Department of Water Resources
A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
May 7, 2007
5. Agencies, Programs, People
WEST SACRAMENTO FLOOD TAX:
New flood vote readied; W. Sac parcel owners to decide on tax for levees - Sacramento Bee
Campaign begins for West Sac flood safety tax - Sacramento Bee
OROVILLE FACILITIES:
DWR displays dam equipment from Hyatt Unit 6 - Oroville Mercury Register
WEST SACRAMENTO FLOOD TAX:
New flood vote readied; W. Sac parcel owners to decide on tax for levees
Sacramento
By Deb Kollars, staff writer
Ballots are being prepared and a campaign is about to commence to bring greater flood safety to
The owners of about 15,000 parcels in West Sacramento soon will be asked to tax themselves to help pay for improvements to the levees that protect them.
Property owners will be able to vote for or against their individual assessments through a weighted mail ballot election.
There will be no voting booths in this election. Instead, the ballots will be mailed on May 22 to the parcel owners' addresses.
They will have 45 days to return them. Under the weighted ballot approach, property owners will get one vote for each dollar of proposed assessment they would have to pay.
The new assessment district, if approved by a majority of responding voters, would help bring 200-year flood protection to West Sacramento, a growing community on the west side of the Sacramento River. New geotechnical studies indicate the area may not even have 100-year protection, which is considered a minimal safety margin by the federal government.
Flood officials have determined the area needs $400 million in work on the Sacramento River and Yolo and
"This is something we absolutely need to do. We can never be too safe," said Sandra Vargas, a homeowner and school trustee in
In a flood, the 3,700-square-foot home that Vargas owns with her husband, Afrack, would be under several feet of water. Her new flood assessment would cost $120 a year, an amount she considers a good investment.
"It is important to protect our homes, our businesses and our schools," Vargas said.
Tuesday morning, Vargas will join a coalition of homeowners, business leaders, labor leaders and elected officials to formally launch the assessment campaign, called "Vote Yes for West Sacramento Flood Protection." The event will be at a fitting location: on the Stone Lock Levee near
Later that day, at 4 p.m., the West Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency board will finalize the proposed assessment rates and authorize the mailing of the ballots. The agency is a joint powers authority consisting of the city and two local reclamation districts that take care of levees in the area.
Supporters of the assessment are taking heart that a similar election passed with heavy support last month on the eastern side of the river. The election, sponsored by the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA), won nearly 82 percent of the votes cast.
Mark Capitolo, a consultant for the separate "Vote Yes" campaign, also pointed to a survey in January of
When those taking part in the survey were asked to name the most important issue facing
"In
Sonny Ali, a network engineer who lives with his wife, Jeanette, in
"Most people I have talked to do not mind paying, as long as the city moves quickly to get the work done," Ali said.
The proposed assessments are based on the direct benefit each property would receive from the levee improvements. As a result, assessments vary depending on the type and size of parcel, and severity of potential flooding.
About 12,000 of the properties are residential. Roughly half of the single-family residences would pay between $40 and $100 a year, and about half would pay between $100 and $130 a year. A few at the outer edges of the spectrum would pay less or more, said Shanna Zuspan, a
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/169963.html
Campaign begins for West Sac flood safety tax
The owners of about 15,000 parcels in West Sacramento soon will be asked to vote on whether or not to tax themselves to help pay for improvements to levees surrounding the city.
Ballots will be mailed on May 22 to parcel owners' addresses. They will have 45 days to return them. Under the weighted ballot approach, property owners will get one vote for each dollar of proposed assessment they would have to pay.
The new assessment district, if approved by a majority of responding voters, would help bring 200-year flood protection to
Flood officials have determined the area needs $400 million in work on the Sacramento River and Yolo and
On Tuesday morning, a coalition of homeowners, business leaders, labor leaders and elected officials will formally launch the assessment campaign, called "Vote Yes for West Sacramento Flood Protection." The event will be at the Stone Lock Levee near
Later that day, at 4 p.m., the West Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency board will finalize the proposed assessment rates and authorize the mailing of the ballots. The agency is a joint powers authority consisting of the city and two local reclamation districts that take care of levees in the area. #
http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/169610.html
OROVILLE FACILITIES:
DWR displays dam equipment from Hyatt Unit 6
Oroville Mercury Register – 5/5/07
With a huge crane and little fanfare on Thursday, the California Department of Water Resources moved the massive pump/turbine wheel that was previously removed from Hyatt Unit 6 at Oroville Dam to the Upper Overlook where it was placed for public exhibit.
Ultimately, the old wheel will be a part of the interpretive exhibit to be placed at this location, which will be just one of the many improvements to be placed at the site, according to a DWR press release.
As a part of the Settlement Agreement for the Oroville Facilities, DWR has committed to making a wide variety of enhancements to recreation facilities throughout the project area.
As described in the Recreation Management Plan, enhancements at the Upper-Overlook area will include improvements to the trail leading from the overlook down to the dam, four to five picnic tables, shade ramadas and interpretive panels.
Weighing about 165,000 pounds, the pump/turbine wheel is a massive piece of steel with a diameter of 19 feet. The wheel was installed during the initial construction of the Hyatt Powerplant in Oroville Dam, and was in service from 1968 through 2006, when it was removed.
Generating over 132 megawatts of clean, hydroelectric power, the Hyatt Unit 6 is being refurbished to be even more efficient. The wheel replacement is a part of this refurbishment. #
http://www.orovillemr.com/news/ci_5823739
DWR's California Water News is distributed to California Department of Water Resources management and staff, for information purposes, by the DWR Public Affairs Office. For reader's services, including new subscriptions, temporary cancellations and address changes, please use the online page: http://listhost2.water.ca.gov/mailman/listinfo/water_news. DWR operates and maintains the State Water Project, provides dam safety and flood control and inspection services, assists local water districts in water management and water conservation planning, and plans for future statewide water needs. Inclusion of materials is not to be construed as an endorsement of any programs, projects, or viewpoints by the Department or the State of
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