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In an effort to protect fish habitat and drinking water supplies through this year and the next, the State Water Resources Control Board announced Wednesday it is restricting water diversions in the Upper Russian River basin.
The extremely dry conditions and historically low water storage levels at Lake Mendocino, prompted the Board to send out notices to 930 junior water rights holders in the basin to reduce diversions immediately.
The restrictions announced Wednesday will likely remain in effect until winter rains restore water flows. People violating them could face daily fines of up to $1,000.
“Unless we immediately reduce diversions, there is a real risk of Lake Mendocino emptying by the end of this year,” warned Erik Ekdahl, deputy director for the State Water Board’s Division of Water Rights. “We need to implement the water rights system to protect supplies in case of another dry winter, which could transform the Russian River into a series of disconnected pools and restrict the availability of drinking water in the area.”
The state is responding aggressively to unprecedented dry conditions throughout the state, including the Russian River watershed. As of April 30, Lake Mendocino was at 43% of water supply capacity and Lake Sonoma was at 62% of water supply capacity, the lowest on record for this date. Rainfall in Santa Rosa and Ukiah in 2021 is less than 40 percent of long-term averages.
The Russian River watershed spans Sonoma and Mendocino Counties. Water stored in Lake Mendocino, a reservoir north of Ukiah, is released downstream to maintain flows in the Upper Russian River. This supplemental water protects multiple endangered fish species and supports a variety of municipal and agricultural uses. During dry conditions, water stored in the lake accounts for nearly all the water in the river. As drought persists, unchecked diversions by junior water right holders will require additional
releases of stored water and risk draining the lake completely, resulting in loss of drinking water for those that rely on the lake releases.
The board is warning that conditions are likely to worsen and additional actions may be needed. Water rights holders are encourage to collaborate with communities to adapt to water shortages and conserve water.
