The Trump administration is urging Pacific Gas and Electric Company to halt operations at two century-old dams on Northern California’s Eel River, intensifying a long-standing debate over the future of aging infrastructure and endangered fish populations.
The move comes amid renewed legal and regulatory pressure to remove or modify the Potter Valley Project, which includes the Scott and Cape Horn dams, to restore access to habitat for threatened salmon and steelhead trout. Federal officials say the request aligns with broader efforts to balance water supply needs with ecosystem recovery under the Endangered Species Act.
The administration’s intervention marks a new twist in a decades-long battle involving utilities, conservation groups, tribes, and state agencies over whether the dams should be retrofitted for fish passage or decommissioned entirely.
Federal Pressure Mounts on PG&E to Cease Eel River Dam Operations
In a letter dated April 5, 2026, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), operating under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), formally requested that PG&E suspend water diversions and power generation at the Potter Valley Project pending a review of its impact on migrating fish.
The agency cited ongoing violations of the Endangered Species Act, noting that the dams block access to over 100 miles of historic spawning grounds for Chinook salmon and steelhead trout, both listed as threatened under federal law.
“The current operation of the Potter Valley Project continues to impede the recovery of Eel River salmonids,” the NMFS stated in the letter, which was reviewed by Archyde.com. “We urge PG&E to cease all diversion and storage activities immediately to prevent further harm while long-term solutions are evaluated.”
The request does not carry direct enforcement power but signals growing federal impatience with the project’s slow progress toward compliance.
PG&E Faces Mounting Pressure from Multiple Fronts
PG&E has operated the Potter Valley Project since 1908, diverting water from the Eel River to the Russian River watershed to support agriculture and municipal supplies in Sonoma and Mendocino counties. The project generates approximately 9.4 megawatts of hydroelectric power, enough to serve roughly 7,000 homes annually.
However, environmental advocates argue that the ecological cost outweighs the benefits, particularly as climate change exacerbates drought conditions and stresses native fish populations.
In 2022, PG&E announced it would not seek a new federal license for the project when its current permit expires in 2025, effectively initiating a decommissioning process. But the utility has maintained operations while studying removal options, a stance that has frustrated conservationists and tribal leaders.
The Round Valley Indian Tribes, whose ancestral lands include parts of the Eel River basin, have long advocated for dam removal, citing cultural and ecological harm. Tribal Chairman Ken Wright said in a March 2026 statement that “the Eel River is not just a water source — it is a relative. Its healing begins with undoing the damage done by these dams.”
Legal Challenges and Regulatory Uncertainty Shape Outcome
The future of the dams now hinges on a series of overlapping regulatory processes. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is overseeing PG&E’s license surrender application, while the California State Water Resources Control Board evaluates water rights and quality impacts under state law.
Meanwhile, a lawsuit filed in 2023 by the Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC) and Californians for Alternatives to Toxics (CATS) alleges that PG&E’s continued operation violates both the Endangered Species Act and the California Environmental Quality Act. A federal judge is expected to rule on summary judgment motions later this year.
NMFS officials emphasized that their April letter is part of a broader effort to ensure accountability during the transition. “We are not calling for immediate demolition,” said Barry Thom, Regional Administrator for NMFS West Coast Region. “We are asking for an immediate halt to harmful operations so we can assess what a responsible decommissioning looks like — one that protects fish, respects tribal rights, and considers water supply reliability.”
PG&E has not yet publicly responded to the NMFS request. In past statements, the utility has said it is committed to a “science-based, collaborative process” that includes stakeholders from agriculture, local governments, and environmental groups.
As regulatory deadlines approach, the Eel River has become a focal point in California’s broader reckoning with 20th-century water infrastructure. Over 1,400 dams exist in the state, many built before modern environmental standards, and regulators are increasingly weighing removal as a tool for climate resilience and biodiversity restoration.
Whether the Potter Valley Project will be modified for fish passage or removed entirely remains unresolved. But with federal agencies now urging an operational pause, the pressure on PG&E to act decisively has never been greater.
The coming months will likely bring further clarity through court rulings, state water board decisions, and PG&E’s own decommissioning planning timeline. For now, the Eel River flows on — caught between legacy and renewal.
If you have insights or observations about the Eel River dams or California’s water infrastructure, we encourage you to share them in the comments below. Help inform the conversation by sharing this article with others who care about the future of our rivers and ecosystems.
