State holds fast on Russian River water conservation orders
Published: Wednesday, May 6, 2009 at 1:49 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, May 6, 2009 at 1:49 p.m.
SACRAMENTO — State water regulators Wednesday recommended delaying an order lowering Russian River flows by more than half until after the Fourth of July weekend as a concession to recreation interests.
But the staff of the state Water Resources Control Board was standing firm on its proposals to set a limit on how much water can be taken from the Russian River, on requiring at least 25 percent conservation in Sonoma and Mendocino counties and imposing a controversial ban on commercial irrigation.
“This watershed has had water shortage problems and it looks like it will continue to have water shortage problems,” said Victoria Whitney, a deputy director of the state Water Resources Control Board.
Whitney also justified the staff proposal to ban irrigating commercial turf, a statewide issue which the water board has had on its radar as a way to save water.
“A third of urban water use is irrigation,” Whitney said. “Given the issues that they face, it seemed now was the time to point out to folks this is an easy fix.”
The public hearing was scheduled for Wednesday after the order was challenged by the Water Agency’s primary customers, the cities and districts serving 600,000 people from Windsor to San Rafael, which contend they already are leaders in conservation.
The low river flows draw criticism because of water-quality concerns and the effect on tourism, while landscapers and irrigation companies complain a ban on commercial turf irrigation is unnecessary and will put people out of jobs.
Within the next two weeks, staff officials will rewrite the order and submit it to board Chairman Charlie Hoppin, who, because it is a urgency order, will have the authority to approve it.
Hoppin did not give an indication of which way the board was leaning, but made it clear the board believes the Russian River water shortage is serious and chronic.
“It is not easy to take a regulatory action that affects peoples lives, jobs and whether their lawns go dry,” Hoppin said. “It is easy for us up here to talk about conservation, but we aren’t the ones to implement it.”
The water board issued issued the order April 6 as it granted the Water Agency’s request to reduce the summertime flows in the Russian River to conserve water in Lake Mendocino for the fall run of chinook salmon.
Because of the lack of rain this year, Lake Mendocino is critically low and would otherwise be empty by the end of the summer.
Pam Jeane, the Water Agency’s deputy director of operations, said reducing flows by more than half this summer will leave 30,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Mendocino.
Additionally, the National Marine Fisheries Service is restricting the amount of water the Water Agency can release from Lake Sonoma into Dry Creek to protect fish habitat.
While granting the Water Agency request, the state board additionally ordered the Water Agency reduce the amount of water it takes from the Russian River by 25 percent, and implement conservation goals of 25 percent in Sonoma County and 50 percent in Marin County.
The conservation goals are opposed by the Water Agency’s customers, who said they have been leaders statewide and contend there is enough water available to required conserving by only 20 percent.
“We believe with the analysis, a 20 percent conservation would be sufficient. We are asking that be the level in the order,” said Jake Mackenzie, a Rohnert Park councilman and chairman of a Water Agency committee representing the cities and districts.
Whitney said during a break in the meeting, however, that 25 percent is a reasonable goal for conservation and it includes a prohibition on using ground water from wells as a supplement.
“If you substitute ground water, ultimately you will see that impact on the Russian River,” Whitney said.
Caroline Wassem, a Santa Rosa consultant for the Sonoma County Business Park Coalition, opposed the ban on commercial turf irrigation, which the state has defined as turf not used by the public.
She said the coalition, representing 95 percent of business park owners, is committed to reducing irrigation by 35 percent by 2010 and 60 percent by 2017 by replacing indoor fixtures, using high-tech irrigation systems, reducing and replacing turf and having landscapers trained as part of the Qualified Water Efficiency Landscape program run by the county.
Mark Palmer of Santa Rosa, a landscape irrigation company owner, said banning commercial turf is unnecessary.
“We have the capacity and ability to reduce landscape irrigation by 25 percent,” Palmer said. “Don’t make commercial turf the bad boys; the bad boys are those who waste water.”
Brenda Adelman, a Russian River advocate from Guerneville, said she is concerned about the low river levels and the impact on water quality.
“The pollution that is in the river naturally and unnaturally will be concentrated,” Adelman said.
Linda Burke of Burke’s Russian River Canoes in Forestville said the proposed river flows are so low that they jeopardize the 90-year-old family business’ ability to operate this year.
“We are ready for a huge season, all we need is water,” Burke said.
The water board staff made some clarifications in the proposed order, which will require conservation efforts immediately upon approval, and directed that the most drastic flow reduction will not be imposed until July 6.
It also added requirements that the Water Agency conduct monitoring of water quality and fish habitat, and conduct an inventory of who has water rights on the Russian River and who might be diverting illegally.
All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.
Comments are currently unavailable on this article