Chinook salmon in the Tuolumne.

MEDIA CENTER - Press

Group: Pipeline will put the Tuolumne in trouble
Source: Stockton Record
Francis P. Garland

April 13, 2005

GROVELAND — A proposed pipeline that could siphon off millions more gallons of Tuolumne River water to a thirsty Bay Area has prompted a national environmental group to name the Tuolumne one of the nation’s 10 most endangered rivers.

American Rivers, a national conservation group, said the city of San Francisco’s proposal to build a fourth pipeline from its Hetch Hetchy works to the Bay Area could significantly increase its Tuolumne diversions and in the process deplete 100 miles of productive, pristine river habitat and compound San Francisco Bay’s pollution problems.

The proposed pipeline is part of San Francisco’s plan to rebuild its aging Hetch Hetchy water system, which starts in Yosemite National Park. That system has three pipelines, but officials say a fourth is needed — not to take more Tuolumne River water, but to use during pipeline maintenance work or if one of the other pipelines goes down.

But environmentalists fear the city will use the new pipeline to take more water from the Tuolumne. They are urging city officials to look elsewhere to slake the growing region’s thirst.

"San Francisco has a reputation of being one of America’s most environmentally enlightened cities," said Rebecca R. Wodder, president of American Rivers.

"The city should make the most of the water it already has before it goes looking for more from such a special river."

The American Rivers report said lower water levels in the Tuolumne could lead to declining fish populations, degraded wildlife habitat and diminished recreation opportunities in communities like Groveland, which relies heavily on river-based tourism to keep its economy humming. The report also said that decreased water flows in the Tuolumne could lead to less fresh water to dilute agricultural waste in the river that eventually flows into San Francisco Bay.

Jenna Olsen, director of the Tuolumne River Trust, said San Francisco must consider other possibilities, including conservation, recycling and groundwater use, before tapping the Tuolumne for more water.

The American Rivers report, released today, comes just two weeks after the National Hydropower Association saluted the Turlock Irrigation District for a multiagency effort to restore a 27-mile stretch of the Tuolumne downstream of Don Pedro Dam.

Although the American Rivers report states that a new pipeline could increase the amount of water that San Francisco takes from the Tuolumne by as much as 70 percent, city utility officials say they have no desire to do so.

"Even if we meet our full customer purchase requests, we don’t envision any kind of additional draw from the Tuolumne on that order," said Tony Winnicker, a San Francisco Public Utility Commission spokesman.

Winnicker said the city will need more water in the future, but it hopes to develop more groundwater resources and increase its recycling program to meet those demands. Still, he said, the city wants a fourth pipeline "for maintenance and redundancy purposes in case of emergency."

The city currently delivers about 260 million gallons of water per day to its 2.4 million Bay Area customers. About 85 percent of that comes from the Tuolumne.

The city has water rights on the Tuolumne for up to 400 million gallons of water per day — and it’s those rights that have conservationists, tourism officials and local business owners concerned.

They contend that a significant loss of water in the Tuolumne could mean economic hard times, because fewer people would want to raft, fish or frolic in the river and nearby.

Nanci Sikes of the Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau said whitewater rafting is a major economic component, and damaging those opportunities could be devastating.

"If you asked our Highway 120 gateway folks, I’d say 40 to 50 percent of their business comes from rafting," she said. "And rafting only happens if the river can accommodate it."

Steve Welch, who runs ARTA River Trips, said the Hetch Hetchy system has been fairly cooperative over the years.

"But getting the flows we desire is always a struggle," he said. "And anything that compromises it or threatens it is frightening."

Winnicker said the city has no desire to damage the Tuolumne River, which he called "an irreplaceable natural resource."

"We have as great a stake in protecting it and its continued quality and health as anyone," he said.

Olsen said the American Rivers report is timely, because San Francisco is just starting its environmental review of the new pipeline project, and the public will have a chance to comment on it.

"We do see this threat as very real and dangerous," said Olsen, referring to the possibility that more Tuolumne River water could be taken. "But it’s not a done deal, so we see a real opportunity to turn this around."