Russian River Unreliable as Summer Water Source
By Brenda Adelman
The Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) came to Guerneville again last month. In February they arrived with an army of staff to inform us of their plans to divert an extra 26,000 acre feet (AF) from Lake Sonoma for their water customers. In mid-March a few key staff came to warn us about diminished water supplies and lowered flows. It seemed like a contradiction, and I reported earlier that it was, but now there are several new twists.
At the March 18th meeting in Guerneville, attended by approximately 70 people, Pam Jeane, responsible for system operations, and Dave Manning, the Agency’s leading fish biologist, responded to questions for over two hours about deficiencies in the water system. It was an informative meeting, and staff seemed to answer everyone’s questions sincerely. Nevertheless, many questions remained. Since then, after meeting individually with several key staff, the many complexities of our current water supply situation appear even more muddled.