Northern California tribes sign treaty to restore Eel River as PG&E plans dam removal

Two Northern California tribes signed a treaty committing to jointly restore the Eel River and its fish populations, according to The Mendocino Voice. Leaders from the Round Valley Indian Tribes and the Yurok Tribe met last month at the Eel River Canyon Preserve in Trinity County to sign the “Treaty of Friendship.” The agreement centers on rebuilding declining fish populations as PG&E moves to decommission the Potter Valley Project’s Scott Dam and Cape Horn dams in Mendocino County.

The tribes said the dams have long damaged the river and blocked access to fish habitat. Dam removal, expected to begin in 2028, will allow the river to flow freely again through the ancestral lands of the Round Valley Indian Tribes. The Yurok Tribe, California’s largest federally recognized tribe, will share its experience from Klamath River restoration efforts. The treaty was signed by Yurok Chairman Joseph L. James and Round Valley Indian Tribes President Joe Parker. Parker was quoted as saying, “The Eel River is our lifeblood and when it suffers, our people suffer.”