Department of Water Resources
California Water News
A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
February 13, 2009
3. Watersheds –
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| Google Earth offers “Stairway of Power Tour” Plumas County News – 2/13/09 By M. Kate West
Taking the “Stairway of Power Tour” on Google Earth leaves one feeling a bit like Aladdin on a magic carpet ride.
The Google Earth computer virtual tours and accompanying information sheets are provided at the Chester branch library, free of charge, to the community by the Almanor Basin Watershed Advisory Committee,
There are five different tours available to interested cyber travelers in a 3-D landscape. With the handbook put together by ABWAC Watershed Coordinator Kelly Weintraub, users can navigate around the watershed and even detour up any given stream.
The user can also explore further and learn how the area is zoned, and who owns which parcel of land. The properties of landowners Collins Pine, the United States Forest Service Sierra Pacific Industries are clearly marked.
“This is a place where people can come and access all of the data that has been collected in Almanor, so they may learn what is in their watershed. They don’t have to have a computer or high-speed Internet, and it is all free,” said Weintraub.
Plumas County Environmental Health, Pacific Gas & Electric, the California Department of Water Resources and the Regional Water Quality Control Board work all worked to collect the data for the program.
“What is so neat about the system is the agencies have always worked independently in their data collection and we have brought it together in one place,” said Weintraub.
She added, “Now you don’t have to research the Web sites for PG&E and DWS for data. This program lets people see how the watershed is as a whole.”
She said the program even identifies the boundaries of private water districts and planned developments.
Weintraub said the program also allows the user to layer information like major streams and a geology layer to see what’s underneath and how everything fits together.
“The Stairway of Power tour is pretty amazing in what the pictures show. You can see water and dams; it’s pretty detailed,” she said.
She said users should take a moment to note each stop on the tour has a bubble that provides information and defines the route of water flow.
Weintraub said the Almanor GIS database includes water quality monitoring information, where wildlife species have been sighted, specific Plumas County zoning, major landowners and infrastructure such as railroads and power lines.
“The tour also shows how all three watersheds flow together down to Oroville and the rest of California,” she added.
She said the information binder also contains extra facts about the watershed and the recommendations contained in the Lake Almanor Watershed Assessment. # http://www.plumasnews.com/news_story.edi?sid=7186&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0 |
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