Implementation of the Habitat Management Element (HME) for the lower American River will help ensure the fulfillment of the Agreement’s second co-equal objective, “Preserve the fishery, wildlife, recreational, and aesthetic values of the lower American River.”The HME also is necessary to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act’s requirement to avoid or lessen, to the extent reasonable and feasible, all significant impacts to the LAR resulting from future increased surface water diversions identified in the Water Forum Agreement.The HME contains five programmatic components that together address flow, temperature, physical habitat, and recreation issues for the lower American River:
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Habitat Management Plan
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Habitat Projects that Benefit the Lower American River Ecosystem
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Monitoring and Evaluation
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Project Specific Mitigation
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Lower American River Recreation
The HME will be implemented through two major plans, the FISH Plan (Fisheries and In-Stream Habitat) and the Recreation Plan, which have both been incorporated into the River Corridor Management Plan (RCMP).
The RCMP is a coordinated approach to management of the LAR that was developed through a voluntary consensus-based process involving 21 governmental agencies, 17 non-governmental stakeholders and three partnerships, including the Water Forum. The RCMP is available for viewing at http://www.safca.org/collaboration/RCMP.htm.
The City of Sacramento and the Sacramento County Water Agency (SCWA) are the primary funding agencies for the Habitat Management Element; however, the HME receives contributions from other agencies, including the San Juan Water District, the City of Roseville, and Southern California Water Company.
HME Reports and Projects:
American River Parkway Plan 2006 - Final Draft
FISH Plan Update 2005
State of the River Report 2005
Sunrise Isolation Pool
