DBS posted on May 13, 2008 04:31
Creating Lake Red Bluff is a bonus, say bureau officials. The Red Bluff Diversion Dam was built in the early 1960s to supply water for 125 miles of irrigation canals running from Tehama County into Glenn, Colusa and Yolo counties.
Because of dry weather last year, the bureau temporarily dropped the gates in early May -- the usual drop date is May 15 -- to boost irrigation supplies through the Tehama Colusa Canal.
Although this spring has been one of the driest in decades, the bureau didn't put the gates down early like it did last year because it has been able to pull water for the canal from Black Butte Reservoir, said Jeff Sutton, general manager of the Tehama Colusa Canal Authority.
"This is normal operation," he said.
There will be some changes from last year, when 10 federally protected green sturgeon were found dead near the dam. The big fish, which ranged in size from 4 to 7 feet, apparently had battered themselves to death or became stuck trying to squeeze through gaps of about 5 inches left under some of the lowered gates.
This year gaps won't be less than a foot, said Paul Freeman, the bureau's division chief at the Red Bluff Diversion Dam.
"That allows the big fish, like the sturgeon, to get underneath the gates," he said.
Lake Red Bluff will be filled until Sept. 15, and the bureau is still weighing its future.
In an effort to aid fish in the river, the bureau in 2002 recommended closing the dam for only two months -- likely July and August -- per year and adding a pumping station to fill the canal. That's drawn concern from Red Bluff officials and organizers of the Nitro Nationals Drag Boat Festival, which is held at Lake Red Bluff each Memorial Day weekend.
"It's a pretty significant economic impact," said Ali Abbassi, president of New Entertainment Concepts, which puts on the annual jet boat races.
Losing the Nitro Nationals would mean a loss of $3.1 million and 49 boat racing jobs, according to a report put out by the city of Red Bluff.
But Abbassi and bureau officials said they are working on a way to keep the races, perhaps by temporarily creating the lake.
"We are well aware of (Abbassi and the city's) concerns," said Don Wreck, the bureau's division chief for environmental and natural resources.
By Dylan Darling