Some Sizzle Served up on the Tuolumne

Irrigators and Rep. Tom McClintock Salivate over drive to allocate all the river’s water 

Tuolumne River

It’s helpful when the press is invited to a meeting – especially when you are not. 

Here’s a good example. On the last day of August, the Modesto Bee’s John Holland reported on an interesting semi-public meeting that the Turlock Irrigation District (TID) held for Representative Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove)(1).  

New Melones Dam

Among the topics of discussion were TID’s joint application with the Modesto Irrigation District to acquire the water rights for 2.7 million acre-feet of Tuolumne River water (“all” the unappropriated water on the Tuolumne River according to the District). That project involves raising the Turlock “Lake” Dam (on its main canal) and Don Pedro Dam (the latter, against the National Wild & Scenic Rivers Act), the construction of two 500,000-acre-foot off-stream reservoirs off Don Pedro Reservoir, and building a two-way tunnel between Don Pedro and New Melones Reservoir, largely so that “excess” Tuolumne River water can be stored in the oversized New Melones Reservoir for later return to the Tuolumne (see our earlier blog post on this application).

According to Holland, the audience and the congressman made, to paraphrase, the appropriate soft clucking sounds of approval. 

McClintock also reminded the audience of his long-time support for raising Shasta Dam (a violation of the California Wild & Scenic Rivers Act) (see our webpage on the Shasta Dam raise).

Importantly, the fiscally conservative Rep. McClintock voiced his support for paying for these storage projects with state taxpayers through ballot initiatives. As I have said before, when it comes to dams and canals, it’s all about the subsidies. There’s a reason we use the term “deadbeat” dams.  

But this wasn’t just about the dams. 

Federal officials reportedly assured the audience that Merced Irrigation District water support for the Merced National Wildlife Refuge (a feature of the District’s original Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license for New Exchequer Dam on the Merced River) would be better balanced to meet the needs of District farmers. (The license is undergoing FERC renewal proceedings at present.)

The audience was also in favor of reducing dam releases for salmon to better protect the needs of Valley irrigators. 

Advocates for the Tuolumne have their work cut out for them in coming months. Start rolling those sleeves up. 

Resources 

(1) Modesto Bee – McClintock hears wish list from Valley water suppliers