Purpose: To lease surface water in Scott Valley as a means of improving instream flows for salmon and steelhead by paying fair compensation to water right holders for the temporary instream use of all or part of their water use.
Goal: To improve stream flow for salmon and steelhead at critical periods of their life cycles in the Scott River stream system while economically protecting Scott Valley’s family farms and ranches.
Need: The Scott River and its tributaries support several species of anadromous fish: Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and steelhead trout. During late summer, low water levels may limit suitable rearing habitat for over-summering juvenile coho and steelhead. In the fall, low stream flow can prevent adult Chinook and coho salmon from accessing prime spawning areas in Scott Valley.
Locations: Priority streams and reaches where water leases can improve stream flows are identified in Scott Valley based on stream habitat surveys. For summer, the priority creeks are: Shackleford/Mill, French, Patterson, East Fork, and South Fork. Scott River is the fall priority.
Water Option: Leasing water from agricultural users in specific areas of Scott Valley through a voluntary incentive program is the preferred option to improve flows. Purchase will also be considered, but it is important to protect the local agricultural economy by not removing land permanently from production (as might occur with fallowing). Water efficiency projects, such as replacing ditches with pipelines, are conducted by others, not the Trust.
Water Rights: Only water will be acquired, not rights. Water right holders will retain their rights and will leave water in the streams based on legal methods under the three decrees. Lease period can be weeks, months, years. A forbearance agreement is the method currently being used.
Funding: Sources include grants from private foundations as well as state and federal agencies and vary from year to year. The long-term intent is to develop a self-sustaining fund, with expenditures deriving from the interest accrued on the principle (similar to the Scott Valley Scholarship Fund).
Farm/Ranch Benefits: Fair, financial compensation will be given to the water right holder for the measured amount of legal water being returned instream after agreement is reached.
Fish Benefits: Streams with marginal flows will improve immediately with the added flow, creating better habitat for salmon and steelhead to flourish.
Organization: The Trust obtained nonprofit 501(c)(3) status as a private organization in 2009. A Board of Directors and an Advisory Committee oversee the operations and management of the Scott River Water Trust Program. The Siskiyou Resource Conservation District is a partner and fiscal agent for several grants. The Siskiyou Institute was also a fiscal agent through 2009.
