Support for Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project's 2025 Minimum Instream Temporary Flow Amendment Request

The Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations (PCFFA) and the Institute for Fisheries Resources (IFR) have written to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in support of Pacific Gas and Electric Company's 2025 Minimum Instream Temporary Flow Amendment Request for the Potter Valley Hydroelectric Project. This amendment aims to provide cold water and avoid yearly variance requests. PCFFA and IFR represent commercial fishing families along the West Coast and have long advocated for the recovery of salmon populations essential to the health of the ocean and the future of their fisheries.

Key Takeaways:

• PCFFA and IFR support the approval of the Temporary Flow Amendment, which will help reduce stress and predation risk for juvenile salmonids trapped below Scott Dam.
• The flow amendment will help preserve cool water storage and adjust releases accordingly, supporting the long-term recovery of threatened and endangered salmon populations.
• The Eel River is California's third-largest salmon-producing river, with its continued ecological decline contributing to job losses in coastal fishing communities and surrounding economies.
• Operation of the dam continues to harm commercial and listed salmon and steelhead, with economic losses estimated at $80 million annually.
• The flow amendment is aligned with recent federal priorities on seafood competitiveness and domestic food security, providing a healthy and sustainable source of protein.
• The amendment reflects "Interim Measures" developed in cooperation with the National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Round Valley Indian Tribes, and California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
• PCFFA and IFR remain committed to engaging in future processes to ensure salmon reintroduction is pursued through a comprehensive program that restores harvestable populations and protects the long-term interests of coastal communities.

Statistics:

• The Eel River is California's third-largest salmon-producing river.
• Commercial and listed salmon and steelhead populations have been reduced to 1-2% of historic populations.
• Economic losses from the decline of these populations are estimated at $80 million annually.
• Salmon provides heart-healthy omega-3 and high-quality, locally sourced protein.

Sources:

• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
• Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen's Associations (PCFFA)
• Institute for Fisheries Resources (IFR)