The vastly different viewpoints around whether or not the
Potter Valley Project should be decommissioned — and dismantled
— took center stage at a special event in Lakeport at the end
of May. The Lake County Chamber of Commerce hosted the Lake
Pillsbury and Potter Valley Project town hall on the evening of
Wednesday, May 28, at the Soper Reese Theater in Lakeport. The
Potter Valley Project includes the Potter Valley powerhouse,
Cape Horn Dam and Van Arsdale Reservoir, Scott Dam and Lake
Pillsbury. Pacific Gas and Electric Co. has operated the
project for decades but in 2019 the corporation abandoned its
license for the hydroelectric facility after determining it was
“uneconomic” for its customers to maintain. The negotiations
about the future of the project, and in particular Lake
Pillsbury — located in northern Lake County — have seen Lake
County largely sidelined by larger regional and political
interests.
… The Inland Water & Power Commission had an all-boards’
meeting on May 29. Since the IWPC is composed of different
boards, this was an opportunity for all the boards to hear the
same update. My takeaways are: PG&E is going to take down
the dams. A coalition has formed to build a New Eel
Russian Facility (NERF) that will divert water during
high water times from the Eel River to the Russian River. The
current projection is that the NERF will cost $40 million to
build and $10 million annually to operate. The process will
take years, and people/groups in both basins have agreed to
this plan. Storage of water on the Russian River side is
critical to making it all work, and a feasibility study by the
United States Army Corps of Engineers is beginning to study the
raising of Coyote Dam. That will be a very expensive and long
process. There has been a lot of work done by very dedicated
people, coalitions have been formed from entities from both
basins, and continuing to work through the issues is the only
realistic path forward to keep water flowing in both
directions. –Written by John Haschak, chair of the Mendocino County
Board of Supervisors.
With the Mendocino coast a popular tourist destination, many
Northern Californians are aware of the water scarcity that
caused thousands of gallons of water to be trucked in from
Ukiah during the drought of 2021-2022. But inland regions in
the county suffered dry wells and severe water rationing in
that same drought. More of the same is ahead according to
the final report prepared by the county’s Drought Task Force, a
committee formed to fulfill the state’s 2021-22 mandate that
every county must draft and submit a drought resilience plan.
Mendocino County’s committee included several county
departments, major public water suppliers, such as the cities
of Ukiah, Willits, and Fort Bragg, the Ukiah Valley Water
Authority, eleven tribal groups, the State Water Resources
Control Board, special water districts, and others. The task
force chaired two public meetings, one in Ukiah and one in Fort
Bragg, and created a survey on the group’s website.
A Town Hall convened Thursday aimed at protecting a vital water
resource that has, and could again, prove critical to fighting
wildfires, but also to sustain the economy and enhance
recreational opportunities for an isolated, yet popular
destination point for longtime residents. The Lake County
Chamber of Commerce hosted the event at the Soper Reese
Theater, Thursday. Master of Ceremonies was Amanda Martin,
Chief Economic Officer of the Chamber. Martin said the
presentation was to promote awareness and to educate the
community on the critical issue of a potential removal of
Scotts Dam from the Potter Valley Project. … Should the
dam be torn down, Lake County Treasurer estimated there could
be a loss of $850,000 in tax revenue. Additionally, property
values of $40 million could depreciate. … Meanwhile the
decommissioning of Scotts Dam is estimated at $500 million and
probably more, by the time the work is completed, based on a
study by The Eel River Power Authority.
Boaters visiting Ruth Lake this summer are being urged to
clean, drain, and dry all watercraft to prevent the spread of
the invasive golden mussel. Officials say that the golden
mussel, native to East and Southeast Asia, poses a significant
threat to the lake’s ecosystem and Humboldt County’s primary
water source. According to the California Department of Fish
and Wildlife, Ruth Lake’s water quality conditions are ideal
for the golden mussel to establish and thrive. The dense
colonization of this species could disrupt the operations of
Matthews Dam, potentially endangering the county’s water
supply. Michiko Mares, General Manager at the Humboldt Bay
Municipal Water District, emphasized the importance of boaters’
cooperation to help stop the spread of the mussel.
At its next regular meeting Wednesday, the Ukiah City Council
is expected to consider approving the contribution of another
$84,000 to another local entity for ongoing work related to the
Potter Valley Project. According to a staff report on the item
prepared for the May 7 meeting, the City Council will be asked
to approve a “financial contribution in the amount of $84,000
to the (Mendocino County) Inland Water and Power Commission for
consulting and legal services related to the Potter Valley
Project, and approve a corresponding budget amendment.”
… In an effort to continue the diversions in some form,
(Ukiah City Council administrative analyst Seth) Strader notes
that the IWPC, along with “the Round Valley Indian Tribes and
the Sonoma County Water Agency have submitted a proposal to
advance a regional solution for preserving flows in the Russian
River and improving Eel River fisheries.
PG&E mostly agrees with a recent opinion piece urging the
removal of Scott Dam due to a better understanding of the
seismic risks. As described in our draft decommissioning plan,
PG&E considers the expedited removal of the Scott Dam to be
in the best interest of PG&E customers. It is also the most
appropriate long-term mitigation to address the seismic risk.
In the meantime, PG&E has implemented interim measures to
reduce near-term seismic risk — the most prominent being the
restricted maximum reservoir storage elevation. However,
contrary to the opinion piece, PG&E’s decision not to seek
a new license for the Potter Valley Project — a hydroelectric
facility — is based on the fact the project is not economical
for PG&E’s customers. –Written by Dave Canny, vice president of PG&E’s North
Coast Region.
This year marks a major milestone for the Eel River watershed,
as Phase 2 of the Eel River Restoration and Conservation
Program kicks off and the Potter Valley Project (including
two dams) nears decommissioning. To commemorate this epic year
of watershed renewal, California Trout was thrilled to
present the Eel River Photo Contest in
collaboration with the Rotary Club of Eureka! The winning
photos beautifully showcase the watershed through the lenses of
access, restoration, wildlife, and recreation. The Emerging
Photographer winner and Best Photo winners were selected by a
panel of CalTrout staff. The Grand Prize award was selected by
public vote at the Eel River Expo on April 19, 2025.
Despite pleas from leaders of regional farm bureaus, Lake
County and communities including Cloverdale and Lake Pillsbury,
President Donald Trump’s administration says it has no
intention of assuming control of the Potter Valley
hydroelectric power plant that’s slated for decommissioning by
PG&E. The decommissioning, if approved, is likely at least
a decade away and would involve tearing down the Cape Horn Dam
in Mendocino County and Scott Dam in Lake County. This would
alter the flow of the Eel River to the Russian River, with a
new multimillion-dollar diversion facility routing water from
both the Eel and Russian watersheds to Marin, Sonoma, Lake and
Mendocino counties. Many North Coast elected officials and
residents strongly oppose the plan, insisting it might not
provide the four counties with enough water ― especially during
dry, summer months punctuated by fire risk.
*IMPORTANT* In anticipation of high demand, the Foundation will be allocating tickets via a lottery method with a maximum of 3 entrants per organization. To enter, please thoroughly review the tour details below so you’re fully aware of the time and financial commitments, then complete this entry form. Entrants selected via the ticket lottery will be contacted beginning on June 12 with an opportunity to register for the tour.
This special, first-ever Foundation water tour will not be offered every year! Join us as we examine water issues along the 263-mile Klamath River, from its spring-fed headwaters in south-central Oregon to its redwood-lined estuary on the Pacific Ocean in California.
Running Y Resort
5500 Running Y Rd
Klamath Falls, OR 97601
