Editor’s note: The following is a letter to the editor. The opinions expressed in this letter are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect those of The Mendocino Voice. If you would like to submit a letter to the editor feel free to write to info@mendovoice.com.
Dear Editor:
The century-old Eel River dams pose safety risks — Scott Dam is located along an earthquake fault line and adjacent to a massive boulder that is slowly moving, a precursor to a massive natural landslide; are unreliable (aggregated sedimentation surrounds and constrains the needle valve at the base of the dam) and expensive.
The dams have led to heightened invasive species incursion (e.g., Sacramento Pikeminnow) and hazardous levels of mercury toxicity. Fish from Lake Pillsbury Reservoir are inedible due to mercury bioaccumulation, something that impacts the entire aquatic food web.
Chinook, steelhead and coho native to the Eel River, and culturally significant to over a dozen Native California tribes in the region, are at 3% of their historic levels. Water diversions, excessive sedimentation, and ensuing poor water quality (low dissolved oxygen, high temperatures), lack of access to spawning habitat, and poorly designed fish ladders are the culprits: dam removal will address all of these issues.
In other words, maintaining the Scott and Cape Horn dams is a highly risky and ecologically damaging proposition that costs taxpayers and ratepayers far more than the dams are worth.
We’ve seen how rapidly flora and fauna along the Klamath River and its tributaries are recovering following the removal of four equally decrepit and dysfunctional dams, exceeding scientific projections. Genetically unique populations of rainbow trout trapped behind Scott Dam could contribute to the restoration of the southernmost population of summer steelhead, but time is of the essence. The sooner we remove the dams from the Eel River, the sooner we can restore threatened fish populations in this river, too.
Opposition to dam removal is largely based on unfamiliarity with watershed dynamics, leading to dramatically misguided fears regarding future water supplies. Constituents fear the loss of Lake Pillsbury and Lake Mendocino, and the lack of water availability during drought or wildfires.
Yes, if Scott Dam is removed, Lake Pillsbury will transform into a small valley filled with wildflowers and other native plant species, creeks, and various types of aquatic habitats such as ephemeral wetlands. But Lake Mendocino—which is a flood control project (vs. Lake Pillsbury which was always a hydropower project)—will remain, and the quantity of water diverted from the Eel to the Russian will stay the same: it is the timing of the water flows that will change.
Currently, releases into the Eel River mirror the natural hydrographic cycles; thus, when the dams are removed, the river level highs will be a little higher, and the lows a little lower.
It is also important to note that the specifics of future water diversions will be worked out through a separate CEQA process involving water users along both the Eel River and Russian River.
As an ethnoecologist, I’ve resided and worked in Mendocino, Lake, and Humboldt counties, and have worked as a consultant for all three counties, joined the board of the Salmon Restoration Association of Fort Bragg, served as the secretary of the Mendocino Fish and Game Advisory Commission, and volunteered as an ambulance driver for Anderson Valley.
I fish. I swim. I hike. And I can’t wait to see those dams brought down.
Dr. Jeanine Pfeiffer
With the timing of the water flow diversions to the Russian river changing, I feel Sonoma Water (who I think controls non flood output of Lake Mendocino) will leave the lake even lower in the summer/drought months.
But I do agree these old dams are not safe.
The pike have invaded the whole eel river system which is why even the forks that have no obstacles have no fish. Salmon, steelhead and pacific lampray smolts have no chance against these predators who remain in the river all year. Need a bounty to clean them out
Is the good doctor a geologist or geotechnical engineer? She is not either. Therefore anything she writes about dam siesmic safety is personal opinion or conjecture and should be treated accordingly.
Since this person is a ethnoecologist, will she destroy all Cannabis farms, any river roads, diversion, on upper Eel also? Fish and Game website states silt deposits, from erosion and roads, is number one destruction, of salmon. All the new roads, should be removed, all livelihoods, up north destroyed, also. Since it seems, the reason for salmon declining, is all aspects, of human development, along the river. If you pick only one reason, not the number one reason, by the way, to get salmon back. You better pick the number one reason, and destroy that also. Right? Lake Pilsbury is a life saver, for animals, birds, and certain fish, in summer. So ethnoecoligist, don’t care, about bears, eagles, otters, deer, other specific species, including Elk? Elk are legal immigrants, they were planted there. Its ok that they die? A meadow, will not give water, to thirsty & hot, animals or baby animals. So ethnoecologist, only are one specific focus, salmon, and a dam. No other species, of wildlife, matter? Even owls? It’s just so interesting, to find out, how the rest of the lives, of many varying, wildlife, dependent on a lake, are totally expendable, to experts. It’s mind blowing, to find this out. Die offs of so much wildlife, should be avoided and alternatives, should be found. Otherwise, it’s murder by human intervention, all over, again.
You think fish and game is gonna blame fishing for missing salmon? Haha!
Excuse me Dr. ethnoecologist,
But you have many facts wrong! The dams are required to be independently tested annually and Scott Dam continues to receive a SAFE rating. These ratings are critical and the proponents of tearing down the dams keep saying they are not safe which is a flat out lie! The dam did not create the pikeminnow – people brought them in both the lake and the river below it – fisherman brought them. Fish out of pillsbury are as safe to eat as any other lake in CA. You might be a Dr. but you are totally uninformed about the Lake and the River. Get your facts straight and quit trying to use your “Dr” title to sound like an expert in areas you are clearly not properly informed.
another stupid person talking out of their rear end ? they have no knowledge of what they have up there ? storagge all reaDSY BUIILT AND IF REMOVED NOP FIRE CONTROL ! LA ALL OVER AGAIN THE FIRES COU BURN FOR DAYS WITH NO WATER FFROM THIS LAKE !
All the comments are proving the letter’s point. Don’t be scared. You’ll be ok.
“It is also important to note that the specifics of future water diversions will be worked out through a separate CEQA process involving water users along both the Eel River and Russian River.” That’s the rub, right? Tear down the dams now and work out the consequences later. What could possible go wrong.
This letter is excellent and a good reminder that much of what we are reading about this project is intentional disinformation. Water users have been pretty clear for a decade, and have known for sure since 2019 that these dams will be removed. Water managers should have been preparing for a long time now to develop additional water storage to hold winter flows for use in the summer.
And the seismic safety risks presented by Scott Dam’s location adjacent to a significant earthquake fault is nothing to dismiss, as many commenters suggest. PG&E was clearly alarmed by the (classified) information they received in 2023 which led to immediately and forever reducing the reservoir level to limit risk. The dam is rated high hazard because if/when it fails, people downstream will die. This should not be taken lightly.
It’s ridiculous for ratepayers to continue paying a million dollars a year for absolutely no benefit. People who enjoy lake-side vacation homes will soon have lovely meadows, creeks free from methylated mercury, and new trails and wetlands to explore. And if we’re lucky, harvestable populations of wild fish.
PG&E is passing us the bill! So everyone about paying for the dam wait till you get the bill for the year down and restoration. I think fish and people can coexist but we need water as well as water storage! Nothing is being done! They could improve the health of the river and still keep the dam! I have seen lake Mendocino go dry! This is a delicate issue and people have ideas! FERC has not even made a decision and you all think it is a done deal. Why is the county not planning and honored water storage? Why screw farmers ? We all eat and value our local goods. Why make this economy worse? No one can predict what will happen if the dams come out…. But there needs to be solutions now not this wait and see lala land. People and animals will suffer from the removal. PG&E sucks! They cause more harm. They should really do an in depth study not all this well they said bullshit! Keep the dam build a better fish passage! Clean the river from the ocean up. Fix the mess from logging and illegal grows….
What will happen to the overly watery valley of potter? Will it be gasp* dry in summer?