In 2025, Save the American River Association will continue to address a wide range of issues facing the American River and Parkway, including the following most critical concerns:

WATER UPDATE

In the 1950s, SMUD built reservoirs in the Sierra. The hydroelectric rights went to SMUD and the water rights went to the City of Sacramento. The City then contracted with the federal Central Valley Project (CVP) for Folsom Reservoir for drought backup. The CVP would get SMUD water not used by the City. In 1927, the state filed applications for the water rights for possible damsites. These filings are sitting in a dusty drawer at the state, awaiting someone to apply for them. Fourteen years ago, El Dorado County Water Agency (Placerville) applied for 40,000 acre-feet of water from state filings. If granted by the state, this would have invaded the City’s SMUD water rights, reducing water for the City and CVP. This effort failed to get traction.

This year, El Dorado is again seeking state filings. El Dorado’s draft EIR finds that there are no significant effects, so no mitigation would be required. To put this in perspective, stacked on a football field, the water would be eight miles high. If El Dorado is successful, the City and CVP water supplies would be reduced. The river would be warmer, adversely affecting salmon and steelhead. River flows would be less, adversely affecting river recreation. SARA is preparing comments on the draft EIR.

AMERICAN RIVER 1

Unfortunately SARA had no alternative but to file a lawsuit challenging the City of Sacramento’s approval of the American River 1 project in the downtown River District.  Four residential towers, ranging from 10 to 18 stories immediately adjacent to the River and Parkway were approved by the City Council this past September 17th without the benefit of a project level environmental impact report and consistency determination with, much less a mention of, the Urban American River Parkway Preservation Act which is state law. A development of this magnitude, with walls of glass facing the River and Parkway, would set a precedent leading to the eventual demise of the American River Parkway as a place where 200+ species of migratory and resident birds, and a great diversity of people, plants and animals find refuge from the built environment.

TRUMARK CORPORATION PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT

SARA continues to work with Preserve The American River (PAR) on preventing the Trumark Corporation from developing 21 acres in the floodway on bluff land overlooking the American River in Rancho Cordova. The site is directly across the River from William B. Pond Park and immediately downriver of River Bend Park. The developer is planning on massing 29 million dollar homes along the bluff edge on the lower terrace, and adding an additional 188 homes instantly obliterating approximately 300 trees including an historic walnut orchard. SARA and PAR, through our attorney, just responded to Trumark’s new request for a Variance to the Central Valley Flood Protection Board. We are waiting for the City of Rancho Cordova’s response to this most recent communication from the Trumark Corporation.

SAILOR BAR

Without following the Public Notification Procedures adopted as part of the American River Parkway Plan in 2009, and with no environmental review, the Sacramento County Regional Parks Department announced plans to re-open old gravel access roads to public motor vehicles through the interior of Sailor Bar Park parallel to the banks of the Lower American River. More than 5,000 people from across Sacramento have signed the petition protesting this action. SARA and Friends of Sailor Bar continue to meet with the County in an effort to implement our accessible-to-everyone alternative to adding motor vehicles to gravel roads that, over the past 15 years, have become popular paths for safe recreation including nature appreciation, dog walking, bird watching, and family outings. Our budding partnership with the Disability Community has been a particularly gratifying learning experience.

ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS EROSION CONTROL PROJECTS

Since 2016 SARA and other stakeholders have participated in the Bank Protection Working Group (BPWG). The purpose of the BPWG is to work collaboratively with the Army Corps of Engineers and the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA) to find the best ways forward to achieving erosion control project designs that both reduce erosion risks on the Lower American River AND protect the natural, cultural and recreational resources of the American River Parkway. In other words, implement the Corps’ “Engineering With Nature” initiative. The final designs, much to the horror of stakeholders, are projects unreasonably scaled for the erosion risks. Contract 3B alone, if implemented as currently designed, will cut down 500+ trees including heritage oaks.

Little thought or consideration has been given to the potential loss of a large Double-crested Cormorant (206 birds counted so far in 2024-2025) winter night-roosting site located on the right (north) bank of the River, much less the extensive loss of shaded riverine habitat for already struggling salmon populations, the impacts from a fragmented wildlife corridor, and to river-dependent recreational opportunities. Thanks to the outstanding efforts of American River Trees (ART), the Corps, in October, 2024, announced they were still responding to the volume of technical public comments and will not release the Final SEIS/SEIR until this coming spring, and the start of Contract 3B will be delayed one year, although tree and vegetation removal could begin in the fall of 2025. SARA and ART continue to participate in the Bank Protection Working Group, and engage at every level, local, state and federal, to change the trajectory of these highly damaging erosion protection measures, as yet unjustified as judged by the many unanswered questions.