News

Thanks to Your Letters, the Merced River Flows Freely

Thanks to advocacy by the California Sportfishing Protection Alliance (CSPA), the State Water Board has mandated minimum flow requirements for the lower Merced River for Merced Irrigation District’s (Merced ID’s) Merced River Hydroelectric Project and Merced Falls Hydroelectric Project (Merced Projects).

The requirements were included in the amended draft water quality certification for the two projects mentioned above.  CSPA’s advocacy for a regulatory solution was one of the factors that motivated the Board to make this decision. Merced ID had fought a regulatory solution. The Merced River ran completely dry (see photo) due to a complete dewatering of the river and extreme low flows like those that occurred between July and September 2022. The minimum flows will prevent this from happening again.

PFF donates annually to CSPA and other conservation nonprofit organizations. PFF Honorary Life Member, Past President and Conservation Co-Chair Richard Izmirian is a director with CSPA.

Here is some other information from the CSPA April Newsletter:

Background:   CSPA last postedconcerns about the Merced River in January 2024. On January 8, 2024, CSPA joined the nonprofit Friends of the River (FOR) by writing a joint letter to the Board. The letter informed the Board of the devastating effects of the dewatering of the river in summer 2022. The letter also called for the Board to adopt permanent minimum flow regulations on the Merced River, particularly in its lower reaches. (The lower reaches still support anadromous runs of steelhead trout and Pacific salmon.)

Where does it stand now?  The Water Board is still reviewing public comment on the draft certification of the Merced Projects. On March 18, 2025, Merced ID withdrew its request for certification, stating in a letter to the Board, “additional information is necessary to clarify and supplement Merced ID's Application.”