Sonoma County Gazette, August 2009

River Photography Project and Water Quality Studies Pass Half Way Point

By Brenda Adelman

The photo project…..
For the last two months, a group of volunteer photographers have been documenting conditions in the lower Russian River.  The photo project was triggered as a result of the State Water Board’s May ruling authorizing the Sonoma County Water Agency to greatly diminish river flows in order to address draught conditions in Lake Mendocino.

The project’s goal has been to provide a summer “snapshot” of what happens to the river during ultra low flows.  We have not only been taking pictures, but simultaneously tracking Lake Mendocino levels, reports on lower river flow levels, and water quality monitoring results for nutrients, bacteria, and conventional pollutants such as dissolved oxygen, temperature, turbidity, etc. This project will continue through September.