New Russian River Water Limits May Leave California Growers in the Freeze

Researchers document brown bear/people interactions on the Russian River. Photo by T. DeBruyn, National Park Service.

After a number of unseasonable cold snaps during last year’s growing season, and the pressure put on the California river systems to accommodate crop frost protection measures, the California State Water Resource Control Board has drafted a new preliminary proposed regulation that would severely limit growers access to the Russian River stream system during annual growing periods.

The regulation proposes that any diversion of water from the Russian River stream system, including the pumping of closely connected groundwater for purposes of frost protection between March 15 and June 1 must be under a board approved water demand management program.

It also proposes that any management program ensure that “cumulative diversion rates” don’t result in reductions in stream flow to the point that they endanger anadromous fish, which migrate from salt water to spawn in fresh water, as such as salmon.

Russian/Bodega map provided by the North Coast Integrated Water Management Plan.

The preliminary proposal alone has been enough cause quite a mixed stir of reactions among conservationists, fisherman, and California growers.

New regulations can’t come soon enough for Jeff Miller, a conservation advocate with the Center for Biological Diversity. “Effective regulations on the Russian River water diversion are long overdue. It’s been 13 years since the water board determined frost protection pumping is harming salmon,” said Mr. Miller.

“The state water board has finally taken some baby steps to address excesive water diversions and pumping from salmon streams in the Russian River watershed, although it will be at least another year before any regulations on pumping are put in place. They many not be in time even for next year’s frost season,” added Mr. Miller.

Since making available the proposed regulation draft last week, the water board has received dozens of public comment letters from interested groups expressing their views. Andy Beckstoffer at his vineyard. Photo by Appellation America.

In a letter opposing the proposed regulation, Dr. Richard K. Schaefers, general manager of Beckstoffer Vineyards, said, “The use of water from the Russian River watershed for frost protection purposes is not an unreasonable use of water. Beckstoffer Vineyards operates over 1,000 acres of vineyards in Mendocino County. Nearly all of it relies on overhead sprinklers for frost protection. There is no viable alternative to this approach.”

“Simply cutting off the use of water for frost protection does not represent the intelligent solution that the State Water Resource Control Board, affected growers, and interested parties can come up with if we truly work together,” added Schaefers.

Jack L. Rice, associate counsel for the California Farm Bureau Federation also weighed in, requesting in a letter that, “the board decline to use the proposed regulation as a starting point and begin in an entirely new direction that considers collaborative efforts.”

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