Monday, March 26, 2018

Liz Writes Life 3-27-18


March 27, 2018

Liz Writes Life
Published in Siskiyou Daily News, Yreka, CA

Protest

More than 50 people walked the sidewalks on Main Street near the Miner’s Inn Convention Center, in Yreka, on Monday, March 19th to protest the KRRC, Klamath River Renewal Corp., meeting. I don’t know why non-profit KRRC held the meeting except to espouse its rhetoric, one again, on why four hydro-electric Klamath dams should be destroyed. From what I can see, KRRC is currently in no government regulatory process where a meeting needs to be held for public comment. So, I assume it was propaganda. I talked with a few people that attended the KRRC meeting and was told about 25 people attended.

The protesters carried a variety of signs. One of my favorites is “Klamath Dam Scam,” which sums up the entire fiasco. Our Dist. 1 Congressman Doug LaMalfa supported the protestors and I heard that he wanted to be there, except he was in D.C., so his staff rep. Erin Ryan attended. Erin said she had a good time at the peaceful protest!

POW

Scott Valley Protect Our Water is holding its meeting this Thursday, March 29th at the Fort Jones Community Center. Time is 7 p.m. Please bring a dessert to share as we eat before, during and after. After a two-month absence, Erin Ryan will be in attendance to give us updates on D.C. issues and Congressman LaMalfa.

Ethan Garrett is running for the position of Siskiyou Co. Assessor/Recorder and will explain what he plans to bring to the office if elected. The current assessor, Mike Mallory, is retiring and not running for the office.

Then, Jim Smith will be on the agenda. Jim is our Siskiyou Co. Ag. Commissioner. He grew up in the Tulelake area, with his family, farming potatoes, grain and hay within the boundaries of the Bureau of Reclamation Klamath Project. The Klamath Project was started way back around 1910, when our country was in dire need of food production expansion. So, when reading Jim’s bio on the county website, I learned that his grandfather actually earned a homestead following his service in World War I. I knew there was an influx and expansion of the project with World War II veterans earning homesteads in the late 1940s, but have never met anyone with World War I history. What a great heritage.

I chatted with Jim about the current water allocation situation in the Tulelake Irrigation District and also learned the ag. commissioner is a complex job; at least is seemed so to me.

One thing I asked Jim was about Siskiyou’s annual crop and livestock report. I speculated the gross income from agricultural products in the county had likely dropped. Jim said it hasn’t and made a brief comment about how the type of products grown change quite often. He referred to the fact that few potatoes are now grown in Butte Valley, but the strawberry plant industry in that high-elevation area has grown and thrived. In fact, the strawberry plants are such high-quality they are literally purchased by companies all over the world. Yep, strawberry plants from little ol’ Siskiyou County!

Easter

Get out those baskets and put running shoes on your kids. It is time for Easter Egg Hunts this weekend. The Etna Lions Club contacted me about its annual event, which will be this Sunday, April 1, 2018 at the Etna City Park. Parents and grandparents: You really need to be early, because these hunts start on time and are over in a flash. So, if you want your kids to have a chance at finding eggs, get there before the start time of 1 p.m.

There will be lots and lots of eggs, some traditional hardboiled and many plastic eggs with candy or money inside. Then there will be the special prize eggs. Oh, and this egg hunt will be divided into four different age groups, so little ones can have a good chance at finding eggs.

Sorry, I don’t have info on all the Easter Egg Hunts throughout the county. So check on your local bulletin boards, newspapers, facebook or however you find your news for events. And, once again, show up early so your kids don’t miss out!

Groundwater

Last week, Dr. Thomas Harter, hydrologist from U.C. Davis, gave a presentation to the Siskiyou Co. Flood Control and Conservation District during the county supervisors’ board meeting, where he explained the extensive groundwater work that is underway to meet the state’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act called SGMA. Our county was allowed to take the lead, by the state, on developing the sustainable groundwater regulations for our groundwater basins in Siskiyou. Local control is always a good thing.

Dr. Harter began advising the Scott River Watershed Council and then the Scott River Groundwater Advisory Committee starting back in 2007 providing guidance in developing water models and water budgets. This decade of information has proven to be extremely helpful for developing the SGMA groundwater management plan.

I spoke with Tom Menne, who has served on the Scott River Groundwater Advisory Committee since its inception and has been working with Dr. Harter. He appreciates Dr. Harter and told me, “Dr. Harter lets the science speak for itself. I can’t think of anybody better to be involved with this process than Dr. Harter.”

Ray Haupt, chairman of the Siskiyou Co. Flood Control District, told me that Dr. Harter is pleased with the work that has been accomplished in Siskiyou and Scott Valley basin saying it is well-organized and well-staffed. As a result, Siskiyou is way ahead of other counties in the state in developing its plan. That is impressive.

The Flood Control District took the next step in this process and appointed members to the Scott Valley Groundwater Basin Advisory Committee, which will become a legal-type of agency under SGMA. (I think that is how it works.) Menne was named to the committee as were Jason Finley, Tom Jopson, Michael Stapleton and Brandon Fawaz.

Liz Bowen is a native of Siskiyou Co. and lives near Callahan. Call her at 530-467-3515.

# # #

No comments:

Post a Comment

Liz writes her last column

June 1, 2022 Liz Writes Life Well, I have some news – don’t know if it is good or bad? I have decided to end my newspaper column “Liz Wr...