Russian River Weekly Update 2/23/26

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Lake Mendocino, February 20, 2026 by CJ Watt

Reservoir Storage & Operations:

Water supply information provided by Sonoma Water (find more water storage info here).

The image shows current water storage data for Lake Mendocino, Lake Pillsbury, and Lake Sonoma, including recent changes.

The image shows a graph of Lake Mendocino's water storage levels from 2019 to 2026, indicating fluctuations in acre-feet.

The graph displays Lake Pillsbury's storage levels from 2019 to 2026, including target storage scenarios and forecasts.

The graph shows the water storage levels in Lake Sonoma over time, with projections for 2026 indicating 263,127 acre-feet.

Additional storage graphs for same period will be posted on the Sonoma Water website soon: https://www.sonomawater.org/current-water-supply-levels

PG&E’s Final Surrender Application for Potter Valley Project

PG&E 2026 Potter Valley Project Operations

FERC opened the public comment period on the 2026 Flow Variance.

Deadline for filing comments, motions to intervene, and protests: March 23, 2026, 5:00 pm Eastern Time.

2026, 2-20 FERC notice of comment period on flow variance (77-334).docx

Additionally, PG&E submitted a supplemental filing to FERC for the 2026 Minimum Instream Flow Variance Request Due to Restricted Storage.

“Overall, the modeling results indicate that both the timing of variance approval and the magnitude of [East Branch Russian River] EBRR flows play important roles in shaping thermal conditions in the Eel River below Scott Dam. When variance approval is delayed EBRR flows must be reduced to the minimum proposed for Project facility safety and have a negligible effect on water temperature in the Eel River (Scenario 1). Early approval of the variance (e.g. May 15 [Scenarios 3 and 4]) provides the greatest potential for reducing summer water temperatures in the Eel River across EBRR proposed flow range and allows for flexible flow release management.”

2026, 2-20 PG&E 2026 Flow Variance Request, Supplemental info.pdf

More information on 2026 PVP operations: https://rrfc.specialdistrict.org/2026-pg-e-potter-valley-project-operations.

Public Survey: Design of Prop 4 Watershed Resilience Program

DWR is seeking public participation in a new survey: Design of Proposition 4 Watershed Resilience Program. The survey aims to help inform development of the upcoming Proposition 4 Watershed Resilience Program. This new program will make approximately $152 million available for grants statewide by combining funding from the two sections of Proposition 4: Section 91019 (Conservation) and Section 91031 (Climate Resilience). Public feedback is essential to ensure that these solicitations are designed to effectively support watershed-scale solutions, local priorities, equity considerations, and climate resilience goals across California. The survey is open now through Friday, March 6. For more information, see DWR’s public notice about this survey.

Digital Tools for Climate-Resilient Rural Communities

Wednesday, March 11, 2026 | 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. | Virtual | Register Now

Across the globe, rural communities facing compounding climate pressures need more than data — they need tools that put that data to work. On March 11, Dr. Aaditeshwar Seth joins us live from New Delhi to share how the CoRE Stack (Commoning for Resilience and Equality) is doing exactly that: empowering communities to track landscape change, advocate for natural resource management, and build long-term climate resilience.
This special Data for Breakfast session offers valuable lessons for anyone working at the intersection of water data, community engagement, and climate resilience — with particular relevance to groundwater modeling, biodiversity monitoring, and forest ecosystem work here in California and beyond

North Coast Resource Partnership Quarterly Meeting – April 17, 2026

Join us April 17, 2026, 9:00am - 3:00pm in the Eureka area for presentations from partners in the region, updates on NCRP projects and initiatives, and resource fair networking. Registration link

Resource Fair: Interested in sharing information about your programs, projects, or initiatives during the NCRP Quarterly meeting? There will be tables available, and time for conversation and sharing resources with attendees during morning social time, continental breakfast, registration and lunch. If interested in tabling at the Resource Fair, click yes on the registration form. NCRP staff will follow up regarding tabling needs.