2023.

Potter Valley Project (PVP) on its way out…..Now is a time of major transition in the water resource management field.  After completion of a long and laborious public process expected to occur during the next several years by water contractors and users, governmental managers and technicians, fishery advocates, native Americans, and environmentalists, More »

Four years in the making, the ACL is finally here….The ‘Prosecution Team’ of the North Coast Regional Board has finally, after four years, completed their investigation into the enormous February/March, 2019 raw sewage spill by the Russian River County Sanitation District (RRCSD) near the Vacation Beach More »

Biological Opinion and lower river flows are up for review again…..Public comments on the Russian River Fish Flow (Low Flow) Environmental Impact Report (EIR) were due in mid-March, 2017.  There was no deadline for the Water Agency’s response, but every year since, the release date for responses has been pushed back.  These responses and then a hearing before the State Water Board would have probably led to permanently More »

RRCSD illegally discharged millions of gallons of raw sewage over 17 years….Russian River County Sanitation District (RRCSD) illegally spilled almost 1.5 million gallons of raw or partially treated sewage into the Russian River during big storms taking place between 2007 and July, 2017. This is five times more than all other dischargers combined, including Santa Rosa and the Subregional system (Rohnert Park, Cotati, and Sebastopol).  Then in late 2017, and February and March, 2019, sanitary sewer overflows caused another 2.3 million gallons to be spilled.  More »

Think positive, spring is around the corner….As we come to the end of what felt like a very rough winter, spring appears to be peaking out. The rain has been wonderful for our reservoirs, but has taken its toll. I was walking in Armstrong Woods the other day and saw messes like I have never seen before. A State Parks worker told me the damage to the park has been far worse this winter than with the fire almost two years ago. These back to back crises have been difficult on all of us, but hope springs eternal and will come in handy as more massive changes are coming. More »