LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The State Water Resources Control Board is planning a series of scoping meetings next week as part of its work to prepare environmental documents for the proposed decommissioning of the Potter Valley Project.

The project, located in Lake and Mendocino counties, consists of the Scott Dam and the Cape Horn Dam, both of which are located on the upper main stem of the Eel River, as well as the Potter Valley powerhouse, the 80,000-acre-foot Lake Pillsbury in Lake County, the Van Arsdale Reservoir, a fish passage structure and salmon and steelhead counting station at the Cape Horn Dam, and and 5,600 acres of land.

Pacific Gas and Electric, which has owned the project since 1930, filed the final surrender application and decommissioning plan for the project with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC, in July. 

That’s part of the process that PG&E is following in its effort to remove the dams.

FERC has not yet responded to PG&E’s final license surrender application.

At the same time, the State Water Resources Control Board is preparing an environmental impact report, or EIR, for the project’s proposed surrender and decommissioning.

The State Water Board has planned several public scoping meetings during which it will take public input.

The meetings will take place as follows:

• 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, in-person only, River Lodge Conference Center, 1800 Riverwalk Drive, Fortuna.

• 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15, in-person only, Ukiah Valley Conference Center, Cabernet 1 and 2 Rooms, 200 South School St., Ukiah.

• 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 15, in-person only, North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board Office, DCJ Hearing Room, 5550 Skylane Boulevard, Suite A, Santa Rosa.

• 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 17, in-person and virtual, CalEPA Building, Byron Sher Auditorium, 1001 I St., second floor, Sacramento. To attend via Zoom: https://waterboards.zoom.us/j/86984608826; call-in number: +1 669 444 9171 US; meeting ID: 869 8460 8826.

The State Water Board said it is seeking comments from trustee agencies, responsible agencies, tribes, and interested persons concerning the scope and content of the environmental information to be included in the EIR. 

Comments concerning the scope and content of the environmental information to be included in the EIR for the proposed project that are not provided at a scoping meeting are due by 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 3.

Title your comments as “Potter Valley NOP Comments” and send them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.or mail them to Wilhelmina Chon, Hydroelectric Project Manager, State Water Resources Control Board, Division of Water Rights – Water Quality Certification Program, P.O. Box 2000 Sacramento, CA 95812-2000.