2013 Aj Fire & Water
2013 Aj Fire & Water
2013 Aj Fire & Water
50 years of local water and power . . . . . . . Pg 2 Canal safety and efficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pg 4 Seven steps to being water wise . . . . . . . . . . Pg 6 Where does your water come from? . . . . . Pg 8 How reliable is your water system? . . Pg 10
his year, the Placer County Water Agency is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Middle Fork American River Hydroelectric Project, which was built in 196367. It was the first project of its kind to be developed by and for the people of a California county. The water agency Board of Directors on May 2 hosted a ceremony to commemorate the anniversary and to recognize the previous generations of Placer County residents who made it all possible. More than 100 people attended the ceremony. The Middle Fork Project includes two major reservoirs French Meadows and Hell Hole seven dams, five hydroelectric power plants and 21 miles of tunnels. It stores 340,000 acre-feet of water and produces an average 1 billion kilowatt-hours of clean renewable energy per year. Original financing of the project was made possible by Placer County voters, who in 1961 passed a $140 million bond issue. Residents were concerned that without action, Placer Countys area of origin
COURTESY
Signing of original Middle Fork contracts in 1963 at the Placer County Courthouse.
water rights could be lost to downstream interests. With plans and financial resources in place, PCWA in 1963 contracted to sell the Middle Fork Projects hydroelectric output to the Pacific Gas and Electric Company, issued revenue bonds to finance the project, and signed a construction contract with American River Constructors, Inc. to build the project. In return for the energy output, PG&E would repay the construction bonds and pay for project operation and maintenance over the 50-year life of the contract. Beginning this year, PCWA is moving forward under new contracts and terms. The agency is finalizing details of a new federal power license, gearing up for more independent operation of its power system, and has a new power sale agree-
ment with PG&E. PCWA General Manager David Breninger emphasized the significance of the Middle Fork Project as Placer County and California have grown and changed. With increased demand for water in downstream areas, particularly by those exporting water from the Delta, PCWA must remain ever vigilant in preserving our countys area of origin water rights, he said. The foresight and actions taken by water agency leaders 50 years ago, who made these rights possible, will forever be protected by the agency.
B IO H AZARD C LEAN U P
Within four hours of loss notification, a SERVPRO Franchise Professional will be on-site to start mitigation services (if necessary).
Within one hour from notice of loss, a SERVPRO Franchise Professional will contact your Insurance to arrange for service.
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of AUBURN/ROCKLIN
Independently Owned and Operated
Within eight business hours, a verbal briefing of the scope will be communicated to the adjuster by a SERVPRO Franchise Professional.
916-632-2250 530-885-2255
servproofauburnrocklin.com
Canals may look cool and inviting but they can be deadly.
They are designed to move large amounts of water quickly and are not intended for swimming or other water recreation. Hidden dangers include: If you fall into a canal:
Call for help Stay calm; try to float Get to the side
Play it safe by staying away from canals. If you drop something in the canal, leave it.
To increase the efficiency of the water delivery system, PCWA has an active program that adds concrete lining, called gunite, to canal walls and bottoms. Gunite is a mortar that is applied through a hose in a high velocity spray. It is sprayed and compacted at one time, forming a dense, waterproof seal. PCWA canal operations specialists have found that gunite reduces seepage and leakage and prevents water damage to adjacent properties. In recent years, PCWA has budgeted an average $1.5 million annually for canal gunite improvements. The agency averages about four miles of gunite lining per year.
COURTESY
The PCWA canal system supplies local agriculture, preserves green space and helps reduce fire danger. The Boardman Canal is a main source of PCWA water.
For pond clearing, Andrews brings out the drag line to scrape the sediment, and says he doesnt know of anyone else in Placer County that still uses that method. It is kind of old school, but has a distinct advantage, he said. To be able to remove the sediment and work underwater without hydraulics, thats key because todays modern equipment is all hydraulics. If you have a hose fail (with hydraulics), you have turned it into an environmental disaster because youve just dumped gallons of oil into the water source. With (our drag line), that risk does not exist. One of his recent projects was restoring a two-acre pond for Loomis resident Doug English. It was fully infested with milfoil and cattails and the water was stagnant, Andrews said. The aquatics eco-system had fallen off. ... It was so green. If you didnt look close, you wouldnt have known it was a pond. Andrews crew dredged it, treated it and added an aeration system. English describes Andrews as pretty much a genius. It isnt just ponds he knows. Hes also a specialist at everything outdoors irrigation, landscaping, wildlife, English said. We had a beaver issue on our pond and he told us how to take care of that. He built bridges and understands aerators (which draw in and recirculate the water). Its good for the fish and for the health of the pond. You dont raise fish; you raise the water in the pond. And he understands that. Englishs now pristine pond is stocked with bass, blue gill and catfish. But it was an eyesore when he first saw it. Doug English The pond was terrible and most buyers would walk away after seeing it, he said. I didnt really know what I was getting into, but I knew it could be cleaned. After research, I knew (Andrews) was the person to do it the right way. Theres a step-by-step process to make sure the pond stays healthy and you dont kill the fish. My wife probably had other ideas, but the most important thing to me was the pond. Everything else was second. That was the first thing we worked on and everything else was second. Since then, weve put in an acre of zinfandel grapes. He helped us on that as well. Hes a genius with anything outdoors. Hes been right about everything he told me would happen. Everything Ive run past him hes always been correct on.
768-7017
/ Lic. #812690
CO 30 FR E E NS M I ULT N. ATI ON
Lessons of the Star Fire The impacts of devastating fire were brought home in August and September of 2001 when the Star Fire charred more than 16,000 acres around PCWA Middle Fork Project lands in the Tahoe and Eldorado national forests. It was an eerie scene on that early September Saturday when members of the PCWA board and staff drove through the smoke-filled forest to the Star Fire command post at French Meadows Reservoir. There we were briefed by U.S. Forest Service firefighters. Our Forest Service colleagues explained not only their tactics for controlling the fire but also their plans to limit long-term
The American River, above, and regional canals move water efficiently throughout the region.
Stay in touch
P.O. Box 6570, 144 Ferguson Road Auburn, CA 95604/530.823.4850
PCWA Update is the bimonthly newsletter produced by the Placer County Water Agency to keep customers and interested citizens up-to-date on the agencys programs and activities. The newsletter is distributed with water bills and is also posted on the PCWA website at www.pcwa.net.
The high intensity of the Star Fire in 2001 injured the Middle Fork watershed.
www.pcwa.net
SERVICE ZONES
PCWA canals transport raw water to customers along the Interstate 80 corridor, from Alta, through Auburn and Rocklin to agricultural lands west of Lincoln. Zone 1. Auburn to Newcastle, Lincoln, Loomis, Rocklin and Roseville, plus wide unincorporated areas - treated water and untreated water Zone 2. A small residential area of 37 customers (Bianchi Estates), southwest of Roseville, served with treated water via Zone 1 and the City of COURTESY Roseville. Much of the water supplied by Zone 3. Alta to Meadow PCWA flows through PG&Es Vista, including Colfax Spaulding Reservoir. treated and untreated water Zone 4. Groundwater from three wells is used to serve the Lahontan, Timilick, Martis Camp and Schaffers Mill communities in the Martis Valley. Zone 5. Irrigation water for commercial agriculture in far western Placer County.
COURTESY PHOTOS
Completion of the new 5 million-gallon storage tank off Electric Street will provide a safer and more reliable water supply for the greater Auburn area.
995
For Septic To Above & Below Ground Water Tanks & Bio-Defusers
825 NEVADA ST., AUBURN 885-8475 Monday-Friday 7 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
hrough the years, water to most PCWA customers has flowed from the snowpack and reservoirs of the Yuba and Bear River watersheds. It is transported through canals, pipelines and tunnels to Lake Spaulding and through the PG&E Drum Hydroelectric Project along the Nevada-Placer county line. This water supply is purchased from PG&E by PCWA to serve portions of the agencys western water service area. In addition, PCWA uses groundwater to supply areas in eastern Placer Countys Martis Valley near Truckee. PCWA also holds area of origin rights to water from the American River. The agency operates a pump
COURTESY
The Auburn Water Treatment Plant is one of seven PCWA water treatment plants.
station on the American River near Auburn so that this water supply may be used to supplement PCWAs supply from the Yuba and Bear rivers. In addition, PCWA American River water flows to Folsom Reservoir and is sold there to San Juan Water District and the City of Roseville to supply their customers. Within PCWA, about 35 percent of customer water use is treated drinking water; about 65 percent is for irrigation use.
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Timber Harvesting Logging We buy Pine, Cedar & Fir Trees Hazard Tree Removal Handcrews & Chipping Lot Clearing Brush Clearing Recycles all Materials Guaranteed Honesty & Integrity
For most of us, a public water system brings thoughts of safe, healthy drinking water for homes, schools and businesses. Another significant but often overlooked benefit of the public water system is its value when it comes to fire protection. The Placer County
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PHAS L L
PCWA QR CODE Scan this Quick Response Code with your smart phone for direct access to the PCWA website.
L AND CLEARING
Residential Commercial Industrial
530-265-3867
Fully Insured Family Owned & Operated
LTO# A10656
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