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Foothills Water Network

Website
http://www.foothillswaternetwork.org/
Contact Name
Julie Leimbach
Contact Email
julie@antispamfoothillswaternetwork.org
Past Grants
2009 · $30,000
Grand Total
$30,000
The Foothills Water Network is a coalition of conservation and recreation groups, whose mission is to protect and enhance aquatic ecosystem health and recreation opportuniteis in over 350 miles of the interlinked Yuba, Bear, and American Rivers. Our current focus is on negotiating protective conditions in teh relicensing of four hydropower proejcts on the Yuba, Bear, and American Rivers. For the last 50 years, these non-federal dams have de-watered large stretches of river under licenses that offer very little environmental protection. Relicensing these hydropower projects under hte Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to restore these rivers for decades to come.

Project Update

The Foothills Water Network has spent the last nine months negotiating for new flow regimes in the Middle Fork American and Rubicon Rivers to enhance aquatic health including target species: rainbow trout and foothill yellow legged frogs as well as improve angling and whitewater boating opportunities. We have successfully negotiated flows for whitewater boaters on two new runs on the Middle Fork American - the Interbay Run V, which had been run a handful of times and the French Meadows Run V, which had never been run before. Boaters were very excited about the test flows on this rugged wilderness section of river with series of waterfalls, clean drops, and amazing wildlife and are eager to go back. See for yourself in the CaliProduct video of the French Meadows Run Volume I (aborted run due to snow and woody debris in first test run) and Volume II (boaters return and run from lower downstream on a sunny day).

http://caliproduct.ning.com/video/upper-middle-american-volume-1

The Foothills Water Network also collaboratively developed with its member anglers, boaters, and conservationists an alternative flow regime for the popular whitewater boating and angling reach called the Tunnel Chute Run on the Middle Fork American. We presented this flow regime and provided the recreational and biological rationale for it in the hydropower relicensing proceedings. The hydropower licensee is considering our recommendations as they draft their Draft License Application.