March 26, 2024 Dear Chair Hart and Board Members, Friends of the Eel River (FOER) and allied organizations support the Great Redwood Trail and have a deep and long- standing interest in remediating the environmental mayhem left by the Northwestern Pacific Railroad. As you may remember, federal regulators closed the rail line in 1998. FOER … Read more
In the fall of 2022 Friends of the Eel River filed suit against Humboldt County for failing to protect the public trust values of the Lower Eel River by managing groundwater use during critically dry years. The public trust doctrine is an ancient legal principle establishing that certain natural and cultural resources should be preserved … Read more
We are excited to introduce our supporters to our new Administrative Manager Kanan Beissert! Kanan is a recent graduate of the Environmental Sciences program at Cal Poly Humboldt and is an excellent communicator. With experience in interpretation, outdoor education, and marketing, Kanan has the skills to translate the complexities of our work without losing important details. We … Read more
Administrative Manager This position starts at 25 hours per week with the opportunity to increase to 30. The job requires occasional travel over weekends mostly in summer. Hybrid work environment, but must work at least 15 hours per week in the Eureka office. This position has a lot of potential for growth. We are also … Read more
I have always been of the opinion that restoring our relationship with place and with each other is one of the most important building blocks of ecological restoration. When I graduated in 2019, I was ready to do something different – something that would make a difference. I knew I wanted to work for Friends … Read more
We’re encouraged by the progress we are making toward Eel River dam removal. PG&E seems eager to rid themselves of this liability-ridden project. It’s our job to make sure dam removal comes in time to save the Eel’s native fish. With your support, Friends of the Eel River will keep the pressure on PG&E and … Read more
PG&E has released their initial draft decommissioning plan for the Potter Valley Project. The plan calls for removal of both Scott and Cape Horn Dams, and provides a few options for consideration by stakeholders. This initial draft does not include environmental review, proposed license surrender conditions, or a conceptual restoration plan; those will come with … Read more
On Sept. 12, storm Daniel overwhelmed two neglected dams in Libya. The flood washed away entire neighborhoods in the coastal city of Derna, killing thousands. Experts warned just last year that lack of maintenance risked failure of the dams, built in the 1970s to allow the development they destroyed. But storm Daniel brought more rain … Read more
PG&E TELLS FERC “SEISMIC RISK OF EEL RIVER DAMS GREATER THAN PREVIOUSLY UNDERSTOOD” -FERC Approves Changes to Dam Operations to Mitigate Earthquake Risks -Four Months After Request, Approval Comes Too Late to Stop Fish Kill Washington, DC – Yesterday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) granted a request for a Temporary Variance to the flow requirements … Read more
For over 120 years, Russian River water users have enjoyed a boost to their water supplies at the expense of the Eel River. PG&E’s Potter Valley Project uses two dams and a pipeline to divert water from the Eel River to a power house on the East Fork of the Russian River. While the project … Read more