How would the proposed permanent gates be operated?
The flow control gates would be operated from April through November on an as-needed basis to protect water levels and water quality for local agricultural diversions. The gate at the Head of Old River would normally be closed from mid-April through mid-May during the outmigration period for San Joaquin River salmon smelts and from September through October, as needed, to improve dissolved oxygen content on the stretch of the San Joaquin River from Old River to the Stockton Deep Water Ship Channel for inmigrating adult salmon during the pre-spawning period. Operation of the gates outside of these “pre-set” periods would only be on an as-needed basis subject to prior approval by State and federal fish and wildlife agencies.
