Post-Audit of New Melones Dam, Central Valley Project, Stanislaus River, California

A thesis submitted to the faculty of San Francisco State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in Geography.  Summary:  “This study compares the actual impacts of New Melones Dam and Reservoir to those predicted in the environmental review documents. The post-audit method serves as the framework for examining each of the multi-purpose project’s benefits: enhancement of the fishery and water quality; provision of water supply, flood control and reservoir recreation; and hydropower generation. To identify the changes resulting from the project, interviews were conducted with the people managing the dam and reservoir, other agency representatives involved in Stanislaus River issues, and people affected by the project. A preliminary Geographic Information Systems (GIS) assessment of downstream land use changes showed an increase in urban uses and a shift toward higher value crops, such as orchards, along the lower Stanislaus River. As the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation attempts to create a Long-Term Operating Plan for New Melones, the pervading opinion is that there is inadequate water to serve all the project purposes and to satisfy all of the stakeholders.”