The Klamath, Trinity, Eel, Russian
and Smith rivers are the major northern streams that drain this
sparsely populated, forested coastal area that stretches from San
Francisco to the Oregon border. These rivers and their
tributaries flow west to the Pacific Ocean and account for about
40 percent of the state’s total runoff.
A mechanical failure during last week’s emergency repair work
to a damaged Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District (HBMWD)
transmission pipeline caused chlorinated water to spill into
Janes Creek, resulting in the death of more than 250 fish,
including trout, sculpin and Coho salmon, according to district
staff. … [O]ne of that agency’s [CDFW] environmental
scientists responded to the scene of the spill — near Coombs
Road in northern Arcata — and saw “a couple dozen” dead Coho
salmon, about 200 dead trout (mostly cutthroat) and roughly 40
dead sculpin.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is set to commence
the removal of the Eel River Dam, a move that has sparked mixed
reactions among local communities. While some believe the
project will aid in the restoration of native fish populations,
others are worried about its potential impact on water supplies
for the Russian River Basin. … The deconstruction work,
part of the Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project originally
built over a century ago, is expected to take several years due
to the project’s scale and seasonal work constraints.
The California Department of Water Resources announced Thursday
there will be changes to the Feather River flows on Friday and
Saturday. Officials say that the reduction in flows is in order
to facilitate maintenance work at the O’Neill Forebay. On
Friday at 11 a.m., the Feather River releases will decrease to
1,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) through the City of Oroville.
By 1 p.m., flows from the Thermalito Afterbay River Outlet will
be reduced to 3,000 cfs, resulting in a total Feather River
release of 4,000 cfs downstream.
… Removing the Scott Dam, alongside the removal of the
smaller Cape Horn Dam downstream, both on the picturesque Eel
River, is part of PG&E’s plan to retire a century-old
hydroelectric operation known as the Potter Valley Project,
which the company says has gotten too expensive to run.
… Downstream communities along the Eel River as well as
environmental groups and tribes have cheered dam removal as a
way to restore the river’s natural flows. Long-declining salmon
and steelhead runs stand to benefit from the
restoration. At the same time, the plan has raised
concerns about power and water supplies in Northern California.
… Much less talked about is the fate of Lake Pillsbury.
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.
The Eel River supports one of California’s largest wild salmon
and steelhead runs in a watershed that hosts the world’s largest
surviving stands of ancient redwoods.
The Eel flows generally northward from Northern California’s
Mendocino National Forest to the Pacific, a few miles south of
Eureka. The river and its tributaries drain
more than 3,500 square miles, the state’s
third-largest watershed.
For over a century, the Klamath River Basin along the Oregon and
California border has faced complex water management disputes. As
relayed in this 2012, 60-minute public television documentary
narrated by actress Frances Fisher, the water interests range
from the Tribes near the river, to energy producer PacifiCorp,
farmers, municipalities, commercial fishermen, environmentalists
– all bearing legitimate arguments for how to manage the water.
After years of fighting, a groundbreaking compromise may soon
settle the battles with two epic agreements that hold the promise
of peace and fish for the watershed. View an excerpt from the
documentary here.
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.
