Introduction: Russian River Estuary Management Project
The Estuary Project is required by the Biological Opinion (BO) (BO). “When the sandbar naturally closes the mouth of the river after May 15th each year, the Water Agency will open it by creating a long, wide, shallow outlet channel. The intent of the outlet channel is to create a freshwater lagoon by allowing river water to flow out while preventing salt water from entering the estuary. The outlet channel won’t be “constructed” but formed by heavy equipment operators sculpting the sandbar according to a design approved by NMFS and the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG).” (Statement provided by SCWA) RRWPC has many concerns about the project, as noted in the documents below.
The Estuary Management Plan Stipulated Agreement (Stipulated Judgment) was fully signed on Sept. 7, 2012 by all parties: Russian River Watershed Protection Committee and Sonoma County Water Agency, and Superior Court Judge Elliot Daum.
- A Brief History of Russian River Low Flow, 6-17
- RRWPC Comments on SCWA Low Flow Urgency Petition, 5-14-17
- Comments on DEIR on Expansion of Farallones Marine Sanctuary, June 30, 2014
- Russian River Summer Contractor Use: 2008 – 2012
- Low Flow Facts for Estuary Community Meeting, May 16, 2013
- Stipulated Agreement (Judgment) on Estuary Management Plan: 9-7-12
- Brenda Adelman’s article, Press Democrat: 10-26-11
- E. Carrillo Guest Opinion: Myths about sandbar plan, Press Democrat: 10-18-11
- RRWPC v. SCWA: 9-16-11
- Jenner Estuary Project Brochure: 9-11
- Brenda Adelman Email to Supporters Announcing FEIR Lawsuit: 9-16-11
- Brenda Adelman’s Letter to the Editor, Press Democrat: 9-6-11
- Brenda Adelman’s letter to BOS concerning Estuary FEIR: 8-16-11
- Bob Norberg: Supervisors OK Fresh-water Lagoon at Jenner, Press Democrat: 8-16-11
- RRWPC Attorney Michael Lozeau’s comments on DEIR with attachments: 2-14-11
- Revised Estuary Scoping Comments: 2-14-11 (Since the Scoping Comments were fairly complete, in order to assure response to Scoping Comments, we resubmitted them with some changes as our regular comments on DEIR.)
- Letter to supporters about project: 2-10-11
- Estuary Project DEIR: Summary in outline form of main issues in DEIR: 2-1-11.
- RRWPC Comments Fish Flow Project Notice Of Preparation, 11-15-10
- RRWPC Scoping Comments on Estuary Project: 6-21-10.
- RRWPC Response to Dr. Bill Hearn Article: 6-7-10
- Dr. Bill Hearn: Why Change Summer Flows in the Russian River, Sonoma County Gazette: 6-3-10
- RRWPC Comments at Estuary Project Hearing: 1-18-09
Commentaries can be RRWPC’s official submission to regulatory agencies regarding proposed or current projects and for the most part have legal standing as formal comments.
