A federal judge has blocked San Luis Obispo County’s attempt to delay changes to water flows at Lopez Dam. It’s the latest win for environmentalist groups in a court battle over endangered steelhead trout.
This new injunction orders the County to submit a plan for releasing water from Lopez Dam into lower Arroyo Grande Creek by Dec. 23. The County must implement the plan no later than Jan. 15.
The County sought to delay the process by up to several years, according to court documents. It wants the supply for drinking water.
However, a judge called delays “unwarranted,” stating that the County’s concerns about having enough time to obtain permits from other agencies don’t outweigh the “harm endured by steelhead for years.”
Chris Sproul is an attorney for San Luis Obispo Coastkeeper, one of the environmental groups that sued the County.
“We really hope that the County will get the message loud and clear from the court that the court has lost patience with the County's delay tactics, and the County should implement what the court has required,” Sproul said.
The County of San Luis Obispo declined to comment to KCBX.
The next step is for the County to develop a detailed plan, including how much water will be released and when. The plan must meet the injunction’s requirements for steelhead migration and spawning periods.
