By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY
Senior Writer
Despite years of complaining from environmental groups, Blue Triton Brands (also known as Nestlé Corp, owner of Arrowhead drinking water) has continued withdrawing water from Strawberry Creek, its tributaries and any other water sources within the San Bernardino National Forest, in violation of a September 2023 cease and desist order rendered by the California Water Resources Board.
According to longtime Save Our Forest Association (SOFA) founder and president Dr. Hugh Bialecki, Blue Triton has no water rights in the San Bernardino National Forest and has not stopped its diversion of water from Strawberry Creek and 10 of its 13 diversion sites.
Prior to the diversion of the springs for water, Bialecki points out, Strawberry Creek was lined with alders, willows and other riparian species, making it extremely valuable for wildlife, such as the southern rubber boa, the California spotted owl, mountain yellow-legged frog, two-stripped garter snake, southwestern willow flycatcher, Santa Ana sucker, the Santa Ana speckled dace and arroyo chub, which are all now listed as threatened, endangered or sensitive. Many of these species, which had lived in Strawberry Creek for thousands of years, said SOFA, have been completely eliminated since the diversion of the creek, which has been identified by biologists as one of the highest priority areas for aquatic species in all of Southern California due to its isolation and protection from damaging human activities.
Bialecki added, “The ongoing efforts to protect our natural resources on public lands here in Strawberry Canyon on the San Bernardino National Forest requires persistence and a passion for justice to be served. Send a message to USFS District Ranger Mike Nobles (Michael.nobles@usda.gov) letting him know you support stopping all water diversions by Nestle/BlueTriton Brands from our national forest; no more Special Use Permit.”
In response to complaints by environmental groups that Blue Triton Brands was continuing to extract water from Strawberry Creek, the U.S. Forest Service, on Aug. 13, 2024, ordered it to cease operations and discontinue extracting water from the creek, due to concerns over the environmental impact on the area. This decision, reportedly, followed the denial of Blue Triton’s permit to continue extracting water.
On Aug. 6 of this year, Blue Triton Brands filed a lawsuit against the Forest Service in federal court contending that it has had a legal right to extract water from Strawberry Creek for over 150 years. The Alpine Mountaineer will continue following this story.
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