Oct 24, 2017 — The Potter Valley Water Project remains controversial, as PG&E, which holds the license for the project, prepares its proposal for relicensing in 2022. On Friday, October 13, attorneys for California River Watch and Coast Action Group filed a lawsuit claiming that the project interferes with the habitat and survival of endangered Coho and Chinook salmon and steelhead trout.
The Potter Valley Water Project consists of two dams on the Eel River, a powerhouse, and a tunnel which diverts water from the Eel River into the Russian River. Scott Dam forms Lake Pillsbury in Lake County, while the Cape Horn Dam, the powerhouse, and the diversion tunnel are located in the northern end of Potter Valley.
Earlier this summer, First District Supervisor Carre Brown submitted a letter of comment to Kimberly Bose, Secretary of the Federal Regulatory Commission, stating that the region’s water supply depends on the water generated by the project, with hundreds of landowners and water agencies holding permits for the water.
We’ll hear from Alan Levine, director of Coast Action Group, about his reasons for participating in the lawsuit, and Janet Pauli, a board member of the Potter Valley Irrigation District, about her continued support for the project.