TRRP Winter Flow Variability: Draft Environmental Assessment Available for Public Comment, Public Meeting Scheduled

This is a press release from the Bureau of Reclamation’s Trinity River Restoration Program:

The Bureau of Reclamation’s Trinity River Restoration Program (TRRP) is inviting individuals and organizations to comment on its draft Environmental Assessment (EA) to shift some of the water typically released from Lewiston Dam in late spring to the winter and early spring period. 

Starting in winter 2021-2022, Reclamation’s TRRP proposes to change how annual Trinity River water is managed to benefit Trinity River fisheries. Moving a portion of Trinity River water volume to the winter and spring run-off periods is proposed to better match natural flow variability within the watershed. 

Expected benefits of the proposal would: 

1) Enhance natural cleaning and transport of river gravels; 

2) Limit the impact of cold water from the dam on growth of juvenile salmon and steelhead, as well as other native aquatic species; 

3) Allow the river to naturally warm earlier in the season to better provide outmigration cues to migratory fish; and 

4) Elevate flows before salmon emergence from their in-river nests (redds) to increase food availability and access to floodplain nursery habitats. 

The draft Winter Flow Variability EA was prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and is available at the USBR California Great Basin website: https://www.usbr.gov/mp/nepa/nepa_project_details.php?Project_ID=50427) or at the TRRP website https://www.trrp.net/restoration/flows/winter-flow-variability/.

A public comment meeting, held virtually, will take place on Tuesday, October 5, 2021 at
6 p.m. A link to the meeting will be available on the TRRP website – Winter Flow Variability page: https://www.trrp.net/restoration/flows/winter-flow-variability/. Written comments are due by close of business October 21, 2021. Comments may be emailed to [email protected], or mailed to  Winter Flow Variability Project, C/O Bureau of Reclamation, Trinity River Restoration Program, P.O. Box 1300, Weaverville, CA 96093.

For additional information on the proposed flow management action,
visit the TRRP website at https://www.trrp.net/restoration/flows/winter-flow-variability/ 

or contact Brandt Gutermuth

at (530) 623-1806 or [email protected]