Russian River Weekly Update 12/1/25

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Russian River in Ukiah Valley, November 19, 2023 by CJ Watt
Russian River in Ukiah Valley, November 19, 2023 by CJ Watt

Reservoir Storage & Operations:

Water supply information provided by Sonoma Water (find more water storage info here).

Water storage data for Lakes Mendocino, Pillsbury, and Sonoma, showing current levels and changes over the past week.
The graph shows Lake Mendocino's water storage levels from 2018 to projections for December 2025, highlighting current and future storage trends.
Graph showing Lake Pillsbury's storage levels from 2018 to 2025, with target scenarios and current status as of November 29, 2025.
The graph shows Lake Sonoma's storage levels (in acre-feet) from 2018 to 2025, with projections and a target for December 1, 2025.

PG&E’s Final Surrender Application for Potter Valley Project

RRFC webpage on the Future of the Eel River to Russian River Diversion

SWRCB Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project webpage

FERC issued the public comment period for PG&E’s application for Surrender of License and Non-Project Use of Project Lands. Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, and protests was December 1, 2025 5:00 PM EASTERN TIME (2:00 PM Pacific Time.) Visit RRFC webpage for more information. Further information in next week's update.

PVP related articles:

November 2025: Janet Pauli and Sean White were on the “Like it or Not Podcast” linked HERE, talking about PVP decommissioning.

 

PG&E License Amendment Application to FERC

FERC issued the public comment period for PG&E’s application for Non-Capacity Amendment of License. Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, and protests was December 1, 2025 5:00 PM EASTERN TIME (2:00 PM Pacific Time.) Further information in next week's update. Visit RRFC webpage for more information.

 

📢 State Water Board Announces New Water Rights Reporting System - CalWATRS

CalWATRS, short for California Water Accounting, Tracking, and Reporting System, is the State's new-and-improved water rights data system, replacing the legacy eWRIMS platform. With CalWATRS, water right holders will have a streamlined way to view all their water right records, file annual reports, and request water rights services. CalWATRS successfully launched on Oct. 7, as planned.

Learn more:

 

 

Notice of Document Availability for Proposed Adoption of Water Measurement Regulation (SB88)

The State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board or Board) will consider adopting revisions to the Diversion Measurement Regulation (regulation) on Tuesday, December 2, 2025. The initial regulation, adopted as an emergency regulation in 2016, requires anyone with a water right to divert over 10 acre-feet annually to measure the rate and volume of their diversions and submit measurement data to the Board. The proposed revisions clarify requirements, standardize measurement data reporting, and align regulations with new water right reporting systems. 

Document Availability: The draft regulation text, agenda item, draft resolution, and other supporting documents are available on the State Water Board’s website at:

Regulation Rulemaking Webpage

Additional Resources: For more information regarding the rulemaking process for this regulation, visit the Water Measurement and Reporting Regulation Rulemaking webpage. Subscribe to the Water Measurement list on the State Water Board’s Email Lists webpage for further updates about the water measurement regulations. For information regarding the existing regulation, and resources on how to measure, visit the general Water Measurement webpage. If adopted, the regulation revisions will change how diverters must comply and currently posted guidance will be replaced with updated resources.

 

In the press:

 

 

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