[Water_news] 3. DWR'S CALIFORNIA WATER NEWS: WATERSHEDS -6/26/09

 

Department of Water Resources

California Water News

A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment

 

June 26, 2009

 

3. Watersheds –

 

Update: Redwood Valley water loss inquiry is ongoing

The Ukiah Daily Journal – 6/26/09

By Zack Cinek

Redwood Valley County Water District lost about 2.5 million gallons of water last week when a valve was turned off during construction work. What the construction company, Granite Construction, and the water district will be asked to do as part of a settlement is unknown.

On two days when water backed up and filled an overflow tank, about six inches of muck was washed into the West Fork of the Russian River, according to a local man who witnessed the effects of the spill several days later.

Bill Koehler, manager of the water district, said he toured the site of the incident Thursday morning. "We are in communication with Granite, the Department of Fish & Game and the State Water Resources Control Board," Koehler said. "We do not really know what is going on."

Dave Clegern, spokesman for the State Water Resources Control Board, said that his agency will likely be examining documents to learn more about the incident.

"We (State Water Board) will likely issue a 1367 order, which basically lays the groundwork for more investigation," Clegern said.

The loss of water to the district, Koehler stated, is not an immediate crisis. "If it does not rain by January, we are going to regret losing that water."

During the time that the water was lost, Granite Construction Company was working to realign a main water line for the Redwood Valley County Water District, Granite's Jordan Main said previously.

Koehler said earlier that a valve was closed and then not opened

when it should have been, but what specifically happened may not be determined.

Main said that Granite is working to piece together a time line of what happened. "We are just jointly investigating with the water district and Fish & Game," Main said.

http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/ci_12694671

 

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