Russian River Weekly Update 12/8/25

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Russian River in Ukiah Valley, December 2025, by E Salomone
Russian River in Ukiah Valley, December 2025, by E Salomone

Reservoir Storage & Operations:

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

The image shows water storage data for Lakes Mendocino, Pillsbury, and Sonoma, including current levels and changes over 7 days.
The chart shows Lake Mendocino storage levels over the years, highlighting the significant drop to 51,553 acre-feet on December 8, 2025.
The graph shows Lake Pillsbury's storage levels over time, with various target scenarios projected for years 2018-2025.
The chart shows Lake Sonoma's storage levels from 2018 to 2025, highlighting projected storage in acre-feet over time.

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

Time Extension on Comments to December 19th

On December 1, 2025, FERC extended 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 from December 1, 2025 to December 19, 2025 5:00 PM EASTERN TIME (2:00 PM Pacific Time.) Visit RRFC webpage for more information.

2025, 12-01 FERC issued time extenstion for comments on P-77-332.docx

 

Recent Comments Submitted to FERC on Decommissioning:

Note: The number of comments became too cumbersome to track thoroughly. All submissions can be found on the FERC eLibrary website, docket number: P-77-332

Time extension requests: America First Policy Inst, save Potter Valley Project, County of Lake

Motions to Intervene: Mendocino County Farm Bureau, City of Petaluma, Alexander Valley Property Owners Association, County of Humboldt, City of Ukiah, Friends of Eel/Sierra Club/Native Fish Society/Save California Salmon, Eel Russian Project Authority/Mendocino County Inland Water & Power Commission/County of Sonoma/Sonoma County Water Agency, Round Valley Indian Tribes, Cal Trout/Trout Unlimited, Potter Valley Irrigation District, Lake Pillsbury Alliance, US Dept of Interior, City of Cloverdale, American Whitewater, Wiyot Tribe, Marin Municipal Water District, CA Dept of Fish and Wildlife, City of Rohnert Park, Valley of the Moon Water District, North Marin Water District, City of Santa Rosa

Comments: Wiyot Tribe, Humboldt Fishermen’s Marketing Association, Lost Coast Outfitters (on behalf of fishing guides, businesses, and regional fishing clubs), Humboldt Fishermen’s Marketing Association (concerning proposed dredging), Friends of the Eel River, Power of Nature, Save California Salmon, Mendocino County Employer’s Council aka Mendo Matters, Save Potter Valley Project, CalWild’s community Vision for the Upper Eel River Watershed, Lake Pillsbury Alliance, Russian River organizations, Institute for Fisheries Resources/Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations

 

PVP related articles and resources:

 

PG&E License Amendment Application to FERC

Note: All submissions can be found on the FERC eLibrary website, docket number: P-77-318

 

Eel Russian Project Authority (ERPA) Board of Directors Meeting: Thursday, December 11, 2025 3-5 PM

The meeting will be held in person in the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors chambers at 501 Low Gap Road, Room 1070, Ukiah, California 95482. The agenda is posted online at www.eelrussianauthority.org/meetings

A Zoom webinar option will be available at mendocinocounty.zoom.us/j/84939635949. The meeting ID is 849 3963 5949. Participants joining by phone may use (669) 900-9128. Public comment may only be made live, in person, in the Board Chambers.

 

California Natural Resources Agency Launches Virtual Lunch Series: A History of Native California

Native American Heritage Month may have ended, but there are still opportunities to engage with Native  Heritage in California. California Natural Resources Agency is launching a new History of Native California lunch series!

Each month, you’re invited to join Professor William J. Bauer Jr. and Deputy Secretary of Tribal Affairs Geneva E.B. Thompson for a virtual discussion of a chapter of We Are the Land: A History of Native California, by Damon B. Akins and William J. Bauer Jr. 

WHAT: Virtual Lunch Series: A History of Native California - Chapter 1

WHEN: Friday, December 19, 2025; noon to 1 p.m.

HOW: Register to join here.

WHO: 

  • William J. Bauer Jr., Professor and co-author, "We Are the Land: A History of Native California"
  • Geneva E.B. Thompson, Deputy Secretary Tribal Affairs, California Natural Resources Agency 

To learn about future Tribal Affairs updates and events, sign up here.

 

📢 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:

NEW OPPORTUNITIES:

Webinar: CalWATRS for Organizations, will provide an overview of how businesses, agencies, and other groups can activate organization profiles, add users, access water right records, and navigate key system features. Registration is not required.  

CalWATRS for Organizations, December 9, 2025 – 11:00am–12:00pm, 
Join by Zoom: https://bit.ly/CalWATRSOrgs 
Join by phone: call 669-444-9171 and enter 884 9412 0226#, Passcode 274864 

 

Webinar: CalWATRS for Agents, will cover how water rights agents can set up CalWATRS accounts, become the official agent of a water right, and view and manage client records. Both sessions will include a Q&A period. 

CalWATRS for Agents, December 9, 2025 – 1:30pm–2:30pm  
Join by Zoom: https://bit.ly/CalWATRSAgents  
Join by phone: call 669-444-9171 and enter 817 4930 2421#, Passcode 501888 

 

In the press:

 

 

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