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Supervisors vote for Paso Robles water district

February 19, 2014

The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday in favor of creating a water district for the Paso Robles groundwater basin.

water2Supervisors Frank Mecham, Adam Hill and Bruce Gibson voted to support legislation to create the district while Debbie Arnold and Caren Ray voted no. Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian, R-San Luis Obispo, said he would draft a bill if the county voted in favor of creating a district.

Proponents of the proposed legislation said that a district is needed because the basin is in crisis. Two North County water groups have proposed that a nine-person board made up of large and small land owners govern the district.

Opponents of the district voiced concerns that the creation of a district could lead to higher taxes and increased water rates. In addition, there are fears that a district will lead to water banking.

Ray said she is in favor of a district, but wanted the legislation to prohibit water banking and exporting water from the county.

 


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I am a bit confused. The literature states that the Paso water basin is the largest reserve west of the Rockies. In the millions of acre feet i believe. So why do we need a bank at all. If we ever get enough rain to replenish and overfill that reserve it would surely last for a number of years. In the meantime, if we were to bank water in Kern, what assurance to we have that it would be available when we needed it. Its a bit like the Nacimiento pipeline. Here we are in the crisis of a generation and the savior was to be the pipeline….Hmmm Lake Naci level is 20 percent and going down day by day. I say the water district is an OK thing IF there is a provision that no water is moved or banked or exported unless the water basin is full. Carpe Diem and liquid assets


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How many folks think the district will be “big enough”? read: $$$


http://www.ppic.org/main/blog_detail.asp?i=1451


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You are right on, this would only be the begining to everyone having to participate in some special district or should I say another special administration tax that ONLY funds governance.


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So the BOS had passed the buck again! Instead of making the tough decisions, like enacting building moratoriums for the duration of our drought, enacting changes to building codes to make future projects water conservation friendly and passing a temporary ordinance to limit pumping of groundwater to only existing homes and agricultural plots, they have voted to pass the tough decisions to a new “yet to be created” agency. What a bunch of gutless amateurs!


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Didn’t they do much of that or at least start the process when the emergency ordinance was put into place?

I think that was the whole point so that a proper local management structure could be established.


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The self-serving approach with which the BOS has dealt with our county’s water resources issues are crippling any options we may have in the future to ensure all county residents have a secure source of water in the future.


Whether it is refusing to ban water banking in the Paso GW basin or refusing to take action on the grape growers who continue to thumb their noses at the BOS’s temporary ban on planting new vine stock, the BOS has shown water resource security for ALL county residents falls far behind the rapacious water demands of the moneyed few.


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How have they crippled future options?

On what basis do you conclude the planting ban is not being adhered to? Vesting was previously established so some do have the right.


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Well once again the BOARD OF SUPERVISORS have rushed into a new issue that will cost all of us DEARLY!

THANKS AGAIN!!!

MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO MAKE LARGE SUMS OF MONEY BY EXPORTING NORTH COUNTY WATER,EVEN IF THE BOARD SAY’S THAT WILL NOT HAPPEN,SORRY BUT I

BELIEVE THAT IS WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

ALSO WHY DOES NORTH COUNTY NEED SOMEBODY FROM SAN LUIS OBISPO TO

HAVE A SAY ON THIS ISSUE?


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There were two supervisors who voted against it – Caren Ray and Debbie Arnold, two woman who despite different constituents, represent their districts ably and competently on this issue!


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You go two directions. Complaining that the BOS did not go far enough then saying they should not have a say.

Confusing


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All CAPS make my head hurt.


Argue, or explain ..but don’t shout.


ALL CAPS just makes you look like a loudmouth buffoon.


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