A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
April 11, 2007
3. Watersheds
Board could act on Salton Sea plan - Imperial Valley Press
AMERICAN RIVER ISSUES:
Survey gauges public support for parkway tax district - Sacramento Bee
Editorial: Parkway politics; County must search for money and allies - Sacramento
AMERICAN RIVER
Factors Affecting the Health of the River; April 12 – 13, 2007; In conjunction with the Local Government Commission and California Extreme Precipitation Symposium
Board could act on
By Darren Simon, staff writer
The Imperial Irrigation District board could take action April 24 to come out in support of one plan to save the
To date the board has not given its support to any one plan and while it discussed the matter Tuesday, there was no action taken.
At issue is the state’s largest inland lake, which is dying under its own high salt content. Experts say in the future the sea will no longer be able to support fish and bird life.
Discussion Tuesday at the IID meeting came as the California Resources Agency has released a preferred alternative proposal for restoring the sea that calls for building a 34,000 acre marine lake along the northern shore and building a large saline habitat along the southern shore.
The plan has infuriated the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, which has backed a plan by the Salton Sea Authority that calls for building two lakes, one along the northern shore and one along the southern shore.
Weeks earlier, IID staff said the California Resources Agency proposal has at least two positive elements — the saline habitat protects the microclimate along the southern shore, which, in turn, protects farmland in that area, and it has an early start habitat and environment project.
On Tuesday, IID Director Mike Abatti chastised staff for its statements supporting those elements of the state plan since the board has not come out in support of that plan.
He said before staff “runs crying the sky is falling, they should check with the board first.”
While the board took no action Tuesday on any alternative to save the sea, board members did show interest in the SSA’s proposal to build a south lake.
Rick Daniels, executive director of the SSA, told the board he is proposing that a 5,000-acre south lake be added to the state plan, but he added the SSA board has not yet voted on that suggestion.
The SSA board meets April 26.
The IID board meets April 24 and district President Stella Mendoza asked that the sea issue be back on the agenda for that meeting.
Other concerns also were voiced by IID officials Tuesday and members of the community.
One concern is that the state has said its alternative will cost an estimated $6 billion. Some think the cost will far exceed that mark.
Al Kalin, a local farmer who sits on the Salton Sea Advisory Committee, which was formed by the state as and advisory group, said he doubts the $6 billion figure is accurate.
“I doubt it will cost that little of money,” he said.
Kalin also said the media has printed that the Salton Sea Advisory Committee came up with the proposal the California Resources Agency released.
He said that is not true, adding the committee had little to do with the state proposal. #
http://www.ivpressonline.com/articles/2007/04/11/news/news05.txt
AMERICAN RIVER ISSUES:
Survey gauges public support for parkway tax district
By Ed Fletcher, staff writer
George Gridley needs convincing. He agrees the American River Parkway is "a jewel" that needs protecting -- heck, his Fair Oaks home overlooks the river -- but he isn't sure the recreation area needs homeowners to chip in more money, as some local elected officials and parkway advocates suggest.
"Throwing money at a problem doesn't solve the problem," Gridley said.
Gridley was among hundreds of
The survey, by Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates of
Two-thirds of the respondents said they had a "very favorable" or "somewhat favorable" overall perception of the parkway.
Support of the $30 assessment came in at 51 percent, according to preliminary data released by a working group of elected officials. The survey, conducted between March 29 and April 2, has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percent.
There was greater support for assessments of smaller amounts, said
O'Farrell said some residents in some of the areas surveyed, including south
The goal, he said, is to draw up an assessment district that is both fair and has enough political support to pass. It could be one large area or several tiers of areas that would pay less.
While the working group of elected officials favors an assessment district aimed solely at the
The group will analyze the data before making recommendations on the assessment district. Once that occurs, public hearings would be scheduled.
The key-findings memo shared with The Bee did not include a full analysis of the 25-question survey, including data supporting O'Farrell's statements.
The hypothetical ballot statement read to voters stipulated the assessment would be $30 annually per single-family residential parcel for 20 years, with adjustments for inflation limited to no more than 2 percent per year. All expenditures would be subject to independent annual financial audits and would be reviewed by a citizens oversight committee.
Listed reasons for the assessment were: to preserve and enhance the
Regardless of the shape and size of the district, O'Farrell said, there would be a sizable public outreach campaign to educate property owners and hopefully convince people like Gridley that the parkway needs help.
A financial-needs study that was updated in 2006 supports the idea that more money is needed. It found that the parkway's funding was $1.5 million short of what it needs to operate each year -- to pay for rangers and other employees and day-to-day expenses.
It also found that the parkway needs about $8.5 million of additional funding a year for the next 10 years. The study's recommendations included adding several positions and buying a power boat for park rangers, and it identified miles of roads and acres of parking lots that need resurfacing.
O'Farrell said the county is looking for a stable source of money to even out "the high and the lows" of tough budget years.
The question in Gridley's mind was whether existing funds are being used correctly.
"I know there are things that need to be done on the parkway," he said. "I don't know if there are funds and they aren't using them right."
Katie Baygell doesn't need convincing. The
Baygell is an active member of the American River Parkway Volunteer Equestrian Trail Patrol and served on the citizens committee helping to update the parkway use plan.
"It's a unique and rare open area for wildlife and recreation that not a lot of cities are fortunate to have," she said. #
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/152848.html
Editorial: Parkway politics; County must search for money and allies
Sacramento
Any proposal for a tax better surface from a united front, not a divided one. And bet on it to prescribe a different way of governing the parkway.
At the moment,
What's a source for the money? For starters, the county should explore the creation of a joint powers authority with Rancho Cordova and
Supervisor Roger Dickinson is pushing for a broader park tax to tackle park needs other than along the
It would be nice to see leaders in this region unite around parks rather than fight over political turf. Here is a wonderful opportunity to change the landscape, both politically and for some of our greatest green spaces. #
http://www.sacbee.com/110/story/152686.html
A heightened flood risk and compromised water supply are just two of the threats posed to the
The Water Forum, Local Government Commission, and other local organizations are sponsoring CSUSs American River Watershed Conference in an effort to initiate a discussion and planning to maintain the health of the watershed while effectively meeting flood control, water, recreation, and aquatic ecosystem needs.
Factors Affecting the Health of the River; April 12 – 13, 2007; In conjunction with the Local Government Commission and California Extreme Precipitation Symposium
The
FOR MORE INFORMATION http://www.cce.csus.edu/conferences/arwc/07/index.htm
The PROGRAM will begin at 9 AM on Thursday, April 12th with a Plenary Session titled "Climate Change, Land Use, and the
SPECIAL EVENTS
Thursday, April 12, 2007 -- Linking Water and Land Use in the
Friday, April 13, 2007 -- Estimating Extreme Floods in
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