For those of you that know my Dad and his environmental work for the last 44 years, I wanted to share his latest formal complaint in regards to the upper Napa River and Steelhead. At 82 years old he continues his relentless battle for the good fight. I'm one proud son!
State of California
Before the San Francisco Bay California Regional Water Quality Control Board
City of Calistoga, Permitee, and et al.
Dunaweal Wastewater Treatment Plant
Napa River, Tributary to San Pablo Bay, thence San Francisco Bay, thence Pacific Ocean
Petition for Request for Information and Investigation by the Regional Water Quality Board by the California Fisheries and Water Unlimited, Petitioner
The State Water Resources Control Board has initiated an investigation and enforcement actions pursuant to public complaints by the California Fisheries and Water Unlimited and other parties to provide daily flows into the headwaters of the Napa River from Kimball Dam in order to protect federally protected threatened Steelhead and other fisheries, the river environment, and the beneficial uses of the headwaters of the Napa River from dewatering and inadequate daily flows from Kimball Dam by the City of Calistoga.
During the past year, Steelhead have been observed in the Napa River below the Washington Street bridge in downtown Calistoga. There is significant historic evidence that Steelhead migrated into the Napa River for spawning and rearing purposes for decades. Thousands of Steelhead migrated and spawned according to the records. The endangered Coho Salmon also spawned in the Napa River but have been exterminated; we cite the records.
Steelhead are protected by the federal Endangered Species Act under the authority and management of the US NOAA Fisheries federal agency. Steelhead are also protected by the State of California Endangered Species Act under the authority and management of the California Department of Fish and Game. The endangered Freshwater Shrimp also exists in the Upper Napa River watershed, and are protected and managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
The State Water Resources Control Board has both a duty and responsibility to protect the state's water quality from contamination. The Regional Water Quality Boards (all-statewide) are an arm of the State Water Board to enforce the Porter-Cologne Water Quality Control Act and other provisions of state and federal law to protect water quality and the beneficial uses of the state's water and to prevent contamination of the state's waters.
Unauthorized 709,000 Gallon Spill into the Napa River from the City of Calistoga Dunaweal Wastewater Treatment Plant
Three miles below Kimball Dam, there exist adverse water quality conditions at the outfall of the City of Calistoga's Dunaweal Wastewater Treatment Plant into the Napa River due to adverse water quality caused by the operation of the Dunaweal Wastewater Treatment Plant. This anti-environmental water quality barrier affects Steelhead, their habitat, and the river environment, with potential and likely adverse effects to downstream water users that divert water from the Napa River, including unknown effects to public health and safety.
The City of Calistoga's Wastewater Treatment Plant may not have the capacity to collect and clean additional wastewater that will be discharged into the Napa River resulting from two newly-approved major resorts within the city limits of Calistoga; namely, the Silver Rose Resort and the Enchanted Resorts projects.
The Silver Rose Resort project will have an 84-room hotel and spa, three swimming pools, three large holding ponds, public restaurant, bar, and delicatessen, banquet room, vineyard, winery, parking, 21 custom homes, plus additional support facilities. The Enchanted Resorts Project will have 110 hotel units, 20 residence club units, spa, swimming pools, detention ponds, public restaurant and bar, ballroom, parking, 13 custom homes, plus additional support facilities.
Last year, on January 23, 2013, an unauthorized spill of approximately 709,000 gallons (others reports are higher) of contaminated and partially-treated water from the Dunaweal Wastewater Treatment Plant contaminated the Napa River. Years prior, in December 2010 and January 2011, Dunaweal wastewater including toxins including antimony and cyanide are known to have contaminated the Napa River. Further, local sources have indicated that on November 19, 2012, the City of Calistoga was pumping the southside outfall pond to the sewer main to keep their ponds from overtopping. The sewage graph shows the spikes (page 2, line 2367, pdf). Dunaweal's three (3) riverside ponds are not able to hold the current wastewater load as they percolate directly into the adjacent Napa River on a daily basis.
Toxic water from the Dunaweal Wastewater Treatment Plant can only be released into the Napa River in increments during wet months pursuant to specific daily flows ordered by the Water Quality Board.
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