County of Lake receives $700,000 grant to study Scott Dam decommissioning scenarios
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The county of Lake said it has received a state grant to help it study the potential impacts of Pacific Gas and Electric’s proposed decommissioning of the Scott Dam.
County officials said that the California Department of Water Resources has committed $700,000 in Water Shortage Management Program funding to support the “Lake County Resource Assessment, Impact Analysis, and Adaptation Strategy Evaluation Project.”
This project will provide for analysis of the potential effects of PG&E’s proposed decommissioning of Scott Dam and impacts on Lake Pillsbury, including recreation, wildfire suppression, ecosystem, power, sediment, water supply and infrastructure such as roads.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors has been steadfast in affirming that the Scott Dam remains in place as a significant matter of priority.
Efforts to demonstrate and articulate the regional value of Lake Pillsbury can be strengthened by gathering additional data, the country said.
Officials said 600,000 Californians depend on water releases from Lake Pillsbury and the Potter Valley Project for drinking and agricultural water security, and adequate water supply is essential to every facet of our daily lives.
Should PG&E ultimately succeed in gaining Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval to remove Scott Dam, it is essential that the potential effects and threats that may accompany that profound change be understood, officials said.
The grant funding will support the following tasks:
Identify Potter Valley Project decommissioning and climate change scenarios: Perform modeling of existing conditions, plus one or two decommissioning scenarios. Perform Climate Change modeling and include scenarios that explore extreme drought and flood conditions in the Upper Eel River watershed.
Evaluate impacts to resources and develop adaptation strategies: Technical impact analysis includes hydrological, hydraulic, and sediment modeling of the Upper Eel River and Lake Pillsbury; recreational impacts analysis; GIS and bathymetry data analysis, and economic modeling. Once impacts are identified, potential adaptation strategies will be developed.
Evaluate adaptation strategies for potential implementation: Evaluate factors like technical complexity, cost, environmental concerns, social, and other considerations related to implementation of adaptation strategies.
Report findings: Summarize the process, results and key findings.
The request for proposals to conduct the study has been issued, and the county is seeking qualified firms to further define and conduct this critical analysis. Interested parties are encouraged to visit https://lakecountyca.gov/Bids.aspx!.
“This is truly an opportunity to make a difference in Lake County and California’s future, and we are seeking firms to help ensure studies and analyses are highly effective, and can inform efforts to ensure the most responsible decision-making possible in 2025’s Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) P-77 Proceedings,” the county said in its announcement.
Lake Pillsbury is a Lake County gem. To see the beautiful landscapes, some of the wildlife that call Lake Pillsbury home, learn more about the community that has grown around Scott Dam, and more, watch the video above, presented at an October meeting of the Russian River Water Forum.