Russian River Environmental Forum

Members

The Russian River Environmental Forum
ceased operations in the Spring of 2005,
donating its remaining assets to
the Russian Riverkeeper.

The archive of Forum undertakings over
the last few years will be available here,
in the event it is useful for those
looking into the background of citizen action
aimed at protecting the Russian River,
our region's most valuable natural resource.

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Get as PDF.

Dear Citizens of Sonoma County:

           You are invited to attend a special Russian River Environmental Forum concerning Santa Rosa's sewage crisis from overdevelopment. [See flyer above.] Our mission is to raise public awareness of how the Healdsburg area is being exploited as a leachfield by Santa Rosa to construct the world's largest wastewater disposal enterprise. Experts will explain Santa Rosa's latest EIR and why the alternatives for wastewater disposal in Healdsburg area are potentially dangerous and infeasible.
           Today, the wild, ecologically unique northern Russian River watershed surrounding Healdsburg is threatened by Santa Rosa's plan for discharging billions of gallons of wastewater into the river above the county's and Healdsburg's drinking water intakes. There are plans to store, spray, and irrigate billions of gallons per year of wastewater containing known toxic chemicals from branches off the Geysers Pipeline Project.
           Premium vineyards along Westside, Sweetwater springs, Dry Creek and Alexander Valley roads are threatened by huge wastewater "turnouts" from the geysers Pipeline with 75-miles of distribution lines. Seventeen wastewater storage ponds may dam spawning tributaries in canyons. Sprayfields and industrial vineyards on 22,000 acres may contaminate wells and groundwater, and endanger native plants, salmon, animal life from Guerneville to Cloverdale, from Lake Sonoma to the Mayacamas Mountains, an area of about 600-square miles. Nowhere does the EIR examine the negative impacts on public perception caused by irrigating premium winegrape vineyards with Santa Rosa's industrial and urban sewage wastewater.
           The northern watershed mountains are of such incomparable regional and national value that they should be designated an Ecological Preserve in the county General Plan Update, a link in the North Coast Bio-Region, as proposed by the Nature Conservancy. The Russian River corridor and aquifers should be acquired as a Greenway to protect the major source of drinking water for Marin and Sonoma counties.
           The rare Mediterranean climate plant life and oak forests of this area have adapted over millennia to long dry summers and may be wiped out by summer irrigation as has occurred on the Santa Rosa's spray fields in the Laguna. There is a growing concern about the inferior quality of Santa Rosa's wastewater, the city's failure to reuse it within city limits and the massive infiltration of stormwater into the city‚s aging and leaking sewage collection pipelines.
           There's evidence that the pipeline project in the North County including the Geysers recharge is a costly blunder, made infeasible by new toxic rules, intolerable seismic activity, and by ecological, drinking water and endangered species constraints.

-L.M. Griffin M.D

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For Immediate Release

An Earth Day Public Program: Sat. April 22, 2000
Press Contacts : Marty Griffin 707-431-7107 or Pam Netzow 707-829-3324

This is the year of decision for ending one of California's greatest environmental tragedies - the damming and diversion of the mighty north-flowing Eel River into the south-flowing Russian River.

Click on poster:

to see full size

River experts and an astonishing slide show will explore solutions and explain this colossal blunder: the ecological collapse of both river systems, the near extinction of Pacific Salmon, the legal skirmishes, the runaway urban sprawl in Marin and Sonoma counties.

This year, the sale by PG&E of the obsolete diversion, tunnel and dams (the Potter Valley Project) presents an opportunity for the public to determine whether our North Coast paradise will survive, or end up plundered, polluted, and congested-- a disaster zone like the South Coast.

Keynote Speaker is Huey Johnson, former California Resources Secretary, founder of the Resource Renewal Institute and an author of the US "Wild & Scenic Rivers Act," who will speak on "California's River Future."

Master of Ceremonies is forester Dr. Fred Euphrat of Healdsburg, also a radio celebrity.

Other diversions: The Russian River Furies Drummers

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Location: Raven Theater, 115 North St, Healdsburg
Time: Doors Open 8:30AM, Program 9:00AM to 12:30PM.
Donation: $5 Program information: 524-9377

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Notes on PGE's Potter Valley Project: Friends of the Eel River (FOER) is working valiantly to bring about the decommissioning of the Project. This is a huge effort with tremendous ramifications. Should this destructive, obsolete plant be retired, the benefits to the fish and other native species would be significant in both the Eel and Russian rivers.

For more information, call FOER at 707-923-2146, or visit relevant pages on the FOER Web site.

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the RUSSIAN-EEL RIVER FUND

Doors continue to open incrementally toward restoration of the Eel River. As you may know, removal of the two dams on the Eel and phasing out the diversion of Eel River water to the Russian will benefit the fisheries in both rivers. Crucial decisions are being made at this time by FERC, NMFS, USFWS, DOE, BIA and other federal and state agencies. These agencies are encouraged to enforce existing regulations when there is public pressure to do so. FOER has demonstrated this public pressure by turning in 10,000 signatures to FERC supporting the decommissioning of the Project.

In addition to the public support, the legal and scientific team of FOER is crucial. Stephan Volker, Attorney, Dr. Bob Curry, Hydrologist/Geologist and Dr. Terry Rohloffs, Fisheries Biologist, combine forces to encourage federal and state agencies to enforce the laws of the Endangered Species Act. These experts are providing their services at very reasonable rates because they believe in the potential for a successful outcome of this campaign. The window of opportunity in this effort is now. Funds are needed now. The effectiveness of contributions made at this particular time cannot be overstated!

The Russian River Environmental Forum has created the Russian-Eel River Fund to answer this urgent need. Every cent of every dollar contributed to this fund will be used for the legal/scientific team.

We sincerely appreciate your help in raising funds for this worthy and immediate cause!

Send your contribution to:

632 5th St. SR 95402.

Please make checks payable to Environmental Forum. Thanks!

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1999 RREF Class series, FYI:

The entire series, described below, was offered at a cost of $50, and participants had the option of attending only the first class/conference with a suggested donation of $5 -$10.

1999 OPENING EVENT

UNDERSTANDING THE DYNAMICS OF THE RUSSIAN RIVER

Saturday, April 17

Raven Film Center -- 415 Center St, Healdsburg

8:30am Check In.
9 am program begins.
12:30 - 2pm Tour of Healdsburg Dam

This exceptional half-day program, featuring four noted experts, will offer an interdisciplinary perspective and slide show on the River. It precedes the series of four Wednesday morning classes. It can be taken alone or with the series.

        Speakers:
            Paul Siri - Restoration of endangered wild salmon
            Dr. Fred Euphrat - Effects of logging & gravel mining
            Aldaron Laird - Slides illustrating River changes
            Laurel Marcus - Fundamentals of how a river works

Suggested Donation $5 Tammie Fraser, Coordinator

1999 CLASS SERIES

Wednesday, April 28 -- THE RUSSIAN RIVER'S UPPER REACH

        The Bishop's Ranch, Healdsburg
        9am - 12:30pm
        Optional walking tour of Ranch/Griffin Preserve
        at 1:30 following lunch (available @$7.50)

This class will present in detail historical and current facts regarding the 90 year old Potter Valley Project which diverts 160,000 acre feet a year from the Eel River to the East Branch Russian. Operations of Coyote and Warm Springs Dams will also be discussed.

       Speakers:
         Linda Bailey - Potter Valley Project Legal History
         Nadananda - PVP Current Status & Living Eel River Campaign
         Karen Gaffney - River Ecology of the Upper Reach
         Bev Wasson - Agriculture in the Upper Reach

         Pam Netzow, Coordinator

Wednesday, May 5 -- THE RUSSIAN RIVER'S MIDDLE REACH

        Entry Gate to Mirabel Pumps
        9am to 12:30pm, bring lunch.
        Optional walking tour after lunch.

This workshop is designed for the public to learn more about the roles and responsibilities of the Water Agency. Participants will begin the workshop by taking a tour of the Agency's water supply and transmission system facility located on the Russian River. At the conclusion of the tour, an open forum will be held with presentations by the Agency's Fisheries Enhancement Program, Estuary Monitoring Program, Water Conservation Division, Environmental Resources Division and the Education Division. Topics covered will be water supply, flood control, sanitation, and conservation with opportunity for questions and discussion.

     Speakers:
       Sean White, SCWA - Fish
       Bob Morrison SCWA Ret/Consult - Operations of Pumps
       Renee Webber, SCWA - Environmental Specialist

      Pat Schuch, Coordinator

Wednesday, May 12 -- THE RUSSIAN RIVER'S LOWER REACH & ESTUARY

        Duncan Mills Campground Conference Room
        9am - 12:30pm. Bring lunch or purchase locally.
        2pm - Optional tour of Bodega Bay Marine Lab

Estuary - Estero - Laguna. What is it? What good is it? Why do we need to care about it? What are some of the social, economic, and political issues facing us in the Lower Reach of the Russian River? Speakers from California Coastal Conservancy, National Marine Sanctuary, California State Parks, as well as educators will present topics using demonstrations, slides, and videos. Participants will be invited to try hands-on activities to learn more about the area.

      Speakers:
        Richard Retecki, Coastal Conservancy - Russian River Estuary Study
        Dian Hardy - Seal Watch
        CA State Parks Rep. - Restoration Projects
        Cathleen Cannon - Intro to the Estuary & Gulf of the Farallones

        Cathleen Cannon, Coordinator

Wednesday, May 19 -- SUMMARY/SOLUTIONS

Hop Kiln Preserve, Healdsburg
9am - 12:30pm

How do we save a river? What decisions are being made that impact the watershed? Who is making them? How can citizens make a difference? We will explore the public policy dimensions of the Russian River with a distinguished panel of activists.

      Speakers:
        Michael Bowen - Center for Resource Solutions
        Marty Griffin, M.D. - Author of Saving the Marin-Sonoma Coast
        Richard Charter - Environmental Lobbyist and Member of So Co Open Space Advisory Board
        Mike Reilly - 5th District Supervisor
        Joan Vilms - President, Friends of the Russian River

        Meg Alexander, Coordinator

NB: Class speakers may be subject to change.
Registration deadline is April 10, but class space is limited - please register early!

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