Home Is The Lower River

After travelling south for over 80 miles through Mendocino and Northern Sonoma Counties, the Russian River makes a sharp right turn at Forestville and heads west for about 25 miles where it flows into the ocean at the town of Jenner. Mark West Creek and Laguna de Santa Rosa watersheds converge into the Russian River at the turn in Forestville.

The ambiance of the lower Russian River has changed relatively little in the last forty years. Visitors come here to experience our paradise from all over the world, and our area inevitably leaves an indelible impression on them. Those of us who are fortunate to live here full time are committed to preserving its extraordinary features. Furthermore, when change is inevitable, local devoted protectors want it accommodated with sensitivity to our natural values. The urban approach is not welcome in our rustic setting.

The lower Russian also has a rich history as vacation get-away for the greater Bay Area. The waterway is thickly lined with giant redwoods for most of its westerly course, and summer cabins are hidden on hillsides, riverbanks, and in deep interior canyons. About two thirds of the former cabins have been converted to full time use over the last 25 years. The formerly dilapidated housing stock is rapidly being refined.

The Russian River used to be one of the three greatest Steelhead fisheries on the North Coast. Fishermen flocked here from far and wide every winter to fish their fill. It is only in the last fifty years, that their numbers have been decimated, and the Endangered Species Act has stepped in to play a major role in river management. It is one of RRWPC’s major concerns however, that proposed projects to save the fish may be too little, too late, and may cause more harm to the watershed than bring protections for the fish.

The river also serves as a water supply source for about 600,000 urban dwellers in Sonoma County and Marin, as well as providing a source of water for extensive grape growing activities throughout the region. Balancing all of the water needs in the area calls for sophisticated management of the resource. This has led to more focus on improved conservation, wastewater reuse, and better management of groundwater resources, to name a few. There is still much to be done.

But there is a dark side to all this. This area of extraordinary natural beauty and extensive natural resources is also extremely fragile. It is subject to large floods, massive slides, falling trees, high water tables, water quality problems, etc. It is concern for this fragility that has motivated RRWPC to devote our life’s work over the last 32 years to preservation of the lower Russian River watershed. This website is testimony to that concern and represents our work to preserve it from the influences that would turn it into something other than what it is.

Sonoma County Gazette, May 2012 AB 2398

“Toilet to tap” is on its way….

What does “toilet to tap” conjure up in your mind? Are all substances going down our toilets and sink drains totally removed before being recirculated into our drinking water supply, our recreational waters, and our environment?

In California, only 125 chemicals of the over 80,000 that exist are regulated. About 870 of those chemicals, sometimes at minute exposures, have been linked to such diseases as autism, obesity, diabetes, cancer (especially of reproductive system), birth defects, Parkinson’s, heart disease, and more.

Hundreds of scientific studies, often ignored by the mainstream media, show there are valid reasons to question the safety of our water resources, especially when scientists have been discovering, for example, that some male fish and frogs exposed on a full time basis to streams where discharge occurs, have turned into females. This is a canary in the mine and we should all be paying much closer attention. Read More >>

Newsletter May 2012: Toilet to Tap AB 2398

State water shortages motivate promotion of “toilet to tap”…..

In their concern about future water shortages expected from global warming and rapidly diminishing water resources, especially in Southern California, California officials are fast tracking legislation that will reuse vast amounts of treated wastewater.

Rather than focusing on stringent water conservation policies, a cheaper and much safer approach, State officials are focusing on potable and non-potable reuse of treated sewage. They want to discharge it into in our drinking water supplies and apply much larger amounts to our agricultural fields and urban landscapes. It is unclear at this point whether our waterways will be adequately protected from the runoff of massive applications. There will be very limited public review of these practices and in light of heavy cutbacks of regulatory staff, it is questionable that oversight of human and environmental health will be adequate. Read More >>

Santa Rosa Irrigation Wastewater Runoff

RRWPC Discovers Possible Irrigated Wastewater Runoff on Stony Point Road from Santa Rosa’s recycled irrigation project

February 10, 2012 Report by Brenda Adelman/RRWPC

Background

Over the last several years, RRWPC provided extensive comments to the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and the North Coast Regional Board (RB1) on the issue of “incidental” runoff of irrigated wastewater. Find RRWPC irrigation comments under "Commentaries/NCRWQCB" . We ennumerated our concerns regarding the State’s Recycled Water Policy (adopted 5-14-09), the Statewide General Permit for Landscape Irrigation Uses of Municipal Recycled Water (7-09), the Regional Board’s MS4 Permit (Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Storm Water Permit) (7-23-09), and the Basin Plan Amendment for “Low Threat Discharges” (10-1-09) where the recycled water issue was addressed. We provided testimony before both boards on numerous occasions, along with discussing our concerns with staff.

Why is RRWPC so concerned?

Treated wastewater and potable water generally look and smell exactly alike. Unless specific signs are placed nearby, there are no warnings to tell people where that water has been. While only highly treated wastewater would be used, nevertheless treatment processes are sometimes imperfect and unreliable. Furthermore, there are many unregulated and/or seldom monitored toxins such as endocrine disruptors and other toxins, including pesticides and herbicides, organic chemicals, heavy metals, nutrients, and much more. These have been demonstrated in numerous studies to have significant negative impacts on humans and wildlife. We have especial concern for children who may play on lawns irrigated with wastewater. Read More >>    

We Need Your Help!!

    

RRWPC recently filed a lawsuit challenging the Sonoma County Water Agency’s  Certification of the EIR for the Estuary Management Project.  Donations are needed to help pay legal fees and costs.  Please send checks to RRWPC, PO Box 501, Guerneville, CA  95446.   You can, also, use PayPal below. (RRWPC is a 501(c)(4)nonprofit corporation. We do not sell or loan our supporter lists to anyone.)