Northern California town hall erupts over PG&E’s ‘dangerous’ reservoir plan
SFGATE, 4/2/2025: A packed veterans hall in the northern Sonoma County city of Cloverdale became the latest battleground in Northern California’s escalating water war.
Battle lines drawn months before PG&E submits final application to decommission Potter Valley hydropower plant
Press Democrat, 3/24/2025: People from Humboldt to Marin counties gathered in Cloverdale to express skepticism about future water management strategies sparked by the plant’s impending shutdown
‘Remarkable’ or devastating? Concerns about Russian-Eel River water supply focus of Cloverdale town hall
Press Democrat, 3/19/2025: Several leaders from Lake and Sonoma counties remain worried about the future of local water supplies as a key PG&E hydropower facility prepares to go offline.
Eel River pact redresses past wrongs, provides model for compromise among diverse interests, officials say
Press Democrat, 2/14/2025: The agreement on Eel River diversions and future river restoration will begin to redress past injustices against Eel River tribes and stakeholders.
Historic pact reached on future Eel River water flows into Russian River
Press Democrat, 2/14/2025: Eel River interests, Russian River consumers reach accord for continued diversions of Eel River water into the Russian River but at reduced rate, in exchange for funding and support of Eel River restoration activities.
PG&E releases final plan for removal of Scott and Cape Horn dams and elimination of Lake Pillsbury
Press Democrat, 2/5/2025: The PG&E plan calls for the expedited removal of Scott Dam and Cape Horn Dam as part of Potter Valley power plant license surrender, eliminating Lake Pillsbury and freeing the waters of the Eel River.
Rep. Jared Huffman secures $15 million for Eel River Dam removal and Russian River diversion plan
Press Democrat, 1/21/2025: Rep. Jared Huffman recently announced that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has awarded Round Valley Indian Tribes and the Sonoma County Water Agency $15 million toward implementing the Two-Basin Solution for water diversions from the Eel River to the Russian River.
With $15M grant, Two-Basin Solution gets green light to transform Eel River
MendoFever Staff, 1/20/2025: Today, U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) announced that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has awarded Round Valley Indian Tribes and the Sonoma County Water Agency $15 million toward implementing the Two-Basin Solution.
PG&E plans to decommission Potter Valley Project
Times Standard, 7/13/2022: Company won’t re-examine license terms for endangered species in the interim. Pacific Gas & Electric does not believe it’s necessary to reexamine its license terms for endangered species at the Potter Valley Project as it prepares to decommission the dams, according to a letter the utility submitted to federal regulators.
Fishery groups plan to sue PG&E over Potter Valley plant and related Scott, Cape Horn dams
Press Democrat, 4/18/2022: A coalition of fishery groups has formally notified PG&E that it plans to file suit under the Endangered Species Act, alleging the continued injury to once abundant federally protected salmon and steelhead trout as a result of operations at the utility’s aging Potter Valley powerhouse.