The California Aggie
Published March 10 , 2002

Davis-based environmental group proposes state designation for Cache Creek

By Kari Fish

Blue skies shine down on a smoothly flowing river, hugged tightly by curvy hillsides rich in grasslands, wildflowers, oaks and chaparral. This landscape known as Cache Creek - home to tule elk, bald eagles, mountain lions, river otters and a fully intact natural fishery - is a haven for rafters, kayakers and hikers alike.

And it is no more than an hour outside of Davis.

Not as well known among college students as Cache Creek Casino is the "natural treasure" bioregion, according to Paul Schramski, a senior studying environmental policy analysis and planning who is also active in the Cache Creek Wild campaign.

Members of Cache Creek Wild, a freestanding organization that exists under the Davis-based nonprofit environmental group Tuleyome, are proposing to permanently protect the creek area, Schramski said.

"We are presented with an opportunity to use preventative action to protect a beautiful place," he said.

Eighth district state Rep. Lois Wolk is collaborating with the group to write legislation that would add Cache Creek to the list of California rivers already included in the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act passed in 1996.

Attaining Wild and Scenic River status means the state cannot spend money to build dams, diversions or other developments on the protected areas that are designated as wild, scenic or recreational.

Hamish Moir, a postdoctoral researcher of hydrogeomorphology, said that parts referred to as wild are generally those most natural and free of development. Scenic landscape has some previous development by people on it, but is still valued for its natural beauty. Recreational multi-use areas are available for rafting and kayaking.

The proposal includes protecting 34 miles of free-flowing reaches just below Clear Lake Dam, stretching down to and including two miles in the town of Capay, according to Bob Schneider, executive director of Cache Creek Wild and president of the Tuleyome board.

He said that giving Cache Creek state designation can increase tourism, boosting the local economies of Lake, Colusa and Yolo counties.

According to Moir, few remaining natural systems exist, and Cache Creek is one of the last rivers without dams.

Previous discussion surrounded building a dam on Cache Creek to appease the problem of flood control in Woodland, though, did not come to fruition.

"Some people are fixated on a 1950s approach to dams and flood control," Schneider said.

He noted that a dam is "unrealistic," as the region is geologically unstable and threatened by landslides. Moir said he agreed that there is a significant seismic issue in the region.

"[It is more important to protect this] truly amazing regional, statewide, and national resource," Schneider said. "It is a place where people can reconnect with who they are."

Additionally, because farmers in much of western Yolo County receive water from Cache Creek to help flood control, Schneider said that the proposed protection will not hinder these flow regimes. Instead, it can restore riparian areas allowing farmers to continue growing their crops and stay viable, he continued.

Farmers in the town of Capay cultivate organic crops including tomatoes, corn, sunflowers and wheat.

According to Moir, a healthy ecosystem comes from an "interaction of geomorphic and hydrologic systems," which requires a holistic approach. A truly natural ecosystem has a natural fluid regime, something that is not accomplished by dams. Rivers with dams have flows that are more geometric, thus resulting in less variability.

However, he said that fishermen often love dams, which can provide a year-round release of cold water that alleviates the negative effects of elevated water temperatures in the hot summer months. Water temperatures rising to a level detrimental to fish survival increases the risk of fish migration, resulting in less success for fishermen.

Moir also said that dams create more negative than positive effects in terms of the ecosystem as a whole.

Dams block fish passage, coarsen substrate - the rocks that form the riverbed - and interrupt the natural flow regimes of water. Preventing fish from swimming downstream means they cannot reach their spawning habitats.

According to Moir, fish also require a certain amount of smaller sediment to spawn that is not present in streams near dams. The flow of larger substrate is blocked, but sand and silt still flow downstream, causing a net coarsening effect of the streambed. Changing a river's flow regime decreases the survival rates of fish that evolved in respect to a natural flow.

Dams also limit the occurrence of huge increases in flow due to storms, which often benefit the habitat by mobilizing sediment. Moir noted that liberating finer sediment is correlated with the mortality of fish embryos. In addition, it loosens substrate that can become too compacted for fish to break the surface of during spawning.

Interest in protecting Cache Creek began in 2002, with the Davis-based California Wilderness Coalition. They worked on a "massive piece of legislature" to protect wilderness areas for studies, salmon restoration and wildlife conservation. It included Cache Creek, but was not very successful, Schramski said.

U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer and Rep. Mike Thompson are also working on legislation to protect Cache Creek.

Cache Creek Wild's mission is to preserve Cache Creek so that it can be explored and enjoyed in the future.

"If you don't have [a] vision, then you're never going to make it," Schneider said.

For more information on Cache Creek, visit tuleyome.org. To learn about hiking in this region, visit yolohiker.org.

© Copyright 2004 by The California Aggie