July 10, 2005

Re:  Alameda Creek Restoration

The League of Women Voters of Fremont/Newark/Union City requests the LWVBA Executive Committee to ask the SFPUC to begin complying with the California Fish and Game (CDF&G) code 5937 and the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the SFUPC and CDFG in 1997.

In the memorandum SFPUC agreed to restore flows to five miles of the Alameda Creek necessary to provide suitable spawning and rearing habitat for steelhead trout in the Alameda Creek watershed.  The SFPUC has not complied with the MOU for the past eight years;  we are expressing our concern with the degraded condition of the Creek.

We further request the LWVBA, to ask SFPUC to comply with the requests put forward by the Alameda Creek Alliance in their letter dated May 18, 2005.

• Commit to the release of sufficient interim summer flows from Calaveras and possibly San Antonio reservoirs immediately to sustain resident steelhead and rainbow trout in good condition.
• Commit to releasing flows necessary to enable restoration of anadromous steelhead trout by 2007.
• Commit to the development and adoption of a restoration study which provides the necessary information by 2007 to determine the flows needed for steelhead trout restoration.
• Commit to the development of a water supply operations plan, which explores ways to offset or mitigate water supply impacts of restoration.

The League of Women Voters supports our native environment and its protection.  We will continue to work with the Alameda Creek Alliance as we all work to preserve the Alameda Creek trout habitat.

Miriam Keller, President

LWVFNUC