May 20, 2003

The Eel River in Mendocino and Humbolt Counties used to be famous as one of America's most productive rivers. Millions of salmon and trout spawned there attracting both sport and commercial fishermen. It once was a deep wide artery. What drained this waterway leaving it a shallow, muddy ditch full of exposed pebbles and rocks? Urban sprawl, mainly in Sonoma County.

Water fuels urban sprawl and has since the very first farmers discovered irrigation in Mesopotamia. The very first cities were built because of an available water supply. This link between water and urban construction is just as true today as it was 5,000 years ago. Today, all urban construction depends completely on the control of water. So when cities in Sonoma County want to expand their spheres of influence and annex open space and agricultural land to build more urban sprawl, they need water and lots of it. Everything depends on water.

There's only one problem: we have run out of water.

For years, Sonoma County government has assumed that it will be able to take water from anywhere it wants to feed the massive growth of urban sprawl. And its got the clout to do it. Sonoma County is unusual in that the Board of Supervisors are also the Board of Directors of the powerful Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA). Most counties dilute such concentrations of power to preclude even the appearance of conflict of interest. Nevertheless, Sonoma County government has wielded enough clout to force urban sprawl anywhere it wishes, often driven by developers, and this expansion has proceeded in the face of any popular resistance mounted against it.

The Friends of the Eel River brought suit against the SCWA and Pacific, Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) in an attempt to save their water supply. PG&E was a "real party in interest and respondent" in the suit. The Friends of the Eel River lost the first round but have won on appeal. This decision has the potential to reduce water flows into the Russian River from the Eel River by at least 15% and as much as 25%.

Such a huge reduction in water flowing into Sonoma County has profound implications on future urban sprawl and even on additional vineyard expansions.