The Shasta Dam Raise
UPDATE: October 26, 2023: The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill purporting to federally preempt McCloud River protections in the California Wild & Scenic Rivers Act. The U.S. Senate and the Administration must now respond.
Due to the proposed raise, the McCloud River was recognized as one of the Most Endangered Rivers in America for 2021. Friends of the River has joined forces with the American Rivers organization to ask the new Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, to kill this unjust and harmful project once and for all. You can help stop the Raising of the Shasta Dam by signing the Petition to stop the raising of the Shasta Dam
This year, Rep. David Valadao introduced legislation (H.R. 215) to override the California Wild & Scenic Rivers Act to allow the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to inundate a portion of the state-protected McCloud River and authorize federal construction funding to do so by raising Shasta Dam. The measure passed the House Natural Resources Committee on April 28, 2023. In June H.R. 215 was included by the House Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee markup of the Energy and Water Appropriations bill (page 64, Title V “Water for California” Sec. 501). On October 26, the U.S. House of Representative passed the Energy and Water Appropriations bill, H.R. 4394, the “Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2024.” H.R. 4394 included H.R. 215. This is one of the must-pass bills to fund the federal government.
The U.S. Senate must now act, and so must the Administration. A key Administration contact is:
Shalanda Young, Director,
Office of Management and Budget
Executive Office of the President
The White House
725 – 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20503
Shasta Dam fundamentally changed how the Sacramento, Pit, and McCloud Rivers flow and function. The proposed dam raise threatens an already impacted ecosystem.
Resources, Comments, & Documents
Raising Shasta Dam
The federal Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) has developed a Feasibility Report and final EIS to raise Shasta Dam by 18.5 feet to enlarge its reservoir 20.5 feet and in August 2020 issued a supplemental draft EIS. The dam raise will further modify flows in the Sacramento River to the detriment of downstream fish and wildlife species, flood more than 5,000 acres of forest and riverside habitat, and harm several rare and endangered wildlife and plant species (including the Shasta snow-wreath, Shasta salamander, and Pacific fisher). It will also violate state law protecting the McCloud River and destroy sacred cultural sites of the Winnemem Wintu Tribe on the McCloud River.
In addition, the proposed project would cost $2 billion while resulting in new deliveries of a paltry 51,300 acre feet of water annually and cause the expensive relocation of recreational facilities, roads, and other public infrastructure. The Westlands Water District has begun the preparation of an environmental impact report (EIR) for partnering with Reclamation on the project. Replies from state agencies have called the project and the preparation of an EIR by the district unlawful. The last two California Natural Resources Agency directors have called the project illegal under California law.
On May 13, 2019, in separate lawsuits, the California Attorney General, representing the people of California, and Friends of the River et al. (Friends of the River, Golden Gate Salmon Association, Pacific Coast Fishermen’s Association, Institute for Fisheries Resources, Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife, and the Natural Resources Defense Council), represented by Earthjustice, filed a complaint in Shasta County Superior Court against the Westlands Water District for violation of the California Wild & Scenic Rivers Act. The complaints sought declaratory and injunctive relief and a writ of mandate that Westlands is prohibited from undertaking the SDRP EIR, signing a cost-sharing agreement with Reclamation, and must halt its assistance and cooperation with Reclamation’s Shasta Dam raise project.
On June 12, 2019, the CA Attorney General sought a preliminary injunction against Westlands. On June 20, 2019, a third lawsuit was filed against Westlands by the North Coast Rivers Alliance and the San Francisco Crab Boat Owners Association. The California Attorney General's preliminary injunction request to stop Westlands' environmental impact report and other planning for the dam raise was granted on July 29, 2019, in Shasta County Superior Court. Westlands' effort to to get that judgement reversed was turned down by the Third District Court of Appeals and the California Supreme Court. The trials were scheduled for April 14, 2020, months after Reclamation was scheduled to begin construction and even more months after Westlands' upcoming scheduled cost-sharing agreement with Reclamation.
On September 30, 2019, Westlands announced that it was terminating its enjoined EIR and instead going to prepare an analysis on whether putting an expanded Shasta Reservoir on a free-flowing river might have an adverse effect on its free-flowing condition and wild trout fishery, presumably with the view to starting up the draft EIR once they had concluded otherwise.
On November 8, 2019, the plaintiffs in the lawsuits announced a settlement with Westlands for a proposed stipulated judgment that would order Westlands to comply with the California Wild & Scenic Rivers Act. The preliminary injunction would also end. The judgment was subsequently issued by the court on November 20, 2019.
In the view of the plaintiffs, the judgment would prevent Westlands from undertaking an EIR and cost-sharing the project with Reclamation. In previous court filings and press interviews, Westlands has taken the view that neither it nor Reclamation are constrained by the California Wild & Scenic Rivers Act since the Act does not explicitly prohibit the dam raise (and for other reasons). Under the judgment, if Westlands begins to cooperate and assist Reclamation in the planning of the dam raise again, plaintiffs would be able to ask the court to enforce the judgment and a trial on the merits of the case could follow.
See below for an extensive collection of resources, documents, fact sheets, and press.
In June 2019, Senator Feinstein and others introduced the Drought Resiliency and Water Supply Infrastructure Act ("DRWSIA"), S. 1932, which would amend the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act of 2016 (WIIN)—the statute that Reclamation purports to be using to "authorize" the Shasta Dam & Reservoir Expansion Project (SDREP)—to be a permanent part of Reclamation Law. DRWSIA would also add two thirds of a billion dollars of appropriations authority available to the Secretary of the Interior (once appropriated) to spend on DRWSIA projects (making a billion dollars of authority available). The legislation, does require Reclamation to follow environmental law and any existing requirements to comply with state law. The current federal Administration maintains, however, that it does not read in state environmental law any prohibition of the dam raise, a reversal of statements made in Reclamation's Shasta Dam raise final feasibility and environmental impact statements from 2014 and 2015.
In mid-December 2019, press accounts revealed that House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield) was pressuring House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) to fund the Shasta Dam raise in the must-pass annual appropriations (spending) bill for much of the federal government. The resulting appropriations "minibus," HR 1865, became law without any new or modified appropriations for the Shasta Dam raise in FY 2019-20. Discussions have occurred within Interior about tapping other federal funding sources other than Congressionally specified project annual appropriations.
The first public demonstration of this was on February 4, 2020, when U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy announced that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation planned a "Distribution of Additional Funding" for federal fiscal year 2020 of $8 million dollars for preconstruction engineering and design for the Shasta Dam and Reservoir Enlargement Project. This distribution was necessary in Interior's view because of the failure of Congress to provide for appropriations for the project in the previous two fiscal years. It apparently came from funds in HR 1865 to be used for storage projects under the discretion of the Secretary.
Also in December, the Golden State Salmon Association et al., represented by Earthjustice filed a lawsuit against the Department of the Interior for failure to respond to Freedom of Information Act requests from the group (GGSA, PCFFA, Institute for Fisheries Resources, Friends of the River, and the Sierra Club).
In February 2020, Secretary of the Interior Bernhardt, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Burman, and President Donald Trump barnstormed the southern San Joaquin Valley with a message of support for a lotta dam and the Shasta Dam raise.
On February 25, 2020, the State Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board received a letter from Reclamation rejecting the Board’s rescission and denial of a §401 Clean Water Act permit for Reclamation’s “Shasta Lake Geologic Testing and Scope Project.” Reclamation would therefore be proceeding with the Project.
On June 22, 2020, the Administration wrote to the House Appropriations Committee Chair asking for construction funding in the federal FY 2020-21 budget to raise Shasta Dam.
On August 6, 2020, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation released a supplemental Shasta Dam raise EIS announced in a press release with the quote from the California-Great Basin Regional Director Ernest Conant “We are pleased to complete another step forward in making this project a reality.” The comment period closed on October 5, 2020.
According to the press release: "A Draft Supplemental EIS is used when new or updated information becomes available after the publication of the Final EIS. Since 2015, Reclamation identified several key areas that required updating and initiated preparation of the Draft Supplemental EIS in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act and is making it available for a 45-day comment period. The supplemental document provides information relevant to Reclamation’s application of Clean Water Act Section 404(r), updates modeling to be reflective of the 2019 Biological Opinions and provides an updated analysis on effects to the McCloud River."
To translate, Reclamation is seeking to use a provision of the Clean Water Act to escape some federal Clean Water Act water quality permitting requirements from the state of California. The "updated" analysis on the project effects to the McCloud River attempts to reverse the conclusions of Reclamation's 2015 final EIS wild & scenic rivers chapter that the project would be in conflict with the state's Wild & Scenic Rivers Act. Our comments are below. They had no effect on Reclamation final EIS, released on November 19, 2020.
Congress did not fund the Shasta Dam raise in the FY 2020-21 omnibus appropriations bill. Congress left reauthorization of the WIIN to 2021. Reclamation apparently missed its end-of-2020 deadline for a Secretarial feasibility determination. This should end its eligibility for participation in the WIIN program, making the dam raise dependent on a WIIN successor such as DRWSIA or specific authorizations from Congress.
As of the time of the inauguration of President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Reclamation's website does not claim to have made a Secretarial "Record of Decision" for the project's environmental impact statements, apparently not leaving office tidying up the Shasta Dam raise project.
This year, in January 2023, Rep. David Valadao (co-sponsored by then House Speaker McCarthy) introduced legislation (HR 215) to override the California Wild & Scenic Rivers Act to allow the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to innundate a portion of the state-protected McCloud River and authorize federal construction funding to do so by raising Shasta Dam.
For a little good news, on February 8, 2023, the California Fish & Game Commission made the decision to list the Shasta Snow Wreath as a "threatened" plant under the California Endangered Species Act.
Building the Delta Tunnels
One last cog in this chain of river destruction was to be Governor Brown's proposed twin Delta Tunnels, now Governor Newsom's single tunnel.
The twin tunnels, would have been capable, in some years and some seasons, of diverting the entire flow of the Sacramento River prior to its reaching the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Governor Newsom has embraced this get-around the Delta concept with his one-tunnel approach, apparently helping to pave the way for the vision of south state water interests for increased reliance on north-state waters. Existing state and federal diversions have already degraded water quality in the Delta and driven its resident native fish species (including the Delta smelt and Sacramento split-tail) and migrating salmon and steelhead trout to the brink of extinction. Because the Sacramento River is the Delta’s primary source of fresh water, the Delta Tunnels could well turn out to be a death sentence for the largest estuary on the West Coast.
How you can help the Sacramento River
Friends of the River is actively working to oppose these threats to the Sacramento River. We are coordinating a wide-ranging group of citizens and organizations to oppose the raising of Shasta Dam, ensure that proper diversion restrictions are required of Sites reservoir (this may make the project uneconomical), and working with other NGOs to oppose the destructive Delta Tunnels, and building grassroots support for protecting the Sacramento River and its tributaries.
Resources, Comments & Documents
Friends of the River et al. complaint
Friends of the River Sues to Prevent Illegal Plan to Raise Shasta Dam (press release May 14, 2019)
Environmental Groups Joint Press Release_Shasta litigation_Final
People v. Westlands complaint (CA Attorney General)
Westlands Water District Statement 5_14_19
2019-0612 AG's Memo ISO Motion for PI (preliminary injunction)
2019-0612-WWD Memo ISO Motion to Transfer Venue from Shasta to Fresno County
2019-0708 Opp Motion to Transfer Venue - motion from FOR et al. to keep venue in Shasta County
2019-0708-People's Opposition to Motion to Transfer (CA Attorney General)
2019-0715 FINAL WWDs Reply ISO Motion to Transfer Venue
2019-0715 WWD Objections to FOR RJN ISO Reply to Motion to Transfer Venue
2019-0716 Westlands Gee Declaration re PI Opposition
2019-0716 Westlands Gutierrez Declaration re PI Opposition
2019-0716 Westlands Objections to Evidence re PI Motion
2019-0716 Westlands Opposition to PI Motion
2019-0716 Westlands Paasch Declaration re PI Opposition
2019-0716 Westlands RJN re PI Opposition
2019-0719 Tentative Ruling - Venue Shasta County Superior Court ruling that the FOR et al. and People of California v. Westlands cases would stay in Shasta County rather than be moved to Fresno. (Conceded by Westlands Water District the week of July 22, 2019)
2019-07-28 Tentative Ruling on PI preliminary injunction
2019-0731-Order Granting PI Preliminary injunction blocking Westlands EIR and planning and construction until April 2020 trial date
AG Becerra Secures Ruling in Shasta County Halting Westlands
2019-0812 Verified Petition for Writ of Mandate_ MPA Westlands appellate court petition to block the preliminary injunction
2019-0820 Westlands Verified Petition for Writ of Mandate; MPA Westlands asking the appellate court to send the case to Fresno
2019-0829-Order denying writ petition Third Appellate District turns down Westlands' effort to block the preliminary injunction
2019-09-06 Petition for Review Westlands petition to the California Supreme Court to block the preliminary injunction
2019-0830 Motion to Strike - Memorandum Westlands argues that the petition by plaintiffs for declaratory relief be struck
2019-0924 Oppostion to Motion to Strike FOR et al. opposition to Westlands' motion to strike declaratory relief claim
2019-0926 CA Opp to Motion to Strike CA AG's opposition to Westlands' motion to strike declaratory relief claim
2019-11-07 FILED Stipulation for Entry of Judgment Judgement proposed by plaintiffs and Westlands to dismiss the case on the promise that Westlands will not violate the California Wild & Scenic Rivers Act
2019-1120 Notice of Entry of Stipulated Judgment Judicial order
GGSA et al FOIA 1 Complaint against the Dept of the Interior
March 23 2020 FOIA 2 Complaint against the Dept of the Interior
Admin Motion to Relate Cases (Final)
SLWRI-FINAL-FR-FULL 2014 Shasta Dam raise feasibility report
_FEIS Ex Summary ToC Chapt 1 Executive summary and chapter 1 of the 2015 Shasta Dam raise EIS
SLWRI FEIS Chapter 25 w&s rivers The wild & scenic river of the 2015 Shasta Dam raise EIS. This chapter is subject to a major revision in the 2020 supplemental EIS
MP-15-122 Reclamation Transmits to Congress Final Report on Proposed Shasta Dam Raise July 29, 2015
SDREP needed modifications (USBR Oct 2018)
sdrep-timeline 2020 (USBR 2-2020)
sdrep-faq 2020 (USBR 2-2020)
Bureau Letter Shasta_Lake_Geologic_Testing_Scope_Project_WDID_No_5A45CR00557 (ocr) Reclamation informs the Regional Water Quality Control Board it is proceeding with geologic testing without a Section 401 Clean Water Act water quality permit from the Board
November 2014 Fish & Wildlife Coordination Act Report (obtained under a Freedom of Information Act request) on the SLWRI (Shasta Dam raise) 28 Shasta Dam Car Revised.pdf
20141209 November 2014 Version of Shasta FWCAR (November 2014 Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act Report was intended to be final, not draft - see previous posts)
San Jose Mercury News Story on Fish & Wildlife Coordination Act Report Plan to raise Shasta Dam takes hit (Merc News 1-27-2015)
California Department of Fish & Wildlife comments on the Shasta Dam raise (essentially on the Fish & Wildlife Coordination Act Report) with Reclamation cover letter noting the November 2014 CAR had been "rescinded for higher level review" 20150214 Fwd_ CDFW cmts (Adobe OCR)
USFWS_SLWRI FWCAR_2015 (ocr) (compressed) November 2015 Final Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act Report evaluating all alternatives in Reclamation's Shasta Lake Water Resources Investigation final EIS (see next entry for a more compact version)
FOR Exhibit 01 USFWS_SLWRI FWCAR_2015 (Acro-10 compressed) (A much more compact form of the 2015 Shasta Dam raise Fish & Wildlife Coordination Act Report.)
Westlands/San Luis and Delta-Mendota Authority Shasta Dam Raise cost-sharing
2009 Westlands-Interior Agreement in Principle to cost share the Shasta Dam raise
2014 Westlands-Interior Agreement in Principle to cost share the Shasta Dam raise
WWD Feb 2018 board mtg agenda (Shasta dam raise)
WWD February-2018-board-minutes (ocr)
0308_2018_Board_of_Directors_Pre_Packet_Post (SLDMWA Shasta Dam raise)
2018_0308_Board_Minutes_Approved_Post (SLDMWA)
Draft SLDMWA letter to USBR re Shasta Dam
Bollibokka - WWD audited-financial-statements-2018
WWD Sept 18 2019 meeting papers on cost-sharing EIR
shasta-dam-raise-eir-press-release from Westlands Water District
shasta-dam-raise-eir-nop-scoping-checklist from Westlands Water District
FOR et al scoping comments SDRP rev2 Friends of the River's scoping comments
CalWild Shasta Dam Raise Scoping Comments
Scoping Comments on WWD CEQA_A1b (Winnemem Wintu)
SLC 2018111058_Shasta Dam Raise_NOP_CommentLetter_final ocr Comments for the State Lands Commission
CEQA-2018-0321_SHA_TEH_WWD_Shasta Dam Raise Project_NOP (ocr) CDFW Scoping comments
Westlands terminates Shasta Dam raise EIR (Mavens Sept 30 2019)
NOP Notice of Withdrawal 093019 (Westlands terminating its draft EIR. It intends to do a CA Wild & Scenic River Act consistency determination before any reinitiation.)
Westlands drops EIR - will do CA WSRA analysis (Politico 9-30-2019)
Shasta_Salamander_Complaint from Center for Biological Diversity
2-Rare California Salamanders Move Closer to ESA protection June 26, 2019, CBD press release
28_Stipulated-settlement-agreement Shasta salamanders (June 26, 2019, settlementnt agreement)
Shasta_Snow-wreath_NtcRcpt_111219 Notice of receipt of CA ESA listing petition
CA F&W Shasta Snow-Wreath listing may be warranted Feb 2020 F&G Commission
Efforts to protect plant grow controversy (RR Searchlight 2-18-2020)
Shasta snow-wreath_notice of findings-candidacy 042120
Shasta snow-wreath_notice of findings-candidacy 042120 Now a candidate species
2021-5-4 Feds deny salamander protection (E&E News)
PLAW-114publ322 Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act of 2016
FOR WIIN CA storage provisions memo 2-11-2021
bay-delta-fy2019 2-2018 (Storage) (highlighted)
Shasta Dam letter 3.13.18_LLM CA Resources Agency to Congressional leadership
Questions-for-the-Record-Shasta-Dam-raise (Administration response to Rep. Huffman) (in MS Word)
Questions-for-the-Record-Shasta-Dam-raise-2 (PDF version of Administration response to Rep. Huffman
Presidential Memorandum on Promoting the Reliable Supply and Delivery of... October 19, 2018
denham_bor_ca_wiin_act_funding_letter_final
Letter Opposing House WIIN Rider 11.30.18 (003)
FOR memo on extending the WIIN Act amendments (Dec-3-2018)
IF10626 CRS analysis of FY 2019-20 WIIN funding requests Congressional Research analysis of Administration's proposed FY 2019-20 WIIN budget requests
1176BE9AAA5E073EF4C12572A5F12A48.drought-bill-text Proposed 2019 WIIN amendments (DRWSIA)
BE26118F86B85FBF04290234BE6F065B.drought-bill-section-by-section (author summary of DRWSIA)
C64D1F570979F092AF5AC6003E5DD289.drought-bill-summary (author summary of DRWSIA)
926F5F72B56D275F07BE1409EF5045B6.drought-bill-loan-program (author summary of this DRWSIA program)
FOR memo on selected DRWSIA provisions (amendments to the WIIN Act)
FY2020 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, S.2470 Senate Committee markup
FY2020 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, Report 116-102 Senate Committee markup of S. 2470
BILLS-116hr1865enr Minibus appropriations bill not funding Shasta Dam raise, pg 133
HR 1865 - Division C - EW SOM FY20 probably source of additional distribution announced in February 2020 to keep Shasta Dam raise preconstruction and design efforts alive (PDF page 63)
1 7 20 Sierra Club et al Cmts Reclamation on Westlands contract conversion/advanced payments
PCL et. al. Comments on WWD Permanent Contract Conversion/advanced payments 1-6-2020
leg counsel draft clean S. 1932 21420 February DRWSIA proposed permanent WIIN
Trump February 2020 executive order directing his Secretaries to achieve more water storage
Bureau Letter Shasta_Lake_Geologic_Testing_Scope_Project_WDID_No_5A45CR00557 (ocr) Reclamation informs the Regional Water Quality Control Board it is proceeding with geologic testing without a Section 401 Clean Water Act water quality permit from the Board
Chairwoman-Kaptur-Letter-WIIN-Storage-06-22-20 Administration WIIN Storage Project funding request
BILLS-116HR133SA-RCP-116-68 (Reclamation provisions) in the pending omnibus bill
crs_infocus_reclamation_section4007_28jan20217 Congressional Research Service status report on WIIN storage program January 28, 2021
2023-10-3 Energy & Water Approps SAP veto excerpt docx (excerpt from Administration veto threat)
2023-10-3 Energy & Water Approps SAP veto excerpt rtf (excerpt from Administration veto threat)
2023-10-26 Section 531 House Energy & Water Approps bill rtf (ends construction financing of Shasta Dam raise)
2023-10-26 Section 535 House Energy & Water Approps bill (attempts to preempt the CA Wild & Scenic Rivers Act)
Land sale fuels fear of higher dam at Shasta (SF Chron 1-28-2007)
Shasta snow-wreath (Redding Searchlight May-6-2011)
Rivers in Peril Pt 2 (EBay Express June 19, 2013)
FOR_39 MWD votes to go against McCloud Riv protection
Plan to raise Shasta Dam takes hit (Merc News 1-27-2015)
McCloud River takes central role (Redding Record Searchlight 2-2-214)
Should California use taxpayer dollars to build more dams (Sac Bee 6-1-2014)
MP-15-122 Reclamation Transmits to Congress Final Report on Proposed Shasta Dam Raise
Shasta Dam report raising submitted (Red Bluff Daily News (7-30-2015)
Feds lose focus, waste money on Shasta studies (Chico ER ed 7-30-2015)
Shasta Dam expandable - funding difficult (AP 8-1-2015)
Drought Bill Threatens to Drown Sacred Sites (Truth Out 8-26-2015)
2016-Feb Hibiscus CNPS-Shasta Snow-wreath
Could the Feds Bigfoot California Over Water (Cal Magazine 3-13-2018)
Proposed federal budget includes Shasta Dam raise (Record Searchlight 3-15-2018)
California doesn't want this towering water project (LA Times 3-15-2018)
GOP pushing Shasta Dam rider (E+E News 3-16-2018)
Dems object to raise (Sac Bee 3-20-2018)
The Politics of Why Cong Dems Scuttled Shasta Dam expansion (GV Wire 3-20-2018)
Storing water and when not (LA Times editorial 3-21-2018)
Trump could force billion dollar Shasta dam raise (Const Dr 3-23-2018)
Jon Rubin op ed (Fresno Bee 4-10-2018)
Tensions heighten over Shasta Dam (SF Chron 4-15-2018)
Friant Water Authority_ 'California's water math does not compute'
One stretch could decide (Sac Bee 5-6-2108)
Interior revives push for higher Shasta Dam (HCN May 25 2018)
Feds Push to Raise Shasta Dam (Water Deeply 5-30-2018)
Construction contract expected next year (Redding Searchlight 6-20-2018)
Feds to hire construction contractor next year (Const Dr 6-26-2018)
Zinke demands plan to pump water south (Sac Bee Aug 20 2018)
Strange bedfellows (Fresno Bee Sept 9 2018) (Shasta Sites highlighted)
More storage comming to CA (Sac Bee 9-13- 2018)
Water bill smooths project funding (Ag Alert 9-19-2018)
Commissioner on Shasta Dam raise (WEF 9-21-18) Reclamation's Commissioner extolls the virtues of raising Shasta Dam
Shasta Dam to Raise Over 18 feet (Action News 24 - 9-25-2018)
Work begins on raising Shasta Dam (R Searchlight 9-27-2018)
Exploratory work begins (9-25-2018 Red Bluff Daily News)
Trump water memo Q&A (Redding Searchlight 10-23-2018)
Trump Approves Funding For Water Projects (Cap Public Radio Oct 24 2018)
Delta water deal backed (Sac Bee Nov 30 2018)
Editorial - Brown Feinstein betrayal of the Delta is unacceptable (Merc News Dec 3 2018)
Feinstein McCarthy push rider for CA storage (E&E News Dec 3 2018)
Salamanders could block dam raise (R Searchlight Dec-5-2018)
Westlands takes beating (Redding Searchlight Dec 12 2018)
The community voices concerns (KRCR Dec 13 2018)
Work Begins on $1.5B Shasta raise (Const Equip Guide Jan 16 2019)
Dam raising runs into roadblocks (Redding Searchlight Jan 17 2019)
Dam raise sets up showdown (KQED Jan 28 2019)
USBR gets sharp elbows (E&E News Jan-31-2019)
IF10626 CRS analysis of FY 2019-20 WIIN funding requests
Why CA should turn down Trump at Shasta (Feb 21 2019)
Feds get serious pushback (Berkeley News March 3 2019)
Dam raise efforts spark conversation (Daily Californian Mar 6 2019)
Momentum builds to fund storage (B Californian March 9 2019)
Trump's Pick Wants to Heighten CA Dam (GlacierHub April 9 2019)
Trump's cold water war turns hot (Legal Planet April 9 2019)
Westlands Water District Statement 5_14_19
Westlands studying whether to raise dam (R Searchlight 5-14-2019)
California Sues to Sink Expansion of Shasta Dam (Courthouse News May-14-2019)
CA AG & fishing groups sue Westlands over dam raise (CV Newswire May 14 2019)
CA AG sues Westlands on Shasta Dam raise (E&E News 5-14-2019)
CA AG & conservation groups sue Westlands (KQED article May 15 2019)
Westlands Water District Faces Lawsuits Over Illegal Effort To Raise Shasta Dam (KPFA radio interview (May 16, 2019)
Huffman tussles with USBR on Shasta Dam raise (E&E News 5-19-2019)
What's behind California's lawsuit against Westlands (The Sun May-21-2019)
Rare California Salamanders Move Closer to ESA protection (June 26, 2019 CBD press release)
Return to the Dam Building Go-Go Years, River Advocate July 3, 2019
Shasta Dam lawsuit stays in Shasta County (Redding Searchlight July 22 2019)
Visiting judge delays PI decision (Redding Searchlight July 29 2019)
Three-way wrangle over Shasta (Courthouse News 7-29-2019)
KZFR Chico "Ecotopia" Interview with Ron Stork on Shasta Dam raise (July 30, 2019)
Judge blocks Westlands (Redding Searchlight July 31 2019)
Judge blocks Westlands (Reclamation response hi-lighted) (Redding Searchlight 7-31-2019)
AG Becerra Secures Ruling in Shasta County Halting Westlands (AG's press release)
Trump Plan for Taller Shasta Dam Halted (Courthouse News 8-1-2019)
https://www.nrdc.org/experts/drevet-hunt/nodamraise-judge-halts-effort-enlarge-shasta-dam-ca-0
Westlands strikes back (The Sun 8-12-2019)
Winnemen Wintu tribe opposing Shasta Dam raise-Rose Foundation-Summer 2019
Westlands appeals PI (Redding Searchlight 8-19-2019)
Cal Supremes weigh in on Shasta case (Redding Searchlight 9-25-2019)
Interior Secretary wants dam - Old client may benefit (NY Times 9-28-2020)
Interior chief pushes Shasta project - Old client may benefit (Sac Bee 9-29-2020) (excerpt from NY Times article from previous day)
Westlands terminates Shasta Dam raise EIR (Mavens Sept 30 2019) curious press release from Westlands on something that they were ordered by the Superior Court to stop doing on July 29, 2019
Westlands drops EIR - will do CA WSRA analysis (Politico 9-30-2019)
Future Uncertain (Redding Searchlight 9-30-2019)
California dam-raising project favored by Trump stumbles (Sac Bee Oct 3 2019)
Californians should favor dam expansion plan (op ed Org Cty Register (Oct 29 2019)
Fishing & Conservation Groups Hold Up Plan to Raise Shasta (Earthjustice press release Nov 8 2018) (pdf of Earthjustice's press release)
https://www.nrdc.org/experts/drevet-hunt/nodamraiseshasta-settlement (NRDC on the settlement)
Westlands pulls out - enviros still worry (Sac Bee Nov 8 2019)
2019-10-21.HRC.401_Comments DJ-2019-11-11-WestlandsWD (The Daily Journal, a legal news publication, quotes Westlands on the settlement.)
It's time to raise Shasta Dam (Burman Fresno Bee op ed Nov 29 2019)
CA dam a flashpoint in approps talks (E&E News 12-12-2019)
Powerful patrons duel (Roll Call Dec 11 2019)
Contentious fights left out of funding deal (E&E News 12-17-2019)
USBR is funding repairs on the Friant-Kern (GV Wire Feb 4 2020)
McCarthy Announces Funding (Mojave Desert News Feb 4 2020)
Efforts continue (Redding Record Searchlight Feb 5 2018)
USBR plans to raise dam (Action News 24 - 2-6-2018)
Trump mystery visit to Valley (Bakersfield Californian Feb 15 2019)
Efforts to protect plant grow controversy (RR Searchlight 2-18-2020)
Trump supporters assemble for the President (Bakersfield Californian Feb 19 2019)
Trump visit unfolds as a political rally (Bakersfield Californian Feb 19 2019)
Trump signs declaration for water for farmers (Bakersfield Californian Feb 19 2019)
Trump vows more water (LA Times Feb 19 2020)
Trump delivers - not so says Newsom (Fresno Bee Nov 19 2020)
What did Trump sign (The Sun Feb-20-2020)
Trump brings more water to Central Valley farms (SF Chron 2-20-2018)
Interior requests funding for Shasta Dam (Daily Kos 06-24-2020)
USBR Shasta Dam raise supplemental dEIS press release (Aug-6-2020)
USBR releases draft supplemental EIS Shasta Dam raise (Redding Record Searchlight 8-6-2020)
2020-11-19 Trump administration finalizes Shasta Dam raise supp EIS (USBR)
https://twitter.com/JaredHuffman/status/1333850071167746048
Ecotopia broadcast on Oroville and Shasta Dam on December 1, 2020, featuring Ron Stork
2020-11-24 Raising the Shasta Dam & the Winnemem-Wintu (Sierra Nevada Ally)
2020-11-24 Biden may blunt Trump enviro war against CA (Sac Bee)
2020-11-25 Groups bash Shasta Dam raise (Redding Record Searchlight)
2020-12-3 Trump's 'QAnon of water projects' (E&E News)
2020-12-20 Trump administration advances western water (USBR)
2021-1-03 Bureau of Reclamation Announces (Sierra Sun Times)
2021-1-12 Industry groups urge new admin (Agnet West)
2021-2-03 Valadao introduces WIIN Act extension (Kingsburg Recorder)
2021-2-8 Valadao wants to renew WIIN (Western Farm Press)
2021-4-13 Endangered US rivers at grave risk (The Guardian)
2021-4-13 McCloud endangered (Redding Record Searchlight)
2021-4-13 California’s McCloud River Named (Yuba.net)
2021-4-13 Report Lists NorCal’s McCloud River (Jefferson Public Radio)
2021-4-13 See Them Now Before They Disappear (Mother Jones)
2021-4-14 California's McCloud River (Public News Service)
2021-4-14 Dams and Climate Change (EcoWatch)
2021-4-14 2021 Most Endangered Rivers (American Rivers)
2021-4-14 The top 10 most endangered rivers in the US (KXAN)
2021-4-15 Raising Shasta Dam threatens McCloud (CalMatters op ed)
2021-4-18 California’s McCloud River (Sierra Nevada Ally)
McCloud River Deserves Protection (CalTrout 4-23-2021)
2021-5-4 Feds deny salamander protection (E&E News)
2022-8-16 CA House Republicans pitch Newsom on Shasta Res expansion (Sac Bee)
2023-8-4 Folsom & Shasta Dam raises (Tom Philp Sac Bee op ed)
2023-8-4 The question politician refuse to answer (Tom Birmingham Sac Bee op ed)
Land sale fuels fear of higher dam at Shasta (SF Chron 1-28-2007)
Shasta snow-wreath (Redding Searchlight May-6-2011)
Rivers in Peril Pt 2 (EBay Express June 19, 2013)
FOR_39 MWD votes to go against McCloud Riv protection
Plan to raise Shasta Dam takes hit (Merc News 1-27-2015)
McCloud River takes central role (Redding Record Searchlight 2-2-214)
Should California use taxpayer dollars to build more dams (Sac Bee 6-1-2014)
MP-15-122 Reclamation Transmits to Congress Final Report on Proposed Shasta Dam Raise
Shasta Dam report raising submitted (Red Bluff Daily News (7-30-2015)
Feds lose focus, waste money on Shasta studies (Chico ER ed 7-30-2015)
Shasta Dam expandable - funding difficult (AP 8-1-2015)
Drought Bill Threatens to Drown Sacred Sites (Truth Out 8-26-2015)
2016-Feb Hibiscus CNPS-Shasta Snow-wreath
Could the Feds Bigfoot California Over Water (Cal Magazine 3-13-2018)
Proposed federal budget includes Shasta Dam raise (Record Searchlight 3-15-2018)
California doesn't want this towering water project (LA Times 3-15-2018)
GOP pushing Shasta Dam rider (E+E News 3-16-2018)
Dems object to raise (Sac Bee 3-20-2018)
The Politics of Why Cong Dems Scuttled Shasta Dam expansion (GV Wire 3-20-2018)
Storing water and when not (LA Times editorial 3-21-2018)
Trump could force billion dollar Shasta dam raise (Const Dr 3-23-2018)
Jon Rubin op ed (Fresno Bee 4-10-2018)
Tensions heighten over Shasta Dam (SF Chron 4-15-2018)
Friant Water Authority_ 'California's water math does not compute'
One stretch could decide (Sac Bee 5-6-2108)
Interior revives push for higher Shasta Dam (HCN May 25 2018)
Feds Push to Raise Shasta Dam (Water Deeply 5-30-2018)
Construction contract expected next year (Redding Searchlight 6-20-2018)
Feds to hire construction contractor next year (Const Dr 6-26-2018)
Zinke demands plan to pump water south (Sac Bee Aug 20 2018)
Strange bedfellows (Fresno Bee Sept 9 2018) (Shasta Sites highlighted)
More storage comming to CA (Sac Bee 9-13- 2018)
Water bill smooths project funding (Ag Alert 9-19-2018)
Commissioner on Shasta Dam raise (WEF 9-21-18) Reclamation's Commissioner extolls the virtues of raising Shasta Dam
Shasta Dam to Raise Over 18 feet (Action News 24 - 9-25-2018)
Work begins on raising Shasta Dam (R Searchlight 9-27-2018)
Exploratory work begins (9-25-2018 Red Bluff Daily News)
Trump water memo Q&A (Redding Searchlight 10-23-2018)
Trump Approves Funding For Water Projects (Cap Public Radio Oct 24 2018)
Delta water deal backed (Sac Bee Nov 30 2018)
Editorial - Brown Feinstein betrayal of the Delta is unacceptable (Merc News Dec 3 2018)
Feinstein McCarthy push rider for CA storage (E&E News Dec 3 2018)
Salamanders could block dam raise (R Searchlight Dec-5-2018)
Westlands takes beating (Redding Searchlight Dec 12 2018)
The community voices concerns (KRCR Dec 13 2018)
Work Begins on $1.5B Shasta raise (Const Equip Guide Jan 16 2019)
Dam raising runs into roadblocks (Redding Searchlight Jan 17 2019)
Dam raise sets up showdown (KQED Jan 28 2019)
USBR gets sharp elbows (E&E News Jan-31-2019)
IF10626 CRS analysis of FY 2019-20 WIIN funding requests
Why CA should turn down Trump at Shasta (Feb 21 2019)
Feds get serious pushback (Berkeley News March 3 2019)
Dam raise efforts spark conversation (Daily Californian Mar 6 2019)
Momentum builds to fund storage (B Californian March 9 2019)
Trump's Pick Wants to Heighten CA Dam (GlacierHub April 9 2019)
Trump's cold water war turns hot (Legal Planet April 9 2019)
Westlands Water District Statement 5_14_19
Westlands studying whether to raise dam (R Searchlight 5-14-2019)
California Sues to Sink Expansion of Shasta Dam (Courthouse News May-14-2019)
CA AG & fishing groups sue Westlands over dam raise (CV Newswire May 14 2019)
CA AG sues Westlands on Shasta Dam raise (E&E News 5-14-2019)
CA AG & conservation groups sue Westlands (KQED article May 15 2019)
Westlands Water District Faces Lawsuits Over Illegal Effort To Raise Shasta Dam (KPFA radio interview (May 16, 2019)
Huffman tussles with USBR on Shasta Dam raise (E&E News 5-19-2019)
What's behind California's lawsuit against Westlands (The Sun May-21-2019)
Rare California Salamanders Move Closer to ESA protection (June 26, 2019 CBD press release)
Return to the Dam Building Go-Go Years, River Advocate July 3, 2019
Shasta Dam lawsuit stays in Shasta County (Redding Searchlight July 22 2019)
Visiting judge delays PI decision (Redding Searchlight July 29 2019)
Three-way wrangle over Shasta (Courthouse News 7-29-2019)
KZFR Chico "Ecotopia" Interview with Ron Stork on Shasta Dam raise (July 30, 2019)
Judge blocks Westlands (Redding Searchlight July 31 2019)
Judge blocks Westlands (Reclamation response hi-lighted) (Redding Searchlight 7-31-2019)
AG Becerra Secures Ruling in Shasta County Halting Westlands (AG's press release)
Trump Plan for Taller Shasta Dam Halted (Courthouse News 8-1-2019)
https://www.nrdc.org/experts/drevet-hunt/nodamraise-judge-halts-effort-enlarge-shasta-dam-ca-0
Westlands strikes back (The Sun 8-12-2019)
Winnemen Wintu tribe opposing Shasta Dam raise-Rose Foundation-Summer 2019
Westlands appeals PI (Redding Searchlight 8-19-2019)
Cal Supremes weigh in on Shasta case (Redding Searchlight 9-25-2019)
Interior Secretary wants dam - Old client may benefit (NY Times 9-28-2020)
Interior chief pushes Shasta project - Old client may benefit (Sac Bee 9-29-2020) (excerpt from NY Times article from previous day)
Westlands terminates Shasta Dam raise EIR (Mavens Sept 30 2019) curious press release from Westlands on something that they were ordered by the Superior Court to stop doing on July 29, 2019
Westlands drops EIR - will do CA WSRA analysis (Politico 9-30-2019)
Future Uncertain (Redding Searchlight 9-30-2019)
California dam-raising project favored by Trump stumbles (Sac Bee Oct 3 2019)
Californians should favor dam expansion plan (op ed Org Cty Register (Oct 29 2019)
Fishing & Conservation Groups Hold Up Plan to Raise Shasta (Earthjustice press release Nov 8 2018) (pdf of Earthjustice's press release)
https://www.nrdc.org/experts/drevet-hunt/nodamraiseshasta-settlement (NRDC on the settlement)
Westlands pulls out - enviros still worry (Sac Bee Nov 8 2019)
2019-10-21.HRC.401_Comments DJ-2019-11-11-WestlandsWD (The Daily Journal, a legal news publication, quotes Westlands on the settlement.)
It's time to raise Shasta Dam (Burman Fresno Bee op ed Nov 29 2019)
CA dam a flashpoint in approps talks (E&E News 12-12-2019)
Powerful patrons duel (Roll Call Dec 11 2019)
Contentious fights left out of funding deal (E&E News 12-17-2019)
USBR is funding repairs on the Friant-Kern (GV Wire Feb 4 2020)
McCarthy Announces Funding (Mojave Desert News Feb 4 2020)
Efforts continue (Redding Record Searchlight Feb 5 2018)
USBR plans to raise dam (Action News 24 - 2-6-2018)
Trump mystery visit to Valley (Bakersfield Californian Feb 15 2019)
Efforts to protect plant grow controversy (RR Searchlight 2-18-2020)
Trump supporters assemble for the President (Bakersfield Californian Feb 19 2019)
Trump visit unfolds as a political rally (Bakersfield Californian Feb 19 2019)
Trump signs declaration for water for farmers (Bakersfield Californian Feb 19 2019)
Trump vows more water (LA Times Feb 19 2020)
Trump delivers - not so says Newsom (Fresno Bee Nov 19 2020)
What did Trump sign (The Sun Feb-20-2020)
Trump brings more water to Central Valley farms (SF Chron 2-20-2018)
Interior requests funding for Shasta Dam (Daily Kos 06-24-2020)
USBR Shasta Dam raise supplemental dEIS press release (Aug-6-2020)
USBR releases draft supplemental EIS Shasta Dam raise (Redding Record Searchlight 8-6-2020)
2020-11-19 Trump administration finalizes Shasta Dam raise supp EIS (USBR)
Ecotopia broadcast on Oroville and Shasta Dam on December 1, 2020, featuring Ron Stork
2020-11-24 Raising the Shasta Dam & the Winnemem-Wintu (Sierra Nevada Ally)
2020-11-24 Biden may blunt Trump enviro war against CA (Sac Bee)
2020-11-25 Groups bash Shasta Dam raise (Redding Record Searchlight)
2020-12-3 Trump's 'QAnon of water projects' (E&E News)
2020-12-20 Trump administration advances western water (USBR)
2021-1-03 Bureau of Reclamation Announces (Sierra Sun Times)
2021-1-12 Industry groups urge new admin (Agnet West)
2021-2-03 Valadao introduces WIIN Act extension (Kingsburg Recorder)
2021-2-8 Valadao wants to renew WIIN (Western Farm Press)
2021-4-13 Endangered US rivers at grave risk (The Guardian)
2021-4-13 McCloud endangered (Redding Record Searchlight)
2021-4-13 California’s McCloud River Named (Yuba.net)
2021-4-13 Report Lists NorCal’s McCloud River (Jefferson Public Radio)
2021-4-13 See Them Now Before They Disappear (Mother Jones)
2021-4-14 California's McCloud River (Public News Service)
2021-4-14 Dams and Climate Change (EcoWatch)
2021-4-14 2021 Most Endangered Rivers (American Rivers)
2021-4-14 The top 10 most endangered rivers in the US (KXAN)
2021-4-15 Raising Shasta Dam threatens McCloud (CalMatters op ed)
2021-4-18 California’s McCloud River (Sierra Nevada Ally)
McCloud River Deserves Protection (CalTrout 4-23-2021)
2021-5-4 Feds deny salamander protection (E&E News)
2022-8-16 CA House Republicans pitch Newsom on Shasta Res expansion (Sac Bee)