Board to control dam study payments
Zack Cinek
Ukiah Daily Journal
05/13/2010
Mendocino County has decided that any future payments on an ongoing study about raising the dam at Lake Mendocino will be subject to approval by the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors.
The study, known as the "feasibility study," has been aimed at assessing whether raising Coyote Dam would help increase the local water supply and has been ongoing since 2006, the Mendocino County Water Agency stated.
The study's local sponsor, the Inland Water and Power Commission, is part of a cost sharing agreement for the study with the lake's owners, the US Army Corps of Engineers.
"I think the feasibility study is critical for us to move forward," Janet Pauli, chairwoman of the Inland Water and Power Commission said.
Pauli said that all the IWPC members - including the City of Ukiah, Potter Valley Irrigation District, Russian River Flood Control, and the County - have serious economic concerns. She said creative sources for funding the study need to be pursued.
"I think they are out there, I think they exist," Pauli said.
Pros and cons of the study that are often recited is that the outcome of any increased storage is no guarantee, but that the pay off could mean a better water supply for the Ukiah Valley area.
Carre Brown, 1st District Supervisor said, as she has said before, that what the area needs is more water storage as Supes discussed the water supply.
"We need to have storage," Brown said, "we do have sufficient rainfall in most years."
members of the Inland Water and Power Commission have paid a total of $617,000 to match the U.S. Army Corps contributions, the Water Agency stated
Ukiah has paid $134,000, the County $134,250, Potter Valley Irrigation District, $134,250, Russian River Flood Control $134,250. Redwood Valley County Water District who dropped out of the study paid $80,000.
The U.S. Army Corps has not put forth money this year for the study, so the local cost share has been $0. Supervisor John McCowen of the 2nd District said there are potential benefits to continuing with the study.
John Pinches, 3rd District Supervisor, said the study is an "exercise in futility." Pinches also said you cannot win the race if you are not in it.
