Ag, Enviros Slam Salinas River Maintenance Plan, County Delays Approval

Representatives of agricultural and environmental organizations are improbable allies, but they found themselves united on Monday as they lined up to speak to the Monterey County Water Resources Agency. 

People came to slam the agency's proposed Salinas River Channel Maintenance Program, and the board voted 7-0 to hold off two months on approving an environmental impact report for the project. 

That means no chance of getting flood control measures approved by the time winter rains begin this year. 

The plan would set the stage for landowners and growers along 92 miles of Salinas Riverbank to apply for permits to clear vegetation and remove sediment, steps intended to help move water rapidly through the channel when water levels are high. 

The plan, recommended by MCWRA staff, would allow for unlimited removal of non-native plant species and up to 845 acres of native vegetation. 

Ag interests voiced skepticism as to whether the plan would actually be effective in controlling flooding, potentially destroying crops and infrastructure. 

"We really would ask you to take a harder look at this," said Monterey County Farm Bureau Executive Director Norm Groot. 

The county EIR would pave the way for affected landowners to then apply for permits to do clearing work on their own river-front property, but both NOAA Fisheries and the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board have indicated that proposals under the recommended EIR would be un-permittable. 

"Growers don't like it, the conservation community doesn't like it, other agencies don't like it," said Monterey Coastkeeper and Otter Project Executive Director Steve Shimek. "Maybe if the shoe doesn't fit, it's not right."

The Nature Conservancy is proposing several demonstration projects on segments of the Salinas River channel to see what works, balancing the need for flood control with the need for habitat protection, and hopes to move forward with talks on taking a systems-level approach to tackling the issue, rather than permit by permit. 

There was a litigious spirit in the air, particularly after the MCWRA board unanimously approved a change to a contract with outside counsel Downey Brand, agreeing to up to $50,000 on the Salinas River maintenance program—bringing the total legal costs up to $125,000. 

The agency spent over $610,000 on the project EIR, which was completed by contractor Cardno Entrix, where former MCWRA General Manager Curtis Weeks now works.