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Topic: North Coast

Aquafornia news May 7, 2025 The Ukiah Daily Journal (Calif.)

City of Ukiah may give another $84,000 to Potter Valley Project work

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. 

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Aquafornia news May 5, 2025 The Mendocino Voice (Calif.)

Opinion: Potter Valley Project decommissioning was economic; seismic concerns came afterward

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.

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Aquafornia news May 2, 2025 Lost Coast Outpost (Humboldt, Calif.)

Photos: CalTrout held a photo contest to celebrate the Eel River, and here are your winning entries

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.

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Aquafornia news April 29, 2025 The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa, Calif.)

Northern California dam removals stay on track as feds rule out takeover of PG&E’s Potter Valley plant

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. 

Related article:

  • MendoFever: Opinion: Setting the record straight: Inviting Trump to interfere with the Potter Valley Project
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Aquafornia news April 25, 2025 Times-Standard (Eureka, Calif.)

Federal officials reviewing the Potter Valley Project, letter states

In response to a letter urging federal officials to prevent the decommissioning of the Potter Valley Project, the acting commissioner of the federal Bureau of Reclamation advised that the matter is under review. … The letter, which was sent to Aaron Sykes, a board member with the Lake Pillsbury Alliance, ends with: “The Department of the Interior is working to (ensure) that concerns such as yours regarding projects like Potter Valley are part of the review process to ensure the Administration’s goals are achieved.” In April, a letter signed by the presidents of four local County Farm Bureaus – Mendocino, Lake, Sonoma and Marin – was sent to federal officials asking “the Trump Administration to intervene and prevent (the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) from approving (Pacific Gas and Electric’s) decommissioning plan (for the Potter Valley Project) until a long-term solution is secured.”

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Aquafornia news April 25, 2025 KCLU (Thousand Oaks, Calif.)

Breaking down barriers: A Central Coast creek is cleared so endangered fish can reach spawning areas

In a major environmental restoration project, two barriers were removed from Jalama Creek, allowing Southern Steelhead to swim up the creek. … “Southern California Steelhead are highly endangered,” said Larra Riege, Restoration Manager at the Dangermond Preserve. … ”Removing these barriers, these ghost dams and the other barrier, removing old infrastructure that’s not serving any purpose anymore, being able to take them out and then let nature take its course is really satisfying.” … Researchers are preparing their first survey to see if the steelhead are discovering that the once-blocked creek is again open for fishy business. The conservancy is looking at additional projects to clear fish passage barriers on Jalama Creek tributaries, to give the fish even more breeding and living space.

Other habitat restoration news:

  • California Trout: News release: CalTrout acquires key Elk River land parcels, returns historic site to Wiyot Tribe for cultural restoration
  • Times Standard (Eureka, Calif.): CalTrout acquires Elk River parcels for restoration, returns land to Wiyot Tribe
  • National Law Review: Blog: ESA habitat rule change sparks federal-state environmental clash
  • San Diego Union-Tribune: Opinion: Restoring our coastal canyons and wetlands is crucial​
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Aquafornia news April 23, 2025 Daily Mail (London, U.K.)

Terrifying ticking timebomb crisis that could hit 600,000 California residents

A major California water lifeline serving more than 600,000 residents is on the brink of being shut down by one of America’s largest utility companies – and now its fate may lie in the hands of Donald Trump. Since 1922, the century-old Potter Valley Project has diverted water from Northern California’s Eel River into the Russian River, serving as a critical source of water for farms and communities across Mendocino, Sonoma, Marin and Lake counties. However, PG&E announced plans to fully dismantle the project, citing financial losses and aging infrastructure – a move that sparked controversy across the region, SF Gate reported. In a rare twist, the federal government is now stepping into the local water battle, as the Trump administration reviews whether or not to block the shutdown.

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Aquafornia news April 21, 2025 SFGate

Trump administration mulls intervention in California dam removal

In a major twist, the Donald Trump administration is now reviewing regional appeals to halt PG&E’s plans to dismantle the Potter Valley Project. … In an April 14 letter, the Bureau of Reclamation responded to an inquiry from Aaron Sykes, a board member of the Lake Pillsbury Alliance, which represents the homeowners and stakeholders fighting to keep Scott Dam, the structure that holds back Lake Pillsbury. In the letter, which was reviewed by SFGATE, the federal agency said funding for the project is “undergoing reviews” to ensure it aligns with an executive order President Donald Trump signed on his first day in office that directs the government to explore any “undue burden” on the “use of domestic energy resources” including, oil, coal and hydropower.

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Aquafornia news April 18, 2025 Local News Matters (Berkeley, Calif.)

Raising height of Lake Mendocino dam could benefit water customers, help environment

A new partnership between three organizations will explore options for raising the dam at Lake Mendocino to boost the water supply supporting agriculture and recreation. State and local politicians, tribal officials and representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers met this past Friday at Lake Mendocino to formalize a cost-sharing agreement for the Coyote Valley Dam General Investigation Study. According to the Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission, Lake Mendocino provides drinking water for over 650,000 people in Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin counties and plays a role in flood control. The study, led by a partnership between the commission, the Lytton Rancheria and the Corps of Engineers will assess the prospects of greater water supply and potential federal interest in reducing flood risks.

Other North Coast dam news:

  • The Mendocino Voice (Calif.): Opinion: Huffman claims ‘disinformation,’ Lake Pillsbury Alliance calls foul
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Aquafornia news April 16, 2025 SFGate

Northern California farmers urge Trump to prevent PG&E’s dam removal

Four Northern California farm bureaus are making a plea to the Donald Trump administration, urging it to halt PG&E’s plan to dismantle a key piece of water infrastructure. The counties say they need time to craft a strategy to protect public health, the local economy and their communities. … Environmentalists and Eel River advocates say it’s time to rip out the century-old Potter Valley Project and let the Eel River run wild again. For decades, dams like Scott and Cape Horn have choked the river, blocking salmon from ideal spawning grounds and turning cold mountain water into warm, fish-killing reservoirs, they argue. … Yet for residents and farmers, the looming loss of reliable summer water has sparked alarm. Without Scott Dam and Lake Pillsbury to store water year-round, the region would be left at the mercy of rainfall. “Summertime access to water, which is eminent today, will not be an option,” the farm bureaus warned.

Other California water infrastructure news:

  • The Fresno Bee: Opinion: California’s water infrastructure needs modernization​
  • State Water Contractors: News release: State Water Contractors denounce court decision to prohibit further Delta Conveyance Project geotechnical activities​
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Aquafornia news April 14, 2025 The Mendocino Voice (Calif.)

New study by three organizations could boost water supply at Lake Mendocino

A new partnership between three organizations will explore options for raising the dam at Lake Mendocino to boost the water supply supporting agriculture and recreation. State and local politicians, tribal officials and representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers met Friday at Lake Mendocino to formalize a cost-sharing agreement for the Coyote Valley Dam General Investigation Study. According to the Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission, Lake Mendocino provides drinking water for over 650,000 people in Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin counties and plays a role in flood control. The study, led by a partnership between the commission, the Lytton Rancheria and the Corps of Engineers will assess the prospects of greater water supply and potential federal interest in reducing flood risks. 

Related article:

  • MendoFever: A new chapter for Lake Mendocino: Dam-raising study officially underway​
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Aquafornia news April 14, 2025 Redheaded Blackbelt (Phillipsville, Calif.)

County approves permit for Cannibal Island restoration project

What’s described as a major restoration project in Humboldt County’s Eel River delta area will restore tidal marshes and create a new public trail. Restoration of a 795-acre area of the Eel River estuary gained permitting from the Humboldt County Planning Commission at its April 3 meeting. Under a partnership including the CalTrout non-profit conservation group and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the complex project encompasses and surrounds the estuary’s Cannibal Island area. It includes deepening 5,000 linear feet of existing dikes, replacing failed culverts that separate tidal habitat areas and re-connecting 500 acres of former marsh habitat to tidal action. Also included are construction of “inter-tidal lagoons” and a 6,000 linear-foot earthen levee with two gated culverts to shield agricultural lands from tidal intrusion. 

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Aquafornia news April 9, 2025 Lost Coast Outpost (Eureka, Calif.)

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, local officials to discuss next steps for Redwood Creek estuary restoration at tomorrow’s community meeting

After more than ten years of meticulous planning and collaboration among local landowners, government officials, tribes and environmental scientists, the Redwood Creek Esturary Restoration Project is finally gaining momentum. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Humboldt County officials will host a public meeting at the Orick Community Hall at 4 p.m. on Wednesday to discuss next steps for the estuary restoration project, which aims to revitalize critical habitat for threatened and endangered salmonid species in Redwood Creek. … The restoration project would undo decades of ecological degradation caused by the earthen levee system that runs through the heart of Orick. Originally designed to control flooding along the lower 3.4 miles of Redwood Creek, the levees have “reduced the size, complexity, and ecological function of the estuary,” according to the project’s description.

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Aquafornia news April 7, 2025 The Times-Standard (Eureka, Calif.)

Hoopa Valley, Yurok Tribes sign agreement over use of Trinity water

… leadership of the Hoopa Valley and Yurok tribes signed an agreement to share 50,000 acre feet of water from the Trinity Reservoir. It’s the latest push for water rights specified in 1950’s-era federal policy but have yet to materialize on the ground, despite a supportive 2014 U.S. Department of the Interior legal opinion. “This agreement is a victory, but there is much more work to be done. We will continue to advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural resources, ensuring future generations of our people have what they need to prosper,” said Joe James, chairman of the Yurok Tribe in a statement in the release.

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Aquafornia news April 3, 2025 Yurok Tribe

News release: Tribes sign historic Trinity River Water Agreement

(Yesterday,) leaders of the Hoopa Valley and Yurok Tribes signed an agreement to share 50,000 Acre-Feet (AF) of federal water from the Bureau of Reclamation’s Trinity Reservoir near Lewiston, CA. The Tribes’ rights to that water come from a 1955 federal law under which Reclamation dammed the Trinity River and diverted most of the water it stored to the Central Valley, and a 1959 contract between the Bureau of Reclamation and Humboldt County for a portion of the reservoir supply. Congress awarded the water to Humboldt County and the Tribes to ensure their opportunity for economic development with Reclamation’s water supply and to mitigate Trinity Dam’s impact on the downstream communities. The ceremony took place at the confluence of the Klamath and Trinity Rivers on the border of Yurok and Hoopa Valley tribal homelands.

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Aquafornia news April 3, 2025 SFGate

NorCal town hall erupts over PG&E’s ‘dangerous’ reservoir plan

A packed veterans hall in the northern Sonoma County city of Cloverdale became the latest battleground in Northern California’s escalating water war. On March 20, Cloverdale Mayor Todd Lands hosted a town hall that brought together community members from across the region to discuss the future of the Potter Valley Project. … Although PG&E announced its plan to give up control of the diversion system a decade ago, the March 20 gathering was the first town hall-style public meeting that invited Russian River officials and residents to question the plan’s impact, voice concerns and demand answers about the path forward. The meeting, which SFGATE attended, drew a strong turnout from Russian River residents critical of the decommissioning plans, reflecting deep community frustration about how PG&E’s plans could fundamentally change water availability throughout the region. 

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