Sonoma County’s water supply on the line: the implications of PG&E’s spin-off proposal

PG&E’s proposal to reduce the flow of the Russian River and transfer the Potter Valley Project to a spin-off, Pacific Generation, has raised concerns about the potential consequences for life in Sonoma County. The company aims to decrease the river’s flow from 75 cubic feet per second to 25, possibly as low as five. This decision comes from the realization that Scott Dam, a component of the Potter Valley Project, is more susceptible to earthquakes than previously believed. The objective is also to safeguard the salmon population, which relies on cold water.