Riverside, CA – Riverside County, San Bernardino County and Orange County Departments of Public Works along with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers may soon face a claim for environmental damages. The case is expected to be brought by the Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity in partnership with global environmental group CDP. The organizations are suing over outflows from the Seven Oaks Dam that started on May 11, 2019 and resulted high sediment levels the organizations are claiming disrupted the spawning activity of the sucker fish which populate the Santa Ana River as it runs through Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. CPD is claiming the outflows overwhelmed the fishes’ foraging grounds with muck and debris. The flow purportedly damaged the fishes’ food supply and smothered their eggs. The flow lasted several days, and the water remained murky for about three months. The Seven Oaks Dam is located northeast of Redlands in San Bernardino County.
Header Photo: Seven Oaks Dam