The Color of Victory is not Always Clear

Robert Brothers shared a photo to GoodNews FortheEarth‘s Timeline.

THE_COLOR_OF_VICTORY_IS_NOT_ALWAYS_CLEAR
Floods clean rivers like fires clean forests. The tan silt that you see in this photo mixing with clear blue water of a tributary is the Trinity River doing its job of washing silt out of the river’s salmon spawning gravels — the result of an artificial flood mandated by a court victory of the Hoopa Valley and Yurok Tribes in 2004, enforcing 20-year old legislation by the U.S. Congress.
On May 5th, releases from the Lewiston dam were increased from 500 to 8,500 cfs and will not return to 500 cfs until the end of June.
Major floods in the Trinity River were reduced by the Lewiston Dam in 1964, and 90% of the river’s flow was diverted to irrigate farms in the Central Valley. The result was an 85 percent drop in salmon, a prime food source for native peoples.
In 2000 the tribes negotiated a plan with federal and state agencies to help restore the Trinity River fishery by reducing the amount of water diverted to 50 percent. Normal flows are restored to the river by the current release, mimicking spring flooding, and by releases during the summer to keep water temperature cool enough to support salmon survival.
This is a long, complex, and on-going story of a battle to keep a river alive.
The tributary shown here is the South Fork of the Trinity River. A victim of corporatel clearcutting on highly erosive soils, the South Fork usually shows noticeably more sediment than the mainstem. It is only clear in this photo because of the lack of recent rain. For a larger view of the confluence at this time, see https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204406210655599&set=a.1052779839997.2009051.1240817813&type=1&theater
Robert Brothers's photo.

THE_COLOR_OF_VICTORY_IS_NOT_ALWAYS_CLEAR
Floods clean rivers like fires clean forests. The tan silt that you see in this photo mixing with clear blue water of a tributary is the Trinity River doing its job of washing silt out of the river’s salmon spawning gravels — the result of an artificial flood mandated by a court victory of the Hoopa Valley and Yurok Tribes in 2004, enforcing 20-year old legislation by the U.S. Congress.
On May 5th, releases from the Lewiston dam were increased from 500 to 8,500 cfs and will not return to 500 cfs until the end of June.
Major floods in the Trinity River were reduced by the Lewiston Dam in 1964, and 90% of the river’s flow was diverted to irrigate farms in the Central Valley. The result was an 85 percent drop in salmon, a prime food source for native peoples.
In 2000 the tribes negotiated a plan with federal and state agencies to help restore the Trinity River fishery by reducing the amount of water diverted to 50 percent. Normal flows are restored to the river by the current release, mimicking spring flooding, and by releases during the summer to keep water temperature cool enough to support salmon survival.
This is a long, complex, and on-going story of a battle to keep a river alive.
The tributary shown here is the South Fork of the Trinity River. A victim of corporatel clearcutting on highly erosive soils, the South Fork usually shows noticeably more sediment than the mainstem. It is only clear in this photo because of the lack of recent rain. For a larger view of the confluence at this time, see https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204406210655599&set=a.1052779839997.2009051.1240817813&type=1&theater

Six Environmentalists Each Win $175,000 Goldman Prize

winnersApril 20, 2015, ens-newswire.com | “The activists honored with the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize at a ceremony Monday evening have protected the planet by shutting down a lead smelter, blocking dam construction, stopping a proposed gold and copper mine, and safeguarding fisheries.”

Robert BrothersGoodNews FortheEarth

Six Environmentalists Each Win $175,000 Goldman Prize SAN FRANCISCO, California, April 20, 2015 (ENS) – The activists honored with the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize at a ceremony Monday evening have protected the planet by shutting down a lead smelter, blocking dam construction, stopping a proposed gold and copper mine, and safeguarding fisheries. – Six Environmentalists Each Win $175,000 Goldman Prize | ENS

Feds Finally Assert Humboldt’s Right to Trinity River Water Under 1955 Agreement

January 2, 2015, lostcoastoutpost.com | “The U.S. Interior Department just made public a legal opinion on a 60-year-old water fight, affirming Humboldt County’s right under a 1955 agreement with state lawmakers for 50,000 acre-feet of Trinity River water each year. This is something that local officials and county tribal leaders have been advocating for a long, long time.”

A Wonderful Win!
The U.S. Interior Department just made public a legal opinion on a 60-year-old water fight, affirming Humboldt County’s right under a 1955 agreement with state…
lostcoastoutpost.com
  • Kevin Village-Stone, Robert Brothers and Rebecca Edwards like this.

Klamath River Youth Travel to Brazil to Join Belo Monte Dam Fight

Klamath River Youth Travel to Brazil to Join Belo Monte Dam Fight

February 14, 2014, amazonwatch.org | “Today a Northern California delegation of Indigenous youth and Klamath River protectors depart San Francisco International Airport, headed to Brazil’s Xingu River Basin in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. The group will meet with communities affected by the proposed Belo Monte dam project.”

“Great news to see #Indigenous youth and allies joining global resistance!
Amazon Watch – Klamath River Youth Travel to Brazil to Join Belo Monte Dam Fight
amazonwatch.org
‘We want to show solidarity in the struggle to preserve and protect inherited cultures and natural resources from shortsighted projects…”

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The SF Chronicle Calls For Removal Of The Klamath Dams

Photo: 5/21/2014 - Senators Wyden, Merkley, Boxer and Feinstein just introduced a bill in the Senate to enact the Klamath Agreements - including REMOVAL OF THE LOWER FOUR KLAMATH DAMS!!
> > Klamath Falls, Ore. – Senator Ron Wyden introduced a bill today in the United States Senate aimed at implementing hard-won negotiated agreements among a wide variety of stakeholders in the Klamath Basin. The agreements establish a water sharing plan aimed at supporting ranchers and farmers, Tribes, native fisheries and bird refuges in the basin.

In response to Senator Wyden’s leadership in establishing a brighter economic and environmental future for all Klamath Basin residents, agreement stakeholders issued the following statement:

“We thank Senator Ron Wyden for working tirelessly to help us find a lasting solution to our water sharing challenges in the Klamath Basin. We are hopeful that this legislation will finally bring an end to more than a century of challenging times in our community. People came together from all corners of the basin to hammer out these agreements, and the give and take has not always been easy. We are grateful to Senator Wyden, Senator Merkley, Senator Feinstein and Senator Boxer for sponsoring this important legislation. Similarly, Governor Kitzhaber and other leaders who have supported our local process have given all basin residents a reason to hope for a brighter future here for our children, our grandchildren, and the fish and wildlife that rely on this region’s natural resources for survival.”

This statement was released on behalf of:

American Rivers
California Trout
Institute for Fisheries Resources (IFR)
Karuk Tribe
Klamath Water Users Association
The Nature Conservancy
Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations (PCFFA)
PacifiCorp
Salmon River Restoration Council
Sustainable Northwest
Trout Unlimited
Upper Klamath Water UsersFebruary 7, 2014, caltrout.org | “The San Francisco Chronicle said what most sensible people are thinking about the four Klamath River dams, which — especially given the wide acceptance of the Klamath Basin agreements negotiated by stakeholders — should simply come out.”

Salmon will be able to swim TWICE AS FAR UPRIVER when the dams are removed!
5/21/2014 – Senators Wyden, Merkley, Boxer and Feinstein just introduced a bill in the Senate to enact the Klamath Agreements – including REMOVAL OF THE LOWER FOUR KLAMATH DAMS!!
> > Klamath Falls, Ore. – Senator Ron Wyden introduced a bill today in the United States Senate aimed at implementing hard-won negotiated agreements among a wide variety of stakeholders in the Klamath Basin. The agreements establish a water sharing plan aimed at supporting ranchers and farmers, Tribes, native fisheries and bird refuges in the basin.

In response to Senator Wyden’s leadership in establishing a brighter economic and environmental future for all Klamath Basin residents, agreement stakeholders issued the following statement:

“We thank Senator Ron Wyden for working tirelessly to help us find a lasting solution to our water sharing challenges in the Klamath Basin. We are hopeful that this legislation will finally bring an end to more than a century of challenging times in our community. People came together from all corners of the basin to hammer out these agreements, and the give and take has not always been easy. We are grateful to Senator Wyden, Senator Merkley, Senator Feinstein and Senator Boxer for sponsoring this important legislation. Similarly, Governor Kitzhaber and other leaders who have supported our local process have given all basin residents a reason to hope for a brighter future here for our children, our grandchildren, and the fish and wildlife that rely on this region’s natural resources for survival.”

This statement was released on behalf of:

American Rivers
California Trout
Institute for Fisheries Resources (IFR)
Karuk Tribe
Klamath Water Users Association
The Nature Conservancy
Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA)
PacifiCorp
Salmon River Restoration Council
Sustainable Northwest
Trout Unlimited
Upper Klamath Water Users

10 Native American Environmental Victories and Triumphs of 2013

Jan 2, 2014, www.wakingtimes.com | “With all the talk of rising temperatures, acidifying oceans and melting polar ice, it is hard to see the healthy trees for the forest, as it were. Yes, the emerald ash borer and the mountain pine beetle are making inroads, and yes, extreme weather is becoming the norm. But it’s important, too, to note the environmental triumphs and victories that tribes either helped engineer or benefited from, or both.”

Connie Ashby shared a link10 Native American Environmental Victories and Triumphs of 2013 – Waking Times « Waking Times
www.wakingtimes.com
10 Native American Environmental Victories and Triumphs of 2013

NATURE RECOVERS — with a lots of help from her friends

NATURE RECOVERS — with a lots of help from her friends”Most of what’s visible in this photo is on the bottom of Bear Creek. I’ve lived here all my life and have never seen the creek this clear. On the first Earth Day, I participated in a Bear Creek Wade In to protest the badly polluted water. And now the salmon are coming back!” — Thomas Doty, re Bear Creek in Jackson County, southwest Oregon

Most of what’s visible in this photo is on the bottom of Bear Creek. I’ve lived here all my life and have never seen the creek this clear. On the first Earth Day, I participated in a Bear Creek Wade In to protest the badly polluted water. And now the salmon are coming back!
Photo: Most of what's visible in this photo is on the bottom of Bear Creek. I've lived here all my life and have never seen the creek this clear. On the first Earth Day, I participated in a Bear Creek Wade In to protest the badly polluted water. And now the salmon are coming back!
  • Kenji Smooth, Connie Ashby, Diana Burke, Ricky Van Heart, and Antonio Peixinho Ferreira like this.

Friends of the River

Photo: * 1 Mile of River + 30 Volunteers = 1200 pounds of trash removed!Friends of the River would like to thank the 30 volunteers who helped us clean up Sutter's Landing Park along the American River this Saturday. We picked up about 1,200 pounds of trash, 120 pounds of recycling, two old mattresses, a broken bike and a broken bike rack, one tire, one seat cushion and hundreds of cigarette butts. A special thanks to the ten or so members of the Unitarian Universalist Church who showed up in their Love t-shirts. -- email alert from The River Advocate, mailto:jcarlson@friendsoftheriver.orgFriends of the River, http://www.friendsoftheriver.org/

www.friendsoftheriver.org | “Friends of the River protects and restores California rivers by influencing public policy and inspiring citizen action.”

GoodNews FortheEarth* 1 Mile of River + 30 Volunteers = 1200 pounds of trash removed!
Friends of the River would like to thank the 30 volunteers who helped us clean up Sutter’s Landing Park along the American River this Saturday. We picked up about 1,200 pounds of trash, 120 pounds of recycling, two old mattresses, a broken bike and a broken bike rack, one tire, one seat cushion and hundreds of cigarette butts. A special thanks to the ten or so members of the Unitarian Universalist Church who showed up in their Love t-shirts. — email alert from The River Advocate, mailto:jcarlson@friendsoftheriver.org
Friends of the River, http://www.friendsoftheriver.org/
  • Trinity L. Davis, Kat Vida, Sharon Wilson, Frank Bodine, Brad Rivers, Alice Clift, Connie Ashby, Raymond Timma, Caron von Zeil, Merry Bindner, Maryska Azzena, Bruce Harlow, and Tina Clawson like this.

Trinity Dam Opens to let the Salmon through

August 23, 2013, www.facebook.com | “Drought conditions have parched the dry lands, and the rivers are dangerously low on the eve of a historic salmon season. The Trinity River in Hoopa is at 680 cfs with 900 cfs from Iron Gate Dam on the Klamath, but with creeks and seeps so low, the flows are only 2,400 cfs above the estuary, much lower than 3,200 cfs of a typical year.”

“My FRIENDS…a message to ALL.  You may have heard some of the story, I AM here to tell you more… As you may know drought conditions have parched the dry lands, and the rivers are dangerously low on the eve of a historic salmon season….”
Sharron Thyden, Mica Welch, Melodie George-Moore, Josh Israel, Azlan White, Joseph Marshall, Michael Charlton, Lawrence Journeys, Laura Patterson, Andrew Orahoske, Regina Chichizola, Adam Wolter, Bob Noyes, Hata Hill, Jeremiah Z Sullivan, Melanie Iris Lyon, Darell Warnock, Tom Schlosser, Ashley Tiemann, and Jessa Rego like this.
  • COMMENTS:
  • Nat Pennington “Thanks friend, for all you do! Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea and joy to you and me! Lol”
  • Michael Sonn “Fish in the sea
    You know how I feel
    River running free
    You know how I feel
    Blossom on a tree
    You know how I feel
    It’s a new dawn
    It’s a new day
    It’s a new life”
  • Joseph Marshall “So thankful to all the Warriors who have helped win this battle for the Salmon.”
  • Michael Furniss “Well told Dr. Joshua Strange! Sharing this gem. Make this public so it can travel?
  • Fawn Ibecca “Thank you Dr. Strange”
  • Dan Menten “Nicely written doc, the similarities to 2002 gave a horrific sense of deja vu…bury that hatchet indeed! Thanks to the Yurok and Hupa for disallowing the corporate greed, may this run be historic and precedent setting!”

Backers of Klamath Basin dam removal and restoration rally in Portland

Backers of Klamath Basin dam removal rally in Portland

May 30, 2013, www.oregonlive.com | “About 100 supporters of the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreements rallied today outside the office of Sen. Ron Wyden, D- Oregon, arguing that getting Klamath River dam removal and $800 million of restoration work through Congress is the best way to end one of the nation’s most stubborn water battles.”

Backers of Klamath Basin dam removal and restoration rally in Portland
www.oregonlive.com
Authorization of deals to remove four dams in the basin and restore the Klamath River has stalled in Congress. Supporters argue that approving the 2010 agreements is the best way to end one of the nation’s fiercest water wars.
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