MID urges public comment on environmental proposals for dam
Merced Irrigation District officials are urging area residents to formally comment on federal proposals that potentially could result in reduced water for farmers for the next 50 years.
MID’s application for relicensing of the New Exchequer Dam on Lake McClure is under review by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The commission’s draft environmental document for the new license was released in March and proposes significantly increasing flows on the Merced River.
“This would have a host of local impacts on eastern Merced County, ranging from decreased irrigation supplies to losses of groundwater,” MID said in a statement.
Dozens of Merced County’s political, agricultural and business leaders and residents spoke out against the proposals during a public hearing earlier this month at the Merced County fairground.
“In the most simple terms, we fear our community is going to run out of water as a direct result of the river releases you are suggesting,” said Richard Kilgore of Le Grand Community Service District.
Assemblyman Adam Gray, D-Merced, was among area political leaders who spoke against the proposals.
“We cannot meet the drought challenge, achieve groundwater sustainability and deal with major flow proposals from the state Water Board and FERC all at the same time,” Gray said.
John Sweigard, MID’s general manager, said the district has provided significant data and spent millions of dollars in studies developing “the best possible science” for managing the Merced River in the coming decades.
“MID has always worked closely with the state and federal fish agencies to protect downstream fisheries, especially during this record drought,” he said.
Sweigard said the draft license condition would “hamstring the district’s ability” to properly manage operations on the Merced River.
Public comments must be filed by May 29. A final environmental document with new water storage requirements is expected from FERC before the end of the year.
More information can be found at MID’s webpage: www.mercedid.org.
Speak out on proposals
To comment on the environmental proposals, letters can be addressed as follows:
Kimberly D. Bose, Secretary
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 1st St., N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20426-0001
Subject: Merced River Hydroelectric Project, FERC Project No. 2179-043
Comments on Flow Proposals
This story was originally published May 13, 2015 at 5:02 PM with the headline "MID urges public comment on environmental proposals for dam."