On
day two of the tour, we learned about the impacts of gravel mining, a lucrative
industry meeting a voracious need for building materials in the Sonoma County,
but one that can leave much environmental damage behind. The Sonoma County
Water Agency then showed us some of their facilities that tap into the Russian
River to provide water supplies for the region. After a wonderful lunch at
Korbel Cellars, the owner of a canoe rental company shared some of the many
challenges facing her industry. Some are obvious, like changes in water
levels and economic constraints on recreational spending, but also the tension
between private property owners and the public, who want (and in many cases are
legally entitled to) greater access to waterways and massive amounts of litter
that visitors leave along the river. Despite the importance of the tourism
dollar to the river, it was clear that she feels like the bottom of the food
chain.
Our last stop was in Jenner, at the mouth of the river
where we learned about the important management of the sandbar and about a
rogue elephant seal who was causing mild havoc among the local seal
population in recent weeks.
The
take away? There are many challenges in the Russian River watershed. But unlike other water conflicts in other parts of the state today, these seem
perhaps more manageable. For all the conflicting players we met with,
there still seemed to be a willingness to cooperate, collaborate, invest in
solutions and plan for sustainability. |
|