This Thursday, the Coastal Commission will consider approving a Coastal Development Permit that would allow for a water diversion structure to be placed in the Wild and Scenic Smith River, diverting a maximum of 3,000 gallons of water per minute.
The water would be diverted from the Smith River to irrigate 355 acres of grazing lands for Alexandre Dairy, an organic dairy farm located in the Smith River coastal plain.
Attend the Coastal Commission meeting, and let the commissioners know that trenching a wetland to transfer water from the Smith River during the dry season (May - September) to water the same wetland where cows graze is harmful to ecological and cultural relatives.
Why This Matters:
Ecological Damage – Trenching a wetland for irrigation would disrupt sensitive habitats, affecting native species and degrading water quality.
Threat to Wildlife – The project fails to analyze or mitigate impacts on species like the eulachon smelt, a vital part of the ecosystem.
Significant Water Loss – The diversion would extract massive amounts of water without sufficient study of its long-term effects.
Failure to Conduct Baseline Surveys – No thorough assessment has been conducted to evaluate potential environmental harm before proceeding.
Threat to the Wild and Scenic Smith River – Water diversions would impair the river’s outstanding natural values and beneficial uses.
How to give public comment:
Please register by clicking here in order to attend the meeting and make a comment on Item Th18a. You must register by 5 p.m. TODAY!
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