Environmental Impacts from Vineyards

I have watched the changes in agriculture from apples and timber to grapes over the years. I have also watched the increase in local flash flooding events in Atascadero Creek and other areas in the county. Vineyards are the obvious culprit responsible for the flash flooding, hot dry creek beds, and the loss of endangered species. Unfortunately wine is the bulwark of out economy and so its culpability will be myopically overlooked and the obviously malevolent mismanagement practices taking place in vineyards will continue. Instead of controlling and regulating these impacts on water and endangered species, the agencies charged with environmental protection appear to be focusing on the sport fishermen and tourists who might be witnesses to the demise while they study the extinction process as it unfolds. With what we all know, how could anyone charged with protecting endangered species consider allowing something like Preservation Ranch to go forward or for that matter any timber conversion to grapes or gravel extraction. The fish seem to be suffering the same plight as the Russian River Watershed Council.

I have watched the changes in agriculture from apples and timber to grapes over the years. I have also watched the increase in local flash flooding events in Atascadero Creek and other areas in the county. Vineyards are the obvious culprit responsible for the flash flooding, hot dry creek beds, and the loss of endangered species. Unfortunately wine is the bulwark of out economy and so its culpability will be myopically overlooked and the obviously malevolent mismanagement practices taking place in vineyards will continue. Instead of controlling and regulating these impacts on water and endangered species, the agencies charged with environmental protection appear to be focusing on the sport fishermen and tourists who might be witnesses to the demise while they study the extinction process as it unfolds. With what we all know, how could anyone charged with protecting endangered species consider allowing something like Preservation Ranch to go forward or for that matter any timber conversion to grapes or gravel extraction. The fish seem to be suffering the same plight as the Russian River

Bob Rawson