Is raising Coyote Dam the key to fixing Russian River’s water problems?

IWPC Meeting: Water Diversion Agreement Moves Forward

At its February 13, 2025, meeting, the Mendocino County Inland Water & Power Commission (IWPC) discussed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that sets the stage for a New Eel-Russian Diversion Facility (NERF).

The agreement, signed by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), California Trout, Eel-Russian Project Authority (ERPA), Humboldt County, Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission (IWPC), Round Valley Indian Tribes (RVIT), Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water), and Trout Unlimited, outlines terms for a new water diversion plan that would impact water users across Northern California.

According to IWPC Chair Janet Pauli, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors has posted the full MOU terms online for public review.

Key Terms of the Water Diversion Agreement:

• Water Rights Transfer:
  PG&E’s Potter Valley Project water rights will first be transferred to ERPA. Once the agreement is finalized, ERPA will transfer those rights to the Round Valley Indian Tribes (RVIT). Under the agreement, RVIT will then lease a portion of the Eel River’s diverted water back to ERPA.
• Annual Payments to RVIT:
  • ERPA will pay $1 million annually to RVIT for the water diversion.
  • An additional $750,000 to $1 million will be paid annually for restoration efforts—the exact amount depends on external funding availability.
  • Both payments will be adjusted for inflation and will increase if the agreement is extended beyond 30 years.
• Long-Term Funding Plan:
  • Phase 1 requires $50 million to establish the Eel River Restoration Fund and $50 million to build the NERF diversion facility.
  • In Phase 2, those amounts will double to $100 million each.
  • No firm start date has been announced for the funding phases.
• Water Diversion Timeline:
  • Water will primarily be diverted during the rainy season to protect Eel River flows.
  • In rare cases, summer diversions could occur in years with high late-spring runoff.

2025 Budget Planning:
Commissioners briefly discussed IWPC’s 2025 budget, noting that most funding will go toward legal fees related to the water diversion agreement. Member agencies are expected to contribute $60,000 each.

Coyote Dam Feasibility Study Gets Federal Backing

IWPC also discussed efforts to restart the Army Corps of Engineers (ACOE) Feasibility Study on raising Coyote Dam, a long-debated project aimed at increasing water storage capacity in the Upper Russian River Watershed.

Eric Nagy of
Larsen Wurzel & Associates (LWA) consulting group updated commissioners on new developments:

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• Congressman Jared Huffman secured a $500,000 federal earmark to initiate the study.
• IWPC is negotiating a cost-sharing agreement with the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians to secure matching funds.
• The study will be a three-party agreement between IWPC, ACOE, and Lytton Rancheria.
• A separate local agreement between IWPC and Lytton Rancheria will outline cost-sharing details.

Why Raise Coyote Dam?

Coyote Dam was originally designed to be 36 feet taller, but funding shortfalls prevented the full construction. Increasing the dam height would allow more water to be stored for dry-season use, especially as flows from the Potter Valley Project decrease.

IWPC legal counsel Scott Shapiro explained that once the NERF diversion is in place, water will only flow to the East Branch of the Russian River during the rainy months. That change intensifies the need for additional storage capacity.

Shapiro added:

“This is the start of the process, not the end. There will be lots of opportunities for public input as we move forward.”

Under federal law, non-federal sponsors must contribute 50% of study costs. However, if the sponsor is a tribal government, there may be an offset, though the amount varies yearly.

A formal agreement is expected to be signed within the next month, and the study will take at least three years to complete.

Ukiah Valley Groundwater Sustainability Efforts

On March 5, the Ukiah Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency (UVBGSA) Technical Advisory Committee met to discuss local groundwater management and ongoing WaterSmart Grant projects.

Committee Chair Elizabeth Salomone, General Manager of the Russian River Flood Control & Water Conservation Improvement District, led the discussion.

Major Grant-Funded Initiatives:

• New Backup Well: The City of Ukiah will construct a backup well with matching funds.
• Real-time Well Monitoring: Sensors will be installed in three key groundwater wells.
• Groundwater & Surface Water Study: Researchers will assess the impact of declining flows from the Potter Valley Project.
• Decision Support Tool: A new online platform will help farmers and water districts make real-time decisions on water use.

Consultant Audra Bardsley of LWA presented the Annual Report for Water Year 2024, confirming that the Ukiah Valley Basin remains stable.

Key Findings:

• No major groundwater depletion was reported.
• No water quality concerns were flagged.
• The Annual Report is on track for submission to the state by April 1.

Bardsley also noted that a more comprehensive groundwater sustainability report will be required by 2027.

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For more details, the full meeting video is available online.

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