Disclaimer: Citizen volunteers who love the Wild and Scenic American River Parkway are providing information as well as advocating action based on our opinions and to the best of our knowledge and abilities. You are responsible for informing yourself and drawing your own conclusions. (Full Disclaimer below).

AMERICAN RIVER TREES

LATEST ACTIONS

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUING SUPPORT!! YOUR VOICES ARE BEING HEARD!!

Thank you for writing hundreds of letters to the Army Corps of Engineers opposing the destructive “erosion” work under Contract 3B! The Army Corps is reviewing 900 emails! Your letters helped influence Sacramento Regional Parks to write a stronger letter to the Army Corps. They reached Supervisor Desmond and Congressman Dr. Ami Bera! Keep writing your leaders! (Additional addresses and suggestions are further below).

* LATEST ACTIONS *

On April 8th there was a public meeting held with Ami Bera and some Army Corps (USACE) staff to “discuss” the project details. While USACE shared a lot of information, there were several claims made that conflict with the data presented to the public. We’ve summarized a handful of these in the below bullets. Please keep this information in mind as you discuss this project with elected officials, the media, neighbors, family, and others.

Although USACE claimed they must design for 160,000 cfs, current SAFCA environmental and planning documents state that 115,000 cfs design will be sufficient to manage for 200-year flood events after the Folsom Dam Raise Project is complete in 2027.
Although USACE claimed that riprap is required to prevent erosion in all areas of contract 3B, the data (hydrology, permissible shear, and flow) they have presented indicates that adding round river cobble and new plantings to augment existing trees would provide sufficient protection during flow velocities expected at 160,000 cfs.
Although USACE claimed that the erosion that has occurred on the new planting benches near Sac State is “superficial”, this erosion is exposing riprap, and is happening under normal winter rainfall, and could prevent vegetation from fully returning.
Although USACE claimed that previous revegetation efforts in 2011 and near Sac State in 2001 and River Park have been successful, closer observation reveals a bushy low-diversity mix often dominated by willows and lacking most of the original shade-tree overstory of oaks, tall cottonwoods, alders, and Oregon ash. Most notable is the heavy riprap dominating the water’s edge and also the compacted forest floor, making the shore inaccessible to small watercraft and the forest inhospitable to wildlife.
Although USACE claimed they have designed their projects to spare most of the heritage oaks in the contract 3B footprint, their documents have misidentified and undercounted the oaks, have failed to identify exactly how and which oaks will be saved, have failed to consider the necessary root protection zones, and have failed to identify the further damaging construction access ramps in their footprints.
Although USACE claimed they have worked with environmental and resource agencies to make their designs consistent with environmental laws, Sacramento County Regional Parks wrote in their comment letter that the 2023 Draft SEIS/SEIR is inconsistent with the American River Parkway Plan and therefore also the Wild and Scenic River definition.
Although USACE claimed they are addressing “recreation short term impacts,” they have ignored the short- and long-term effects on the small beaches, social trails, and access points for small watercraft.

KEEP SCROLLING FOR MORE SUGGESTED ACTIONS

OTHER ON-GOING ACTIONS YOU CAN DO

* KEEP WRITING LETTERS TO MORE LEADERS *

If you wrote a comment to the Army Corps and didn't already include the leaders below, you can magnify your impact by forwarding your original comment to any or all of them (or write the suggested new short paragraph directly to them).

Copy the email addresses below into the "To" line. A short intro text is provided for you to copy as well. And as always, thank you!

Forward Your USACE Comment To County Supervisors:

All county supervisors also serve on the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency.

To: RichDesmond@saccounty.gov, PatHume@saccounty.gov, SupervisorKennedy@saccounty.gov, SupervisorSerna@saccounty.gov, SupervisorFrost@saccounty.gov
Intro text: Dear Supervisors Desmond, Hume, Kennedy, Serna, and Frost:

Thank you for your service on the SAFCA Board and Board of Supervisors. We greatly appreciate your support of past, true improvements in flood safety for Sacramento. However, we ask that you please influence the Army Corps of Engineers to withdraw the unnecessary “erosion” methods being proposed in “Contract 3B and 4B”. These methods would destroy the Crown Jewel of Sacramento, and could actually make us LESS SAFE for years to come.

Forward Your USACE Comment To Members of Congress:

Members of Congress have important influence on federal agencies, including the Army Corps.

To: casework_padilla@padilla.senate.gov, casework@Butler.senate.gov, repamibera@mail.house.gov, Matthew.Ceccato@mail.house.gov, George.Hatamiya@mail.house.gov, casework.katieporter@mail.house.gov
Intro text: Dear U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Laphonza Butler and U.S. Representatives Dr. Ami Bera, Honorable Doris Matsui, and Katie Porter:

Thank you for securing past funding for true improvements in flood safety for Sacramento. Your efforts are deeply appreciated. Please do not let your legacy be tarnished by the unnecessary "erosion" methods being proposed in the Army Corps of Engineers "Contract 3B and 4B”. These methods would destroy the Crown Jewel of Sacramento, and could actually make us LESS SAFE, for years to come.

Forward Your USACE Comment To Parks / Resources Representatives:

To reach different parks and natural resources agencies, we suggest sending several separate emails to leaders from different agencies.

To (Group #1): BellasE@saccounty.net, SorgenKC@saccounty.gov
To (Group #2): Susan_Rosebrough@nps.gov, Barbara_Rice@nps.gov, hbwillia44@gmail.com
To (Group #3): Meghan.Hertel@resources.ca.gov, Susan_Rosebrough@nps.gov
Intro text: Dear Parks/Resources Leaders:

Thank you for your role in protecting our treasured Federal and State designated Wild and Scenic American River and Parkway. We ask that you do everything in your power to influence the Army Corps of Engineers to withdraw the unnecessary “erosion” methods being proposed in “Contract 3B and 4B”. These methods would destroy the Crown Jewel of Sacramento, and are unnecessary for true flood safety improvement, and could actually make us LESS SAFE for years to come. This Wild and Scenic area should be preserved as part of the President's America the Beautiful directive to all federal agencies, and California's 30x30 strategy.