Urgent meeting on the Cadiz Valley Project this Wednesday July 25th

Please join us (MBCA) along with the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) and other groups to attend the Santa Margarita Water District Board Meeting, to demonstrate our great concern about the “Cadiz Valley Water Conservation, Recovery, and Storage Project.”   

This is critical!  The Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) on the project will be presented, and we must have many desert residents present to speak publicly about the folly of this project and its harmful effects to “our” Mojave Desert.

The SMWD Board Meeting this Wednesday, July 25, at 6:30 p.m. will be held at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center, Sycamore Room, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo, CA 92692

There will be a teleconference version of the SMWD Board meeting set up at Copper Mountain College (same date and time).  If you cannot join your concerned neighbors and friends and travel to Mission Viejo, please attend the teleconferenced meeting at CMC.  Being at the actual Board meeting intensifies the effect of our intentions to oppose this inappropriate project, but there is also value in an additional large turnout at the College.

A recent article in the LA Times provides a refresher on the issues of the project and the entrance of a new participant in the fight against it, Tetra Technologies, Inc.:  LA Times 

If you would like to access the full FEIR for the project, the link is in about the middle of this page on the SMWD website:Full FEIR

And here is a recent Sun Runner article from Steve Brown: Sunrunner on cadiz

Thank you.  Hope to see many of you in Orange County Wednesday!  

Desert-Wise Landscape Tour Sunday April 22nd

Last year’s MBCA Desert-Wise Living Landscape Tour was a great success, so the Second Annual Landscape Tour has been set for Sunday, April 22.  Spend a few hours enjoying some of the most beautiful and water-wise gardens created by your neighbors in communities across the Morongo Basin, and learn how you can do the same.  The cost is only $5 for members, $10 for others, and special deals are available, combining a tour ticket and MBCA membership.  Read more details and sign up at the MBCA website.  And while you’re there, you might want to read the clever and enthusiastic responses of last year’s post-Tour essay contest winners, also found on MBCA’s home page.

(below, Robin Kobaly's Water-wise garden)

Yucca Valley files application to annex Yucca Mesa

According to the Stop Yucca Mesa Annexation Coalition, the Town of Yucca Valley has filed its application to annex Yucca Mesa to its sphere of influence. The Coalition has released the following Bulletin:

The Town delivered the application for the Sphere of Influence Municipal Services Review for Yucca Mesa this morning to LAFCO. LAFCO will be reviewing it in_house for preparation for circulation. The Stop Yucca Mesa Coalition will receive a copy of that Notice of Commencement of the MSR when it is available.

The Stop Yucca Mesa Annexation Coalition has ordered a duplicate of the documents submitted to LAFCO from the Town of Yucca Valley. As soon as it is available, the documents will be reviewed thoroughly and an analysis will be made, including any pre-zoning. The Coalition will be advised of our findings via a Newsletter and the website.

The next step major in this process will be the Hearing. As soon as we have a date for the Hearing in San Bernardino, posters at strategic positions along well traveled roads will be posted, along with e-mails, and a Newsletter will be mailed to all on our mailing list. Of course, Mesa Market will continue to have copies of all Newsletters and Bulletins available for all. In addition, feel free to contact us at 760-219-7924 for information.

Please remain vigilant. It will be IMPERATIVE THAT EVERYONE ATTEND THE HEARING to oppose Yucca Valley’s "land grab." As soon as the date is known, notices will be sent out.

Yucca Mesa is a special place to us all ... It is our home. It will be up to each individual person to protect our beautiful Mesa.

Find out more at the Coalition Website.


MORE INFO ON THESE TOPICS: On the Land Use/Development, Communities, and Water pages of the MBCA Website. Previous blog posts: Yucca Mesa, Flamingo Heights, Homestead Valley, Water.

HDWD wastewater plan open house

The Hi-Desert Water District is moving ahead with plans for a wastewater treatment plant and water reclamation facility and will host a community open house to share information on the project this Saturday, Nov. 15, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Town Center Mall.

More information in the Hi-Desert Star.


MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: On the Water and Waste pages of the MBCA Website. Related blog posts: Water, Yucca Valley, YV water/waste/sewage.

Yucca Mesa strikes back

The citizens of Yucca Mesa are responding to a preliminary annexation effort by the Town of Yucca Valley with a stiff campaign of opposition.

A preemptive strike is being mounted against the Town of Yucca Valley by the unincorporated community of Yucca Mesa. Reacting to the Town Council’s decision to file applications with the county Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) to expand its sphere of influence, citizens of the Mesa are filing petitions to LAFCO in opposition.

The petition states: “We the landowners and voters of Yucca Mesa oppose the application for sphere of influence expansion by the Town of Yucca Valley. We urge the Local Agency Formation Commission for San Bernardino County to deny the Town of Yucca Valley’s application for sphere of influence expansion.”

"We don’t trust them,” contended Cliff Carlson, vice president of the Yucca Mesa Improvement Association. “We don’t want them to come over and assume jurisdiction over us. We want our government on the other side of the mountain.”

Read more in the Hi-Desert Star.

For more background and links on this issue, see this previous post.


MORE INFO ON THESE TOPICS: On the Land Use/Development, Communities, and Water pages of the MBCA Website. Previous blog posts: Yucca Mesa, Water.

Homestead Valley takes actions

According to Maryan Barkley's "The Hilltopper" column in the Oct. 25 print edition of the Hi-Desert Star, the Homestead Valley Community Council took action recently on three controversial items:

• They will welcome the developer of the Flamingo Heights Ranch proposal (243 homes) to build if he adheres to the Rural Living Plan adopted by San Bernardino County (view pdf), which means no more than one house per 2-1/2 acres.
• They "took a stand against the possible annexation of Yucca Mesa by the Town of Yucca Valley" and are gathering signatures to forward to LAFCO. (Read more about the annexation attempt and LAFCO in this post.)
• They "lined up against the requested rate increases by Bighorn-Desert View Water."

MORE INFO ON THESE TOPICS: On the Land Use/Development, Communities, and Water pages of the MBCA Website. Previous blog posts: Yucca Mesa, Flamingo Heights, Homestead Valley, Water.

Hi-Desert wastewater plan reviewed by Board

"The Hi-Desert Water District Board of Directors received a fast-paced, information-filled update about the district’s planned wastewater treatment plant and water reclamation facility at a workshop Wednesday."

Read more about the meeting in the Hi-Desert Star, including a briefing by Tom Dodson, a "geographer and environmental consultant":

To sum up, in Dodson’s professional opinion, the collection system and treatment plant will not significantly affect the area’s air or water quality, traffic flow, noise or natural or cultural resources.

MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: On the Water and Waste pages of the MBCA Website. Related blog posts: Water, Yucca Valley, YV water/waste/sewage.

Coverage of HD Water District canddidates forum

"Six candidates vying for three seats on the Hi-Desert Water District Board of Directors detailed their qualifications and views at a candidate forum held at the community center Tuesday." Read full coverage of the forum in the Hi-Desert Star.

MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: On the Water pages of the MBCA Website. Related blog posts: Water, Yucca Valley, YV water/waste/sewage, Meet the Candidates.

Yucca Mesa to be annexed to Yucca Valley?

The Hi-Desert Star reports that the Town of Yucca Valley is filing an application to annex Yucca Mesa into its "sphere of influence".

Though this is not a physical annexation, and it will not change any of the ways that services are provided by San Bernardino County to the unincorporated community, it does qualify as the first step toward annexation.

The draft review posed two questions: Does the Town have the capacity to extend its municipal services to adjacent unincorporated areas, and would the level and quality of the Town’s services be an improvement for said areas? [Stanley R.] Hoffman Associates found the answer to each question to be “an unequivocal yes.”

But does the Mesa agree? At the Town Council’s meeting, Jim Sammons of the Yucca Mesa Improvement Association told the council, “We don’t want to be involved with the Town if we can help it.”

Of particular note is that this move would shadow the boundaries of the Hi-Desert Water District, of which "the town has considered becoming the governing body...[although for the Hoffman] study it is assumed to remain as an independent district.”

The agency that governs annexations is LAFCO (Local Agency Formation Commission). Read more about the history of LAFCO and the State laws that govern it on the San Bernardino County LAFCO Website here. Importantly, annexation proposals ARE subject to CEQA, the California Environmental Equality Act. (Learn more about CEQA and how citizens may use this process on the MBCA Website here.)

The process for protesting an annexation proposal is briefly described on the SBco LAFCO FAQ page, including:

For inhabited areas (areas containing twelve or more registered voters), state law indicates that if written protest is filed by 25% to 50% of the registered voters, or any amount greater than 25% of the landowners, then an election is called, and the annexation would be scheduled for a vote. If the protest is less than 25% of the voters or landowners, then the annexation is approved without an election; if the protest is greater than 50% of the total registered voters, then the annexation is denied without an election.

So what does "sphere of influence" mean, specifically? In the LAFCO context, it is "a plan for the probable physical boundaries and service area of a local government agency" and "is an important benchmark because it defines the primary area within which urban development is to be encouraged", according to this section of an extensive guide to "LAFCO's, General Plans, and City Annexations" on the Governor's Office of Planning and Research Website.


MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: On the Land Use/Development, Communities, and Water pages of the MBCA Website. Previous blog posts: Yucca Mesa, Yucca Valley, YV water/waste/sewage.

Cadiz water project returns

Cadiz, Inc., is apparently resuscitating their proposal to store Colorado River water in underground aquifers on their thousands of acres east of Bristol Dry Lake near Amboy. The new wrinkle would include an underground pipeline on a railroad right-of-way rather than on federal land. The company announced last week that it had reached a 99-year lease agreement with Arizona & California Railroad Co.

Per SFGate:

For years, Cadiz has been working on a plan to provide Southern California with up to 49 billion gallons of water during years of drought and emergencies. It suffered a blow in 2002 when the giant Metropolitan Water District of Southern California pulled out.

Under the plan, surplus Colorado River water would be shipped during wet years by pipeline from the California Aqueduct to the Cadiz aquifer. The aquifer is 30 miles north of the aqueduct.

According to the company's web page about the project, the lead agency during the environmental review process is expected to be the County of San Bernardino. View a map of the project area here. Learn more about how the project would work here.

Learn more about water issues on the Water page of the MBCA Website.

Candidate Forums for Water Districts this Tuesday

This Tuesday, September 30, the public will have a chance to listen to candidates for the boards of two different Basin water districts.

The Hi-Desert Water District forum will be at 6 p.m. in the Yucca Room at the Yucca Valley Community Center and is sponsored by the Yucca Valley Chamber of Commerce. Candidates in the race include Sarann Graham, Charles McHenry, Rae Packard, Matt Perron, Bob Stadum, Dan Munsey, and Margo Sturges. Members of the public may submit questions in advance, and the forum will be videotaped and broadcast on cable. Get the details in the Hi-Desert Star.

The Joshua Basin Water District forum will run from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Joshua Tree Community Center at 6171 Sunburst Avenue and is sponsored by the Joshua Tree Community Association. Candidates in the race include Greg Alkire, Iona Chelette, Bill Long, Mickey Luckman, Al Marquez, Mike Reynolds, Jay St. Gaudens, Gary Given, and Michael Luhrs. Read the details in the Hi-Desert Star.


MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: On the Water pages of the MBCA Website. Related blog posts: Water, Yucca Valley, YV water/waste/sewage, Joshua Tree, Joshua Tree water/waste/sewage.

Bighorn Water public forum in Johnson Valley

The Hi-Desert Star gives extensive coverage of the public forum held in Johnson Valley by budget-troubled Bighorn-Desert View Water Agency last weekend. Suggestions included such controversial possibilities as selling water, stand-by fees, and rate hikes.

Two more meetings are planned for September in Landers and Flamingo Heights

Bighorn Water Agency approves budget

In the face of a shortfall Bighorn-Desert View Water Agency directors have approved a new budget, with General Manager Marina West recommending laying off a management-level employee and raising rates. The Agency will be holding meetings with the public to discuss the new rate plans; the first one will be at the Johnson Valley Community Center on August 9. Read more in the Hi-Desert Star.

Water supplies and compliance in west Basin

According to the Hi-Desert Star, in back-to-back meetings of the Hi-Desert Water District and the Warren Valley Basin Watermaster:

Director Wade White questioned why Hi-Desert Water District is putting more State Water Project water into the ground than it is pumping out, yet the water level dropped over the last 12 months at 10 of the district’s 14 producing wells.

[snip]

[Legal counsel John] Brown advised that any discussion about available and future water supplies and requirements include a closed session on the same agenda because there was the potential for litigation from other area pumpers.

The District also "failed to meet monitoring requirements for drinking water after coliform bacteria was detected in March", according to a separate article in the Star. This violation "was characterized as procedural in nature. 'It’s not that the water wasn’t in compliance,'" District Engineer Joseph Glowitz said.

Seats open on Hi-Desert Water Board

"People interested in running for a seat on the Hi-Desert Water District Board of Directors in this year’s Nov. 4 election could begin filing candidate papers Monday," according to the Hi-Desert Star. Learn more here.

Bighorn-Desert View Water looks at budget shortfall

Bighorn-Desert View Water Agency was informed by General Manager Marina West their 2008/2009 draft operating budget would have a shortfall of 12.6 percent, or $141,459. According to this article in the Hi-Desert Star, the Directors plan on organizing public meetings on the situation in Flamingo Heights, Landers, and Johnson Valley.

Drought in Yucca Valley

In last Saturday's Guest Soapbox in the Hi-Desert Star, Bill Souder has provided a sober and clear-eyed perspective on the Yucca Valley water situation in the wake of Gov. Schwarzenegger's proclamation of a statewide drought:

I also attended Tuesday’s meeting and as Director Stadum said, the immediate impact of the drought is not critical due to our reserves. However, I am concerned that a worsening or continuation of the drought could mean no new water supplies or even more reductions on water supplies to Yucca Valley. As Councilwoman Herbel and Director White pointed out, we should take immediate action to minimize water consumption in the HDWD area. Council member Luckino said that “this isn’t a Yucca Valley issue but rather a state issue.” I don’t expect the state to solve our local problem when it is dealing with a statewide problem.

I am disappointed that Stadum’s and Luckino’s responses indicated that they don’t have a sense of urgency on this issue. My experience is that the conservative approach to potential problems is to plan and begin to address them immediately, then adjust the degree of response frequently as the situation changes or doesn’t change. Our federal government has let down our country’s citizens recently by not planning for likely disasters.

Souder further suggests some constructive steps:

Some simple things that can be done to prepare for a possible worsening of the water availability include an emphasis on water conservation by inserting flyers in water bills, restrictions on landscaping to encourage retaining native vegetation and use of xeriscape vegetation, review of water availability assessment for larger housing projects and, potentially, restrictions on water meters/connections.

Souder also recommends residents "contact their Town Council members and directors of the HDWD and let them know that we would like them to implement pre-emptive measures to protect our valuable water supply."

Read the full text of the Soapbox here.


MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: On the Water pages of the MBCA Website. Related blog posts: Water, Yucca Valley, YV water/waste/sewage.

Oversight of groundwater contamination in Yucca Valley

Seeking to determine responsibilities for regulating groundwater contamination caused by septic tanks, Hi-Desert Water District directors have approved a draft memorandum of agreement among HDWD, the Town of Yucca Valley and the California Regional Water Quality Control Board.

According to the Hi-Desert Star, they also decided to make the recurring question of septic-tank regulation a future meeting agenda item.

Also during the meeting, Director Wade White reported on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proclamation of a statewide drought that called for “immediate action to address a dire situation."

Read the rest of the Star report here.

MORE INFO ON THIS TOPIC: On the Water pages of the MBCA Website. Related blog posts: Water, Yucca Valley, YV water/waste/sewage.

Water supplies in Yucca Valley

Two directors of the Hi-Desert Water District met with two members of the YV Town Council this week to discuss water rates and supply, according to the Hi-Desert Star. Among the observations:

• "[HDWD general manager Ed] Muzik projects the district has a seven- to eight-year supply of stored water in reserve, not including native water supply that was originally underground here."
• "[HDWD director Wade] White commented on the 'massive uncertainty' with respect to future water supplies and added, 'The ball game has changed on allocation of water in a serious way.' White suggested that water-supply assessments for proposed housing developments be rescinded in light of Hi-Desert Water District’s dependency on imported water and questions on the reliability of future deliveries."
• "The construction slowdown is apparent in a sharp reduction in installed new services: from 421 meters two years ago to 199 last fiscal year to 82 meters so far this fiscal year, which ends June 30."

Read the rest of the article here.

"Joshua Basin to sue over water rights"

An initiative by Joshua Tree resident Michael Luhrs that would roll back rates at Joshua Basin Water District has stalled. The water district’s board of directors, minus President Bill Long, who is recovering from knee replacement surgery, voted to initiate litigation to determine the legality of the initiative at a June 4 meeting.

Read the rest in the Hi-Desert Star.