The Russian River drains the
sparsely populated, forested coastal area that stretches from San
Francisco to the Oregon border.
Along the Russian, federally funded dams have created Lake
Mendocino (at the Coyote Dam) and Lake Sonoma (Warm Springs Dam).
Locally built aqueducts channel water from these lakes into
growing Marin and Sonoma counties.
The Russian River is one of the most flood-prone rivers in
California, routinely overflowing during wet years. As storm
systems approach California, the wet bands of clouds are uplifted
by the Coast Range, releasing precipitation first and most
intensely on the coastal streams. One flood control dam is on the
Russian River and one on Dry Creek, a tributary to the Russian
River, which can capture about 20 percent of flood flows.
In addition to flooding issues, the Russian River faces other
challenges to balance competing demands for its water. In an area
that was once legacy to massive numbers of salmon and steelhead,
restoring the fishery has been a key focus, while water providers
must accommodate municipal needs as well as those of grape
growers in one of the world’s most prized wine-producing regions.
Gardening and landscaping allow us to beautify our properties
and give us something fun to do on weekends, but it can also
help improve the watershed ecosystem we live in. Russian
River-Friendly Landscaping, a set of guidelines developed by
the Russian River Watershed Association (RRWA), is a systematic
approach to designing, constructing, and maintaining landscapes
based on basic principles of natural systems. When we
incorporate these guidelines into our landscaping, there are
multiple benefits: we protect and conserve our local waterways
by reducing plant debris and pesticide use, decreasing runoff
by allowing more water to infiltrate into the soil, and more.
The county’s study seeks to determine how decommissioning Scott
Dam could affect the surrounding ecosystem, the Lake Pillsbury
water supply, infrastructure, power, sediment and the county’s
ability to fight fire. “The grant was part of a conversation
with CDFW we’ve been having for a while,” said Lake County
Board of Supervisors chair Bruno Sabatier. The county on May 2
put out its call for a company to do the study in response to
Pacific Gas & Electric’s efforts to decommission its powerhouse
in Potter Valley, which includes Scott and Cape Horn dams. The
power company detailed its plans to tear down the dams, located
on the Eel River, in November 2023. Scott Dam was built in 1921
and, according to PG&E’s plan, is slated to come down
before Cape Horn Dam and could come down in phases or in one
season. Those plans still need final approval from the Federal
Energy Regulation Commission.
A federal judge just added yet another layer to planning a
sustainable future for the region’s water resources. U.S.
District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley ruled that the Army
Corps of Engineers violates the Endangered Species Act with
water released from Coyote Valley Dam into the Russian River.
Because of the way the 66-year-old dam is designed, a lot of
sediment gets mixed with the water and clouds the Russian
River. Salmon and other fish are accustomed to some natural
turbidity in the water, as the clouding is called, but not that
much. The good news is that the Corps of Engineers has a few
months to come up with at least a temporary plan to address the
judge’s concerns.
A federal judge ruled Monday afternoon that a California dam
harms endangered salmon when it conducts flood control
operations. Coyote Valley Dam, operated by the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, protects the city of Ukiah from flooding from
nearby Lake Mendocino. In 2022, fisheries biologist Sean White
sued the Corps claiming the dam’s flood control operations kick
up sediment in the water, increasing turbidity and harming
endangered Central California coast steelhead, coho and Chinook
salmon. White’s previous requests for injunctive relief were
denied in 2023, yet he was granted summary judgment on his
claims on Monday after providing more data. U.S. District Judge
Jacqueline Scott Corley, a Joe Biden appointee, wrote in her
18-page opinion that it was beyond dispute that the dam’s
operations harm the fish.
When PG&E announced that it would remove Scott and Cape
Horn dams on the Eel River as part of the Potter Valley
hydroelectric project decommissioning, it put a continuing
water diversion to the Russian River in question. A Press
Democrat editorial praised Eel and Russian River stakeholders
coming together to endorse the possibility of a new fish
friendly diversion from the Eel River (“Progress toward water
security,” March 27), and we at Russian Riverkeeper concur.
However, a continued diversion from the Eel River is not a
solution in and of itself when it comes to ensuring long-term
water reliability in the upper Russian River watershed. A
continued diversion will not solve all the region’s water
issues. -Written by Don McEnhill and Ed Burdett, both with the
Russian Riverkeeper.
The current water year, which began Oct. 1, has been wetter
than usual, with the Russian River watershed accumulating 119%
of the yearly average rainfall, totaling 49.38 inches since
October. In the past, we might have celebrated our good fortune
and watched lake levels rise only to watch much of it sent
downriver to the Pacific Ocean as reservoirs reached an
inflexible upper threshold. Today, we get to continue enjoying
that ample rainfall long after summer sunshine arrives. Grant
Davis With almost a decade of data under its belt, the Russian
River Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations program has been
making great strides by demonstrating the viability of this
strategy to operate reservoirs more effectively using modern
technology and forecasting. -Written by Grant Davis, general manager of Sonoma
Water.
As part of a new survey launched this year, personnel with the
California Department of Fish and Wildlife are visiting various
locations along the Russian River, including at least two in
Ukiah, to collect data regarding the Steelhead trout that local
anglers are catching. One of the main reasons why the survey is
being done in person, according to CDFW staff, is that while
the existing “Steelhead report Card program is meant to collect
similar data,” only about a third of the report cards are
submitted.
Aiming to boost the county’s water supply, the Marin Municipal
Water District is exploring the idea of connecting pipelines in
Petaluma and Cotati to its reservoirs. District staff presented
three main potential projects — narrowed from 13 — at Tuesday’s
board of directors meeting. … The pipelines would transport
water from the Russian River into Marin reservoirs. Treated
Russian River water is transported to Marin through a 9-mile
aqueduct along the Highway 101 corridor from Petaluma to North
Marin Water District in Novato. The district then sends the
water directly to the Marin Municipal Water District’s water
distribution system. Board members expressed concern over cost
estimates, which ranged between $140 million and $380 million.
Many of California’s watersheds are
notoriously flashy – swerving from below-average flows to jarring
flood conditions in quick order. The state needs all the water it
can get from storms, but current flood management guidelines are
strict and unyielding, requiring reservoirs to dump water each
winter to make space for flood flows that may not come.
However, new tools and operating methods are emerging that could
lead the way to a redefined system that improves both water
supply and flood protection capabilities.
California is chock full of rivers and creeks, yet the state’s network of stream gauges has significant gaps that limit real-time tracking of how much water is flowing downstream, information that is vital for flood protection, forecasting water supplies and knowing what the future might bring.
That network of stream gauges got a big boost Sept. 30 with the signing of SB 19. Authored by Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa), the law requires the state to develop a stream gauge deployment plan, focusing on reactivating existing gauges that have been offline for lack of funding and other reasons. Nearly half of California’s stream gauges are dormant.
This 25-minute documentary-style DVD, developed in partnership
with the California Department of Water Resources, provides an
excellent overview of climate change and how it is already
affecting California. The DVD also explains what scientists
anticipate in the future related to sea level rise and
precipitation/runoff changes and explores the efforts that are
underway to plan and adapt to climate.
A new look for our most popular product! And it’s the perfect
gift for the water wonk in your life.
Our 24×36 inch California Water Map is widely known for being the
definitive poster that shows the integral role water plays in the
state. On this updated version, it is easier to see California’s
natural waterways and man-made reservoirs and aqueducts
– including federally, state and locally funded
projects – the wild and scenic rivers system, and
natural lakes. The map features beautiful photos of
California’s natural environment, rivers, water projects,
wildlife, and urban and agricultural uses and the
text focuses on key issues: water supply, water use, water
projects, the Delta, wild and scenic rivers and the Colorado
River.
The Russian River is one of the major northern streams that drain
the sparsely populated, forested coastal area that stretches from
San Francisco to the Oregon border.
Other North Coast waterways include the Klamath, Trinity, Eel and
Smith [see also North
Coast Rivers]. These rivers and their tributaries flow west
to the Pacific Ocean and account for about 40 percent of the
state’s total runoff.
Travel most anywhere in California and there is a river, creek or
stream nearby. Some are highly noticeable and are an integral
part of the community. Others are more obscure, with intermittent
flows or enclosed by boxed concrete flood channels that conceal
their true appearance. No matter the location, each area shares
some common themes: cooperation and conflict regarding water
allocations, greater water conservation, an awareness of
environmental stewardship, and plans that ensure long-term
sustainability.
This printed issue of Western Water examines the Russian and
Santa Ana rivers – areas with ongoing issues not dissimilar to
the rest of the state – managing supplies within a lingering
drought, improving water quality and revitalizing and restoring
the vestiges of the native past.