Farmers, fish aided by federal funding

With the congressional passage last month of the so-called "Omnibus Appropriations Bill," Mid-Valley farmers holding water contracts with the Tehama-Colusa Canal Authority may finally have hope for relief.

The bill, HR 2764, passed late last month, contains $5.5 million in funding this year for the Fish Passage Improvement Project at the Red Bluff Diversion Dam.

Tehama-Colusa authority officials say the funding is good news for Mid-Valley farmers as the money assures continued progress towards a permanent solution that protects both a reliable water supply for farmers and endangered Sacramento River fishery resources.

Congress has directed that there be a more fish-friendly alternative than current diversion operations. Part of the proposal is a pumping plant that would better serve farmers drawing water from the canal.

"The funding is instrumental in working toward completion of final feasibility reports, design and engineering, permitting, and commencing the construction phase of the project," said Jeff Sutton, the authority's general manager.

Farmers hope the legislation is a step toward meeting irrigation demands on more than 150,000 acres of agricultural land.

But not everyone was excited about the funding news.

Martin Nichols, Red Bluff city manager, was much more cautious about the additional money.

"I think it's potentially both good and bad," he said. "The potential good news is that (the spending package) includes funding for additional research on the migratory and spawning needs of the endangered green sturgeon."

Nichols said the potential bad news, from his perspective, is that the funding will be used to push the proposed pumping plant project forward.

"Which is a solution we feel is a waste of money that will make fish habitat much worse," he said.

Currently, the dam contains more than 10 iron gates that, when lowered, divert water to farmers in 18 water districts in Colusa, Tehama, Glenn and parts of Yolo counties.

According to the authority, the water supports a variety of crops that contribute more than $1 billion to the regional economy each year.

However, environmental studies have shown that when the gates are lowered they interfere with the migratory and spawning patterns of salmon, steelhead, and the green sturgeon.

Sutton said any further reductions to the four-month irrigation window would be "catastrophic" for communities reliant on canal deliveries. The authority's preferred solution involves the pumping plant, which would lift water directly from the river into the canal headworks.

Robert Parsons is a reporter for the Colusa County Sun-Herald. He can be reached at 458-2121 or at rparsons@tcnpress.com.