A
river needs to stay in the watershed where it is birthed for that river
system to remain healthy- Friends of the Eel River
The Eel
River is California's third largest watershed and third largest salmon producing
river. This fishery was the first to fail on the north coast, before the
Klamath and before the Sacramento. The Eel's headwaters are dammed and diverted
to the Russian River, taking more than half of this cold, clean water so
necessary for a healthy fishery to mask the problems on the Russian. It's
dams are now a century old, block spawning and rearing habitat so necessary
to this once vital fishery and hold back much needed gravels for a fully
operative river system.
If we are to deal effectively with global warming, then we must correct
and stop the abuse that has lead to this circumstance. This issue is in
the north coasts' back yard, in the counties of Marin, Sonoma, Lake, Mendocino,
and Humboldt. Rivers and watersheds respond and heal when we humans stop
destructive practices. Please help us heal the Eel by joining our efforts
to remove two antiquated dams and close a water diversion tunnel owned by
Pacific Gas and Electric company, PG&E, that supplies water to the Russian
River via their Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project, PVP. The 9 mega watts
of power this project produces for less then half the year is not cost effective
and destructive to both fish and a once healthy watershed. This is truly
an unsustainable water delivery system in the guise of a power plant.
Seven Reasons to Save the Eel River
and Take Down the Dams- Friends of the Eel River
Reflections on the
tragic 100th anniversary of PG&E’s Potter Valley
Project (PVP) tunnel, Cape Horn Dam, Van Arsdale Lake, and later construction
of Scott Dam and Lake Pillsbury.
David Keller, Bay
Area Director, Friends of the Eel River
The Eel River has
been severely damaged during the last century by diverting water through
the PVP to the Russian River. It’s time to restore the health
and wealth taken from the Eel River.
Here are 7 reasons
to take down the dams and save the Eel River. (Read
more)
Click here for a Friends of the Eel River flash presentation on the
history and impact of the Potter Valley Project Dams on the Eel and
Russian Rivers.
Plan your trip along the Eel with these helpfull links.
Select a circled region from the map or scroll down to view them all.
Selecting a link will open a new window; to return to this page, close
or minimize the window.
Scott L Harris
Associate Biologist (Marine/Fish)
Northern Region
PO Box 1690
Willits, CA 95490
707-459-2238
Van Arsdale is the bay for the water diversion
tunnel at Cape Horn Dam, the PG&E Potter
Valley Hydropower Project, and the site of the
oldest fish counting station in California. Built
in 1922 as part of the licensing for the second
dam to be built on this system, Scott Dam. By
this time three generations of fish were lost
because Cape Horn Dam did not have a fish
ladder, between 1907 and 1922. It is said that
only 40% to 45% of the fish that arrive at this
site actually are able to make it up this fish
ladder, demonstrating that fish ladders really
do not solve the problem of getting salmon to
where there is adequate and safe spawning
and rearing habitat.
The next generation is then severely interfered
with by dams. These dams block at least 125
miles of prime spawning and rearing habitat,
but recent GIS maps indicate that there could
be more than 1,000 miles available for this
purpose. Loss of this fishery has impacted the
north coast from Eureka to Bodega Bay
fishing industry with the loss in the billions of
dollars.
The Friends of the Eel River Fish Tent Learn more about this fabulous
display created by FOER to educate people about the condition of the Eel
River and what can be done about it; including excerpts from the display
panels.
The Eel
River is California's third largest watershed and third largest salmon producing
river. This fishery was the first to fail on the north coast, before the
Klamath and before the Sacramento. The Eel's headwaters are dammed and diverted
to the Russian River, taking more than half of this cold, clean water so
necessary for a healthy fishery to mask the problems on the Russian. It's
dams are now a century old, block spawning and rearing habitat so necessary
to this once vital fishery and hold back much needed gravels for a fully
operative river system. 
Plan your trip along the Eel with these helpfull links.
