Sonoma County Water announced on Monday that the agency has begun inflating a rubber dam in the Russian River weeks earlier than usual due to "a dry winter and warm temperatures."
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The dam is "a critical component of the Russian River water supply system that provides naturally filtered drinking water to more than 600,000 residents in portions of Sonoma and Marin counties," the agency said in a release.
"When fully inflated, the rubber dam creates a small pool of water from which Sonoma Water draws water for use in four off-stream infiltration ponds. The infiltration ponds help recharge groundwater, which is naturally filtered through sand and gravel and delivered to Sonoma Water’s customers."
The dam is annually inflated typically during spring or early summer when demand for portable water increases. However, due to a lack of rainfall last January and February leading to low river flows, water demands have increased earlier than normal this year, prompting the agency to begin the inflation process this week.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife prohibits fishing within 250 feet of the upstream and downstream sides of the dam, which is located just downstream of Wohler Bridge near Forestville. Boaters must portage around the dam as well.
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