Sonoma County Gazette, June 2010

SCWA Separates Low Flow and Estuary Projects for EIR

by Brenda Adelman

Low Flow Back Again….
Lake Mendocino and Lake Sonoma are the fullest they have been in years and everyone is sighing relief at the expectation of having normal water supplies this year.  Folks are grateful that this will be a summer when gardens can be watered without guilt.  But sorry, the lower river is expected to get low flow again anyway!

This article is being written as the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) waits to hear from the State Water Board about their Temporary Emergency Petition to lower flows between May 1 and October 15, 2010.  The Biological Opinion (BO) required filing the Petition.   In fact, the BO requires that they file for a temporary petition every year until the permanent change to Decision 1610 is approved, which may be seven or more years from now.   SCWA had filed “emergency” petitions in 2002, 2004, 2007, and 2009.