This morning [July 27], the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission – the agency overseeing Pacific Gas and Electric’s effort to decommission two dams on the upper Eel River – told a Southern California water agency that its late bid to take over the project, along with the water rights that come with it, will not be allowed to proceed. In making its decision, FERC staff told the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District that it presented no compelling argument as to why it should be allowed to intervene in the case more than eight months after the deadline to do so had passed. … Elsinore Valley now has 30 days to ask the commission to revisit the decision, according to the notice.

Other dam and reservoir news:

• Active NorCal (Redding, Calif.): A Southern California water agency tried to take over two Eel River dams. Federal regulators just said no.
• Los Banos Enterprise (Calif.): Federal $16 million plan targets more drought storage at Los Banos Creek reservoir
• Marin Independent Journal (San Rafael, Calif.): MMWD ordered to develop repair plan for dam