# 2026-06884: PG&E chills rivers to save salmon from hot summers

2026-06884, Pacific Gas and Electric Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment, is a Federal Register notice from Energy Department, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission published 2026-04-09, effective 2026-05-04 (as of 2026-06-08).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-06884
- As of: 2026-06-08
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-06884
- Title: Pacific Gas and Electric Company; Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Assessment
- Type: Notice
- Agencies: Energy Department; Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
- Citation: 91 FR 17966
- Published: 2026-04-09
- Effective: 2026-05-04
- Comments close: not stated
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: no
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-06-08

## In one line

PG&E chills rivers to save salmon from hot summers

## Summary

Pacific Gas and Electric wants to temporarily change water flow rules in Butte County, California, from May to September 2026 to help save cold water and protect salmon during hot months. This affects local rivers and reservoirs on federal lands and aims to balance water use without harming the environment. The government will review the plan and share an environmental report by the end of May.

## Effects PRIA read

- Lower minimum flows in West Branch Feather: benefit, low. If you live in or use waterways in Butte County, California, Pacific Gas & Electric requests temporarily changing the instantaneous minimum flow below Hendrick Head Dam from 15 cubic feet per second (cfs) in a normal year and 7 cfs in a dry year to 7 cfs over 48 hours regardless of water-year type.…
- Temporary reduced flows in Philbrook Creek: benefit, low. Pacific Gas & Electric requests temporarily changing the instantaneous minimum flow below Philbrook Reservoir from 2 cfs to between 1 and 2 cfs over 48 hours. The modifications would run May 4, 2026 through September 30, 2026, but for Philbrook Creek could start sometime between April 1, 2026 and M…
- Action aims to protect spring-run Chinook salmon: benefit, low. The licensee says the temporary variance would preserve cold-water storage in Philbrook Reservoir, increase flow to Butte Creek via the Hendricks Canal, reduce residence time in the DeSabla Forebay, and provide additional water during the hot months to minimize high-temperature effects to Central V…

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## Sources
- [2026-06884 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/04/09/2026-06884/pacific-gas-and-electric-company-notice-of-intent-to-prepare-an-environmental-assessment)
- [2026-06884 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-04-09/pdf/2026-06884.pdf)

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- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-06884 (as of 2026-06-08).