Looming Tulloch releases met with protests

By Alex MacLean, The Union Democrat August 08, 2015

The shores of Tulloch Reservoir showed only a slight low-water ring in the spring, and has remained higher than other Tuolumne and Calaveras county reservoirs throughout the summer. File photo / Union Democrat, copyright 2015

A group of Tulloch-area homeowners say local property values and businesses will suffer if nearly 10 billion gallons of water is released from the reservoir later this month for migrating rainbow trout in the Stanislaus River.

Tri-Dam Project, a partnership of the Oakdale and South San Joaquin irrigation districts, issued a press release Friday announcing the scheduled release of 30,000 acre-feet water from the lake starting as early as Aug. 23. A single acre-foot — roughly the amount of a football field covered 1 foot deep in water — is enough to supply about two California households for a year.

Tulloch Reservoir was about 95 percent full as of Friday, according to the state Department of Water Resources. By comparison, Don Pedro Reservoir was 34 percent of capacity, New Melones was 14 percent and Lake McClure was 10 percent.

Releasing 30,000 acre-feet from Tulloch will lower the lake level by about 30 feet in elevation, from about 510 feet to 480 feet above sea level.

Homeowners on the lake will need to remove their boats, because all of the docks will no longer be in the water when the water gets that low, Jack Cox, leader of the Lake Tulloch Alliance, said. He said businesses dependent on tourism could also be hurt.

“Hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested by private individuals, public entities and private business in the Tulloch basin,” he said. “Shouldn’t that take priority over fish?”

The districts say the releases are meant to meet regulatory requirements under the Endangered Species Act by reducing water temperatures for fall-run rainbow trout below Goodwin Dam on the Stanislaus River.

In addition, the lowering of Tulloch will allow Tri-Dam to operate and test spill gates as required every five years by its license through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

“The Tri-Dam Project Board of Directors thinks it is a good idea, since the reservoir has to be drawn down beyond normal winter levels, that we test the gates again this year with hopes that it will not be required again for another five years,” said Tri-Dam General Manager Ron Berry in a written statement.

Tri-Dam officials told hundreds of Tulloch-area homeowners who attended a series of public forums in March that the five-year drawdown wouldn’t occur, if at all, until September.

However, South San Joaquin Irrigation District General Manager Jeff Shields said the epic four-year drought has finally gotten to the point where Tulloch can no longer be spared.

“We don’t enjoy lowering a reservoir that makes it difficult for Calaveras County Water District or homeowners to go about their daily lives,” he said. “But after years of drought, it’s a difficult time to manage a water supply for all the legal rights and demands on the system.”

Releasing the water for the fish will benefit relationships between the districts and the various state and federal agencies they work with on the river, Shields said.

The districts went to battle with the federal agencies in the spring when they tried to block a pulse flow intended to nudge juvenile steelhead in the river out to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and, eventually, the ocean.

Shields said the action resulted in a letter from the Department of Justice in April saying the districts could face criminal charges by interfering with the Endangered Species Act.

“The districts aren’t going to initiate an ESA challenge,” he said. “Frankly, that’s not our responsibility to initiate an ESA challenge on the river. If there isn’t water on the river through the federal government resources, the ESA will dictate the districts are going to have to do it.”

With the backing of Congressmen Tom McClintock, R-Roseville, and Jeff Denham, R-Turlock, the districts struck a deal with the federal and state agencies that helped hold back more water in New Melones and prevented them from draining Tulloch prior to the summer season.

Cox said the districts are caving in to policies that prioritize fish over human needs.

“I think nobody here would be opposed to releasing water from this lake if it meant the survival of agriculture in the valley or for people to drink,” he said. “What this comes down to is the leadership of the two irrigation districts. They said they will not oppose the federal government with these fish flows, even though they know they don’t work.”

In Friday’s press release, Tri-Dam officials said the refilling of Tulloch is expected to begin on March 1, 2016.

Cox said that’s not guaranteed if the upcoming winter doesn’t provide enough rain and snow for the Central Sierra.

If there’s a fifth consecutive drought year, Shields said much more will be at stake for the entire state.

“If we don’t get a good winter in the Central Sierra, the state of California is going to be in catastrophic condition,” he said. “At that point, every reservoir is going to be seriously depleted.”