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The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors today seemed content to embrace the philosophy of “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good” as its five members unanimously approved a plan that aims to achieve one of our region’s longest-held goals: the demolition and removal of two dams on the upper Eel River.

Specifically, the board approved a memorandum of understanding among a collection of federal, state, tribal and local agencies, who together have crafted a plan for a new Eel-Russian diversion facility associated with the decommissioning of PG&E’s Potter Valley Project, a defunct hydroelectric project comprising those two dams — Cape Horn Dam and Scott Dam — plus a diversion tunnel and power plant.

The Potter Valley powerhouse hasn’t generated electricity since 2021, and the utility has been looking to rid itself of the unprofitable infrastructure since 2018. A week and a half ago, PG&E released a 2,000-plus-page draft plan for public comment. Its final license surrender application and decommissioning plan is due July 29.

At today’s meeting, Humboldt County Public Works Deputy Director Hank Seemann delivered a presentation outlining the broad strokes of the new “two-basin solution” agreement, which will allow continued diversions of water to the Russian River, though with increased protections and benefits for the Eel River and its fisheries, Seemann said.

The seven parties who crafted the new Water Diversion Agreement over the past year and a half include Sonoma Water, Mendocino Inland Water and Power Commission, Round Valley Indian Tribes, California Trout, Trout Unlimited and the California Department of Fish & Wildlife.

You’ll notice that Humboldt County is not on that list. However, county representatives have been involved in negotiations, advocating for Eel River water to stay in the Eel River watershed. But the county has expressed willingness to consider any agreement that includes necessary protections and restoration opportunities for the Eel and its fisheries.

The Eel River’s abundant and diverse fish and wildlife habitat once produced abundant populations of Chinook salmon, coho salmon, steelhead, Lamprey, sturgeon and other species, though Seemann said the Potter Valley Project contributed to the precipitous decline of this teeming life, particularly salmon, whose population in the Eel, once numbering more than a million, has dwindled by roughly 95 percent.

The dams blocked fish passage and altered the natural flow patterns of the river while creating conditions for the proliferation of Sacramento pike minnow, an invasive species that preys on juvenile salmon.

However, diversions from the Eel have been an integral source of water for irrigation in Potter Valley and downriver water consumers supplied by the East Branch Russian River, which flows into Lake Mendocino near Ukiah. From there, water is used in Mendocino, Sonoma and Marin counties for irrigation and municipal/domestic water supply, while also helping the Russian River meet flow requirements.

Seemann explained that under the new agreement, PG&E’s water rights would be transferred to the Round Valley Indian Tribes, who would then lease them back to the Eel-Russian Project Authority. This, he said, “would restore ownership of Eel River water rights to an entity based in the Eel River watershed” — in this case, a tribal nation.

The vast majority of water diversions from the Eel would occur during the wet season of winter and early spring, with reduced annual volumes compared to historical amounts.

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On the financial side of the agreement, the Eel-Russian Project Authority would pay Round Valley Indian Tribes $1 million per year to lease the water rights that the tribes would receive under the deal, and on top of that the authority would bay the tribes a restoration payment of $750,000 to $1 million.

“This payment is in recognition that the tribes have federally reserved water and fishing rights,” Seemann said. In exchange, the tribes would agree not to assert their federally reserved water and fishing rights during the term of the lease agreement, which has a conditional term of 30 years and a potential conditional renewal of 20 more years.

The agreement is premised on eventually phasing out diversions from the Eel to the Russian as the latter basin makes progress toward water independence, Seemann explained.

“Staff’s opinion is that the MOU contains protections and benefits that represent a strategic opportunity to accelerate restoration on the Eel River and recovery of Eel River fisheries,” Seemann concluded.

Representatives from the negotiating parties were on hand to discuss their perspectives on the benefits of the proposed deal. 

First District Supervisor Rex Bohn voiced some skepticism about the MOU, particularly the finances, given the number of agencies involved.

He said the $750,000 annual payment may sound great, “but then you just named off five agencies, with probably a few more in there — that pie is going to be like one pie at Thanksgiving for a dinner for 20; it’s not going to be very thick slices.”

Calling for more government efficiency, Bohn asked, “Can’t one agency run this whole thing without everybody getting a chunk of the pie?”

Seemann said those restoration payments would be unrestricted, which would allow strategic use of those funds to leverage additional money via grants and other investments. 

Wiyot Tribal Administrator Michelle Vassel called in to the meeting to read aloud a letter of “strong support” for the MOU, which was approved by the tribal council last night.

“The Wiyot Tribe believes this MOU, as a precursor to an enforceable water diversion agreement, will establish the framework and funding for badly needed Eel River restoration throughout the watershed, including our ancestral territory within Humboldt County,” Vassel recited. The tribe’s letter urged the board to approve the MOU.

Darren Mierau, North Coast regional director for the nonprofit California Trout, also voiced support for the deal. He said spring flows above the proposed diversion facility will be relatively unimpaired.

“There is a lot of habitat for salmon and steelhead recovery in that upper basin, and the genetics in the resident rainbow trout also retain the genetic information for a summer steelhead run, which we think can be restored as well,” Mierau said.

He concluded with a reference to the 2017 Eel River documentary called “A River’s Last Chance,” saying, “We think this is the Eel River’s best chance.”

Alicia Hamann, executive director of environmental nonprofit Friends of the Eel River, said that organization was formed 30 years ago for exactly this purpose: removal of the Eel River dams.”So this is a really, really exciting time for us,” she said.

Noting that the MOU place tribes in a position of power, Hamann said approving it is “the right thing to do, and it makes me really proud to be a citizen here in Humboldt County.”

During the public comment period, a couple of people urged the board not to approve the MOU, saying the county should either fight for the eradication of all diversions or hold out for more money as compensation for those water rights. But most people who spoke were in favor of the deal. 

“There’s still a long way to go here, but we’ve advanced to a point that I don’t think most people could have imagined, even just a few years ago,” said John Driscoll, district representative for Rep. Jared Huffman, who was key in the development of the two-basin solution.

Second District Supervisor Michelle Bushnell, who has been serving with fellow Supervisor Mike Wilson on the ad hoc committee representing Humboldt County in discussions on this issue, said the county’s main goal is not to slow the dam-removal process.

Fourth District Supervisor Natalie Arroyo agreed, saying that she’s doubtful that such a deal could have been made without some kind of framework for continued water diversion. 

Wilson noted that Humboldt County has always been opposed to diversion but has been sidelined for most of the decision making.  Regardless, he said, “A lot of people have put a lot of time into this, and a lot of effort, a lot of science to get us where we are.” He credited county staff, in particular, for helping to make this deal happen.

Wilson also said, “This is probably the only robust public discussion [on this MOU] within the two basin area that anyone will see.”

Before voting, Bohn said, somewhat cryptically, “I want to vote against this so bad, but I’m not going to because I made a promise to somebody [that] I wouldn’t — [somebody] that I trust probably more than anybody on anybody’s staff.”

Bushnell was hesitant, too, saying she doesn’t disagree with the folks who say the deal isn’t good enough, but she said it represents a starting point for Eel River restoration. 

The motion to have county staff sign the MOU and approve written public statements about it passed unanimously, 5-0. Once completed, the final water diversion agreement will be brought back to the board for consideration.

Sarah West Reappointed to Planning Commission

Earlier in the meeting, the board reappointed Sarah West to an at-large position of the Humboldt County Planning Commission.

West, the City of Eureka’s economic development coordinator, was first appointed to the commission two years ago. She was one of two applicants for the open seat, joined by independent land use compliance consultant Brittany Massaro. 

Speaking via Zoom, Massaro made her pitch, saying, “My professional background has equipped me to approach both urban and rural development with a strong understanding of sustainability, zoning and resource management.” 

She promised to bring fresh perspective and a motivation to embrace change in local government.

“My approach will focus on addressing key issues such as housing shortages, traffic and environmental sustainability with thoughtful, balanced solutions that benefit everyone,” Massaro said.

West, who appeared in person, said that while her career is not more economically focused, her background in planning “shapes my understanding of how policy impacts our communities, how little decisions today can impact the years to come.”

Serving on the commission is not about what she personally wants, she said. “It’s about honoring the public’s voice but also applying policy consistently, fairly and then within our purview as a commission. … You rarely make anyone happy with decisions, but hopefully that means we balance the needs of all the different groups in Humboldt.”

The supervisors praised both applicants, though each commended the job that West has been doing. Arroyo suggested keeping Massaro’s application on file for the next time there’s an opening. But the vote to re-appoint West was unanimous.