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October 03, 2006
Water Fight!
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| Water in Butte County is an
important issue moving into the next few decades. Our county's largest industry
is agriculture. If farmers come to the conclusion that selling their water
rights is of higher value than continuing to farm then you can expect those
rights to be sold. The impact this will have on our region as it continues to grow can not be readily determined. A meeting will be held tonight to discuss the possibility of the water rights being transferred to powers outside of the North State. I'm not entirely up-to-speed on this issue, but it is important enough for the entire community to get involved in the discussion. Tonight may be one of the only opportunity provided for that to happen. This summary of the public meeting in Durham comes from www.buttegroundwater.org. "The meeting will be held at the Durham Public Library on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2006 from 6:00 - 8:00 PM. The Northern California Water Association is holding their only scheduled public meeting in Butte County to discuss the final draft of their Integrated Regional Water Management Plan (IRWMP). The plan involves pumping Lower Tuscan Groundwater to meet promises made by NCWA's membership to give up water to meet Delta water flow requirements." The Northern California Water Association makes its case for the IRWMP at this web link, http://www.norcalwater.org/int_program/ Pay attention to these discussions. Water may be the "oil" of our future generations. |
Posted by Lon at October 3, 2006 09:02 AM
Comments
As important as the water discussion is, I think you had that entire post for the last line -- which is a revealing look into your dark, science-fiction obsessed heart:
Plot Summary for
The Ice Pirates (1984)
In the far future water is the most valuable substance. Two space pirates are captured, sold to a princess, and recruited to help her find her father who disapeared when he found information dangerous to the rulers. A real Space Opera with sword fights, explosions, fighting robots, monsters, bar fights and time warps.
Posted by: Dave Brobst at October 3, 2006 10:06 AM
As troubling as the universe described in "The Ice Pirates" is can you imagine inhabiting "Waterworld"?
I could live with the drinking of your own urine, and biker gangs on jet-skis. I could even learn to live with the continuous "tubing" lifestyle required by a lack of terra-firma.
What I couldn't live with is Kevin Costner and his mullet as the pinnacle of heroism.
Posted by: Lon at October 3, 2006 06:33 PM
Back to Earth, you guys.
I just got back from the meeting at the Durham Library. There was standing room only for many people, and some of them were in the aisles where they couldn't even see anything.
There was a power point show with charts and maps and lists of objectives and a lot of rehearsed smooth talking. The better informed ecology advocates as well as local land owners asked a lot of tough questions and couldn't get good straight answers.
The meeting deteriorated and became more tense and frustrating.
I asked why the deadline for public comment was so soon to be closed.(Oct. 16) if it was considered a living plan and the details were still getting worked out.
One of the objectives was "to provide reliable statewide water availability" but that the top priority would be to provide reliable regional water availability.
You have to wonder how the political and economic pressures may change this priority in the future when ten times more Californians live South of our valley and we have ten times more clean water. Especially if the planning shifts from the counties to the State.
The locals that depend on their wells do have their water rights but they may not be worth much if their pumps are sucking on a dry hole.
I asked if they would have another public meeting in Chico, and they replied that they "welcomed our suggestions".
When everyone asked to get an extension on the public comment deadline, another meeting, better answers and information with press coverage, they said they "welcomed our suggestions".
They may have welcomed them but they didn't agree to them.
Maybe the County Supervisors should make these suggestions.
Posted by: Gregg Payne at October 3, 2006 10:35 PM