San Luis Obispo County is appealing a court ruling to discharge more water from Lopez Lake to help endangered steelhead trout.
In December, a federal judge sided with environmental groups who sued the County for reportedly violating the Endangered Species Act through mismanaging the dam. The judge issued an order requiring enough water to be released into Arroyo Grande Creek to support the trout’s migration and spawning.
Now, county officials are pushing back, arguing the water releases could deplete the reservoir during droughts.
District 4 Supervisor Jimmy Paulding said keeping a surplus is crucial for dry years. He hopes to reach a compromise through a settlement.
“In a time of drought, we wouldn't have that reserve that we need, and the South County region relies on Lopez Reservoir as a key source of water,” Paulding said. “So, we need to balance the environmental issues here with the steelhead trout with our water supply needs.”
Chris Sproul, an attorney for San Luis Obispo Coastkeeper, one of the groups suing, said in a statement that the County’s decision to pursue “aggressive litigation” will be a “losing effort” that spends a “large sum of taxpayer dollars.”
The case moves to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
