Sunday, May 14, 2006 Last modified: Saturday, May 13, 2006 11:24 PM PDT

By: Gus Thomson, Journal Staff Writer

In the wake of more potential funding flowing from Washington for Auburn dam-related feasibility studies, the American River Authority will discuss Monday the possibility of becoming the local sponsor for a multipurpose dam project.

Spearheaded by Placer County Supervisor Bruce Kranz, the authority board's chairman and an Auburn dam advocate, the move to consider local sponsorship follows renewed Auburn dam discussion spurred by Hurricane Katrina devastation and increasing concern over Sacramento flooding potential.

The meeting is being held less than a week after U.S. Rep. John Doolittle, R-Roseville, announced the House Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee he sits on has approved more than $187 million for water conservation, flood control and watershed restoration projects throughout Northern California.

Included in the measure, which is part of a new Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill, is $3 million to fund a feasibility study for a multipurpose Auburn dam and $1 million more to examine the feasibility of relocating Highway 49 where it crosses the American River between Auburn and Cool.

The Highway 49 study would look into an alternative to past plans for a route over a dam. Because of security concerns like ones that closed the road over the Folsom Dam, a new bridge over the American River would likely be required if the highway is relocated.

The feasibility study funding comes on top of another $1 million now being used to look at Auburn dam cost projections. Results of that study are expected in August.

"While making immediate improvements to Folsom Dam and the levee system, now is the time that we get serious about completing the Auburn dam," Doolittle said.

Monday's American River Authority discussion is being greeted by environmental groups like the Sierra Club with concern. Terry Davis, an Auburn resident and Mother Lode Chapter conservation director, said he's hoping people will come out to the meeting to demonstrate concern over the threat the dam will pose to recreational resources and the ecosystem in the American River canyon.

"They need to know what a wonderful resource we have there and that they're trifling with something important to a lot of people," Davis said.

Davis added that it would be foolish to consider sponsorship when the authority has no idea what the fiscal ramifications are. Sponsorship holds significant financial responsibilities and could mean the authority paying half of a $20 million to $30 million feasibility study, he said.

Davis said that the overall case to build an Auburn dam has also yet to be made, with no compelling evidence to show the project would be cost-effective.

John Fraser, the American River Authority's alternate public member, said that it's important to determine costs before moving forward on local sponsorship but that the interest in a dam has been renewed over the past two years and is gaining more widespread interest.

"When you have congressmen from outside California talking about flood protection and water supply and power, there is renewed hope that people will take this seriously," Fraser said.

The authority is a joint powers authority composed of Placer, El Dorado and San Joaquin counties, and the Placer and El Dorado county water agencies.

The Journal's Gus Thomson can be reached at gust@goldcountrymedia.com.