Department of Water Resources
California Water News
A daily compilation of significant news articles and comment
July 2, 2009
3. Watersheds –
Hetch Hetchy rebuild bill pulled from agenda
S.F. Chronicle
Lightning sparks 7 fires in Shasta-Trinity forest
Redding Record Searchlight
No swimming at Freshwater this year
Eureka Times-Standard
State Fish and Game wants PG&E to put more water in Butte Creek for salmon
Chico Enterprise-Record
Restoring our salmon: Kids restore city park, watershed, community in new joint program
Ukiah Daily Journal
Dog drowns in vehicle at Black Butte Reservoir
Chico Enterprise-Record
Redding eaglets have front-row fireworks seats
Redding Record Searchlight
Busy holiday weekend expected as boat, raft renters go with the flow
The Sacramento Bee
Four lakes for the Fourth
The Sacramento Bee
Booze ban leaves American and Truckee rivers dry
Red Bluff Daily News
Relieving the summer heat
The Porterville Recorder
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Hetch Hetchy rebuild bill pulled from agenda
S.F. Chronicle-7/2/09
By Richard Procter (Chronicle Sacramento Bureau)
A controversial bill that would have changed conflict-of-interest rules to allow a Pasadena firm to work on the $4.5 billion rebuild of San Francisco's water system was pulled from the agenda of a Senate committee scheduled to hear it Wednesday.
AB746, the focus of a Chronicle editorial Tuesday, would change existing conflict-of-interest rules so that Parsons Corp., a private contractor, could work on the construction of the Hetch Hetchy water system, which delivers water from Yosemite to San Francisco, despite the fact that the firm helped plan the project.
A state law restricts contractors who plan state projects from later receiving the construction work.
The bill, introduced by Assemblyman Joe Coto, D-San Jose, was pulled from the agenda after the committee chair, Sen. Patricia Wiggins, D-Santa Rosa, decided to obtain an opinion from the attorney general about the bill, which already has received Assembly approval.
Specifically, the attorney general would be asked whether the situation with the Pasadena contractor constitutes a violation of state conflict-of-interest rules and whether the bill as written would interfere with future conflict-of-interest prosecutions.#
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/07/02/BAEE18HJAO.DTL
Lightning sparks 7 fires in Shasta-Trinity forest
Redding Record Searchlight-7/1/09
Lightning from thunderstorms this afternoon caused at least seven fires on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, which firefighters, smokejumpers and rappellers managed to contain.
The widespread storms began about 2 p.m. and produced at least 380 lightning strikes across Northern California, the Forest Service reported.
Three fires, estimated at one-tenth of an acre each, were discovered near the headwaters of the Trinity River about eight miles northwest of Coffee Creek.
A fire burned about 1 acre five miles west of Lake Siskiyou.
A fire five miles south of Burnt Ranch and another one five miles northwest of Hyampom were suppressed at one-tenth of an acre.
A quarter-acre fire north of Mount Shasta near the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial on Highway 97 was contained to a quarter-acre.
“We’ve ordered an additional aerial reconnaissance flight tomorrow and will probably find new fires,” Fire Chief Arlen Cravens of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest said tonight.
“We’ve got all our fires staffed and ninety-eight percent of the time we succeed if we can get them knocked down in the first twenty-four hours,” Cravens said.
Spokesman Kent Romney said a threat of dry lightning from thunderstorms could continue through Thursday and that firefighters will be closely monitoring the situation.
http://www.redding.com/news/2009/jul/01/lightning-sparks-fires-trinity-alps-area/
No swimming at Freshwater this year
Eureka Times-Standard-7/2/09
By Jessie Faulkner
Since the 1920s Humboldt County residents have spent many a summer day enjoying the cool waters of Freshwater pool.
It's a pleasure that everyone will have to forgo this summer as the county recently began work on a “fish bypass structure,” having the same purpose as a fish ladder -- moving fish from one side of the seasonal dam to the other -- but more resembling steps than a ladder.
The new bypass, which the county plans to begin constructing next week, replaces a wooden fish ladder built and installed several years ago, said Hank Seemann, the environmental services manager of the Humboldt County Public Works Department.
After that ladder was showing signs of wear, the county applied for and received state funding in 2006 for the new “fish bypass structure.” With the permitting and design now ready to go, the county plans to begin construction next week.
What's different, Seemann said, is that the structure, with an 8 percent grade, is in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and can serve as a viewing area to watch the fish.
In preparation of building the structure, it was necessary to slightly divert the creek away from the building area. Before doing so, Seemann said, they had to ensure that there were no fish in the stream during the diversion and installed a screen that the water could pass through but the fish could not.
The fish were then slightly dazed with a light electrical current so they could be netted and moved to the main stream.
Fish and Game personnel coordinated fish re-location on Monday which revealed the presence of hundreds of fish and amphibians: 11 steelhead trout longer than 3 inches, 352 steelhead trout less than 3 inches, 135 young coho, 52 stickle back, 15 sculpin, four lamprey amocete, 10 Pacific giant salamanders and two rough newts.
The future of the seasonal dam depends upon protecting the fish and ensuring their passage, Seemann said.
Because picnickers won't be able to take a dip in the pool this year, the county is reducing the admission fee to $3 per day this summer.
http://www.times-standard.com/ci_12739503?IADID=Search-www.times-standard.com-www.times-standard.com
State Fish and Game wants PG&E to put more water in Butte Creek for salmon
Chico Enterprise-Record-7/2/09
By Larry Mitchell
The state Department of Fish and Game wants PG&E to put more water in Butte Creek to benefit salmon.
The stream has one of the last remaining runs of naturally spawning spring-run salmon in California.
It's believed more water would contribute to keeping the run viable, and it might help prevent fish from being stranded downstream, said Joe Johnson, a senior environmental scientist with Fish and Game.
On Tuesday, 26 salmon were rescued by Fish and Game workers from the creek below Highway 99. The fish were caught with nets and trucked upstream.
If they had been left in the creek, they would have died once the water warmed up, Johnson said.
Spring-run salmon in Butte Creek and other waters of the Sacramento River system are classified as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act. Special efforts have been made to restore them, such as removing dams and increasing water flows.
These seem to have helped. The Butte Creek run, which once numbered only a few fish, has grown to several thousand in recent years.
This year, however, the numbers of salmon generally have been down. Johnson said it's impossible to say exactly why because there are so many potential factors.
PG&E, which operates the DeSabla-Centerville power project in Butte Creek Canyon, is applying for a new federal license for the operation. In connection with that application, Fish and Game has recommended the utility leave more water in the creek at certain times rather than using
it to generate power.
Paul Moreno, a spokesman for PG&E, said the company doesn't oppose the Fish and Game proposals.
According to a Fish and Game report, in 1992 it was agreed PG&E would release at least 40 cfs (cubic feet per second) of water into the creek between June 1 and Sept. 14.
In a new proposal, Fish and Game recommends that minimum flows vary between 40 and 100 cfs depending on the time of year and whether rainfall has been light or normal.
Clint Garman, a fisheries biologist who works out of Fish and Game's Chico office, said one pressing problem is warm water that comes into Butte Creek from DeSabla Reservoir. There are several proposals for fixing that, including piping cold water directly into the creek rather than letting it sit in the reservoir.
He said PG&E has practiced good environmental stewardship in the canyon, and that the spring run has flourished over the last decade. Changes should be made in "baby steps" to avoid causing setbacks for the run, he said.
In Tuesday's salmon rescue, tiny radio transmitters were put in the stomachs of the 26 fish. Crews from Fish and Game and UC Davis will try to track movements of the fish by the radio signals. The goal is to try to learn how many of the rescued fish survive to spawn in the fall, Johnson said. That will suggest whether such rescue operations are worth the money they cost the state.
Christin Polen, who lives near where the fish were rescued, said he's watched salmon gather in that spot in each of the last five years.
There used to be a number of deep holes, and salmon actually survived the summer in them and spawned in that section of the creek. But then a levee reconstruction project eliminated the holes, he said, and there hasn't been enough water to sustain the fish.
This year, the salmon arrived in February, he said. Each year, their arrival has been preceded by the appearance of predators that feed on the fish, such as eagles, osprey and otters.#
http://www.chicoer.com/advertise/ci_12739286?IADID=Search-www.chicoer.com-www.chicoer.com
Restoring our salmon: Kids restore city park, watershed, community in new joint program
Ukiah Daily Journal-7/2/09
By Frank Hartzell
America has been full of pleasant surprises for Fort Bragg Middle School student Frances Fontavilla — none bigger than the redwood trees in Otis Johnson Wilderness Park.
"I lived in a city in the Philippines, and until I came here I had never seen anything like this, the big redwoods. It's beautiful. I could stay here all day."
Fontavilla, whose family moved to Fort Bragg a few years ago, was one of 15 students in Fort Bragg Middle School's MESA program (Mathematics, Engineers and Science Achievement) using Otis Johnson Wilderness Park as a living laboratory last week. They learned about native plants, the rejuvenating powers of big trees, watershed restoration, loss of salmonid habitat and the effects of logging.
The effort is a new program funded by the Salmon Restoration Association in partnership with the City of Fort Bragg, Jughandle Creek Farm and Nature Center and Fort Bragg Unified School District.
"Otis Johnson Park is used often by the youth of Fort Bragg either in school programs like cross country runners, or as a teenage getaway for a multitude of activities, and unfortunately sometimes as a place to practice acts of vandalism," wrote Helene Chalfin of Jughandle Creek Farm and Nature Center in a successful grant application to the Salmon Restoration Association.
"Because the park is in close proximity to the Fort Bragg Middle School and because it lies within the Pudding Creek watershed, the park offers an excellent opportunity as a natural outdoor living laboratory," she said.
Students who admitted to having been bored by the idea of watershed restoration in the classroom said everything made much more sense standing on the fern carpet under the giant redwoods.
The crowd of learners clearly enjoyed declaring war on the invasive English ivy that has spread from backyard gardens to create a virtual monoculture in some areas of the park. When the long, invasive vines were removed, it was clear from the bare ground beneath that the ivy didn't share its space with any other plants.
Chalfin showed how a variety of ferns and other native plants would take hold, using less water and creating better cover for native critters, while helping the entire forest return to its former glory.
"The park has been invaded by non-native plants like English ivy, Himalayan blackberry and crocosmia that are changing the upland forest habitat as well as the riparian habitat from that which supported salmon and steelhead for generations," Chalfin wrote. "In addition to re-vegetating with native plants, the City's part of the project will consist of upgrading two stream crossings to prioritize water quality, fish and wildlife habitat."
There were also six Noyo High School students doing work in the park at the end of the school year. The educational efforts to get more kids into the park will continue over the summer, with hopes for a bigger launch next fall, with funding from state grants through the City and the Salmon Restoration Association.
The City has acquired grant funds but the state budget has delayed that process. The Salmon Restoration Association raises funds for programs in education, watershed restoration and fisheries improvement through the annual World's Largest Salmon Barbecue.
As school waned, student energy surged for tearing out truckloads of invasive plants, cleaning up trash and hearing how erosion and invasive species impact salmon and local water supplies.
Noyo High School senior Oralia Gaona joined in because of the small stipend and the chance to go to the World's Largest Salmon Barbecue but was fascinated at how everything made so much more sense in the outdoors.
"I love learning outdoors with my friends. We get dirty and help clean up the park. I enjoyed learning so many plant names and their history," said Gaona.
Redwood forests surround Fort Bragg but are generally not easy to access — with the notable exception of the six-acre wilderness right next to Fort Bragg Middle School.
Generations of kids have used Otis Johnson Wilderness Park for a hangout, even before the money for the park was donated by the widow of Otis Johnson. The Johnson family's 19th century timber business helped establish Fort Bragg as a place people could earn a living in the lumber business. The park itself was logged about a century ago. Biologists consider it an excellent example of second growth forest but one imperiled by human activities.
"The large second growth Coast Redwood, Northern Bishop Pine, and Riparian Forest communities are reminiscent of ancient forests," Chalfin wrote. "However, non-native English ivy, Himalayan blackberry and crocosmia threaten to take over the park's forest and wetland habitats. The City has made a commitment to intervene, with the help of Caltrans and the State Rivers and Parkways Grant program, in a sustained effort to reverse the infestations, plant natives, and upgrade the waterway and park amenities."
The towering second-growth forest is a testament to the healthy economic future local forests offer to younger generations. But damage to streams and hillsides caused by erosion and invasive species also teach youngsters the need to manage resources better than past generations did.
Some of the damage is caused by the kids themselves, and they can see that through this project. Kids have created vertical trails that cause erosion. Others have actually written large amounts of graffiti all over redwood trees.
Some middle school boys threw rocks at this reporter's pickup, being used in the cleanup. Fellow students were embarrassed and revealed the identity of the perpetrators.
Teri Jo Barber, who is in charge of the project for the City of Fort Bragg likes the idea that young people claim the park as their territory, even though some now vandalize, litter and graffiti their own "turf."
The City has been granted $178,000 from California River Parkways Proposition 50. Unfortunately these funds were frozen in late 2008 as part of the State's budget crisis. Caltrans is also providing $235,000 for park improvements, as required by the State Water Resources Control Board to mitigate environmental damages to Ten Mile River during the construction of the new bridge. Caltrans funds will be released this summer, with work anticipated to begin in the fall.
"I continue to believe the project will help to transform the vandalism going on there by kids when they saw or are included in improving the Park — that they would gain a kind of ownership' and become pro-park visitors, a positive force in the park — especially those being given a hands-on opportunity but even those without their hands in it would still get it' through the grapevine," Barber said.
All the partners hope that the effort can grow much bigger, involving and educating the community in the efforts to restore the city's wild treasure.
Jughandle and the Salmon Restoration Association hope to create a program where more and more students use the park each year to learn lessons about native plants, logging and how the watershed supports the community. Chalfin has contacted many local teachers about participating. The Salmon Restoration Association is seeking to add a fish biologist to the educational agenda.
Ultimately, over time, the park will host more robust and diverse populations of native species than it does today and water quality will improve onsite and downstream for salmonids in Pudding Creek. An interpretive program will focus all park users on stewardship and water quality.
The Salmon Restoration Association is making contributions to the MESA club, while providing the students from Noyo High School small work stipends.
Jughandle Creek is working with local schools to get more teachers involved next fall in using the park as a living laboratory.
"Their investment of time, thought and effort may give them hope that their own efforts can yield a positive, valued result. That hope is increasingly important as youth struggle to find meaning and a positive niche in our increasingly complex society. Pride in their efforts may yield the side benefit of converting the park vandalism to park nurture-ism,'" Chalfin wrote.
MESA works with thousands of educationally disadvantaged California students with an interest in math and science and helps them work toward careers in math, engineering and science.
MESA works with industry partners and the University of California, California State University, the California Community Colleges, the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and the State Department of Education. MESA is nationally recognized for its innovative academic development program, its website says.
Fort Bragg Unified School District is one of the districts to join the optional MESA program. More information can be found at www.ucop.edu/mesa/#
Dog drowns in vehicle at Black Butte Reservoir
Chico Enterprise-Record-7/2/09
A mixed-breed dog drowned inside a vehicle that rolled into Black Butte Reservoir on Wednesday morning near Angler's Cove.
California Highway Patrol officer Roger Smith said Fortuna resident Robert Plotnick, 59, parked his car on a bank overlooking the lake about 8 a.m. and went swimming with his two dogs.
One of the dogs reportedly jumped back into the vehicle, a 1995 Ford Taurus, and apparently pushed the gear shift into neutral.
Despite Plotnick's efforts, the vehicle rolled into the water and sank, with the dog trapped inside.
Officials from the CHP and Tehama County Sheriff's Office responded to the incident.
The car was found upside down in about 15 feet of water and towed out.
Plotnick suffered no injuries.#
http://www.chicoer.com/advertise/ci_12739296?IADID=Search-www.chicoer.com-www.chicoer.com
Redding eaglets have front-row fireworks seats
Redding Record Searchlight-7/2/09
By Dylan Darling
Three Turtle Bay bald eaglets - who already have put up with banging and clanging from nearby construction for the first months of their lives - soon will have a front-branch seat for Redding's annual fireworks show.
Those who have watched the tough trio closely since they hatched in March said they don't think the bright sights and loud sounds will faze them.
"I imagine for these birds it's (going to be) a lot like a really big thunderstorm," said Craig Martz, staff environmental scientist with the state Department of Fish and Game's Redding office.
And the eaglets have already been through several thunderstorms in the three months they've grown from fluffy hatchlings to full-sized fledglings. Their parents, who have nested near Turtle Bay Exploration Park since 2004, have also been through several firework shows.
Although the eaglets are spending less time near their nest of late, they still have been spotted most evenings at a nearby cove, said Terri Lhuillier of Redding.
Lhuillier was the leader of an ad hoc group that called for a plastic cone to be removed from the eagle nest in winter 2007. The California Department of Transportation put the cone there to try to move the birds away from the coming bridge construction. After the eagles and the public showed they wanted the cone to go, Caltrans took it down.
Since then the eagles - named Patriot and Liberty in a Redding.com poll - have raised a pair of eaglets last year and three this year. Rearing three eaglets is a rare feat for the raptors, eagle experts have said.
They all appear to be doing well, said Lhuillier, who most nights packs up a spotting scope and pedals her bike down to where the eagles hang out. She even had one of the eaglets land on a branch only about 30 feet from her head Tuesday night.
The racket of a monster truck pull at the Rodeo Grounds didn't ruffle the eagles' feathers Saturday night, in a primer for this weekend's commotion, Lhuillier said. The fireworks show will have more bang though.
"They are tolerant, we know that for sure," she said, "but that could be a little over the edge."
Fireworks or not, the eaglets' recent short flights are just hops compared to the long flight ahead. In the next couple of weeks, the eaglets likely will fly north in search of salmon, possibly all the way to Canada.
"They want to head somewhere that is really plentiful with fish," said Sharon Dale, animal programs manager at Turtle Bay.
Studies of north state eaglets have shown them flying hundreds of miles north in a matter of days, often roosting where they find ample food, said Martz, the DFG scientist.
While scientists could have put bands or radio transmitters on the Turtle Bay eaglets to determine where they end up, Martz said DFG scientists decided against it.
"The value of the information that we would get from that effort didn't outweigh the risk to the birds," Martz said.
To put bands or radios on the birds, workers have to climb the nest tree and catch the young birds.
Caltrans spokeswoman Denise Yergenson said the agency wouldn't contract scientists to do any banding or other tracking work. This nesting year was successful, Yergenson said, and Caltrans no longer has scientists monitoring the birds.
http://www.redding.com/news/2009/jul/02/redding-eaglets-have-front-row-fireworks-seats/
Busy holiday weekend expected as boat, raft renters go with the flow
The Sacramento Bee-7/2/09
By Darrell Smith
The sun's out, the sky's blue and for businesses whose livelihoods depend on Sacramento-area residents' love of the water, a little more green would make for a perfect holiday weekend.
As Independence Day approaches, businesses tethered to Sacramento-area waterfronts – from boat dealers to raft rental outfits – are hoping that locals looking for some Fourth of July fun close to home will buoy their fortunes.
"Nobody has money to buy boats," said Richard Herota, manager of Buck's Outboard Repair on 47th Avenue in Sacramento.
But there are early signs that July Fourth may be a day to celebrate at Buck's, despite the sluggish sales. Repair jobs, though down from last year, are still solid. And business has picked up in the days before the holiday as boaters prepare for the long weekend, Herota said.
"We were pretty busy this weekend. We've had a lot of last-minute customers – people got paid at the end of the month," Herota said. "They want to go to the lake, and they're staying close to home and enjoying what we have here in Sacramento."
That's a common theme in today's tough economy. Vacationers will still have fun this holiday weekend, even if they're not traveling far to enjoy themselves.
"Even though the economy's down, they're looking for something close to home to do and it's one of the cheaper things you can do," said Kirk Granthem, manager of American River Raft Rentals in Rancho Cordova. Rentals, he said, range from $50 to $150 per day's trip, depending on the size of the raft.
American River normally sends about 30 rafts a day into the water on weekdays. That number will climb to "a couple hundred" rafts on Independence Day, Granthem said, with the renters a mix of "staycationers" and those taking a quick trip up Interstate 80 from the Bay Area.
"The weather's perfect this weekend. We're looking good," Granthem said. "There's plenty of water, and reservations are looking good for the weekend."
Ashley Langenberg, a staffer at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center on Lake Natoma, said the center expects to boost staffing from its normal five employees to eight to accommodate traffic.
"We're expecting the holiday to be extremely busy, especially on Sunday," she said.
Past experience has shown that families are more likely to stay at home on the Fourth of July, only to swarm the lake the day after, she said. The center expects to far surpass its usual 200 kayak rentals a day.
Water levels, especially at popular Folsom Lake, are helping. Though the state is gripped in a three-year drought, spring storms boosted the elevation at Folsom Lake to 456 feet, 40 feet higher than a year ago.
"It's a little busier than it was last year because there's actually water in Folsom (Lake) right now," said Alan Hoskin, a manager at Orangevale-based Lakeshore Pacific Boat and PWC Rentals.
Last summer, Lakeshore trimmed its rental flotilla by half, from eight boats to four. That scaling back, coupled with late spring rain, has boosted the profit outlook this year.
Still, Hoskin's business hasn't completely avoided the economy's grip.
Rentals of Lakeshore's Sea Ray ski boats and its larger Four Winds pleasure craft docked at Lake Tahoe still weren't fully booked heading into the July Fourth weekend, even with fewer boats.
"They're usually gone by now," Hoskin said. "You see people holding onto their money."
When times were flush, Lakeshore's $1,000 security deposit atop the $325-a-day rental fee was the going price for a fun time on the water. But given today's lean times, customers are more hesitant to spend.
"The (deposit) is testament to that," Hoskin continued. "They're interested in the boats, but they can't handle the deposits. Times are tough. We're seeing more of that."
Local watercraft dealers like Diane Schroeder, owner of Dixon Polaris in Davis, hope to beat back the budget blues by cutting prices.
Sales were up from last year, based largely on bargain deals for watercraft, Schroeder said, quickly adding, "It could always be better and they're not as good as two years ago."
Like Lakeshore's Hoskin and Herota of Buck's, Schroeder wishes for the more robust revenue of two years ago before stocks, housing and the general economy went into free fall.
But she's banking on a summer comeback.
"When it gets hot and there's more water at Folsom Lake, people go out," Schroeder said. "Just like the car dealerships, there are great deals right now. It's a great time to buy."#
http://www.sacbee.com/business/story/1994378.html
Four lakes for the Fourth
The Sacramento Bee-7/2/09
By Gamaliel Ortiz
For many outdoor enthusiasts, the Fourth of July often turns into a four-day weekend, with the hopes of enjoying a four-pack of fun through different daily adventures.
Though many area lakeside campgrounds are booked solid through the weekend, that shouldn't stop you from enjoying other activities offered at the four lakes we're suggesting for the Fourth.
We decided to focus on nearby Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, Jenkinson Lake (Sly Park), Rancho Seco and the wild card of Lake Berryessa.
"People just want to celebrate the nation's Independence Day together with family and friends," says Lake Berryessa's Janet Rogers.
Hitting the outdoors seems like the perfect venue, she says. Don't let the unavailability of campground reservations keep you from enjoying the lakes even if it's on a day-trip basis.
These lakes and adjacent trails still have plenty of space for daytime activities such as hiking, swimming and fishing. And of course, grilling hot dogs. Here are four locations you might consider.
Folsom Lake State Recreation Area
Probably the best known lake in the region, Folsom Lake is ready and at full capacity. To the south, you'll find Lake Natoma, one of the best lakes in the nation for competitive rowing and a local hub for water sports (see story on kayaking on Page D1).
Folsom Lake is open to boating and fishing. Trout, catfish and bass are just some of the fish species.
Biking and walking trails are second to none along the lake, with popular entry points such as Beals Point and Granite Bay. The American River bike trail links Folsom Lake to Sacramento County parks to the west.
Cost: $8 for parking
How to get there: From Highway 50, take either the Hazel or Folsom Boulevard exit. The Hazel exit drops you right off at the Sacramento State Aquatic Center on Lake Natoma, where you can rent kayaks, canoes and other watercraft (www.sacstate aquaticcenter.com or 916-278-2842).
For more information on Folsom Lake SRA: www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=500 or (916) 988-0205
Jenkinson Lake/Sly Park
Operated by the El Dorado Irrigation District, Sly Park boasts a pristine lake that covers more than 600 surface acres and has plenty of fishing spots, says the park's Cheri Jaggers.
A scenic hike along the 8 1/2 miles of lakeshore is an option for those who seek an outdoors view.
"There's a waterfall, and they will see some nature like birds, lizards – and although they don't like them – snakes," the park manager says.
Like most other lakes, Jenkinson Lake has space available for daily users who are not camping, and there's plenty of room for picnicking and outdoor cooking.
If you want to paddle the relatively calm waters of the lake, Sly Park offers pedal-boats and other crafts, staring at $5.
Cost: $10 for parking, $8 for seniors. Campgrounds are full for the weekend.
How to get there: Take Highway 50 east to the second Pollock Pines exit, and head south to the lake and park.
More info: (530) 295-6824
Rancho Seco
It's hard to ignore the two relics from the defunct nuclear power plant. But the two cooling towers, standing 425 feet tall, are the only eyesores near this otherwise pastoral setting, which includes Rancho Seco Lake.
The 160-acre recreation area is ideal for fishing, sailing, boating and even swimming. Don't worry, the water doesn't glow in the dark. A park representative says copious amounts of bass, trout and bluegill are frequently stocked to amuse anglers. The park is usually one of the better fishing lakes in the region – especially for kids.
Pedal boats and kayaks are available for rent; windsurfers have been known to take the waters as well, but no gas-powered watercraft are allowed.
More than 100 shaded picnic areas with plenty of grills surround the shore. The wide-open recreational area can accommodate large groups.
Cost: $5 per car
How to get there: Take Highway 99 south to Twin Cities Road/Highway 104. Head east for 15 miles to the Rancho Seco Park exit.
More information: (209) 748-2318 or www.smud.org/ en/about/pages/ recreation-rancho.aspx.
Lake Berryessa
"Fishing."
That is the response for what is best known at Lake Berryessa, according locals and resort owners. Located in Napa County near the point where it converges with Yolo and Solano counties, it's known for its trout, bass and kokanee salmon fishing – especially right now (see our Fishing Line at right).
The east side of the lake is home to the Lake Berryessa Wildlife Area, portions of which are accessible by car (www.usbr.gov/ mp/ccao/berryessa).
Private resorts on the lake, including Markley Cove, offer parking and boat launch for $20.
The Bureau of Reclamation operates free day-use areas. For details, visit the Web site and click "Activities Around the Lake" and then scroll to "Oak Shores."
Cost: Depends on whether you visit a resort or day-use area.
How to get there: Take Interstate 80 west to Interstate 505. Head north toward Winters and then exit west on Highway 128.
More information: Bureau of Reclamation, (707) 966-2111, ext. 103.
Markley Cove Resort and Marina, (707) 966-2134.#
http://www.sacbee.com/livinghere/story/1993562.html
Booze ban leaves American and Truckee rivers dry
Red Bluff Daily News-7/1/09
People anticipating an alcohol-filled Fourth of July weekend on the Truckee and American rivers should make other plans.
Officials have banned alcohol Friday through Sunday to discourage driving under the influence, drunkenness and fighting and partying on the rivers.
Possession of alcohol is prohibited on the Truckee River from Lake Tahoe to the Alpine Meadows Bridge.
Alcohol is barred from Hazel to Watt avenues on the American River.
The only bridge exempt from the ban is the Fanny Bridge in Tahoe City.
Placer County officials say state law bans alcohol on the rivers and islands while a county ordinance bans booze on river banks, islands and bridges.
http://www.redbluffdailynews.com/ci_12736928
Relieving the summer heat
The Porterville Recorder-7/1/09
Lake Success is gearing up for what promises to be a busy weekend as locals and vacationers head to the popular holiday location to get some relief from the summer heat.
A brief respite from triple digit heat looks to be in store for the 4th of July holiday as a minor cooling trend rolls into the Valley with temperatures settling into the low 90s by Monday.#
http://www.recorderonline.com/news/heat-42051-summer-holiday.html
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