Flaws in Delta Planning?

Auburn, Calif.- Leaders of the Placer County Water Agency remain concerned that local water supplies could suffer under current plans by State officials to improve the ecosystem of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and to export more water to the south state and parts of the Bay Area.

In a presentation Thursday (Aug. 15) to the PCWA Board of Directors, Einar Maisch, the water agency’s Director of Strategic Affairs, said the current version of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, would be very harmful to Placer and other north state counties’ water supplies. He said the state plan uses water system modeling that shows Folsom Reservoir dropping to “dead pool,” a low level at which water deliveries could not be sustained, every 10 years.  “This is unacceptable,” Maisch said.  “We need to have some realistic modeling.”

⤥ Summer Fun Starts Here ⤦

⤥ Summer Fun Starts Here ⤦

⤥ Summer Fun Starts Here ⤦

⤥ Summer Fun Starts Here ⤦

Maisch’s presentation mirrored a presentation he offered in Sacramento on Wednesday (Aug. 14) to several local Congressional representatives’ staff members.  The work is part of a stepped-up PCWA advocacy effort aimed at protecting Placer County water supplies in face of increasing downstream demand.

In other business, directors:

• heard an update on the large American Fire, which is burning in a rugged forest area east of Foresthill.  PCWA Director of Power Generation Services Jay L’Estrange said the agency is supporting the firefighting effort through use of 20 acres of PCWA land where the U.S. Forest Service has set up a base camp.  The property is adjacent to the PCWA Power System headquarters in Foresthill.
• heard an update on the current Electric Street storage tank and pipeline project in Auburn.  Pipeline installation along Lincoln Way is taking longer than anticipated because of buried rock but is expected to be complete in the next two to three weeks.
• welcomed two former elected directors who were in attendance:  Ed Horton of Loomis, who represented District 4 from 1975-96; and Dick Azevedo of Auburn, who represented District 3 from 1991-96.

PCWA board meetings are open to the public.Information on PCWA board meetings may be obtained through the Clerk to the Board at (530) 823-4850 or (800) 464-0030.