Salinas River Stream Maintenance Program (SMP)

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A watershed-related issue examined by the ENVS 560/L Watershed Systems class at CSUMB.

Summary

The Salinas River Channel Maintenance Program is a proposed set of regular maintenance activities along the Salinas River. The goals of the program is to establish a regular and uniform set of maintenance activities to improve flood protection and minimize flood damages.[1] The Program would establish guidelines and procedures for participants to routinely and voluntarily implement maintenance activities along the river, such as native and non-native vegetation management and sediment management .[2] While the final EIR was published in September of 2013, many stakeholders were unhappy with the Program. As a result, the Monterey County Water Resources Agency (MCWRA) held four meetings in the beginning of 2014 to work with interested groups in understanding their concerns and incorporating new process in the Salinas River Channel Maintenance Program.[3]

Location

The Salinas River is the largest river in California's Central Coast Region. The Salinas River is 170 miles long and drains an area of approximately 4,200 square miles. The headwaters of the Salinas river are in the La Panza Range in San Luis Obispo County. The Salinas River flows northwest through Monterey County and the Salinas Valley. The river drains to both the Salinas River Lagoon and the Moss Landing Harbor through the Old Salinas River Channel and empties into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

The Salinas River Channel Maintenance Program focuses on the Salinas River from river mile 2 (where the river crosses under the Highway 1 Bridge) to river mile 94.[2] In addition to the mainstem Salinas River, the Program also includes three tributaries: San Lorenzo Creek, Bryant Canyon Channel, and Gonzales Slough.

Resource/s at stake[3]

  • Damage to the environment - river and surrounding habitat.
  • Damage to agricultural crops - A $4 billion dollar annual industry.
  • Food Safety risks - flood waters can transport pathogens to crops.
  • Damage to infrastructure - transportation (roads, highways,bridges), communication, power.
  • Damage and breach of wastewater treatment facilities - public health risk.
  • Damage to city Infrastructure - city buildings and services including access to clean water.
  • Loss of Jobs.
  • loss of life - human and animal.

Stakeholders

Laws, policies, & regulations

The MCWRA is responsible for the following:

  • A 404 Permit is required, which regulates dredging or fill material discharged into waters under the Clean Water Act.[4]
  • A 401 Permit from the Regional Water Quality Control Board in the Central Coast, which is a water quality certification necessary for the 404 permit.[5]
  • A Mitigated Negative Declaration was created for the initial study through the CEQA process in 2009.[6]
  • An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was created through the CEQA process.[2]


A local applicant would be required to obtain the following:

  • Permit for Streambed Alteration under Section 1600-1616 through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.[7]
  • An outline and description for a permit from MCWRA for a 5 year project.[8]


Two Bills have been proposed to address the current conflicts associated with the Salinas River Channel Maintenance Program:

  • SB 1398 was introduced by Senator Anthony Cannella in February 2014. SB 1398 would prevent lawsuits against farmers and landowners clearing vegetation unless it threatens safety. This bill would act as a loophole to CEQA and allow farmer's to clear the banks without the CEQA permits.[9]
  • AB 155 was introduced by Assembly member Luis Alejo in January 2013. AB 155 would require MCWRA to develop a "consensus-based comprehensive Salinas River Management Program".[10]

Systems

The Salinas River Channel Maintenance Program would allow volunteers to clear the stream banks of non-native vegetation, as well as dredge the channel to remove sediment. The dredging of the channel would create a larger channel to accommodate higher flows and reduce the risk of flooding. Currently, the riverbed and banks are overgrown with vegetation, primarily non-native vegetation, which is also reducing the capacity of the channel to hold water.

Science

...What scientific studies are or would be relevant / already completed?...

Tools

...What analytical (e.g. modeling) tools were or could be used?...

Future research

...What knowledge gaps remain?...

...Suggest a CWSP MS thesis topic that could contribute to the issue...

...Suggest a topic for a hypothetical study that had unlimited resources...

References

  1. MCWRA Salinas River Stream Maintenance Program
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Salinas River Channel Maintenance Program Final EIR
  3. 3.0 3.1 MCWRA Salinas River Channel Maintenance Program Update, March 2014
  4. EPA Clean Water Act 404 Permitting
  5. [ http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/cwa401/ State Water Resources Control Board 401 Permit]
  6. SRCMP Proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration
  7. A DFW Streambed Alteration Program
  8. Salinas River Short Term Sustainability Proposal
  9. Monterey County Weekly Cannella's proposed SB 1398
  10. Alejo's proposed AB 155

Disclaimer

This page may contain student work completed as part of assigned coursework. It may not be accurate. It does not necessary reflect the opinion or policy of CSUMB, its staff, or students.