San Luis Obispo County pushed back on a judge’s decision requiring Lopez Dam to release more water into Arroyo Grande Creek for steelhead trout and other threatened species.
“We think that the court ordered water releases will not only significantly impact the South County’s water supply, which includes our ability to combat fire, but will also likely have negative impacts on the steelhead trout and other species, especially during prolonged periods of drought,” 4th District Supervisor Jimmy Paulding told New Times.
On Jan. 31, the county appealed the court’s Nov. 27, 2024, ruling in a lawsuit filed against San Luis Obispo County over claims of insufficient flows from Lopez Dam into Arroyo Grande Creek for steelhead trout. The court-ordered releases would result in Lopez Lake completely running out of water during seasons of drought, according to the county.
On Aug. 13, 2024, San Luis Obispo Coastkeeper, Los Padres ForestWatch, California Coastkeeper Alliance, and the Ecological Rights Foundation filed their lawsuit against the county alleging that several endangered and threatened species in the Arroyo Grande Creek watershed are in jeopardy because of the way the county manages Lopez Dam. These include the South-Central California Coast steelhead trout and the California red-legged frog.
Paulding said he hopes all parties can enter into a settlement agreement instead of going through a “lengthy and expensive trial” so the county can focus on completing its Habitat Conservation Plan for the species in question.
“Let us go through the proper process here. We’re going to expedite it, we’ll do everything we can,” he said. “Let’s use that as the process to address any potential issues to endangered species, not ligation.”
According to SLO County Public Works Department Public Information Specialist Shelly Cone, the county is preparing the final necessary studies to submit a complete Habitat Conservation Plan application to the National Marine Fisheries Service.
“The county anticipated having all of the final studies completed for submission within two years,” Cone said. Δ
Editor’s note: This article was updated to include an image and links.
This article appears in Health & Wellness 2025.