PG&E Wants to Tweak River Flows: California Public, Speak Up!
Published Date: 2/25/2026
Notice
Summary
Pacific Gas & Electric wants to temporarily change how much water flows through their Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project in California. This affects local rivers and communities, and the public has until March 23, 2026, to share their thoughts or get involved. No big money changes are mentioned, but the decision could impact the environment and water use for a short time.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 3 costs, 1 mixed.
Lake Pillsbury Storage Reduced and Targeted
PG&E reports leaving Scott Dam spillway gates open indefinitely will reduce Lake Pillsbury’s storage capacity to about 52,600 acre-feet (a reduction of about 18,200 acre-feet). The licensee will maintain a minimum pool of 12,000 acre-feet to avoid bank sloughing and sets a storage target of 25,000 acre-feet on October 1, 2026 to meet safety and regulatory requirements.
Lower Eel River Minimum Flows Proposed
The licensee asks to reclassify gage E-2 as a critical water year so the minimum flow released into the Eel River below Scott Dam would follow the critical-water-year minimum of 20 cubic feet per second (cfs). The filing also says releases from Scott Dam’s low-level outlet cannot be less than 35 cfs and that actual releases will likely be greater than 35 cfs because they include combined flows before diversions.
East Branch Russian River Flow Schedule
The licensee proposes specific temporary release rates to the East Branch Russian River (gage E-16): April 15–May 14: 35 cfs (normal), 25 cfs (dry), 5 cfs (critical); May 15–June 30: 75 cfs (normal), 25 cfs (dry), 5 cfs (critical). If Lake Pillsbury is not spilling April 15–June 30, releases would start at 25 cfs then be adjusted between 25 and 5 cfs; July 1–September 30 releases would be adjusted between 25 and 5 cfs. From October 1, 2026 through April 14, 2027, if storage is below 36,000 acre-feet, releases to E-16 would be set to 5 cfs regardless of water year until the variance ends.
Compliance, Block Water, and Reporting Changes
Under the proposed variance, compliance for minimum flows at gage E-11 would be calculated as a 24-hour average instead of instantaneous measurement. The 2,500 acre-feet Block Water allocation would be extended over the 2026 calendar year (January 1 through December 31, 2026) rather than the 2026 water year, and monthly water storage and temperature reports would be filed with FERC during the variance.
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