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Message RIVERWATCHEL DORADO COUNTY’SAPPLICATION FORWATER RIGHTS BY CLYDE MACDONALD, SARA’SWATER FORUM REPRESENTATIVEThe State of California has aprocess whereby rights to waterfrom rivers and streams are issuedby a state board, the State WaterResources Control Board. The El Dorado County WaterAgency, which is upstream fromSacramento, has filed for 40,000acre-feet of water from theAmerican River System. If stackedon a football field, this water wouldbe nearly six miles high, a largeamount of water. If this filing is approved by the StateBoard, there will be less water in theSouth Fork of the American, which isthe most popular whitewater areaA publication from Save the American River AssociationVOLUME 64 • ISSUE 01WINTER 2025Keep Sailor Bar Wild ForeverBY JODI KINGSailor Bar is home to a variety of wild species that live and hunt inthe riparian habitat along the Lower American River Parkway,nestled in the Bohemian town of Fair Oaks. It is a sacred spaceloved by many. To truly appreciate and understand its gifts, onemust spend time in this magical landscape. The sounds of trafficand the concerns of daily life seem a world away.Naturally, when residents discovered the County's plan to allowpublic vehicular traffic on the pedestrian and equestrian trailsmeandering through Sailor Bar, there was an outcry. At thebeginning of 2024, many were outraged that no public notice oroutreach had been provided. Visitors to Sailor Bar noticed newlyinstalled parking signs and work being done on the gravel roads.The community was ready for a fight.In response to inquiries, Liz Bellas, Director of Sacramento CountyParks and Recreation, explained that the trails (gravel roads) hadbeen open to public vehicular traffic until 2009 when budget cutsled to their closure. She stated that reopening the gravel roads tovehicles was not a new project, but rather deferred maintenance.Therefore, there was no significant environmental impact, andmitigation strategies were not required. Bellas explained that allowing vehicular traffic would improveaccessibility for people, including those with mobility challenges,to reach the river. She used a forecast that the 60 + age group isset to increase to over 25% by 2050 to justify the need forvehicular transportation on the gravel roads.Photo by Michele DodgeContinued on page 2Continued on page 3IN THIS ISSUEWaterbird Habitat Project American River TreesSuggests 2025 Will Be aPivotal Year for the ParkwayIn MemoriamThank you from Preserve theAmerican RiverPAGE 3PAGE 4PAGE 5PAGE 6

A Quiet Place for All to EnjoyDoesn’t everyone deserve theopportunity to enjoy a peaceful,natural environment where theycan hear the birds calling, inhalethe fresh scents of the river, watchsalmon spawning, and marvel atthe breathtaking river views?Imagine resting in the shade ofmajestic oak trees along the trails,free from the noise and danger ofmotor vehicle traffic.HOW YOU CAN HELPYour support is essential ininfluencing and educating Countydecision-makers to keep theAmerican River Parkway wild andscenic for everyone to enjoy. Keepnature in! Keep cars out!With the guidance and unwavering support of Betsy Weiland and the SaveAmerican River Association, a grassroots community effort was launched,now known as The Friends of Sailor Bar. More than 5,100 people from Sacramento County and beyond have signeda petition to protect wildlife from motor vehicle traffic. The Friends ofSailor Bar, along with leaders from the Sacramento Sierra Club,Sacramento Audubon Society, California Chapter of Trout Unlimited,Back Country Horsemen of Public Lands, the Motherlode, American RiverParkway Volunteer Equestrian Trail Patrol, the Sacramento CountyDisability Advisory Commission, the California Council for the Blind, andmany citizens, submitted correspondence to the Parks Director andCounty elected officials in opposition to opening the interior of Sailor Barto motor vehicles.Compelling Reasons for Keeping Motor Vehicles Out of Sailor BarSeveral compelling reasons were shared with County officials—both inwriting and in public meetings—on why public motor vehicles should bekept out of Sailor Bar’s interior:Wildlife Protection: Sailor Bar is home to a diverse range of wildlife.Squirrels, snakes, rabbits, and other small animals frequently rest onthe gravel roads. These animals play an essential role in the thrivingfood chain of the wildlife along the American River. Deer, otters,beavers, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, wild birds, anadromous fish, andother species thrive in this habitat.Adherence to the American River Parkway Plan Guidelines: Chapter 8of the American River Parkway Plan specifically states:"Vehicular travel in the Parkway shall be strictly limited. However,access roads for autos are appropriate to certain fishing and boatlaunching locations and in Developed Recreation Areas" The gravelroads in Sailor Bar are in Protected Areas, not Developed RecreationAreas. Access for fishing and boat launching is already available bymotor vehicle at Sailor Bar.a."Existing unpaved and dirt roadways within the Parkway may beused for maintenance, emergency, and management access.Unnecessary roadways shall be restored to a naturalistic conditionappropriate to the area."b."To protect natural values and provide maximum recreationalopportunities, vehicular travel in the Parkway shall be strictlylimited. Vehicular access points should be perpendicular to theriver rather than parallel to it, and roads should not cut throughnatural areas or dissect wildlife corridors."c.Contradiction with Parkway Guidelines: Allowing motor vehicle trafficwould directly contradict the guidelines of the American River ParkwayPlan. The gravel road on the west side of the Parkway that the Countyplans to reopen runs parallel to the river, cutting through vital wildlifecorridors. It was a wise decision to close the interior gravel roads tomotor vehicle traffic, as evidenced by the quality of the visitorexperience at Sailor Bar today.Criminal Activity: Criminal activity was rampant when motor vehicleswere allowed. Neighbors reported personal experiences andeyewitness accounts of sexual assault, battery on peace officers,stolen vehicles, vandalism, broken glass, large appliances, animalcarcasses, and drug paraphernalia being discarded. Large, drunkenparties and reckless driving were common. These incidents wereconfirmed by the County’s incident reports from 2001 to 2006.Changes in Current Use: Since the closure of the roads 15 years ago,Sailor Bar has become a peaceful haven. Families, seniors, people withdisabilities, equestrians, dog walkers, bicyclists, and others rely on thegravel roads for recreation, free from the hazards of motor vehicles.Sailor Bar has also become a mecca for photographers and birdwatchers. PAGE 2 • WINTER 2025SAILOR BARContinued from page 1Visit sarariverwatch.org/protect_sailor_bar: Sign andshare the petition and make adonation.Request Protect Sailor Baryard signs: EmailProtectSailorBar@yahoo.comPurchase a Friends of SailorBar hat ($18 each): EmailProtectSailorBar@yahoo.comJoin the Sailor Bar email listfor updates: EmailProtectSailorBar@Yahoo.comor contact Jodi King at916-837-4159Be a voice for nature: EmailCounty representatives. SeeSARA Web site for contacts.Photo by Jim CunninghamSARARIVERWATCH.ORG

WATERBIRD HABITAT PROJECTby Andrea Willey, MD Just one year ago, a Great Blue Heron hung itself in a tree on the American River after swallowing a fishhook attached to fishing line. This death was not in vain, as it led to the discovery of decades of accumulated fishing gear in the river. The Waterbird Habitat Project wasestablished to locate and remove accumulated gear from the watersand shores of the American River. Equally important is raising awareness of this challenging problem tokeep waterbirds and other wildlife that inhabit the waters free fromfishing gear injuries. In the past year, we have retrieved over 1000abandoned hooks, lures, lead weights, and reels of line from the river.With the support of Emigh’s Hardware and Sacramento CountyParks, informational signs and fishing line recycling receptacles havebeen installed in high-risk areas where a high density of waterbirdsand other wildlife live in close proximity to heavy angling activity. A free snag retrieval service is also offered to anglers who snag theirgear on logs and plants beneath the surface using a QR code toreport gear so it is not left behind. Recreationists also report wildlifeinjured by abandoned gear, which has led to their successful rescueand release. Several high-risk areas have been identified and we areworking towards permanent solutions in those areas. With the help of the River City Waterway Alliance, American RiverLost and Found, and many volunteers, more than 9,000 pounds ofprimrose were manually removed from around the fishing deck atWilliam Pond where gear accumulates regularly. We are also workingto relocate logs that regularly snag gear away from casting areas sowaterbirds, turtles, and otters can safely bask on them. Volunteers and friends of the Waterbird Habitat Project play anessential role, pitching in to keep gear off the shores and keep ourwild and scenic river thriving! Follow us on Facebook to get involvedand look out for our website coming soon. For more informationrelated to the Project, reach Andrea at her email,waterbirdhabitat@icloud.com. Donations to the Waterbird HabitatProject can be made through saccreeks.org.in the state. Flows in the LowerAmerican River through theAmerican River Parkway will alsobe lower. Water temperaturesin the Lower American River willbe higher, adversely affectingsalmon and steelhead(steelhead are a listed species). Using a water right law that isalmost 100 years old, El Doradois asking the State Board togrant El Dorado water rightsthat are superior to most of thecities and water districts thatobtain water from the AmericanRiver. In a serious drought, ElDorado would have very reliablewater supplies, all at theexpense of the other waterusers. Most of the impact would be tothe City of Sacramento’s rightson the American River, rightsthe City has had for over sixtyyears. If this filing is approved,new houses in El Dorado wouldhave a water right priority overhouses in Sacramento, whichwas founded in 1849. In harddroughts, this would putSacramento’s shrubs and treesat risk. The reservoirs that El Doradowants to get water from werepaid for by people inSacramento. El Dorado is notproposing to compensate theCity for lost water supplyreliability. SARA and the EnvironmentalCouncil of Sacramento (ECOS)submitted comments on theDraft Environmental ImpactReport (DEIR) in January.EL DORADO WATERContinued from page 1PAGE 3 • WINTER 2025SARARIVERWATCH.ORG

The American River Trees group formed atthe end of 2023 when we first learned of theU.S. Army Corps of Engineers project fromHowe Ave to the Mayhew Drain. We werequick to mobilize, diving into research andspreading the word to inform the communitywhen the Corps failed to provide sufficientpublic outreach. Before the close of thepublic comment period in February 2024, weencouraged and aided the community insubmitting more than 1,900 comments!SARA’s support helped to delay the project. In 2024, we…Wrote hundreds of letters to electedofficials and influential players,expressing project concerns andrequesting meetingsProvided public comments at publicmeetings held by the Central Valley FloodProtection Board and the SacramentoFlood Control AgencyMade our concerns known toCongresswoman Doris Matusi andCongressman Dr. Ami BeraWere featured in news articles and TVbroadcastsStaffed booths at several communityevents and gave presentations tocommunity groupsOrganized letter-writing parties, zoomcalls, and educational river tours Gathered more than 2,300 petitionsignatures! What’s next for 2025?We anticipate the Corps releasing their FinalSupplemental Environmental Impact Statement/Subsequent Environmental Impact Report aroundApril. That report is supposed to address the 1,900+comments submitted. The content of the final reportwill determine our next actions. Vegetation clearingcould begin in Fall 2025. What you can expect from ART next year…More community events, including river tours!Emails with project updates and announcements. Opportunities to write letters to influentialplayers, attend public meetings to show yourconcernsWe are most grateful for SARA’s continued support.Working together, we CAN achieve a Win-Win-Winoutcome: Erosion control + Flood Protection + a Wildand Scenic American River, of which we can all beproud for generations to come! For moreinformation, visit americanrivertrees.org. AMERICAN RIVER TREES SUGGESTS 2025 WILL BE PIVOTAL FOR THE PARKWAYBy Pete SpauldingWORKING TOGETHER,WE CAN ACHIEVE A WIN-WIN-WIN OUTCOME:EROSION CONTROL +FLOOD PROTECTION + A WILD AND SCENICAMERICAN RIVERPAGE 4 • WINTER 2025SARARIVERWATCH.ORGOn January 8, ART Steering Committee members toured portions of theContract 3B sites with staff from Congresswoman Doris Matsui’s Sacramentooffice.

I N M E M O R I A MSave the American RiverAssociation has receiveddonations in memory of thefollowing friends:Nelly and Willie BertschiPatty BetkerDoug DempsterBill DillingerEric R. GerstungMolly JohnsonHoward LeachJerry C. MitchellJerry PieperWilliam B. PondEldon Lee RaberHoward RossCarl SweetSARA frequently receivesdonations in memory of lostloved ones, many of whom wereusers and supporters of theAmerican River Parkway. Somedonors give names. Othersprefer to remain anonymous.SARA notifies family memberswhen donations are made. Themoney is used to further SARA’sadvocacy work on behalf of theParkway.Contributions may be made bycheck or online via SARA’s Website. SARA also has a Legacyprogram. For information on theprogram, please contact theSARA office.Kieran & Martha FitzpatrickRay & Glenda GarciaAnne GeraghtyStephen GreenKay & Hugh GriffinJeff & Debbie GualcoFinn GustafsonElaine HagopianStephen K. HallDavid HarlowShawn HarrisonAlison Harvey & Dave LoeraJill A. HaslamMark HenryJohn HerveyPhilip & Karen HodgkinsDiane & Julian HoltRon & Carol HoopsMary JonesNancy & James JoyeKathy KaynerLevon KazarianPam KennedyPeggy KennedyThomas KidwellJodi KingClaudia KirkpatrickJoseph & Shannon KlunNancy KniskernGary KukkolaKaren & Peter KunstlerBill LaineAshley Langdon in honor of Dylan and Rhys LangdonDr. Jeri M. LanghamMarianne LeachSusan LehmanCharles LindquistSteven MaviglioJames & Sandy McAdler in honor of Warren TruittJohn & Patsy Mc Intosh SARARIVERWATCH.ORGSARA MEMBERSHIP DONATIONSJ UL Y - DE C EM B ER 20 2 4American River Raft RentalsAmerican River Trail PatrolBotanica Village ApothecaryCalifornia Fly Fishers UnlimitedSacramento Bike HikersSARA appreciates the support of our generous members. Without yoursupport, SARA would not be able to continue our role as Guardians of theAmerican River and Parkway since 1961. New and renewing members are listed inRiverWatch according to their preference (indicated on the SARA membership/renewal form).Clifford AndersonCatherine ApkerMonique Ardell GoodgerMike & Toni ArnoldJohn BakerMark BakerPaul BarthKatie & Noah BaygellVictoria BeckRonald BeecherFrederick BeiderbeckeMark BerryGeorge & Sharon BertschRuth Ann BertschShannon BetkerLois BiehlerGeraldine BigelowDebra BishopSusan BlacksherRobert Bernstein & Helen HernandezCheryl Bly-ChesterJohn BorkovichJanice BrialShelly BrombergLea Brooks & Skip AmerineDick & Marsha BuchenMary Ellen CarboniSteve & Jarmila CarrieMichael & Betty ChapmanJanice ChungRick CodinaKelly CohenCaroline CornwellWm. David DawsonNorene DeBruyckerRobert Dell'AgostinoSergio DiazEllen Dillinger & Richard WoodWilliam Patterson & Doris BrownRobin DurstonCharles & Matilde EggletonJason EllisJohn FitzpatrickContinued on page 7PAGE 5 • WINTER 2025

Your unwavering support is the heart of Preservethe American River! Thanks to you, we’re makingtremendous strides in our mission to “Stop theFill” of the former Kassis property and protect thenatural beauty and values of the American RiverParkway.Your participation at events like the Family FallFestival and your emailed public comments havebeen instrumental in strengthening our cause.Together, we are part of a growing regional effortto preserve this incredible resource for futuregenerations.Let’s celebrate our achievements:Our petition is nearing an impressive 5,000signatures—and growing!The Family Fall Festival was a hit, with morethan 600 attendees enjoying music,educational displays, and inspiring speakerswho shared why we all cherish our Wild &Scenic American River and want to “Keep HerWild!”CBS News coverage was great! YOUR VOICE IS CRUCIAL!In January, Trumark Development threatened the City of Rancho Cordova with a lawsuit forupholding its rules. We must encourage the Cityto stay strong in upholding its decision toprohibit development in the designatedfloodway. Advocate for responsible developmenton the upper tier, outside the designatedfloodway, while ensuring public easements andvital wildlife habitats are preserved.THANK YOU FROM PRESERVE THEAMERICAN RIVERBy Brenda Gustin, Preserve the American RiverEncourage the City of Rancho Cordova tostay strong in upholding its decision toprohibit development in the designatedfloodway. Advocate for responsibledevelopment on the upper tier, outside thedesignated floodway, while ensuringpublic easements and vital wildlife habitatsare preserved..Drone footage of the former Kassis property - courtesy of Carl SalmonsenLet’s keep up the momentum! We stand for safe,affordable, and sustainable housing withoutcompromising the Parkway we all love. Visit ourwebsite at preservetheamericanriver.org to sendthree critical emails, share the petition, andinvest:Thank the City of Rancho Cordova for theirOctober 2023 Consistency Review andencourage them to stay the course despite thedeveloper’s continuing disregard.1.Request the Central Valley Flood ProtectionBoard deny Trumark’s variance and upholdTitle 23 prohibiting year-round dwellings in anAdopted Plan of Flood Control.2.Share our petition with friends and family tosign and send these emails.3.Invest in preservation that will be matched100% and is tax-deductible.4. Together, let’s “Stop the Fill” and create safe,responsibly built, affordable housing withoutcompromising the Parkway’s irreplaceablenatural legacy. Thank you for your passion, yourvoice, and your action. Keep going!SARARIVERWATCH.ORGPAGE 6 • WINTER 2025

Where to Purchase Your Parks Pass:*Senior discount passes must be purchasedin person at the County Parks office.Discount applies to ages 65 or older andmust have proof of age at time of purchase.Marilyn PearceDennis PhilippartSylvia PritchettRalph PropperTim RaganAlan Rhodes & Tracy KolingerA. Ellison RumseyLeland H. RuthDarryl SchmidtMarchetta SchneiderM B SchwehrLynn SealKathryn ShurtleffMichael & Chris SilverChristopher SmithFelix SmithJean SnuggsTerry SnyderSusan Solarz & Bruce NotareusJone McCarthyVince & Linda McDonaldDan MeierMary Beth & Bob MetcalfJennifer MillerSara MillerEric MilsteinEleanor MitchellRichard MooreUrsula & Kevin MorgensternHoward & Lianne MoseleyMaren & Mo NasseriJanice NielsenKelly & Janet Nimtz in honor of Sara StephensTim NolanGeorge NybergKaren OlsonMichael O’SullivanStewart PatrignaniS A R A M E M B E R S H I P D O N A T I O N S ( C O N T I N U E D )J U L Y - D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 4SUPPORT COUNTY PARKSBuy An Annual PassFor as little as $70 per year, you can have unlimited access and parking in the parks. All funds go directlytowards maintaining and operating the 15,000-acre system. Pass holders receive free daily entry into Regional Parks and annual passes are valid for one year from the dateof purchase.Pass Fees Are Based On Use:Vehicle: $70Vehicle + Trailer/Boat/RV: $130Senior Citizen Vehicle*: $35Senior Citizen Vehicle +Trailer/Boat/RV*: $65Online thro ugh the Cou nty'sPurchasing Portal : Effie Yeaw Nature Center at AncilHoffman ParkRegional Park offices and parkkiosksMail in a completed Parks AnnualPass Applicatio n to: Parks Passes,10361 Rockingham Dr, SacramentoCA. 95827https://govhub.com/sacramento/regionalparks Judy SohlPete SpauldingCarl SteinCheryl StewartMary E. TappelMargaret TaylorJoshua ThomasSharon ThomsonCrystal TobiasWarren TruittChristie VallanceTom Wardell in honor of Andrea WilleyFred & Betsy WeilandAndrea WilleyShiomi WilsonDaniel WinkelmanLeo & Brenda WinternitzTom & Diane WoodruffDonald & Gloria YostPAGE 7 • WINTER 2025SARARIVERWATCH.ORG

S A V E T H E A M E R I C A N R I V E R A S S O C I A T I O N8836 Greenback Lane, Suite COrangevale, CA 95662 Phone: 916-716-7429Email: info@sarariverwatch.orgwww.sarariverwatch.orgR E T U R N S E R V I C E R E Q U E S T E D$ Name: My gift to SARA is a:Guardians of the American River andParkway Since 1961O F F I C E R SD I R E C T O R SA D V I S O R Y C O U N C I LV O L U N T E E R S & S T A F FNON PROFITU.S. POSTAGEPAIDPERMIT 922SACRAMENTO, CAWarren Truitt - PresidentMark Berry - Vice PresidentMary Beth Metcalf - TreasurerJoe Cadelago - SecretaryKelly CohenBrenda GustinFelix Smith,Director EmeritusAlan WadeElke GuenterJim MorganTim ViallEric WebbBetsy WeilandDan BacherDavid ClarkAl FreitasGary KukkolaDave LydickMaria Rea, Water ForumScott RynearsonRon StorkDavid Thesell Dan WinkelmanAnne BaronMaxine ClarkCallie HurdPam LapinskiClyde Macdonald, Water ForumRandy SmithMichele StevensRon SuterCrystal TobiasLeo WinternitzBetsy WeilandVolunteer Coordinator Sara StephensOffice ManagerM E M B E R S H I P A N D C O N T R I B U T I O N SRenewal New Membership Non Membership DonationMemorial - In Memory of (Name): May we publish your name as a SARA member in a future RiverWatch issue?(Contribution amount will not be included) Yes No, thank youPlease provide credit card info below or go to our secure Web site to donate: sarariverwatch.org -VISA, Mastercard, AmEx or Discover acceptedPlease indicate your total contributionThe following membership categories are suggested:$10-24 Student$50 + Supporting$250 + Business$25-49 Regular$100 + Family$1,000 + SustainingCheck Credit CardAddress: City, State, ZIP:Credit Card #:Security Code:Expiration Date: Phone:Email:Please send me information on SARA’s legacy program