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San Joaquin Truce

Willow and cottonwood saplings are growing along one of the most degraded stretches of the San Joaquin River for the third year in a row, thanks to a pilot project that sent water flowing between Friant Dam and Mendota Pool, where diversions have long made summer flows a rarity.

The flows are part of pilot project spawned by the ongoing efforts of a Natural Resources Defense Council-led coalition of environmental groups and the Friant Water Users to settle a long simmering lawsuit over releases from Friant Dam. "The pilot project is a sign of significant progress toward an agreement between historic adversaries on putting water back in the river," says NRDC's David Behar.

The pilot project called for 35,000 acre-feet of releases between July and October, in addition to the base flow normally released to meet riparian diverter needs immediately below the dam.The project was funded through a $2.5 million CALFED grant, which compensated the Friant users for the flows through a water swap and other measures.

The flow regime was designed to mimic nature, says Behar, with high initial flows that slowly declined as the summer progressed. The flows allowed new trees to germinate, and also irrigated saplings that germinated as the result of involuntary spills from Friant Dam during the last two - unusually wet - years, according to the Bay Institute's Peter Vorster.

Another goal of the project was to collect and analyze data on vegetation and hydrology to aid future restoration. "We want to find out what that part of the river is about," says Behar. "For example, what type of groundwater impacts are we seeing as a result of putting summertime flows in the river for the first time in 50 years?"

Vorster and Behar both say that the project's most important achievement was its demonstration that cooperative efforts between enviros and the Friant users can succeed. "Traditional adversaries worked together to make something happen. That itself will be a boost to the long-term settlement," says Vorster. Although the pilot project was for 1999 only, Behar says he has high hopes that ongoing negotiations will allow it to continue next year.

Contact David Behar (415) 459-5210

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