HV residents question cuts

More Questions than Answers:
Char Workman-Flowers of the Clear Creek Community Services District answers questions asked by Happy Valley residents.

Citizens gathered Wednesday, March 4, at the Happy Valley Primary School to address water cutbacks brought on by California's three-year drought that will soon be affecting lives in Happy Valley.

Brian Pearson from the Bureau of Reclamation and Dave Meurer from Wally Herger's office were in attendance. There were invitations extended to Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein's offices, but they declined to send representitives to the meeting.

As the drought continues, cutbacks in water deliveries are being made that will give municipal and agricultural users fifty percent of the water each used during the summer of 2007, Pearson explained.

This means approximately 50 gallons of water is available per day per member in each household, water district officials explained. This is enough water to meet the minimum requirements to comply with the health and safety code for the State of California, he added.

The water situation will be re-evaluated March 20 when new measurements are taken at local dams and tributaries, Pearson said.

The Clear Creek Community Services District was started in 1963 and has made continuous growth through the years, adding emergency wells, enlarging the filtration plant and many other projects, officials further explained.

The last major drought was in 1977.

After Pearson's presentation, there was a question and answer period for those in attendance. Their questions ranged from, "If I have already cut back as much as I can over the years, how am I supposed to cut back even more?"

Also "Why they are still letting water out of Shasta Dam at different times of the year when we are in a drought?"

The Bureau of Reclamation and the Clear Creek Community Services District Board of Directors tried to answer the questions as completely as they could. However, many people left the meeting wondering what the summer months would bring as far as watering their crops, livestock and, most importantly, questioning whether there would be adequate fire protection in the valley and how this was going to effect the future of Happy Valley and the people that reside there.

Water conservation tip sheets were handed to attendees to use as a reference on how to cut down on water usage until the situation is resolved.