public as to the project design and answer our questions.
>
>4. Following the informational public meeting, a second public scoping meeting, with all the
>experts who participated in the design of the project present, should be held to allow the
>public the opportunity to register our concerns.
>
>5. Both meetings should be held in the Fall River Mills area on a Saturday with advance
>notice of at least 30 days.
>
>Please advise me whether your agency will hold a public information meeting and a second
>scoping meeting, and whether a project description will be provided.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>
>
>
>
> NEWS RELEASE
>
> THE RESOURCES AGENCY
> Dept of Fish and Game
>
>
>STREAMS FIX CONSIDERED (Release: IMMEDIATE)
>
> REDDING--the Department of Fish and Game said today it is seeking public
>participation in planning a meadow restoration that would reclaim a valuable wetland habitat
>and help protect one of California's premier wild trout fisheries against
>chronic sedimentation problems.
> The DFG's Region 1 office in Redding said it will lead a coalition of public and
>private interests in the project next summer, depending upon input from the public and
>response to environmental documents now being developed.
> Central to the habitat protection and improvement of eastern Shasta County's Fall
>River will be the restoration of a one-mile-wide, two-mile-long wetland meadow within
>private land on Bear Creek, a tributary to Fall River, the Region 1 office
>said.
> Rebuilding the meadow--channelized nearly 40 years ago in the name of flood control
>and cattle grazing--will decrease the erosive washing of sediment through Bear Creek and into
>Fall River, Fish and Game said.
> The DFG said it is seeking preliminary public input on the proposed restoration in the
>course of completing its draft environmental document. Additional public opinion on the
>proposed repair work will be sought after the draft is released.
> Initial comments and suggestions may be submitted by the public in writing to Don
>Kock, regional manager, Department of fish and Game, 601 Locust Street,
>Redding, CA
>96001. Deadline for the first round of public comment is Jan. 25.
> Fish and Game said a recent scientific report estimates there are some 250,000 cubic
>yards of sand-like sediment that have built up on the bottom of Fall River below Bear Creek.
>The sediment has significantly reduced habitat for insects and the river's legendary wild trout
>population.
> The current owner of the Bear Creek meadow set out two years ago to fund a
>complete meadow restoration at his own expense, spending a large amount of money on the
>seeding and growth of various native plants that would have been planted to help stabilize the
>badly eroded meadow, according to DFG.
> His plans were thwarted, and the plants given away, because of the reaction by a small
>but vociferous number of opponents and due to fear of possible legal action under the
>California Environmental Quality Act.
> Fish and Game said it is now prepared to assume leadership of the effort with the help
>of numerous scientific experts, the landowner and organizations such as the Audubon Society,
>California Trout Inc., Ducks Unlimited and the California Waterfowl Association.
> The DFG said restoration of the Bear Creek meadows--also known as Dana Meadows-
>-would reestablish the creek's ability to spread medium and high water flows over the full
>width of the meadow, allowing sediment to settle out before the water travels the last half
>mile to Fall River.
> Fall River, an official California wild trout stream, is about 22 miles long, flowing
>from Thousand Springs just north of Bear Creek to the Pit river at the town of Fall River
>Mills. Trout populations in the river tend to range from 3,000 to 4,000 fish per mile,
considered at the high end of wild trout fisheries.
> Bear creek was channelized through Dana Meadows in 1960 to keep winter and spring
>flows within the new channel and permit cattle grazing on both sides. In some places, the
>artificial channel is now 14 feet deep, leaving the adjacent meadow lands high and dry.
> A 1998 report by Tetra Tech Inc. of San Francisco estimates that 1,200 tons of
>sediment washing from cut banks within the meadow and another 1,300 tons being carried by
>Bear Creek from above the meadow are reaching Fall River annually. Fall River's inability to
>easily rid itself of the sediment accumulations is due to the fact it is spring fed and because it
>drops only about nine feet in 22 miles.
> The worst sediment section lies along the upper one-third of the river. The DFG said
>its plan likely would include digging several borrow pits at the edge of the meadow and using
>the material, along with boulders and vegetation, to fill the man-made channel so water flows
>through the original channel.
> Scientists estimate it would take about 200,000 cubic yards of material to bring the
>current channel up to the grade of the meadow. Costs of all work associated with the
>restoration are estimated to be in the $600,000 to $800,000 range.
>