"Dear Board Members;
"We commend the Board for its efforts to take control of the Potter Valley Project, which Project has and will continue to have a significant effect on the environment and consequently the residents of Mendocino county.
However, we believe that the proposed make-up of this Commission and the limitations of its purposes as described in this Draft will unnecessarily divide the County into two camps: water users "downstream" of the Potter Valley diversion, and those interested in the health of the Eel River downstream of Cape Horn Dam. By creating a Board that will represent only those consumptive users in the Russian river watershed of the County, and a a Board whose purpose is most importantly to retain historic levels of Eel River diversions (Section 6.02(A)(2)), this plan fails to recognize the impact of the Potter Valley Project Project on the Eel River, fails to recognize the equally important benefits of a healthy Eel River fishery, and fails to recognize the deep and fervent commitment among County residents to restore a healthy fishery to the Eel River. This plan sets the stage for a "civil war" over water. Instead of fearing a water grab by Sonoma County, we are now faced with the fear of a water grab by our own County.
The Department of Fish and Game is about to put out a recovery plan for the Eel River which is likely to include recommendations for flows from the Potter Valley Project that will optimize conditions for salmon and steelhead in the Eel River. This will probably require flexibility in quantity and timing of flows from the diversion into the Eel River. It would seem that any water regulating commission must incorporate into its purposes the re-establishment and maintenance of a healthy Eel River fishery, be committed to working toward that end with the Department of Fish and Game and the public, and have represented on its Board entities and interests who will speak not just for the consumptive users of the water but also for the fishery and for the preservation of the attributes which distinguish the Eel River from 100 feet below Cape Horn Dam to its mouth as a State and Federal Wild and Scenic River, a designation that is a considerable asset to Mendocino County.
Therefore we make the following recommended changes to Draft #4: 1) Article III - Purpose, Section 3.01., Purpose, shall be amended to read under 2) "to lobby for Eel River diversions into the Russian River watershed at levels consistent with restoring and maintaining a healthy native salmon and steelhead fishery downstream of the diversion." An additional purpose 2a) shall be added to read "to work with the Department of Fish and Game and any other appropriate agency, and with members of the public to re-establish flows into the Eel River below Cape Horn Dam consistent with historic seasonal flows advantageous to the re-establishment and maintenance of a healthy salmon and steelhead fishery in the Eel River. This wording shall likewise be inserted into Article VI - Powers, Section 6.01(A)(2), and into Section 6.02(A) Delegated Powers, #(2).
2) We recommend that the make-up of the Commission Board either be the Board of Supervisors in its entirety, or made up of the following representatives: two members of the Board of Supervisors, one whose District includes the Eel River downstream of Cape Horn Dam, the other whose District includes portions of the Russian River watershed; a representative of the Potter Valley Irrigation District; a representative of the Round Valley Tribes; and one member from the environmental community.
Sincerely,
Ellen Drell, Board Member
Willits Environmental Center
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 2004
Permission granted to excerpt or use this article if source is cited