Russian River Weekly Update 7/20/26
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Reservoir Storage & Operations:
Water supply information provided by Sonoma Water (find more water storage info here).
Future of the Eel River to Russian River Trans Basin Diversion (Potter Valley Project)
Recent comments and articles:
(Note – Not all comments to FERC on scoping document will be linked due to quantity.)
Notice of Board Workshop Draft Guidance on Designating Tribal Beneficial Uses, July 22, 2026
Staff of the State Water Resources Control Board (State Water Board) will hold a State Water Board workshop and accept oral comments on July 22, 2026, regarding the Draft Guidance on Designating Tribal Beneficial Uses. The Draft Guidance on Designating Tribal Beneficial Uses is intended to support consistent and meaningful implementation of Tribal Beneficial Uses (TBUs) across the state. The workshop will also include presentations from California Native American Tribes and Regional Water Boards highlighting progress made to date in designating Tribal Beneficial Uses. TMore information including draft document and webcast link.
WEBINAR: Managing Groundwater with Small Farms in Mind, Aug 4, 2026 12:00 PM
Join UC Small Farms Network and Community Alliance with Family Farmers for a webinar discussion on their upcoming report “Managing Groundwater with Small Farms in Mind”. The report is based on three years of statewide research, surveys, focus group discussions, and document review with small-scale farmers. This webinar discussion will highlight the risks, barriers, and opportunities for small farms in long-term groundwater management. Registration
DWR releases onboarding tutorial video for Groundwater Sustainability Agencies
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has developed GSA Onboarding Resources including an Onboarding Checklist and a Handbook Template, to support Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) as they welcome new board members and staff into their roles under the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). These materials are designed to help orient new team members to GSA governance, local Groundwater Sustainability Plan (GSP) implementation, and key SGMA requirements. More information here.
In the press:
- Weekly Water Highlights — July 15, 2026
- Maven's Notebook Weekly Update July 12-17, 2026
- Maven's Notebook Weekend Edition 7/19/26
- Healdsburg Tribune: Russian River’s ‘keeper’ Don McEnhill - 25-year river guardian Don McEnhill sees less garbage, more awareness 7/15/26
- Healdsburg Tribune: Where the Redwood Highway crosses the Russian River-A long-delayed 're-envisioning' of the beach suggests a plan with no dam 7/15/26
- Marin Independent Journal: MMWD seals agreement for pipeline project 7/12/26
- River Partners: California Could Collide with a “Very Significant El Niño Event” - Climate Scientist Dr. Daniel Swain unpacks the potential for a historic El Niño event in California this winter 7/16/26
- Press Democrat: Earliest harvest in 40 years kicks off in Sonoma County 7/16/26
- CA Water Data Consortium: Beyond Prop. 4: Why Data Standards and Governance Matter for Water Resilience 7/10/26
- CA Water Blog: Water extinguishes fire, but how does fire affect water? (Part 2 of 2) 7/19/26