The following is a column submitted by Mendocino County 3rd District Supervisor John Haschak. The opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of the Mendocino Voice.
As the saying goes, we are always one dry winter away from drought. Kudos to the Mendocino County Fire Safe Council for facilitating the water tank program. They delivered close to 200 free water tanks to more than a dozen Firewise Communities, Neighborhood Fire Safe Councils, and fire departments throughout the county. Overall, the program, through the state Department of Water Resources, provided 450 water tanks in Mendocino County.
Speaking of water, there has certainly been a weird twist to the Potter Valley Project. While we want local control over many issues, especially one as critical as water, the federal government has stepped in and found a water agency in Southern California that is interested in taking over the dams. This comes after years of negotiations and compromises throughout the North Coast to make sure that we have sustainable water after PG&E decommissions the dams. PG&E doesn’t want the dams because of liability of dam failure and losing money, not a good combination for a profit-driven corporation.
I think this flirtation with the Elsinore Water District is a distraction that could only do us wrong. They either want the water or want to make money with the water. As the coalition partners have said repeatedly, the Round Valley Indian Tribes have the senior water rights, and the last thing we need is an outside entity attempting to take control of the water. The Inland Water and Power Commission’s goal is “to secure a reliable water future with supply and storage solutions we can control and deliver.” The Board of Supervisors has approved a resolution supporting the IWPC’s goals, thus this new scenario seems counter to securing “a reliable water future.”
There has been discussion at both the Board level and at the General Government Committee meetings about the cannabis tax. The Auditor/Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector says that the current structure is very time-consuming and unreliable. Out of the 600 or so permits, 200 owe back taxes. We approved tying a cannabis cultivation license with having taxes paid up to date. With that in place, we are looking at changing the way those taxes are paid. This will treat cannabis like other agricultural crops, taxed on the amount of gross receipts.
With election season here, we have had visits from our State Senator Mike McGuire in Willits and State Assemblymember Chris Rogers in Laytonville. These sessions have been informative and a powerful way for we, the people, to have conversations with our state representatives.
There will be a Talk with the Supervisor on Thursday, May 28, from 10-11 a.m. at Brickhouse Coffee in Willits. You can always contact me at haschakj@mendocinocounty.gov or call 707-972-4214.
The big problem that will continue to plague the PVP decommissioning is Madeline Cline, Bernie Norvell and MAGA folks interfering with the process. The only reason Elsinore Valley came up here is because someone is filling their ears with nonsense about 600,000 potential customers. Elsinore Valley wants customers to buy the water. There will never be enough to satisfy them. Bernie probably knows 4 people in his district that have properties in PV or on Lake Mendocino who ring his phone all the time so he’s feeling obligated to team up with D1. Cline is a young Republican who is destroying her political career by continuing to secretly aid the MAGA types in the fight to get a bailout for the farmers. A federal government giveaway that involves the USDA which is controlled currently by MAGA is the goal. Eel river water doesn’t flow through the golden gate. It doesn’t reach Marin county. It doesn’t even reach Santa Rosa. It flows north. The Russian River will be ok without the heavy diversion. Keep it small. Keep it as simple as possible. The tribes can sell some water after a new system is built. Meanwhile the farmers of PV can start digging ponds and seeing about deeper wells through groundwater studies.
When your best argument involves demonizing the opposition as a MAGA Republican, you are probably compromised yourself.
Develope off-stream storage, then assess the total storage capacity.
Once these dams are gone, they will never be rebuilt.
Since you didn’t bother to read my comment to the end, I will help you out:
“ Meanwhile the farmers of PV can start digging ponds and seeing about deeper wells through groundwater studies.” That’s my last sentence. You’re welcome. We are aligned more than you may think.
There isn’t sufficient ground water in potter valley. If you want the facts go talk to people In potter valley. The dam, if you do your homework, is not comprised. As far as fish the government officials that care about salmon, say nothing about willits. There are huge obstructions that have developed since they have gotten control, stopping once great fish spawning to almost zero. Lastly if anybody did the homework on the eel, it’s mostly dry and then sub water pre dam. Do the research.
Sounds great. Please help me by listing what you’ve read to lead you to say the Eel was mostly dry with only subsurface water pre dam.
Please help me by listing what you’ve read to lead you to say the dam is not compromised- and which dam you are referring to.