ALERT: Public Comment Letters due by April 10. See schedule of Public Meetings, Workshops and Tours below.

Stop the Centennial Dam

Protect American River Canyons is opposed to this dam. Below are links to find out more.

ALERT: NID's Centennial Dam project is now in the federal Environmental Impact Statement initial comment period. We all have the opportunity to make a clear statement of concern to the Army Corps, who are in charge of the comment process. Making a comment now gives you officially recognized standing in the process, and NID has to respond to your comment directly in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement expected Winter 2018.
Letters are due by April 10.

Bear River advocates are sponsoring a series of workshops to help you understand the issues and the process, and to craft your comment letter. Take an opportunity to attend a workshop, and get out on the Bear River on one of the weekend afternoon tours at the Bear River Campground Day Use Parking Lot, where an information booth will be set up to provide materials and self-guided maps of the hiking trail network along the river. 

Don't miss the Bear River gang at the PARC Wild & Scenic Festival this coming Saturday, March 18th.... with the premier of "Voice of the Bear River", the debut of a new folk/rap song about the Bear, and Nisenan spokespersons speaking from the heart. 
Letters must be submitted by April 10. Please attend a meeting to stay informed and learn more about writing your comment letter. Click below to view schedules of public meetings, workshops and tours.
> Save the Bear River website - savebearriver.com

Letters to Editor opposing the Centennial Dam:
> Letter 1 - Jack Sanchez
> Letter 2 - Gordon Ainsleigh
> Letter 3 - David Ryland

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> Sign the petition and read the comments to NID to Save the Bear River

There are many smart alternatives to building an expensive, destructive and ineffective dam. Read about effective ways to save and store water below.

ALTERNATIVES LIST
 
SUPPLY SIDE ALTERNATIVES
Optimizing existing facilities, raise existing dams:
  •  Rollins dam, already studied, NID ownership, 25-40,000 Acre Feet
  •  Fordyce dam, already studied, PGE partnership, 15-25,000 Acre Feet
  •  Silver Lake dam, already studied, NID ownership, ? AF
  •  Camp Far West, owned by South Sutter Water District (SSWD), under FEMA orders to re-construct spillway for flood safety concerns. Could be modified and raised. Partnership with SSWD, 15-30,000 AF
Meadow restoration options: Bear Valley, Lake Norden
Forest management for water yield and fire safety, can increase yield 10-30%, and hedge against future losses from evapo-transpiration, with biomass utilization for power generation + carbon sequestration
Groundwater recharge ponds using Mehrten Formation to increase storage of the North American River Groundwater Sub-basin.
Conjunctive Use Collaboration on existing facilities, like Camp Far West, banking the water in the American River Sub-basin, eliminating evaporation and increasing supplies for emergencies and drought.
 
DEMAND SIDE ALTERNATIVES
Establish true market values for historic legacy of ditch “ag” water for now used as landscape water for “rural estates.” Ramp into true market value for water.
Lining canals or replacing with pipe. NID estimates 10 to 30% water loss from leaking canals in transmission of water to customers.
Raw water (ditch water) user-end conservation should be assessed and implemented.
Urban water conservation. NID urban use is 280 gpd, very high by state standards. 2015 voluntarily reduced consumption by 38%. Compare to EBMUD at 85 gpd  and  LADWP at 90 gpd.
 
Active programs:
  • Toilet replacement rebates
  • Turf reduction buyout
  • High efficiency landscape watering systems
  • Leak detection
  • Sophisticated metering with customer feedback capability
  • Conservation rate structures.........................................and much more.