SETTLEMENT FINALLY ACHIEVED!
The Settlement is before FERC and we are awaiting a decision.

Mill Creek is the third largest tributary to Mono Lake. A significant amount of its flow (roughly 70%) is diverted through a power plant. Currently, virtually none of this water is returned to the creek, causing significant damage to Mill Creek's wildlife, streamside forest, and delta. Although water right holders use a portion of this unreturned water, much of it never reaches Mill Creek simply because there is no effective way to get it there.

After years of negotiations, a Settlement Agreement and Explanatory Statement were submitted on February 4th, 2005 to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that addresses the FERC relicensing issues of the Lundy Hydropower Project. The settlement includes a minimum release from Lundy Reservoir, a conveyance facility that can carry excess unused water from the powerhouse back to Mill Creek, and an annual water management planning process.

Signatories to the negotiated settlement are the United States Forest Service, Southern California Edison, American Rivers, CalTrout, Bureau of Land Management, California Department of Fish and Game, and the Mono Lake Committee.

Thanks for letting FERC hear that you support the settlement! There was a 90-day comment period ending May 12th 2005 during which time they accepted comments from the public.

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Last Updated January 04, 2005 Copyright © 1996-2005, Mono Lake Committee. (how to contact us)