Support Eel River Dam Removal at Upcoming Public Hearings, Urges Friends of the Eel River
Welcome to our letters to the editor/opinion section. To submit yours for consideration, please send to [email protected]. Please consider including an image to be used–either a photograph of you or something applicable to the letter. However, an image is not necessary for publication.
Remember opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of Redheaded Blackbelt nor have we checked the letters for accuracy.
Scott Dam which is part of the Potter Valley Project. [Photo cropped by one from PG&E]
Advocates for Eel River dam removal are urging members of the public to attend meetings next week in Ukiah and speak in support of dam removal and regional water security.
Recent news about a Southern California water agency interested in taking over the Potter Valley Project has many of us distracted, but not the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). FERC is responsible for overseeing hydropower projects, and approving their decommissioning. As such, FERC has just announced the next step toward dam removal with public hearings and a comment period on scoping for the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) process to analyze the impacts of dam removal.
Two meetings are scheduled to receive comments on FERC’s Scoping Document. The meetings will be Tuesday, June 23rd at 6:30pm and Wednesday, June 24th at 10am at the Ukiah Valley Conference Center, 200 South School Street, Ukiah.
“FERC’s Scoping Notice is clear that dam removal is the only option for the future of the Potter Valley Project,” said Alicia Hamann, Executive Director for Friends of the Eel River. “This is our chance to support the regional two basin solution that Tribes, fisheries advocates, and water users have worked so hard to negotiate. We need to tell FERC that removing these old, uneconomic, fish-killing dams is in the broad public interest”
The Scoping Document outlines what FERC will evaluate in their NEPA process, and clearly affirms that the only path forward for this project is dam removal. FERC has rejected the possibility of retaining Scott Dam, citing seismic stability concerns and economic losses of the project. The option of a Federal Government takeover has also been rejected, as FERC says that no federal agency has expressed interest in operating the project. Finally, FERC has also removed analysis of dam removal without building the New Eel Russian Facility, the proposed diversion infrastructure that will facilitate wet-season diversions following dam removal.
Comments have already been filed with FERC requesting additional meetings in Humboldt County, but at this time we do not know whether the Commission will fulfill those requests. So it is important that anyone supporting dam removal attend one of the meetings in Ukiah.
“This is a critical time for the recovery of both the Eel and Russian Rivers. Redwood Chapter Members who live and work throughout both basins are looking forward to speaking with FERC about our bright post-dam future” noted Alicia Bales, Director of the Sierra Club Redwood Chapter.
Giving comments in person is important for two reasons. First, it’s an opportunity to speak directly to FERC staff about how dam removal is in the broad public interest. Second, it’s an opportunity to send a message to the larger public that dam removal is supported by a majority of North Coast residents.
Limited travel support is available, contact [email protected] for more information.
Anyone who is unable to attend the hearings can instead submit written comments to FERC by July 24th. Comments must be clearly labeled “Potter Valley Project (P-77-332) and can be submitted electronically at https://ferconline.ferc.gov/FERCOnline.aspx by selecting “eComment”, or sent by mail to:
Debbie-Anne A. Reese, Secretary,
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
888 First Street NE, Room 1A
Washington, DC 20426
You can read FERC’s Scoping Document at this link: https://bit.ly/FERC-Scoping. Suggested talking points and other information available at eelriver.org.
Friends of the Eel River
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
This is turning into a political issue with the Trump administration getting involved.
Internal Documents From a Southern California Water Agency Outline a Vision to Turn Eel River Water Rights Into a Cash Bonanza — at the Expense of Local Users
https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2026/jun/16/elsinore-valley-documents/
Free the Russian river while you’re at it.
And the Trinity.
IMHO:
Meeting in Ukiah ? These are the folks that stole the water anyway !
Users should go and protest the future expansion of Coyote Dam ($300 (+-) million).
This dam is the foundation of the water theft.
Protest the transfer of money to the Sonoma Water District ($14 +- million).
Should go and protest the funneling of money into ‘cartel’ Covelo ($1 Million/Year).
Should go and protest the shoveling of money into Cal Trout ($20 +- Million).
Huffman knows where the money grows…
—
Declines in Salmon populations on the West Coast.
California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, Alaska.
Something is wrong. Not the dams.
You don’t believe the seismic reports?
IMHO: Couple sub-topics.
— Topic 1
>”You don’t believe the seismic reports?”
Probably not. Any ‘massive’ earthquake needed to fail those dams is going to
be beyond the wildest imaginations of people.
In the meantime, Northern Califorina is facing a much more serious threat from the Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake.
Nobody talks about that much. They continue to build in tsunami zones.
— Topic 2
Leave the dams… or tear down the dams. I (and probably most rational people) probably don’t care.
But, I’m not really arguing about the ‘removal’ of the dams… or even some other other water district ‘wanting’ the stolen Eel River water.
Arguing about the continued theft of water from the Eel… and the political ‘payback’ to other ‘organizations’ to grant er… ‘tacit’ approval on the diversion of the Eel River to the Russian River Economic Area).
— Topic 3
Previous picture is the Salmon populations… are degrading most everywhere on the West Coast. That is a prime argument for removing the dams.
As far as ‘re-establishing the ‘record’ Eel River salmon runs… probably not.
Probably won’t even go back to the 1960’s.
The attached picture is of Ocean Survival Rate per water temperature.
Hint: Not good.
(Could also post the current water temperatures in the Klamath River.)
They are beyond scary.
—
Go figure.
There are lots of reasons why the salmon are declining. But locally we have a strong chance now of improving conditions in our local salmon populations by removing these dams that block the best quality, coldest water and the best spawning grounds. This is only one among many factors that help our fisheries but why not do as much as we can, even if no single factor will solve every problem? It’s easy to avoid doing something by saying that all by itself this action won’t completely solve the problem. We now have an opportunity to improve conditions for our river and our fisheries; let’s jump right on it!
>”… let’s jump right on it!”
We should ‘jump right on it‘ by not allowing any diversion of Eel River water !
Follow the money.
Love the chart however to have any Commercial and Ocean Recreational Salmon landings – you have to be allowed to go fishing. The chart reflects that. All multiples of zero are…
Theoretically… closed salmon fisheries reflect the diminished salmon runs in the river.
No fishing… usually means… No fish.
(Subject to Politicians Meddling About)
The resistance to dam removal is baffling. I fully support dam removal.
It’s already coming out that not even the users of Sonoma and other counties will benefit. Their rates will go up anyway and the holding company takes all the profit, out of the area. Everyone downstream of the money loses.
It was started by residents who don’t want their lakeside property to become riverside property. They sent a letter to the president, who never seems to miss a chance to stick it to the libtards. It’s gone downhill from there.
“wet season diversions”…. that’s the same as getting ones foot in the door. After the noise dies down, that’s when we find out the real details, and it won’t be good for the downstreamers.
Free the Eel! Dam no! Don’t send our water south.