Grape growers ready to fight plan to limit use of Russian River water

Grape growers from Sonoma and Mendocino counties plan to push back Tuesday against proposed rules that could significantly limit their use of Russian River water for frost protection this spring.

The state Water Resources Control Board will meet in Sacramento on Tuesday to consider rules proposed by its staff. No action is expected.

Sonoma County Farm Bureau Executive Director Lex McCorvey has called the rules "totally unworkable."

Environmentalists, meanwhile, have given mixed reviews, saying the regulations might not go far enough to protect the river's threatened salmon and steelhead.