California water agencies say USBR violated ESA

Two California water agencies want the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to comply with provisions of the Endangered Species Act and stop releasing water from Trinity Reservoir in northern California until consultations with other regulatory agencies can be made. Westlands Water District and San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority are challenging three years’ worth of increased flows to the Trinity River that the USBR made in alleged violation of the ESA. The water districts filed a “notice of violation” with U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell on June 10, alleging the USBR violated federal law by unilaterally releasing 120,000 acre feet of water from Trinity Lake in northern California over a three-year period. The letter states that the releases were made without consultation with other federal agencies, which is stipulated in the ESA. According to Westlands Water District, the net effect of the USBR’s decision to unilaterally release water from Trinity Reservoir in northern California has been reduced water allocations to farmers and possible lethal impacts to migrating salmon...more