For generations, the Yuki people lived by the Eel River — a lifeline flowing through their ancestral lands. That changed in 1908, when the river’s natural course was interrupted by the Potter Valley Project, disrupting their way of life, fish populations, and culture. Now, with the impending decommissioning of the project’s dams, a new chapter is beginning.
Joseph Parker, president of the Round Valley Indian Tribal Council and a member of the Yuki tribe, described his deep connection to the river. Memories of the Eel, he said, have been handed down through generations — from his grandmother to his mother and to him.
“That’s all we know is to live on the Eel River,” he said.
The Round Valley Indian Tribes hold senior water rights to the Eel. But for more than a century, the Potter Valley Project — which includes the Cape Horn and Scott dams — drastically altered the river’s habitat, harming the fish populations the Yuki people depended on.
Pacific Gas & Electric acquired the project’s license from Snow Mountain Water and Power in 1930. Eight decades later, the utility questioned the project’s economic viability and began talks with the tribes. In 2019, PG&E announced it would not renew its federal license, kicking off a decommissioning process expected to take more than a decade.
A key milestone was reached on Feb. 11, 2025, when the Round Valley Indian Tribes signed a memorandum of understanding with the Mendocino County Inland Water and Power Commission, Humboldt County, Sonoma County Water Agency, California Trout, Trout Unlimited, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
The agreement includes annual financial payments to the tribes for their water rights: $1 million for water rights and $750,000 for restoration. The tribal council will decide how to allocate the funds.
Securing the terms was no easy task. Parker recalled repeated trips to Sacramento and tough negotiations. “It was not a pretty sight,” he said. “It was just back and forth. They wanted to lowball us.” But eventually, an agreement was reached. “Everyone was happy,” he said.
Parker described a moment of quiet celebration when he shared the news with his community. “They clapped their hands and they agreed with it,” he said. Potential uses for the funds include support for education, recreation, and college scholarships.
Payments are expected to begin once the dams are removed and will continue for 20 years. The memorandum also includes a framework to extend payments beyond that period, with an increase built in.
The vision for the future is clear: to see the dams come down and the Eel River run free once more. Parker said he looks forward to seeing the river restored to the way his ancestors once knew it.