For Immediate Release Patty Clary Californians for Alternatives to Toxics (CATs) 707.834.4833 Scott Greacen Friends of the Eel River (FOER) 707.502.4555 California Supreme Court to Review North Coast Railroad Lawsuit Conflicting appellate court decisions create uncertainty regarding environmental assessments required of High Speed Rail and other publicly owned railroads The state’s highest … Read more
A long-anticipated federal recovery plan for coho salmon in northwestern California and southwestern Oregon[1] was released in its final form this September. The plan says the continuing decline of the South Fork Eel River’s population of coho must be reversed, and the watershed’s runs recovered, to meet the Endangered Species Act’s goal of protecting the … Read more
We could not agree more with the Times-Standard (“Get ready for legalization, or get ready to lose”) that it is high time for Humboldt to address the impacts of its marijuana industry through locally appropriate regulation. We are heartened by cannabis cultivators speaking out about serious damage to our rivers, forests, fish, and wildlife, and … Read more
PG&E requested a temporary variance to reduce flows into the East Branch Russian River as they performed work on the Potter Valley Project. Sonoma County Water Agency requested, among other things, compensatory flows to “make up” for lost flows during this variance. Friends of the Eel River submitted comments that we agree with the need … Read more
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, owners of the Potter Valley Project (PVP), are beholden to regulations of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). When PG&E needs to alter management of the project, including changes to water releases which affect stream flow, they must first receive approval from FERC. The below excerpt from the Press Democrat … Read more
Railroad Agency Ducking Environmental Review to Avoid Disclosing Harms to River River advocates have been encouraged, if not surprised, by the rapid return of salmon after the two Elwha River dams in Washington state’s Olympic National Park were removed. Even a century’s absence won’t keep fish out once barriers are removed. Our generation’s best chance … Read more
By: Scott Greacen Originally published by Econews, August 2014 Responding to one of the most severe and persistent droughts in the history of California, state agencies are now moving to shut down water diversions that harm fisheries and wildlife, using a mixture of unusual and unprecedented measures. The State Water Board is issuing “curtailment notices” … Read more
By: Scott Greacen Originally published by Econews, June 2014 Serial Variance Requests Reveal Vulnerability of Eel River Fisheries to Demands from Russian River Irrigators The Eel River’s surviving salmonids—chinook, coho, and steelhead—are struggling to come back from near-extinction. Good returns from 2010 to 13, particularly for chinook, felt like recovery might be getting underway. Unfortunately, … Read more
Eli Asarian on North Coast Stream Flow Decline Dr. Bill Trush – What Do Fish Need? Darren Mierau on Understanding Stream Flow and Managing Diversions Dana Stolzman on the SRF Redwood Creek Project
By: Scott Greacen Originally published in Econews, April 2014 Friends of the Eel River’s 2014 Eel River Symposium was held at the Fortuna River Lodge, March 7. Many thanks to all who attended and especially to the presenters who made the event such a rich, engaging day of presentations and discussion. Our watershed, region and … Read more