The Owens Valley Monitor 1999-2000

By Greg James, Director

The past few years have seen some big changes in the Inyo County Water Commission. Three long-time members of the Water Commission stepped down, and one of the original commission members returned to the commission after a hiatus of several years. Harry Holgate, the last of the Water Commissioners who had continuously served since the creation of the commission in 1980, decided to step down at the end of 1999. Prior to Harry's departure, Scott Kemp, who had served longer than anyone other than Harry, stepped down. Ray Gray, a Commission member since the mid-1980s, also decided to retire.

It is difficult to lose the services of three dedicated commissioners who had volunteered so much of their time to improve the Owens Valley. All three could be counted on to candidly express their views and to diligently work to protect and enhance the valley. Each of them contributed much to the attainment and success of the Inyo/Los Angeles Water Agreement. All three will be sorely missed.

Fortunately, a previous Water Commissioner, Paul Lamos, who had served on the Commission for a decade before stepping down, expressed interest in filling one of the vacancies. The Board of Supervisors promptly appointed Paul. He joined Commissioners Teri Cawelti and David Miller. The two remaining seats were filled by Anna Zacher and Judy Fowler. Anna is from Sage Flat (near Olancha) and is retired from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Judy is from Lone Pine and has an impressive background in agricultural issues. We welcome all three and have already enjoyed working with each of them.

For several years, the Water Department has been striving to obtain agreement with the City of Los Angeles to conduct several cooperative studies that would improve our ability to manage the valley's water resources to attain the goals of the Water Agreement. Last year, there was a breakthrough, and the Standing Committee conditionally approved the first of eight studies proposed by the county. Since then, agreement has been reached to conduct seven of the studies, and we expect the eighth study to be approved this fall.

California's, and Nevada's, ever-expanding populations and water woes continue to affect Inyo County. In the Olancha area, at the request of the project proponent, a proposed water export project has been on hold for several months. However, proposed groundwater pumping by Inyo's neighbors in Nevada could affect the water resources on the east side of the county.

In Olancha, several years ago, a groundwater export project was proposed by a company called Samda. The project was purchased from Samda by Western Water, who proposed pumping up to 6,000 acre-feet of water annually for sale to the City of Los Angeles. Now it appears that Western Water is attempting to market the project.

Some interest in purchasing the project was expressed by the Indian Wells Valley Water District (a public agency that provides water in the Ridgecrest area). However, after investigating Inyo County's permit requirements, the district may no longer be interested. If an entity ever does seek a permit for the project from the county, the Water Department and Water Commission will serve as the county's hydrological consultants in evaluating the proposed project.

In Nevada, the application filed by Las Vegas in the late 1980s to appropriate groundwater from a 20,000 square mile area of central and southern Nevada remains active. During the past year, the three affected rural Nevada counties (Nye, White Pine, and Lincoln), together with Inyo County, were able to reach an agreement with Las Vegas that gives the rural counties the right to some of the water (subject to the appropriation applications) and a voice in their water futures. Moreover, last year, Nevada's water law was amended at the behest of the rural counties (working with Inyo) to require the Nevada State Engineer to consider the long-term and environmental consequences of inter-basin transfers of groundwater.

Also, the unincorporated town of Pahrump, Inyo's neighbor in Nye County, Nevada, is seeking the right to annually appropriate up to about 34,000 acre-feet of groundwater to meet the needs of its burgeoning population. Inyo Supervisors and Nye County Commissioners are attempting to set up a joint meeting to discuss the potential impacts of the proposed pumping on the water resources of the eastern portion of Inyo County.

Finally, a two-year evaluation of a proposal by LADWP to pump groundwater from under Owens Lake for use in implementing dust abatement measures on the lake has concluded with the recommendation that there be at least three more years of study. LADWP has said that due to its commitments to implement dust abatement measures on the lake by next year, it will not consider proceeding with the recommended studies for at least a year or two. In the meantime, water for the dust abatement measures will be diverted from the Los Angeles Aqueduct.

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