County staff brief committee on draft water‑quality conditions for FERC relicensing; Merced Irrigation District opposes conditions

County staff updated the committee on work related to the Merced River FERC relicensing and the county’s draft water‑quality certification conditions. Staff said fisheries agencies and several environmental NGOs generally supported the county’s proposed conditions. The Merced Irrigation District (MID) submitted an extensive response opposing the county’s recommended conditions and asked the county to deny the water‑quality certification application without prejudice, which would effectively restart the relicensing schedule.

Staff told the committee that the core dispute centers on water‑diversion timing and the amount of instream flow MID would provide for fish and habitat. MID has proposed pursuing a voluntary agreement intended to provide some habitat improvements without changing current diversion practices to the extent the fisheries agencies want. Staff said the federal fisheries agencies and many NGOs are skeptical of a voluntary‑agreement approach; the state and the governor have expressed support for voluntary agreements in some basins, complicating negotiations.

The county will be involved in further responses and expects the relicensing schedule to continue into the next year; staff cited a target date in late May of the following year for key filings and hearings. Committee members were advised that the county will engage in the process and that additional public outreach and comment could follow as the relicensing process continues.

Why it matters: the relicensing and water‑quality certification decisions determine long‑term river operations, habitat protections and recreation conditions on the Merced River; disagreements between MID and fisheries authorities could extend the process and affect timing for related trail and river projects.