The amount of water taken from the Russian River is down 18.4 percent, the Sonoma County Water Agency announced Monday. As of Sunday, the amount of water conservation had surpassed the state mandate that the agency cut back 15 percent from 2004 diversions of river water. The order, which runs from July 1 to Oct. 28, reaches its halfway point tomorrow.
County water officials are optimistic that the cutback will continue to save enough water in Lake Mendocino for the fall salmon run, as specified by the state Water Resources Control Board.
Meanwhile, the Sonoma water agency continues to urge consumers to implement conservation efforts in the cities and water districts that supply water to 600,000 customers from Marin county to Windsor.
