Lake Mendocino Releases to be Reduced to Preserve Water, State Water Board Approves Order

For Immediate Release - February 5, 2021

Contact: Brad Sherwood, 707-322-8192, sherwood@scwa.ca.gov

(Santa Rosa, CA) The Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) can immediately reduce the amount of water it releases from Lake Mendocino after receiving a Temporary Urgency Change Order by the State Water Resources Control Board. This action will preserve water in Lake Mendocino due to low water storage levels caused by dry weather conditions. View the Order at www.sonomawater.org/tucp. Lake Mendocino is currently only 40% of its target water supply storage.

The water year type for the Upper Russian River (the area of the Russian River between the confluence of Dry Creek and Lake Mendocino) is now Critical based on the February Lake Mendocino storage threshold. The minimum instream flow requirement for the Upper Russian River is 25 cubic feet per second (CFS). Had the State not issued the Order, the Upper Russian River would have been categorized as a Dry water year type with a minimum instream flow requirement of 75 CFS.  The greater the CFS required in the Russian River, the more water is released from Lake Mendocino to meet the CFS requirement.

The water year type for the Lower Russian River (the area of the Russian River between the confluence of Dry Creek and Jenner) continues to be determined based Sonoma Water’s water rights rule (not the State Order) and as of February 1 is a Dry water year type. The minimum instream flow requirement is 75 CFS for Dry Creek and 85 CFS for the Lower Russian River. The water year type for the Upper Russian River, Dry Creek and the Lower Russian River will be reassessed on March 1.

Learn more about the Temporary Urgency Change Order at www.sonomawater.org/tucp

Sonoma Water continues to encourage its community to save water. Water saving tips can be viewed online at savingwaterpartnership.org

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