POSTED ON AUGUST 18, 2016 / BY LOUIS CAHILL

All Photos by Louis Cahill

You don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone.

Unless you’ve been living in a cave this last year, you know that there is a real and present danger facing our American public lands. A group of short sighted law makers would like to sell of your American birthright, or deed it over to states to sell if for them.

 

I’ve been fortunate to see several dozen countries in my life, and to fish many of them. I can tell you this with complete certainty. Our public lands are unique and precious. They are what, for sportsmen and women at least, set us apart from much of the rest of the world. I say this, not boastfully, but with great fear. We are on the verge of losing the very thing that makes the country great.

 

I could write a couple of thousand words about this issue, but I have chosen instead to show you exactly what’s at risk. Here are a few photos I’ve taken while fishing some of our great public lands. You will recognize many of these places. Although all of our public lands are not so famous, they are equally precious. I encourage you 

 

Here is the link to see Louis Cahill’s photos:

http://www.ginkandgasoline.com/conservation/public-lands-photo-essay/

by MARK MCGLOTHLIN on JUNE 17, 2016

America’s 640 million acres of national public lands—including our national forests and Bureau of Land Management lands—provide hunting and fishing opportunities to millions of Americans. They represent the uniquely American values of freedom and adventure that are the envy of the world.

 And while no sportsman would say that federal management of our lands is perfect, the idea that individual states will do a better job at running them is fundamentally flawed. In fact, proponents of the public land transfer movement have drawn up some pretty fantastical scenarios about how much better off we’d be with land in state hands

 

Watch the video and read the article here (chiwulff)

 

A partnership between CA Department of Fish and Wildlife, Deep Creek Fly Fishers, and Trout Unlimited to better protect Southern California’s freshwater fisheries.

 

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

 

Drought

  • Southern California in "extreme" drought for 4 consecutive years
  • Headwater streams running dry
  • Many fish populations have no refugia left

 

California Department of Fish and Wildlife(CDFW) needs our help!

  • Southern California (Region 6) largest in the state
  • Only 1 freshwater fisheries biologist for the entire region

 

Region 6 largest in the state

  • ~45,000 sq miles (28% of the state)
  • 78% is public lands
  • Includes San Bernardino County - largest county in the nation
  • Major waterways - Colorado and Santa Ana
  • Large diverse fish assemblage

 

Staff:

  • 1 wild trout biologist (out of Coleville)
  • 2 reservoir biologists<
  • 2-3 other staff that deal with fish issues

 

Overall Goals

  • Gather data on streams that would otherwise not be surveyed at all
  • Illustrate that there are trout populations in the San Bernardino and San Jacinto Mountains that warrant a local CDFW freshwater fisheries biologist to help manage and protect

 

Download the  pdf Angler Drought Monitoring Region 6 Introduction (3.57 MB) pdf
(4.51 MB)

Download the   pdf Angler Drought Monitoring Training (4.51 MB)

Download the  pdf Angler Drought Monitoring Datasheet (300 KB)

Trout Unlimited
SPORTSMEN FOR CONSERVATION - CALIFORNIA

Hello Fellow Sportsmen and Sportswomen:

We at a critical point of opportunity to better protect some of California's best backcountry fishing and hunting opportunity. The Forest Service is seeking public feedback on the agency's Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and Draft Revised Land Management Plans for Sierra, Sequoia and Inyo National Forests.

Trout Unlimited urges all sportsmen to weigh in on this process to: (1) support protection of high quality headwater habitat, wild and scenic rivers, and other areas of high habitat value (2) promote native trout habitat restoration and enhancement efforts and (3) provide sustainable recreation opportunity.

These documents provide management direction for aquatics systems - including rivers, stream, and meadows - and the fish species that depend on them.  The Southern Sierra Forests host some of California's most sensitive fish species, including California golden trout, Little Kern golden trout and Kern River rainbow trout.  These Management Plans regulate important impact issues such as grazing, roads, logging, mining as well as provide direction for prioritizing restoration for the most degraded watersheds.  

The Forest Service is inviting public feedback on the DEIS and Draft Management Plans for the three Early Adopter Forests, and there are several ways you can help represent sportsmen's interests:
ATTEND A PUBLIC MEETING

The Forest Service is hosting public workshops to gather feedback on the recently released draft documents.  All meetings are open to the public, and are an opportunity to submit written or verbal feedback to Forest Service staff.

 

June 13th (Monday) in Mammoth Lakes. 6-8pm.

Mammoth Lakes Cerro Coso Community College

101 College Pkwy Mammoth Lakes, CA

June 14th (Tuesday) in Bishop.  6-8pm.

Cerro Coso Community College - Eastern Sierra Campus

4090 W Line St Bishop, CA

June 15th (Wednesday) in Porterville. 6-8pm.

Sequoia National Forest Service - Forest Supervisor Office

1839 South Newcomb St Porterville, CA

 

June 16th (Thursday) in Clovis.  6-8pm.

Clovis Memorial Veterans Hall

808 4th St Clovis, CA

 

June 22nd (Wednesday) in Los Angeles Area. 6-9pm.

CalState University - Northridge Campus

University Student Union, Thousand Oaks Room

18111 Nordhoff St Northridge, CA

 

June 23nd (Wednesday) in Los Angeles Area. 5-8pm.

El Pueblo Historical Monument

125 Paseo de la Plaza, Pico House Los Angeles, CA

 

June 29th (Wednesday) in San Francisco Area. 6-9pm.

Fort Mason, Gallery 308

2 Marina Blvd #308 San Francisco, CA

August 1st (Monday) in Mammoth Lakes. 6-8pm.

Mammoth Lakes Cerro Coso Community College

101 College Pkwy Mammoth Lakes, CA

 

August 2nd (Tuesday) in Bishop.  6-8pm.

Cerro Coso Community College - Eastern Sierra Campus

4090 W Line St Bishop, CA

 

August 3rd (Wednesday) in Bakersfield. 6-8pm.

Doubletree-Hilton

3100 Camino Del Rio Court (Junction of Hwy 178 and Hwy 99) Bakersfield, CA

 

August 4th (Thursday) in Clovis.  6-8pm.

Clovis Memorial Veterans Hall

808 4th St Clovis, CA

 

*ONLINE WEBINAR OPTION - June 28th 12-1:30pm. REGISTER HERE
SEND IN YOUR COMMENTS

If you cannot attend a public meeting, written feedback can be submitted through August 25th, 2016.

Mail: Planning Team Leader, Forest Plan Revision

1839 South Newcomb Street

Porterville, CA 93257

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Online: HERE
ACT AS A SIGNATORY

Trout Unlimited will submit a formal letter to the Forest Service on the DEIS and Draft Management Plans. Our focus will be on management strategies related to aquatics, roads, habitat restoration and other issue areas pertinent to TU's mission to protect, reconnect, restore and sustain fish and wildlife habitats, and those areas utilized by California sportsmen.

 

Please help us by co-signing our letter as an individual, organization or business. To do this, please contact:

Jessica D. Strickland, TU California Field Coordinator
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
830.515.9917

RESPONSE NEEDED BY COB AUGUST 20th, 2016
DOCUMENT LINKS

To access the Forest Plan Revision documents, you can download them from the Region 5 Planning Website HERE.  Their website contains the DEIS, Draft Managment Plans and various maps (including proposed wilderness evaluations) and other supporting documentation. 

 
Forest Planning Matters

 

Forest Plan Revisions under the 2012 Planning Rule offer a unique opportunity to better manage some of highest quality fish and game habitat and hunting and fishing opportunity in the Nation.

 

The 2012 Planning Rule includes stronger protections for forests, water and wildlife while supporting the economic vitality of rural communities.  Revised plans must protect water resources and emphasize restoration to facilitate landscape resilience to our warming climate and other ecosystem stressors.

 

Watch TU's Video on CA Forest Planning: http://youtu.be/ItS9oNlp6Cc

 
TU's Talking Points

Items for Discussion at Public Meetings:

The Three Early Adopter Forests contain 5 native California trout species:

- CA golden trout

- Little Kern golden trout

- Kern River rainbow trout

- Lahontan cutthroat trout*

- Paiute cuttroat trout*

Management plan components should protect key habitats for these species, restore known degraded areas and routinely monitor populations to ensure management strategies are promoting success and providing usable data for adaptive management strategies.

*Outside native range, but genetically pure populations

Meadows are key headwater habitats for native trout species and should be better protected and retored if degraded.  Stressors such as roads, grazing and resource extraction should be limited in such areas.

 

Establishing new or expanding existing "Critical Aquatic Refuges" offer opportunity to better protect vulnerable trout species.  These Refuges should be established using the Best Available Science, such as TU's Conservation Success Index.

 

Improperly maintained or ill-placed roads are a documented primary threat to aquatic systems.  "Risky" roads restoration should be a restoration priority for Sierra Nevada forest.

 

Wilderness Areas and Wild and Scenic River designations provide some of the best opportunity for protecting high quality fish and game habitat.  Management strategies should ensure proper protection of these special places.

 

Partnerships are key to maintaining or restoring key aquatic and terrestrial habitats on our public lands. Management Plans should facilitate opportunities for agencies and organizations to work together - as seen in the California Golden Trout Project.   

 

http://emailimages.tumembership.org/chapter_images/0000/1545/EarlyAdopters.jpg

 

Sierra Nevada Forests - CA Early Adopters

http://emailimages.tumembership.org/chapter_images/0000/1546/CAGoldenTrout.jpg

 


CA golden trout, Sequoia National Forest

http://emailimages.tumembership.org/chapter_images/0000/1547/Casa_Vieja.jpg

 

Volunteers at Casa Vieja Meadows, CA Golden Trout Project

http://emailimages.tumembership.org/chapter_images/0000/1548/TempletonMeadow.jpg

 

Templeton Meadow, Kern Plateau Inyo NF

http://emailimages.tumembership.org/chapter_images/0000/1549/largeGT.jpg

 

Large golden trout, Inyo NF

 
™ 2016 Trout Unlimited | http://www.tu.org | https://www.facebook.com/TUCalifornia

 

I’m passing this request and link to the Lees Ferry Recreational Trout Fishery Recommendations on to all of you. You can choose to support the group as stated, or form your own comments. This is time sensitive.

 

Debbie Sharpton, 

Conservation VP Southwest Council

 

All, This needs a little attention and helping out here since I know how long and hard these guys have been at this and it's worthy. We have all in the past have had club trips or at least participation in fishing at Lee's Ferry which has had a bad time of it this past years due to the drought and experimentation with flow experimentations.  I think for the most part the interest has dwindled in going there because of this.  There is now a plan to bring it back like it was 10 years ago in.  It's as simple as making comment as an individual or entity on the NPS website above  and sending John Jordan an Email as a signatory.

I talked with John Jordan this morning.  His email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  if you want to join on as signatory to his letter of comment on the EIS which the National Park Service is seeking comment on by the 9th (https://parkplanning.nps.gov/commentForm.cfm?documentID=70123)  John needs signatories earlier to organize hence the 5th deadline on his request.   Name of the game here is broad based response.
                                                                                                                                    
Lees Ferry Glen Canyon Dam Fish Management‏

We are in the final phase of organizing support for the Lees Ferry fishery elements of the Long Term Experimental Management Plan EIS for the operation of Glen Canyon Dam.  The LTEMP EIS will set the operation of the dam for the next twenty years and have a determinative effect on the success of the trout fishery.   The support of fishing and sportsman clubs, organizations, and individual anglers is critical in achieving support for amendments to the draft EIS plan.  In addition to individual letters we believe that a collective group letter is a most effective way of demonstrating broad support to the Federal agencies preparing the final EIS.

The Marble Canyon community members including business’s and guides are a most important element in influencing the content of the final LTEMP EIS.  We would like to include you and/or your business/lodge  on the attached comment letter related to the EIS, which will list supporting individuals and organizations.  These comments are consistent with the Lees Ferry Recreational Trout Fishery Recommendations, which many of you added your names in support.   The comments have also been coordinated with and are supported by the Arizona Game and Fish Department.  The Recreational Fishing Representatives (myself, John Hamill, Chris Budwig, and Joe Miller) on the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Work Group will be submitting specific changes to the draft EIS that are in line with the general recommendations in the attached letter.  Please let me know by May 5 if we may  include your name in the letter.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss further you may call me at (602) 840-4224.

Regards,

John Jordan

Terry Gunn
Lees Ferry Anglers Fly Shop, Guides, & Rentals
Cliff Dwellers Lodge
http://www.terrygunn.com
http://www.leesferry.com
http://www.cliffdwellerslodge.com
800-962-9755
Fax 928-355-2271
Mobile:928-660-2209

by Jessie Thomas-Blate

#2: San Joaquin River
(California)
 
 

smith river

 

Threat: Outdated water management

 

The San Joaquin is Central California’s largest river, supporting endangered fish and wildlife, communities, and one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world. However, the river is so over-tapped that it runs completely dry in stretches, threatening water quality, endangering fish and wildlife, creating uncertainty for farmers, and leaving communities vulnerable in the face of more frequent and severe droughts. The California Water Resources Control Board must act this year to increase flows in the San Joaquin so that the watershed is healthy enough to support fish and wildlife, sustainable agriculture and resilient communities for generations to come.

 

 

Read More at Americat Rivers

 

 

More Articles …

  1. The Smith River Makes Most Endangered River List for 2016
  2. California Anglers Question Whether Ban Will Ever Be Lifted
  3. Could This Be The World’s Biggest Dam Removal Project?
  4. Klamath River Dams
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