SCH Number 2023040625

Project Info

Title

Petitions Requesting Approval of Temporary Urgency Changes in Water Right Permits 12947A, 12949, 12950, and 16596 in Mendocino and Sonoma Counties

Description

Sonoma Water controls and coordinates water supply releases from the Coyote Valley Dam and Warm Springs Dam projects in accordance with the minimum instream flow requirements that Decision 1610, adopted by the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) in 1986, added to Sonoma Water’s water right permits. NMFS’ Russian River Biological Opinion requires changes to the Decision 1610 minimum instream flow requirements to enable alternative flow management scenarios that will increase available rearing habitat in Dry Creek and the upper Russian River, and provide a lower, closer-to-natural inflow to the estuary between late spring and early fall, thereby enhancing the potential for maintaining a seasonal freshwater lagoon that will likely support increased production of juvenile steelhead and salmon. To meet the terms and conditions of the Russian River Biological Opinion and to avoid excessively high flows that could result in violations to the Biological Opinion’s Incidental Take Statement, Sonoma Water is filing temporary urgency change petitions with the SWRCB. During the period that the proposed temporary flow changes are in effect, Sonoma Water will also monitor water quality and fish, and collect and report information and data related to monitoring activities, as required by NMFS’ Russian River Biological Opinion.

2 documents in project