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Larger Pardee Dam would harm foothill culture, history, economy
Monday, March 23, 2009 7:36 AM PDT
I grew up in Amador and Calaveras counties, and attended Amador High School. Counting my son and daughter, my family's been in the area for five generations.
Throughout this time, we have been able to explore, swim in, fish and learn from the Mokelumne River. The river is one of the things that make Amador and Calaveras counties truly special places to live and visit.
Now the Mokelumne is threatened by East Bay MUD's water plan. In that draft plan, EBMUD has chosen to expand Pardee Reservoir rather than adopt a higher level of water conservation in dry years.
This is bad news for foothill residents who love the Mokelumne, and for our community. We use the river every day. Our local businesses also benefit from the many visitors who come to the river to fish, kayak, pan for gold, and teach their children about rivers, history and nature.
The planned Pardee expansion would require building a massive 400-foot dam downstream of the existing Pardee Dam. The higher dam would drown the entire Middle Bar reach of the river between Highway 49 and the Middle Bar Bridge.
The enlarged reservoir would flood the historic 1912 Middle Bar Bridge, which listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and many other valuable cultural and historical resources. The bridge was restored at considerable public expense less than a decade ago.
The expansion would turn Middle Bar and Gwin Mine roads into a dead-end deathtraps, endangering local residents who rely on the bridge crossing as a fire evacuation route.
The expansion would seasonally flood nearly a mile of the river above Highway 49. That would require construction of a new Highway 49 bridge and eminent domain proceedings against riverside landowners. The expanded reservoir would seasonally flood historic resources there as well, including the foundation of one of California's original 19th century powerhouses.
The Pardee expansion would destroy existing and planned recreational resources. For two decades, fishing, river and recreation organizations, public agencies and PG&E have spent millions of dollars and countless hours improving the Mokelumne for recreation. People worked for more than 20 years to secure boating and fishing access to the Middle Bar reach of the river, which has been open only since 2002.
EBMUD claims its plan won't hurt Mokelumne whitewater recreation because water levels will be lower in summer. But anglers and paddlers use the river year-round. And even if EBMUD drops the water level of the reservoir in the summer months, river visitors would be faced with an ugly, dead-zone bathtub ring along the river instead of the lush riparian vegetation and wildlife that exist today.
Here in the foothills, local people are tired of having EBMUD and other water agencies see our local river only as a tap they can manipulate at will.
The Mokelumne River is more than a water supply. Its historic and cultural sites reveal a rich human history. It provides recreation opportunities for all, regardless of ability, age or income level. It provides income to local businesses who serve its visitors. It's home to wildlife and fish, including wild rainbow trout.
It's a place where we teach our children about nature and Miwok families teach their children traditional plant uses, language and culture. And it's an important source of freshwater inflow to the Delta, which would be reduced if this plan proceeds.
Foothill residents understand that if we don't stand up for our river and all it represents to us, we'll surely lose what little we have left.
That point was not lost on the nearly 150 people who attended EBMUD's public hearing in Sutter Creek last night. They spoke passionately about their connection to the Mokelumne and what it means to them, their children and their grandchildren.
They will fight to defend our river from this latest threat.
We don't dispute that EBMUD needs to supply water to customers. But it's time for the utility to choose water supply options that don't include destroying miles of the Mokelumne River. We need 21st-century solutions, not a big, river-destroying dam.
And it's time to keep the free-flowing miles of the Mokelumne a river forever so my children, and their grandchildren-and countless others like them-can continue to enjoy the river the way my family has for more than 150 years.
Stopping the expansion of Pardee Reservoir is a strong step in that direction.
For more information, see www.foothillconservancy.org.
Chris Wright is executive director of the Foothill Conservancy.
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educator wrote on Mar 26, 2009 12:49 PM:
Inquisitor wrote on Mar 26, 2009 12:19 PM:
So now it will be a National Historic UNDERWATER Place. Graffiti-proof, too! "
tanner b wrote on Mar 25, 2009 12:00 PM:
Audi 5000 wrote on Mar 24, 2009 8:38 AM:
If a building's foundation is so important and significant, why then did the owners of the foundation abandon it? It's worthless concrete which is modern in historical terms, and the most minute fraction of the population cares. An incredible weak yet typical strategy by those who would halt every public works project.
To claim the people of the foothill communities are not smart enough to possess live saving evacuation skills is a blanket indictment to Mr. Wright's neighbors' intelligence, and further illustrates his own ignorance. "
tosh conn wrote on Mar 23, 2009 9:00 PM:
kkevatt wrote on Mar 23, 2009 5:49 PM:
gray cloud wrote on Mar 23, 2009 4:59 PM:
max stanfield wrote on Mar 23, 2009 11:53 AM:
Comments on this story are now closed.