River Monitoring Plan for the Yuba River Watershed

The Oroville Dam 2017 Spillway Incident: Lessons from the Feather River Basin

Power and the River: The Yuba-Bear Hydroelectric Project and a Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity 

The Yuba River has always been central to life in our region. It’s a source of clean water, renewable energy, and recreation. It is also home to diverse wildlife that depends on its flow. Balancing these needs has never been easy, but right now, we have a rare opportunity to make lasting improvements for the […]

The PERMIT Act: A Direct Threat to Clean Water and State Authority 

Congress is considering legislation that could dramatically weaken one of the most important tools we have to protect water quality: the Clean Water Act. The Promoting Efficient Review for Modern Infrastructure Today Act (PERMIT) Act (H.R. 3898) is a sprawling bill that packages together provisions from a set of House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee proposals […]

Protecting our Lifeline: Why the Clean Water Act is Essential for the Yuba River

The Yuba River is an iconic California landscape, providing vital clean water, supporting salmon populations, and offering unparalleled recreation opportunities.  Its beauty and ecological importance underscore the need for strong protections that keep our water clean and safe. One of the most important tools for safeguarding rivers like the Yuba is Section 401 of the […]

Power and the River: The History of Hydropower in Nevada County and Why FERC Relicensing Matters Now More Than Ever

For more than a century, the rivers of Nevada County have powered homes and industries across California. But behind the light switches and irrigation canals lies a story of massive infrastructure, diverted flows, and dramatic ecological damage — especially for native fish such as salmon and steelhead. Today, with the federal relicensing of major hydropower […]

NID Withdraws Centennial Dam Proposal After SYRCL’s Decade-Long Opposition 

On September 25th, the Nevada Irrigation District voted on the future of their proposed Centennial Dam project, a $1 billion project that SYRCL has rallied the community in opposition to since its inception. In August of 2014, the Nevada Irrigation District (NID) began planning to construct a new 275-foot-tall dam and reservoir on the Bear […]

The Narrows Hydroelectric Project and Englebright Dam: SYRCL joins Agencies and YWA on a site visit

Recently, our dedicated team from the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) had the opportunity to join the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), state agencies, and the Yuba Water Agency (YWA) on a site visit to the Narrows 1 powerhouse. [In front of Englebright Dam.  The reservoir is the sole source of water for the […]

Proactive Action is Key to Balancing Future Water Demands with Supply

The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL) and our partners are currently working through a tangle of water issues which stretch from the highest reaches of our beloved Yuba River all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge. This issue promises to impact how Yuba water flows into the Bay-Delta system which will have a […]

Unlocking the Future of Yuba River Salmon: Advocating for Restoration Through Relicensing

On January 16th, SYRCL and our allies in the Foothills Water Network filed comments with the Federal Energy Commission (FERC) requesting formal studies to help restore salmon in the lower Yuba River. Our comments also focused on the YWA’s Final License Application for the project and are part of the relicensing of the Narrows 1 […]

The Yuba Watershed and the Bay-Delta Plan: Interlinked Plumbing and Management

Salmon were once prolific in the Yuba watershed and the Sacramento River Basin.  Historically, over 300,000 would return in the fall to spawn in the Yuba. But due to large dams blocking historical habitat, modification of river hydrology, and the lasting impacts of the Gold Rush, salmon and the Bay-Delta are on the brink of […]

The Bay Delta and Yuba: Native American Tribes, Water Rights, and Cultural Uses

“First in time, first in right….”  –Doctrine of prior appropriation The “first in time, first in right” principle didn’t apply to California’s first people, and it still doesn’t apply today. The principle of “prior appropriation” meant that water was to be used and water rights bestowed to the first person who used it for mining […]