Roads, Diversions and Development: Impacts to Watershed Health

Water drains into Humboldt Bay.The majestic rivers of our North Coast were once known and revered for their mighty runs of salmon and steelhead.  Salmon have played a central role in the lives of indigenous peoples and in the health of coastal ecosystems. Over the past 150 years however, industrial-scale fishing and abusive land management practices have decimated salmon populations throughout the region.

            Despite decades of restoration work and the hopeful returns of this season’s chinook salmon and steelhead on the Klamath and Eel rivers, salmon populations in rivers such as the Mattole are still in jeopardy—and coho salmon are perilously close to disappearing from most of our local watersheds. 

            Many of the impacts from historic resource extraction activities still threaten the survival of the salmon today. In addition, salmon face pressures from contemporary land use practices such as poorly planned development, extensive road networks, and water diversions.  Each of these can negatively impact watershed health in a variety of ways.

            The conservation and restoration community has worked hard over the years to bring these issues to the forefront. Now, some 20 years since coho salmon were listed as threatened in Northern California, these issues are being considered as part of Humboldt County’s General Plan Update (GPU).

            In the coming months, the Planning Commission will deliberate on the GPU’s Water Resources section. Up for consideration are policies relating to watershed-based planning, restoration of river flows in the Eel, Klamath and Trinity Rivers, requirements for water storage to eliminate summer withdrawals from flow-impaired watersheds, and Best Management Practices for road and building construction.

            Through this public process we, as a community, have an opportunity to call for better land-use decisions and more sustainable human habitat development as a means to restore degraded watersheds and to bring the salmon back into abundance on the North Coast.

Dams, Roads and Water Diversions  —Threats to Salmonid Recovery

            One substantial section of the Humboldt County General Plan Update (GPU) addresses the issues of dams and water diversions. Throughout the North Coast, diversions of surface water and ground water for human use have drastically reduced the supply of cool, clean water which salmon require to thrive.

            In many watersheds, groundwater aquifers provide a much-needed source of water to keep streams and rivers flowing year round, even during the driest of months. To our north in the Smith River, flows are declining due to the prolific pumping of groundwater for agricultural use. 

            To our south, millions of gallons of surface water are diverted annually from the Eel River to support sprawling vineyards and a quickly growing human population in Sonoma County. Dams on the Klamath and Trinity are responsible for blocking fish passage and reducing river flows during critical spawning periods. 

            In smaller watersheds such as the Mattole, surface water diversions for agricultural and residential uses have taken a significant toll on river flows during times when fish need them the most.

Several policies being debated for inclusion in our new General Plan aim to address these issues.

            Another threat to watershed health is the prevalence of impervious surfaces—which do not absorb water or allow water to pass through— such as asphalt and cement. A 2003 report by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the EPA determined that, “Limiting impervious surface is one of the most effective means of preventing storm water runoff since it reduces the volume of runoff created in the first place.”

            An important policy decision confronting the Planning Commission is whether to adopt “Low Impact Development” standards for new development. Such standards  aim to reduce the amount of stormwater runoff from a given project, and allow the water to percolate into the landscape, thereby replenishing groundwater supplies. These techniques are crucial, especially in already impaired watersheds.  

            Related to impervious surfaces is the issue of how roads are constructed and maintained. In Humboldt County, it is necessary to obtain a permit for new road construction.  However, there is no oversight for how private roads are maintained (with the exception of roads associated with timber operations). Impacts associated with new private road maintenance are not currently addressed in the GPU.

            The National Research Council (2003) ranked roads second only to large dams as the most significant impediment to salmon recovery. The Council noted a shift from catastrophic habitat disturbances due to intensive logging to a more subtle but insidious threat from extensive road networks. Roads, even when designed and maintained well, can significantly alter hydrology, increase peak water flows, and contribute vast amounts of sediment to already impacted streams. 

            As our population continues to grow, we need better policies to address the potential impacts associated with that growth. New residential development and road construction must be done in ways that prevent damage to already impaired watersheds. It is also imperative that the county take a more proactive role in outreach and education—in collaboration with other agencies and organizations—to address existing threats to watershed health and to provide the public with guidance concerning water conservation, construction, and road maintenance Best Management Practices. 

            The County General Plan Update is an opportunity to reconsider many of the land use practices that have left our rivers and fish runs mere shadows of their former selves. Will we continue to treat them as if they are indestructible, unlimited resources? Or will we incorporate what we’ve learned from the mistakes of the last century into better planning for the future?

Dan Ehresman is regenerative design consultant and  serves as a policy analyst for Healthy Humboldt.

Water-Wise Development for a Fish-Friendly Future —Take Action!

The Planning Commission will soon be discussing the future of Humboldt County’s water resources as part of the General Plan Update. We need policies to guide future development to protect our streams and rivers for fish, farmers, and future generations. Voice your support for a General Plan that promotes water-wise development, watershed restoration and the recovery of salmon on the North Coast.

Take action by expressing your support of one or more of the following:

WATERSHED PLANNING

• Adopt a watershed-based approach for planning to address issues of dangerously low river flows, water supply shortages and salmon habitat restoration.
• Promote water-wise development strategies in urban and rural watersheds.
• Promote coordination between local watershed groups, community members and County and State agencies to protect water resources. 

RESTORATION OF WATER FLOWS

• Restore river flows to support abundant salmon populations, reduce toxic algae blooms, and maintain a stable water supply for local residents and agriculture.
• Support installation of water storage tanks, rainwater catchment and wet-weather water harvest to reduce water withdrawals from impacted watersheds during low-flow conditions.
• Encourage “Low Impact Development” techniques that conserve natural drainage patterns and allow for the renewal of groundwater supplies.

WATER-WISE, FISH-FRIENDLY DEVELOPMENT

• Promote practices such as the use of rainwater gardens, swales, and permeable pavement to reduce stormwater runoff, pollution, and sediment discharge.
• Support water conservation and reuse efforts such as low-flow fixtures, native plant landscaping, and greywater system installation and water reuse.
• Promote the design and maintenance of roadways to minimize erosion and sediment delivery into streams and rivers.
• Encourage cleanup and redevelopment of contaminated areas to reduce water pollution.

PRESERVATION OF FORESTS AND FARMS TO KEEP OUR RIVERS CLEAN, COOL AND HEALTHY

• Promote riparian buffer zones to protect water quality. 
• Focus most new development in areas already served by existing infrastructure to reduce impacts on forests and farmland.     

SUBMIT WRITTEN COMMENTS
via email to mspencer@co.humboldt.ca.us

OR by U.S. mail to: Humboldt County Community Development Services, 3015 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501

ATTEND A HEARING in July (exact date to be determined) at the County Courthouse, 825 Fifth Street, Eureka (corner of 5th and I Streets).

For meeting updates or to find out more, visit http://www.healthyhumboldt.org, or find us on Facebook.