Two dams run along Northern California’s Eel River form the Potter Valley Project, which is 100 years old.
According to Friends of Eel River director Alicia Hamann the upstream Scott Dam stops salmon and steelhead reaching their prime spawning ground. Both fish are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Friends of Eel River is one of a few environmental organizations that plan to sue PG&E for protections for these declining fish populations.
Hamann says that while there are amazing opportunities in the Eel river right now, they won’t last forever. “The longer that we wait, the more pressure we put on our salmon- and steelhead-fighting fish to survive.”
Hamann states that both populations are resilient to changing conditions and that fish would likely recover if dams were removed. This would allow access to more 250 miles of prime habitat upstream from the Scott Dam.
But, without making changes, it’s unlikely that the fish will ever recover. According to a UC Davis 2010 study, Chinook salmon levels have fallen by more 90% in the Eel River. The river was home to over 800,000 fish every year in the past. However, this number has fallen to just 1,000 between the 1990’s and 2000.
The notice to sue was sent a week after the expiration of both dams licenses, setting the stage for their removal over the next few years.
Deanna Contreras, spokesperson at PG&E, said that the company was still operating within all environmental regulations and will continue doing so until the dams are decommissioned.
Will Boucher
/
California Trout
Hamann claims that the expired permit is not valid and the company has the legal right to harm salmon and steelhead in this river.
Redgie Collins is the legal director and policy director at California Trout. This group was one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit. They want to speed up the dam removal timeline.
We have given all the tools to PG&E, and all they have to do is to remove these dams,” he said.[If]They do this quickly enough and the litigation will be easily dismissed. This is because they’re finally complying with both federal law and state law. We are here to push PG&E in every way possible.
Collins claims that the century-old dams are unable to generate electricity and cost PG&E millions each year to repair.
The dam removal is also supported by the fishermen living in the area. Glen Spain, from the Institute for Fisheries Resources, says that the Eel River has such low salmon and steelhead numbers that coastal fisherman have to avoid the area completely. However, there are plenty of stable fish populations nearby.
According to the groups, the removal of dams can be accomplished in five to seven years if PG&E cooperates and is willing to work quickly.
