10/19/2026
This TUCP is consistent with prior approved requests. Nothing is changing in how Sonoma Water will manage flows in the Russian River. Learn more at https://www.sonomawater.org/tucp
Why does Sonoma Water file Temporary Urgency Change Petitions?
Sonoma Water’s core purpose is to ensure we have reliable water supply 365 days a year. The Russian River watershed is our water source, and we work to preserve and protect this natural resource in compliance with state and federal regulations. But we face unpredictable, and sometimes extreme, weather conditions. As part of that effort, the agency files a Temporary Urgency Change Petition (TUCP) to the State Water Resources Control Board to respond and adapt to changing conditions and have so done historically since 2009. Each petition is in response to the current conditions, whether normal, drought, flood, El Niño events, and fluctuations in water supply.
How does the TUCP impact salmon in the Russian River?
Biologists with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) have concluded that current flow levels in the Russian River and Dry Creek during the summer are too high for young coho salmon and steelhead. In compliance with the Federal Endangered Species Act and the Biological Opinions issued by the NMFS in 2008 and renewed in 2025, Sonoma Water is required to file TUCP petitions to change minimum instream flows between May 1 to October 15. These temporary changes to minimum instream flows help support conditions favorable to endangered and threatened juvenile salmonid species.
Has the proposed TUCP been Implemented in Previous Years?
Yes. Sonoma Water has submitted a TUCP to the State Water Board since 2009. The current TUCP was submitted to the State Water Board in 2024, 2025 and the spring of 2026.
How can I stay informed about the TUCP?
If approved the TUCP becomes a TUC order. The TUC order requires hydrology, fisheries, and water quality monitoring and reporting. Weekly results of hydrology and water quality monitoring during a TUC Order are posted to Sonoma Water’s website https://www.sonomawater.org/tucp
