The Mendocino County Board of Supervisors voted 3–2 on Nov. 4 to adopt a resolution expressing the county’s support for continued regional collaboration on the Il–Russian ‘two‑basin’ approach to address water supply and fishery impacts tied to the Potter Valley Project. The resolution endorses coordinated planning and asks regional, state and federal partners to work with local agencies to develop storage and mitigation measures to protect communities, fisheries and water users in Mendocino County.

The two‑basin approach is a multi‑party, negotiated framework that seeks to balance fish passage and river restoration on the Eel River with diversion and storage arrangements that support communities in the Russian River watershed. The Inland Water & Power Commission (IWPC), local water districts, tribal governments and conservation groups have been negotiating language and technical studies for several years to define both an Il‑side diversion facility and complementary storage options in Potter Valley and the Upper Russian River basin.

Public comment at the meeting was sharply divided. Commercial fishing and conservation representatives urged decisive steps to restore Eel River salmon and described decommissioning the Potter Valley Project as an unavoidable step to recover fish runs; they urged the board to back the negotiated framework and the need for new storage and funding. Some Potter Valley residents and business owners argued the county must not approve any plan that removes dams before reliable alternative water storage is in place for Potter Valley and downstream users; they urged stronger affirmative language requiring storage before decommissioning.

The board ultimately approved a compromise resolution that affirms support for continued collaboration through IWPC and the Il–Russian River Project Authority (IRPA), stresses the need for funding and planning for new storage, and calls on state and federal partners to engage. Two supervisors (Klein and Norville) dissented, arguing the resolution did not go far enough to protect Potter Valley water security ahead of any decommissioning.

Action taken: the resolution passed 3–2 (Supervisor Klein and Supervisor Norville opposed). The adopted language asks regional partners to prioritize studies, funding and construction of replacement storage and to ensure community impacts (including domestic, agricultural and tribal water needs) are addressed prior to or in coordination with any decommissioning schedule.