Auburn Dam Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release May 22, 2006 Sacramento, California

THE AMERICAN RIVER PARKWAY PRESERVATION SOCIETY ANNOUNCES SUPPORT FOR AUBURN DAM, AMERICAN RIVER LEVEE STRENGTHENING, AND RAISING THE HEIGHT OF FOLSOM DAM

Sacramento, CA: May 22, 2006: The Society is announcing its support for the construction of the Auburn Dam, the strengthening of the American River levees, and the raising of Folsom Dam, to protect the natural and recreational integrity of the American River Parkway, the health of the salmon, and flood protection for Sacramento.

In January we announced our support for a major new dam on the American River to capture and control the American River Watershed run-off, which, through flood-condition releases from Folsom Dam, was devastating one of the most important parkways in the country.

Since then we have witnessed the following:

1) Discovery Park closed more often than open since Christmas due to flooding.
2) Continued erosion of the Parkway threatening many old growth trees, other habitat and wildlife, and the bike trail.
3) Salmon deaths at Nimbus (1.2 million in the past month) due to dissolved gas supersaturation from the necessary and prolonged high run-off releases from Folsom and Nimbus Dams.

In January we felt that the proposed Auburn Dam design, planned for the North Fork of the American River, and the storage lake it would create, needed to be larger to accommodate the changing future conditions of climate, development, and public policy.

Since then, based on the continued and focused interest by national, state, and local government on flood protection and water supply in the Sacramento region, we are now confident that the planning for Auburn Dam will embrace the changing needs of the region, and, with the proposed raising of Folsom Dam and American River levee strengthening, will provide the storage, (and flow capacity when needed) to protect the integrity of the Parkway, the health of the salmon, and provide 500 year flood protection to the Sacramento region.

Michael Rushford, President
Deborah Baron, Executive Director
David H. Lukenbill, Senior Policy Director

American River Parkway Preservation Society (ARPPS)
2267 University Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95825
Phone: 916.486.3856 Web: www.arpps.org
Blog: www.parkwayblog.blogspot.com