Sarah Bardeen

The Colorado River is in crisis. Reservoir levels are at historic lows—Lake Powell is at 21% of capacity, while Lake Mead is at 27%, threatening hydropower operations and possibly even reservoir outflow. Last month, the US Department of the Interior published a final 10-year decision framework for coordinated reservoir operations, as well as interim guidelines for 2027 and 2028. Both aim to stabilize water levels to avoid the most negative outcomes for reservoir operations.

On paper, California’s Eel River is a prime candidate for restoration. It’s a remote river that runs through rugged, lightly populated terrain in Northern California. As with many rivers in the region, a combination of logging, overfishing and dams decimated its once-plentiful salmon and steelhead runs. The introduction of a native predator, the pikeminnow, only made things worse.

After three years of virtual events, the PPIC Water Policy Center’s annual fall conference made a welcome return to an in-person format in Sacramento on Friday, November 18. The half-day event began with a welcome from PPIC Water Policy Center assistant director Caity Peterson and a presentation by senior fellow Jeffrey Mount.