[Water_news] 4. DWR'S CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS: WATER QUALITY - 7/17/08

Department of Water Resources

California Water News

A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment

 

July 17, 2008

 

4. Water Quality –

 

 

Power plants and water treatment facility clogged by debris in upper Kern

Bakersfield Now- 7/17/08

By Carol Ferguson

 

Flash flood run-off makes problems in the upper Kern River above Lake Isabella. Eyewitness News discovered debris in this part of the river has forced the closure of power plants -- and cut-backs at the water treatment plant in Kernville.

Thunderstorms have hit areas recently burned by wildfires north of Kernville, and that run-off has ended up in the upper Kern River.

The river was running a dark brown through Kernville on Wednesday afternoon. It looked like liquid mud where Patrick McCaughey was fishing in the park.

He'd never seen the water like this on this part of the river. "Not with so much silt and all in it," he told Eyewitness News.

Some of the river water is pulled out for treatment at the California Water Service plant in Kernville. The plant was making some water Wednesday afternoon, but only about one-third of their usual supply.

Technicians say the dirt-filled water clogs the plant in-takes from the river. Cal Water said the plant usually produces 1,000 gallons of water a minute. But as of Wednesday, it was down to about 33 gallons a minute.

Cal Water put out the word, they want people in Kernville and Wofford Heights to cut back water-use as much as possible.

"I think it's a good idea," Riverkern resident Shelby Eller said. "We don't need to use that much water, anyway."

Zachary Carroll was fishing in the park. He'd never seen water here this full of debris. He also figured it was a good idea to conserve water.

Cal Water says they're trying to put more ground wells on line in their system, but users may notice low pressure. The company asks people to avoid outside watering, shorten showers -- and use as little water as possible between 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Cal Water says the conservation alert is in effect till further notice. Customers can call their customer service center with any concerns. (760-379-5336)

The company says all the water being produced at the Kernville plant is clean and good for use.

But, the dirty water in the upper Kern River has also forced the closure of the hydro-electric power plant just north of Kernville. Southern California Edison says that plant was shut down on Tuesday, the first day of bad water on the upper Kern.

"It gets into the tunnels and it just mucks everything up." SCE spokeswoman Deborah Hess told Eyewitness News. "You've got to worry about all the mechanics, so you've got large logs and such that can get in and wreak havoc."

The power plant above Kernville usually makes 36 megawatts of electricity. Hess says it was down to 15 megawatts just before the bad water. She says a megawatt can supply enough power for about 650 homes. Hess says SCE hopes to get that plant back on line soon.

But, river water is also still bad in the lower Kern River -- and that's forced the closure of an SCE plant in the canyon.

That's KR-1, and it's being clogged by run-off from the "Piute Fire" -- the same run-off that caused problems in the community of Lake Isabella. Hess says KR-1 usually produces about 25 megawatts of power.

SCE also has a hydro-electric plant near Borel Road. Hess says that facility is not affected by the run-off problems because it gets water through a flume directly from Isabella Lake.

Pacific Gas and Electric also has a power plant just outside the mouth of the Kern River Canyon. Eyewitness News checked with PG&E, and spokeswoman Cindy Pollard says the Kern Canyon Power Plant was also off-line on Wednesday.

Pollard says the water in the lower Kern River is so dirty, they can't run the plant. She says they'll just have to wait until the river water clears up.

That's what SCE says, too. Deborah Hess says the company is waiting to see what the river and the weather do next.

"They're talking about more thunderstorms," she said Wednesday afternoon. "So, we'll just wait and see."#

http://www.bakersfieldnow.com/news/25540759.html