The board had ordered reductions in summer diversions from the Russian River of 25 percent by the Sonoma County Water Agency, with conservation goals of 25 percent in Sonoma County and 50 percent in Mendocino County.

The board claims the reductions and ban on commercial turf irrigation are necessary in response to low rainfall. Otherwise, they argue, Lake Mendocino would be dry by the fall run of federally threatened chinook salmon. Their estimates conclude that 30,000 acre-feet of water would remain in the lake as a result of conservation efforts when the salmon arrive.

The coalition of customers claim that 20 percent would be adequate, with the state countering that that would require drawing on groundwater reserves, which would in turn reduce flow levels in the river.

The Sonoma Country Business Park Coalition is among the groups opposing the ban on commercial turf irrigation. They claim they intend to reduce irrigation by 35 percent by 2010 and 60 percent by 2017. Installing more efficient irrigation systems, turf reduction and replacement and requiring that all landscape professionals working at member business parks be trained in the Sonoma County’s Qualified Water Efficiency Landscape program are among their plans.