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Sonoma County Gazette, July, 2013: Low Flow on the River

Summer is here, along with ‘low flow’ debate….At a special meeting on June 6th, as part of the Sweetwater Springs Water District regular Board Meeting, Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) staff described current river conditions, why low flows were necessary, and how low they may go.

Simultaneously, Santa Rosa has been revving up it’s “Take it from the Tap” promotional campaign, a State wide effort to get people to buy more municipal water, rather than the ever popular bottled.  While the merits of bottled water are often no more than convenience, encouraging customers to drink more tap (Russian River) water when flows are stressed, is dubious as well.  Conservation should be the theme of the day, not encouragement to use more tap water.

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May 2013, Newsletter: Estuary, Fees, and Recycled water

Spring is here; temperatures have warmed; the river area is spectacular, and we are raring to go.  There is so much to tell you in a limited space; we won’t waste any time!

Estuary Project Update…….

As promised in RRWPC’s legal settlement with Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA), an annual community meeting will be held on Thursday, May 16th at the Monte Rio Community Center (adjacent to paved beach parking lot) from 6 pm to 8:30 pm, to update citizens on the project’s progress. Please try to attend and also pass the word to neighbors and friends about the meeting.  The agenda will include information on fish counts, water quality and jetty studies, harbor seal monitoring and summer project plans.  Unfortunately, SCWA does not plan to discuss ‘low flow’, in spite of our request.

Please email Grant Davis, general manager of SCWA Grant.Davis@SCWA.ca.gov, and Fifth District Supervisor Efren Carrillo, (also SCWA Board of Director member)  Efren.Carrillo@sonoma-county.org  asking them to please include an update on the Temporary Urgency Change Petition (i.e., low flow) as part of the agenda.  This summer flows may decrease 45% down to 70 cubic feet per second (cfs)  from the 125 cfs normally maintained.  RRWPC is concerned that they have refused to discuss this item, even though low flow is required by the Biological Opinion.  Please send emails expressing your concern, and also raise this issue during public comment.

RRCSD fees set to increase next year; Meeting May 21st….

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Russian River Summer Contractor Use: 2008 – 2012

The chart belowindicates Sonoma County Water Agency’s contractor water purchases from Russian River over the months of June through September for five years (2008-2012). Numbers represent acre ...
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Newsletter, February 2013: Santa Rosa Discharge plans; Estuary update; Recycled Water

Dear RRWPC Supporter:

Many changes have been occurring lately in the Russian River environmental scene.  There is a great deal to report, so here we go.

City of Santa Rosa’s current programs & activities…..

  • The North Coast Regional Board released Santa Rosa’s draft wastewater discharge permit a few months ago; it is normally reviewed every five years and was last completed in 2006.  The permit regulates discharge of treated wastewater into Laguna tributaries between Oct. 1st and May 15th.  It also includes a Reclamation Permit that regulates wastewater irrigation practices.

RRWPC submitted a ten page letter expressing concerns regarding the summer irrigation program.  The Board will consider approval of the two permits on March 14th at their regular board meeting in Santa Rosa. (call Regional Board at 576-2220 for more information)  RRWPC comments and link to draft permit is at www.rrwpc.org

  • Salt and Nutrient Plans and Nutrient Offset Proposals are in the works behind the scenes.  RRWPC submitted comments on an early draft of the Plan a few months ago but have not seen reply as yet.  Santa Rosa hired consultants to develop a plan that is required by the State’s Recycled Water Policy.  The main concern is accumulation of salts and nutrients in groundwater.   (We are just as concerned about surface water.)
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Sonoma County Gazette, June 2013

Russian River flows at the Hacienda Bridge recently dropped from 300 cubic feet per second (cfs) to 140 cfs.  For this time of year, that’s a trickle.  And there’s more to come.  Here’s the latest on the County’s inaction plan for dealing with low summer flows…..

Sweetwater Springs to host Water Agency ‘low flow’ meeting….
After learning in April that reservoir levels at Lake Mendocino were extremely low for this time of year and too quickly going lower, Russian River Watershed Protection Committee (RRWPC) urged SCWA to include a low flow agenda item at the recent May 16th Estuary Project meeting in Monte Rio. 

Initially, SCWA refused to include low flow on the agenda of the Estuary meeting.   After many citizens contacted the Supervisor and Water Agency’s  General Manager requesting them to reverse their position,  the County had a change of heart.  A brief update on ‘low flow’ at the Estuary Project meeting was given and plans for a new meeting dedicated strictly to the low flow issue was announced.

Steve Mack, general manager of Sweetwater Springs Water District, graciously offered to sponsor the meeting as part of Sweetwater’s regular board meeting.

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Flow Facts for Estuary Community Meeting

Monte Rio Community Center   May 16, 2013 FLOW FACTS Lake Mendocino has a total capacity of 116,500 Acre Feet (AF). Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) controls releases from Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma dams from Nov. 1st  to March 1st  ...
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