Protect the Trinity River from excessive water diversions

The Trinity River has significant cultural, ecological, and economic value to people far beyond its place in the Klamath watershed. The Hoopa Valley and Yurok Tribes continue to steward the Trinity River, as they have since time immemorial. Their leadership and advocacy of the Trinity, and all life that depends on it, has ranged from the banks of the river, to the courtroom, to the White House, and has been critical to the river’s protection. However, excessive diversions into the Sacramento Basin to supply California’s Central Valley water users threaten the Trinity River and are ignoring Tribal and other local water rights.

The Trinity River has reached a crossroads, where it faces the prospect of collapse. Under a set of “Voluntary Agreements” proposed to protect California’s Bay-Delta, there are no protections for the Trinity River. The California State Water Resources Control Board will meet for three days, from April 24-26, to discuss the Voluntary Agreements. This will affect how much of the Trinity River’s flow will be diverted through the federal Central Valley Project to Westlands Water District and senior water contractors.

The Voluntary Agreements need to honor Tribal water rights and protect carryover storage and cold water temperatures on the Trinity River. We encourage you to write to the California State Water Resources Control Board and demand that the Trinity River waters stay where they belong – in the Trinity River and Klamath watershed.

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Dear Members of the California State Water Resources Control Board,

My name is {user_data~First Name}{user_data~Last Name} and I’m writing in support of the Trinity River, the Klamath watershed, and the communities, fish, and wildlife that depend on their health. For decades, the flows that keep the Trinity River healthy and sustained salmon populations in the Klamath River and watershed have been piped through the Central Valley Project to Westlands Water District and other water contractors. The Voluntary Agreements as they stand today threaten the existence of the Trinity River. Multiple species that call the river home are on the brink of extinction, due in part to shortsighted and ecologically damaging policy decisions.

Furthermore, Central Valley water users’ rights to divert Trinity River water are junior to Tribal water rights. The Voluntary Agreements need to honor Tribal water rights and protect carryover storage and cold water temperatures on the Trinity River.

Thank you for your commitment to protecting the rivers and ecosystems of California.

Sincerely,

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