The Confluence Winter 2001

Doolittle Seeks to Shut Down Commercial Rafting

In a move widely perceived as political payback for the rafting community's opposition to his Auburn dam efforts, John Doolittle has succeeded in inserting language in the 2001 Energy and Water Appropriations bill aimed at shutting down commercial rafting on the North and Middle Forks of the American River. Doolittle's language prohibits the Bureau of Reclamation from making federal funds available for issuance of permits for commercial rafting activities within Auburn State Recreation Area until a new analysis of the environmental impacts of those activities is completed, a process that could take years.

Doolittle claims his effort to stop commercial rafting on these rivers is motivated by his concern that the rafting industry may be causing damage to the river canyons. This, of course, is rubbish. Doolittle's dream is to flood up to 48 miles of these very same river canyons he claims to be interested in preserving "in as pristine a state as possible," as he told the Sacramento Bee in a June 20, 2001, article. The hypocrisy of Doolittle's public pronouncements is underscored by the complete lack of evidence that rafting is having a negative impact on the canyon environment, an assessment State Parks agrees with.

Fortunately, Doolittle's legislation is unlikely to have its desired effect. The bill restricts access to federal funds only; since State Parks collects fees as part of its commercial rafting permit program, those fees should be sufficient to sustain the program despite Doolittle's best efforts to the contrary.

Folsom Dam Raise Bill Introduced

The effort to boost Sacramento's level of flood protection has received a big boost with the recent introduction of legislation by Representative Robert Matsui and Senator Barbara Boxer to raise the height of Folsom Dam by 7 feet. The added flood storage capacity made possible by the dam raise, in conjunction with other flood control improvements already underway, will allow Sacramento to achieve its long-sought goal of 200 year flood protection.

The legislation contemplates using the added storage capacity for flood control purposes only, meaning it will not be used for dry season water storage that would flood the lower reaches of the North and South Forks of the American River. For this reason, and because the legislation also calls for significant wildlife and salmon habitat restoration downstream of Folsom, the bill has won the endorsement of Friends of the River.

Rep. Matsui's bill not only represents a cost-effective, environmentally friendly means of meeting Sacramento's flood protection needs; it also greatly weakens the argument that construction of an Auburn dam is necessary for flood control reasons.

Not surprisingly, Congressman John Doolittle opposes the measure and will no doubt use his position on the House Energy and Water Appropriations Committee to try to sabotage it. Fortunately, Doolittle is alone in his opposition to Matsui's bill among Sacramento-area members of Congress, and the proposal enjoys widespread support in Sacramento. It is therefore doubtful Doolittle will succeed in his efforts to block approval of this sensible solution to flood threats on the lower American River.

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