Central Valley and Sierra Nevadas:

Assorted Lands Saved in 2016

SHASTA COUNTY:

http://www.redding.com/news/local/open-space-plans-for-oregon-gulch-get-a-boost-33d6b24d-6b59-6926-e053-0100007f1dc5-381169071.html
5/27/2016: State parks may fund 165 acre purchase in Redding


GLENN COUNTY:

@Conserve_CA Feb 12, 2016
By matching fed funds with 1800 acres of land, we've helped protect small Hamilton City and river shore from floods http://www.chicoer.com/general-news/20160211/imperilled-j-levee-in-hamilton-city-gets-another-burst-of-funding


CALAVERAS COUNTY:



http://www.calaverasenterprise.com/opinion/article_26ab681a-3f16-11e6-a99f-1ff494a375fb.html
3257 acre agricultural conservation easement at Airola's Oak Canyon Ranch may be bought by Rangeland Trust (located in Copperopolis)


TUOLUMNE COUNTY:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvfsp30UQW0&feature=youtu.be
400 acres added to Yosemite National Park, Ackerson Meadow



NEVADA AND PLACER COUNTIES:

@BearYuba 7 Dec 2015
A new era of land conservation is dawning for Bear Yuba Land Trust http://www.bylt.org/sierra-nevada-protected-forever/
12,000 acres owned by PG&E will have conservation easements owned by BYLT


NEVADA COUNTY:

26 Dec 2015: 35 acre Clover Valley Preserve was given to BYLT, now removing garbage, mattresses & tires. More: http://www.bylt.org/land/clover-valley-preserve

http://www.capradio.org/69828
412 acres bought by Truckee Donner Land Trust and sold to USFS; at Castle Valley trailhead of PCT
http://blogs.usda.gov/2016/04/19/partnership-protects-public-access-in-a-landscape-fit-for-a-king/


PlacerLandTrust ‏@PlacerLandTrust Nov 2
3 yrs ago (2014), 7.5 acres of the Aeolia Preserve was permanently protected. Read more at:
http://www.placerlandtrust.org/project/aeolia-preserve/




TULARE COUNTY:

66 acre Craig ranch in Tulare County @savetheredwoods 4/4/16
Land donation by Save the Redwoods League and Sequoia Riverlands Trustto the federal Bureau of Land Management improves access to giant sequoia grove near Visalia: http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article61161792.html
https://www.savetheredwoods.org/league-announcement/save-redwoods-league-sequoia-riverlands-trust-donate-land-tulare-county-blm/
http://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article61161792.html
MAP: https://www.savetheredwoods.org/protect/you-secured-a-new-gateway-to-giants/
http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/story/sports/outdoors/pathstopeaks/2016/03/04/nonprofits-donate-land-tulare-county/81337038/


KERN COUNTY:

https://kernvalleysun.com/kv_life/for-hot-springs-valley-acquisition#.V5EA0DLpL7E.twitter
CA SNC gives $500k for 189 acres near Lake Isabella

WCB 6/2016: CA Wildlife Conservation board deals

State $$ Will Save 2459 Acres at June Meeting

Notice of Meeting

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD

June 2, 2016 10:00 a.m. California State Capitol, Room 437 Sacramento, California 95814

http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=116421

MAPS OF PURCHASES: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=131696

CENTRAL VALLEY-SIERRA NEVADAS:

Oest Ranch Oak Woodlands Conservation Easement, Expansion 1, Placer County $495,000

grant to the Placer Land Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 77± acres of land for the protection of native oak woodland habitat and for the protection and preservation of sensitive biological resources located near the City of Auburn

Background: https://www.placer.ca.gov/upload/bos/cob/documents/sumarchv/2015/150505A/14g.pdf

Sheep Ranch Conservation Easement, Expansion 4, Calaveras County $270,000

acquisition of a conservation easement over 155± acres of land by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for the protection of habitat, including native oak woodlands, for the benefit of deer and mountain lions located near Arnold]

Bufford Ranch Conservation Easement, Expansion 1, Kern County $214,000

grant to the California Rangeland Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 261± acres of land to preserve, protect and sustain the rangeland, grazing land, grassland, working landscapes, wildlife habitat, and watersheds located approximately 12 miles south of Lake Isabella

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA:

Hanson Hills, Contra Costa County $10,000

acquire 76± acres of land for the protection and preservation of existing regional wildlife linkages, including grassland and oak woodland savannah habitat areas within the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan, located in the Diablo Mountain Range, west of the City of Brentwood

http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2016/09/29/antioch-deer-valley-regional-park-to-add-76-acres/

http://eastcountytoday.net/park-district-purchases-key-property-near-marsh-creek/

Silver Spur Ranch, Lake County $440,000

grant to Tuleyome to acquire in fee 1,280± acres of land for the protection of habitat such as blue oak woodland, riparian areas, and chaparral, and to provide for potential future wildlife oriented public use opportunities located near Clearlake Oaks. Seller: Dharma Realm Buddhist University

Background: https://tuleyome.wordpress.com/landtrust/silverspur/

http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/5704049-181/state-funding-approved-to-buy?artslide=0

MAP:

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipMU8Br7ee4606HRy5JLGCYCHLnJmQ5igbjdG_Wa6e-3FKB9s4hG-rCYmWw-tPKK-g/photo/AF1QipNDb186d9Tc3ZtBEoBuvXkNHieBOLvo-uNji48?key=TlNuTFBQNVJfNTR0NVUyRTlrenhoR29kRWxJN1Nn

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:

Puma Canyon, Expansion 7, San Bernardino County $105,000

grant to the Transition Habitat Conservancy for a cooperative project with National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to acquire 20± acres of land to conserve lower montane chaparral and woodland habitat for the benefit of deer, mountain lion, and other wildlife species located in Puma Canyon, near the community of Phelan

http://www.transitionhabitat.org/

http://www.transitionhabitat.org/Projects.html

Live Oak Canyon and Expansion 1, Riverside County $978,500

To consider the allocation of two grants, one to the Western Riverside County - Regional Conservation Authority and one to the City of Redlands for cooperative projects with Western Riverside County-Regional Conservation Authority, the Riverside Land Conservancy, and the City of Redlands to acquire a total of 162± acres of land from two separate landowners in Riverside and San Bernardino County.

Western Riverside MSHCP (2012) – Riverpark, Riverside County $818,500

acquire in fee 108± acres of land near the City of Lakeview

Canada de San Vicente Ecological Reserve, Expansion 1, San Diego County $370,000

acquisition in fee of 169± acres of land by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for the protection of core wildlife linkages and endangered species habitat located near the community of Lakeside

Hollenbeck Canyon Wildlife Area, Expansion 7 and 8, San Diego County $369,240

acquisition in fee of 141± acres of land from two separate landowners by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for the protection of core wildlife linkages and endangered species habitat, located near the community of Jamul

Sycuan Peak Ecological Reserve, Expansion 7, San Diego County $32,000

acquisition in fee of 10± acres of land by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for the preservation and protection of habitat to protect rare, threatened, endangered and fully protected species, located near the community of Jamul

Tejon Ranch and Onyx Ranch update

Urban Sprawl and Industrialization of Wilderness vs. Condors and other birds: the battle continues...

By Rex Frankel,

Dear Readers:

An issue we have followed very closely in the past has been attempts to connect the concrete sprawl of Los Angeles with the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento metropolises. Most active has been the desert and oil field County of Kern, home to Bakersfield.

The two largest landholdings at play in Kern are the 270,000 acre Tejon ranch and the 68,000 acre Onyx Ranch. I have covered them both quite extensively:

http://rare-earth-news.blogspot.com/search/label/Tejon%20Ranch

http://rare-earth-news.blogspot.com/search/label/Onyx%20Ranch

                                              CLICK ON MAP TO ENLARGE

Tejon's owners want to build around 30,000 homes in the mountains east of Frazier Park along the 5 freeway (the Grapevine) in three separate projects which straddle the San Andreas Fault. Two are in Kern County and the largest is proposed in L.A. County. The two Kern county projects have faced unanimous approval by Kern County's elected politicians. The L.A. County project, called Centennial, faces a less certain future. So far, the economic likelihood of the housing projects going up at Tejon is very low, as the far north L.A. County economy has yet to recover from the end of the Cold War in the 1990's.

Onyx Ranch, on the other hand, is a desolate desert wilderness east of the Sierra Nevada Mountains which is now going to be split between windmill farms on the south half and an off-road vehicle park on the north, surrounded by an existing federal dune buggy and motorcycle play zone called Jawbone.

Here is the latest on these projects from the web:


TEJON: 

7/17/2014
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2014/california-condor-07-17-2014.html
Condor advocates, conservationists and American Indians this week notified the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service they intend to sue over the agency’s approval of a “habitat conservation plan” that will destroy 14,000 acres of designated critical habitat for the California condor, one of the world’s most endangered birds. The habitat is entirely located on Tejon Ranch, north of Los Angeles, and will be destroyed by the development of the proposed Tejon Mountain Village resort project. Tejon Ranch encompasses some of the most important and essential foraging habitat for condors, much of it protected since 1977.

MORE INFO:
http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/save_tejon_ranch/condor_controversy_history.html
                         
                         --------------------------------------------------------------

ONYX:

12/31/2014

Eastern Kern County Property Acquisition complete by State Parks Department for Off-Roader Park

BELOW: parcels in red were purchased by the State Parks Department. The parcels in gray to the south were kept by the landowner to be developed as windmill farms.

http://www.kernvalleysun.com/news/article_aacb0a52-9070-11e4-9744-bbd51bbe6dba.html

By Susan Barr / excerpted from the Kern Valley Sun

... the OHMVR Division hoped to acquire was approximately 28,275 privately-owned acres in eastern Kern County. The 59 parcels proposed for acquisition were largely interspersed in a checkerboard fashion, with the bulk of the land owned by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), with some parcels adjoining the Sequoia National Forest or lands under other private or public ownership. (See Parcel Map.) The proposed project parcels were used primarily for off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation, grazing, camping, wildlife viewing/birding, and other activities.


Motorized travel, including OHV recreation, occurs throughout much of the area, largely on designated roads and trails. A few of the project parcels were within the Jawbone Canyon open area, in which vehicles are not restricted to designated routes.
By acquiring the parcels, the OHMVR Division would be able to improve overall management of the area as land managers would have complete access to manage and support the recreational uses, protect sensitive resources, and restore and rehabilitate damaged areas...


Dan Canfield, Manager - Planning Office, OHMVR Division, out of Sacramento, confirmed yesterday in a telephone interview with the Sun, that the exchange of funds has taken place and escrow has been completed with regards to payment for land acquired for the East Kern Land Acquisition Project. The largest land owner was the Renewable Resources Group (RRG).

Canfield clarified that the process of Eminent Domain was not utilized, despite the fact that lengthy negotiations were required to come to a purchase price agreement with some of the land owners.


Canfield stated that he anticipates a seamless transition and that the focus will now be on assuring how lands in the acquisition can be conserved for future generations, while continuing recreational use as it has existed in the past. He added that the public should not expect to see new roads or trails becoming available.


http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=27211
http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/pages/25010/files/nod_ekca-final-eir.pdf
Final approval document, 10/4/2013

http://www.jawbone.org/foj/



MORE ON THE NATURAL VALUES OF ONYX RANCH:

http://traenviro.com/experience/representative-projects/eastern-kern-county-property-acquisition-eir/

From east to west, the lands rise from the high floor of the western Mojave Desert into the southern Sierra Nevada and Piute Mountains. In general, the area is rugged and dominated by desert scrub habitat in the east and by woodland in the west. Unique biological resources include Butterbredt Spring, a significant migratory bird stopover site, habitat for listed species such as the desert tortoise, and a raptor migratory corridor between the Kern River Valley and the Mojave River. The lands are also rich in cultural resources. The area is used for motorized recreation, open range grazing, camping, wildlife viewing/birding, and other activities

WCB 6/2013: State $ saves another 10,000 acres

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD Purchases

From meeting on June 4, 2013

SUMMARY:

4649 acres purchased in full

5048 acres of development rights retired

COST: $13.8 million

http://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2013/06/06/wildlife-conservation-board-funds-environmental-improvement-and-acquisition-projects-8/

FULL AGENDA: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=67524

MAPS: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=68101

(BELOW: Royal Gorge)

Royal Gorge $3,010,000, Placer and Nevada Counties

grant to Truckee Donner Land Trust to acquire two parcels totaling 2,520± acres for the purposes of protecting alpine forests and meadows, … approximately 10 miles west of the City of Truckee, in the Donner Summit area

MORE INFO: http://www.tpl.org/news/press-releases/2012-press-releases/royal-gorge-protected.html

http://www.tdlandtrust.org/

-------------------------

MORE PURCHASES:

Sardella Ranch Conservation Easement, $520,000, Tuolumne County

grant to the California Rangeland Trust to assist with the acquisition of a conservation easement over 523± acres located 7 miles southeast of the town of Sonora

San Diego County MSCP/HCPLA 2009 $578,750,  (Kemerko)

acquire 132± acres of land to protect core areas of habitat that will benefit threatened and endangered species, and secure key regional wildlife linkages located near the communities of Crest and Harbison Canyon in an unincorporated area of San Diego County.

Ten Mile River (Perry-Smith Ranch) $3,510,000, Mendocino County

grant to The Nature Conservancy to acquire a working forest conservation easement over 872± acres of native forest lands located adjacent to, and along the Ten Mile River, north of Inglenook on the Mendocino Coast.

Garden Bar Preserve $1,452,000, Nevada County

grant to the Bear Yuba Land Trust to acquire 652± acres along the Bear River, approximately 10 miles northwest of the City of Auburn

El Dorado Ranch $3,000,000, El Dorado and Amador Counties

grant to the American River Conservancy (ARC) to acquire in fee 1,059± acres fronting the Cosumnes River, located approximately 15 miles south of the City of Placerville

Wilmar Ranch, Diablo Range Oak Woodland $275,000, Conservation Easement

Monterey County

grant to California Rangeland Trust to acquire a conservation easement over 2,114± acres

Rancho Vierra Oak Woodland $660,000, Conservation Easement

Monterey County

grant to Big Sur Land Trust to assist with the acquisition of a conservation easement over 964± acres 6 miles northeast of the City of Salinas

Bufford Ranch Conservation Easement $570,000, Kern County

grant to the California Rangeland Trust to assist with the acquisition of a conservation easement over 575± acres located approximately 12 miles south of Lake Isabella

Arrastre Canyon $260,000, Los Angeles County

grant to The Nature Conservancy (TNC), acceptance of settlement funds from the U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Fund (aka ARCO funds), and a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Recovery Land Acquisition grant and the approval to subgrant the ARCO funds and grant funds to TNC to acquire 286± acres of land to protect habitat for threatened and endangered species, and maintain habitat connectivity within the upper Santa Clara River floodplain and watershed in Arrastre Canyon, a tributary to the Santa Clara River located just south of community of Acton

dammit--Tejon ranch resort passes court test...

Crummy Court Ruling for California Condors

It appears that Tejon ranch has won the first big court battle over their plans to build 30,000 homes along the San Andreas fault at the extremely fragile wildlife migration pinchpoint between southern and Central California.

This shows the weakness of our state's main environmental law which requires revelation of impacts but then lets the government choose to ignore them (see story of our battle to save more of the Ballona wetlands where this law failed us: http://ballona-news.blogspot.com/2012/04/some-sad-news-yet-we-count-our.html )

Anyway, this battle for Tejon is far from over. This is because the federal government (headed by that pesky liberal Barack Obama) has yet to approve Tejon's permits to locate 3400 homes right in the middle of endangered species habitat, that of the huge and prehistoric-looking California Condor. The issuance of this permit, called a "take permit", because it would allow Tejon to kill wildlife by bulldozing their homes, has been sitting in limbo despite the issuance of massive reports by the developer three years ago.

In 2011, federal officials reported that the condor is all over and expanding its use of Tejon's dreamed-of mountain resort. So unless Obama caves in to the developers, the victory in state court is just one in a long war.

http://mountainenterprise.com/atf.php?sid=10191&current_edition=2012-04-20

MORE INFO:

http://mountainenterprise.com/atf.php?sid=9873¤t_edition=2012-02-10 
2/10/2012: FWS’ Root said no change has been made to the development footprint of Tejon Mountain Village. Radio telemetry and GPS mapping by the U.S. Geologic Survey confirmed last year that wild California condor are recolonizing the areas on which TRC and partner DMB Associates plan to build over 3,400 Tejon Mountain Village resort homes, condominiums, 700 hotel rooms, two golf courses and a commercial zone.

-------------------------------

2/2/2012 http://la.curbed.com/archives/2012/02/tejon_ranch_project_could_affect_27_plants_and_animals.php
 Tejon ranch—changes to alternatives in HCP

http://scvnews.com/?p=25770 http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/59286/

The public will be able to comment on the Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement and the Draft Tehachapi Uplands Multi-Species Habitat Conservation Plan until May 3, 2012

http://mountainenterprise.com/atf.php?sid=9861¤t_edition=2012-01-27

The documents address critical habitat concerns for the endangered California condor, which has been shown with radio telemetry to be repopulating sections of Tejon Ranch which had previously been intended by the developers to be included in the Tejon Mountain Village resort community, hotels and commercial sectors. A draft environmental impact report (DEIR) for the 23,000 home Centennial project is also expected to be issued this year. http://www.fws.gov/ventura/newsroom/release.cfm?id=77

https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/02/03/2012-2294/tehachapi-uplands-multiple-species-habitat-conservation-plan-kern-county-ca

 ------------------------

LAWSUIT STORIES:

http://turtletalk.wordpress.com/2012/04/30/california-appeals-court-declines-to-halt-tejon-ranch-development-cultural-resources/

http://tejonranch.com/press-release/appellate-court-upholds-tejon-mountain-village/

http://www.kget.com/mostpopular/story/Massive-Tejon-development-clears-legal-hurdle/6ocAO8LOBEur58KE0rzfbw.cspx

http://www.kget.com/news/local/story/Massive-Tejon-development-clears-legal-hurdle/6ocAO8LOBEur58KE0rzfbw.cspx

http://www.bakersfieldcalifornian.com/local/x768326129/Court-upholds-study-of-Tejon-development

-----------------------

FEDS DECLINE TO PROTECT A TEJON LIZARD:

10/7/11 Tehachapi slender salamander denied endangered species protection http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2011/10/tehachapi-slender-salamander-denied-endangered-species-protection.html On Friday, the service rendered its final conclusion: Batrachoseps stebbinsi does not warrant a spot on the endangered species list. An analysis determined that cattle grazing, road construction, flood control projects, disease, severe wildfires, prolonged drought and construction of Tejon Ranch’s proposed 7,860-acre residential and commercial development, the Tejon Mountain Village project, would not impact the species in the foreseeable future. The salamander resides in two canyons about 13 miles apart and separated by a freeway 60 miles north of Los Angeles.

----------------

http://www.the-signal.com/section/36/article/52336/

The species consists of two populations, the Tehachapi Mountains population and the Caliente Canyon population, which are separated from each other by dry, rugged, mountainous terrain. The range of the Tehachapi Mountains population is about 13 miles southwest of the Caliente Canyon population on property owned by Tejon Ranch and the California Department of Parks and Recreation at Fort Tejon State Historic Park. The Caliente Canyon population is located at the northeastern end of the Tehachapi Mountains, near the small community of Loraine. …Construction of the Tejon Ranch's proposed 7,860-acre residential and commercial development, the Tejon Mountain Village project, is not expected to be a substantial threat to the Tehachapi Mountains population of the salamander. The project does not overlap with areas where the species has been found or the areas that the Service considers to be occupied by the salamander. …An advance copy of the 12-month finding can be viewed online today at the Federal Register Public Inspection Page: http://go.usa.gov/924 . When the finding publishes in the Federal Register on October 11, it will be available at http://www.fws.gov/ventura or at http://www.regulations.gov. ----------------------------------

judge says no to Kern Co. - San Andreas fault new sprawl

Judge Nixes Tejon Pass Sprawl Development Project

Frazier Park Estates Goes Back to the Drawing Board

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2012/bakersfield-tejon-pass-project-02-13-2012.html

After litigation by the Center for Biological Diversity and allies, a superior court judge has struck down plans for a large housing development -- including 41 acres of houses and condos -- to be built in the Frazier Mountain area of southern Kern County, Calif. This sensitive, rugged mountainous area is home to highly endangered California condors and other sensitive species, including North America's fastest land animal, the pronghorn. The plan was for an area west of Tejon Ranch's massive Tejon Mountain Village -- another, even more massive project, which threatens a wide array of wildlife. The Center has been fighting Tejon Ranch development for years.


2/13/2012--BAKERSFIELD, Calif.— Plans for a large scale housing development proposed in the Frazier Mountain area of southern Kern County, Calif. were struck down by a superior court judge on Friday, Feb. 10, in a victory for groups fighting for smart growth in the region. The Frazier Park Estates project would have included 41 acres of houses and condominiums on steep and rugged terrain in the rural mountain area near Lebec and the Tejon Pass area of Interstate 5.

Judge Kenneth C. Twisselman of the Kern County Superior Court agreed with TriCounty Watchdogs and the Center for Biological Diversity that Kern County had failed to adequately analyze the project’s water supply; that the project description inconsistently described the project as having anywhere from 188 to 661 residences; and that the county improperly justified deferred mitigation for the project’s impacts. The suit was brought under the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA.

“This was the wrong project in the wrong location and never should have been approved by the county,” said Jan de Leeuw, spokesperson of TriCounty Watchdogs, a local environmental and smart-growth organization. “It threatened our very limited groundwater supply and would have radically changed the rural character of the region.”

Twisselman’s ruling voided the environmental impact report prepared by Kern County and will prevent developer Frank Arciero from proceeding with the project until — and only if — a new report that complies with the law is prepared and approved.

“CEQA does not permit the lead agency to approve a large residential project before the full extent of the project’s impact on the environment is fully understood,” said Babak Naficy, attorney for the groups. “The judge found that this EIR failed on three grounds: (1) the description of the size of the project was inconsistent in the EIR and county resolutions, (2) the County had illegally deferred analysis of the project’s impact on water supply and (3) the mitigation of impacts on biological impacts was improper.”

“This is an extremely important habitat area for scores of threatened, endangered, and rare species, including the California condor, so it’s important that any development be carefully thought out,” said Adam Keats, urban wildlands director at the Center. “This is a huge victory for smart planning, especially considering the tremendous pressure from developers this area has been under.”

The proposed project is located west of Tejon Ranch’s massive Tejon Mountain Village project. That project has also been vigorously fought by TriCounty Watchdogs and the Center for Biological Diversity, among others.

Developer Frank Arciero first brought to the county project plans for a development that included more than 700 single family homes and a commercial area in 2003. Negative comments from a variety of community members on the original draft environmental impact report led Kern County Planning Department to pull the report and ask the developer to submit a new one, recommending that no more than 188 residences be built, but the next plan called for 557 residences. Urged on by Supervisor and Chair Ray Watson, the board of supervisors approved the updated plan and changed the zoning to accommodate the larger project.

The TriCounty Watchdogs, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Lebec Water Board, and even the county’s own planning department and commision, as well as many local residents were concerned from the beginning that the development was not well planned, threatened the area’s water supply, and didn’t represent smart growth for rural communities.

WCB 9/2011: Less Sprawl, more trails...

State’s Wildlife Board saved 19,952 acres in September 2011 meeting

HIGHLIGHTS:

Mono County: 56 acres

Riverside County: 169 acres

San Diego County: 1284 acres

Tulare County: 0.5 acre

Humboldt County: 114 acres

Stanislaus County: 1603 acres

Kern County: 14,945 acres

Lassen County: 1781 acres

FOR AGENDA:
http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=36843

FOR PHOTOS AND MORE INFO:

http://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2011/09/14/wildlife-conservation-board/  

FOR MAPS; https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=37853

MORE DETAILS:

Wheeler Ridge, Expansion 4, $730,000 Mono County

a grant to the Eastern Sierra Land Trust for a cooperative project to acquire fee title in 56± acres of land. 9/13/11 WCB

Allensworth Ecological Reserve, Expansion 26, $2,900 Tulare County

To consider the fee acquisition of 0.5± acres of land for expansion of the Department of Fish and Game's Allensworth Ecological Reserve, to increase protection of grassland areas that benefit special status species, including the San Joaquin kit fox, located approximately 30 miles south of Visalia in southern Tulare County. 9/13/11 WCB

Western Riverside County MSHCP, $1,042,500 Expansions 10 and 11

acquire in fee two separate properties totaling 169± acres. 9/13/11 WCB

Carlsbad/Northwest San Diego County MHCP $1,256,250 HCPLA/NCCP 2010 (Perkins)

acquire in fee 156± acres at the northern terminus of Lone Jack Road and west of Rancho Summit Road. 9/13/11 WCB

City of Carlsbad $3,214,000 Habitat Management Plan/NW HCPLA 2009 (Bridges)

San Diego County

acquire in fee 97± acres. 9/13/11 WCB

Hollenbeck Canyon Wildlife Area, $708,000 Expansion 4, San Diego County

acquisition in fee of 563± acres. 9/13/11 WCB

Long Potrero East $1,498,000 San Diego County

grant to the Back Country Land Trust to acquire in fee 468± acres. 9/13/11 WCB

Arcata Community Forest Expansion $1,956,000 (Morris) Humboldt County

acquire in fee a total of 114± acres. 9/13/11 WCB

(Arcata Community Forest expansion)

Leavitt Lake Conservation Easement $1,705,000 Lassen County

acquire a conservation easement over 1,781 ± acres on the north shore of Leavitt Lake, 5 miles southeast of the City of Susanville. 9/13/11 WCB

(Bass Hill Wildlife Area north of Susanville, in Lassen County. John Ranlett/Ducks Unlimited photo.)

Gualala River Forest Conservation Easement $19,030,000 Mendocino County (reconsideration—same as on 6/2/11 agenda))

grant to The Conservation Fund to acquire a conservation easement over 13,913± acres. 9/13/11 WCB

Gualala River Forest, west of Cloverdale in Mendocino County.

Dos Rios Ranch $5,410,000 Stanislaus County

acquire in fee 1,603± acres of valley floodplain and riverine habitat. 9/13/11 WCB (WITHDRAWN FROM AGENDA)

Southern Sierra Nevada Mountains, $5,010,000 Rudnik Ranch, Kern County

grant to The Nature Conservancy for a cooperative project with the Department of Fish and Game, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, Caltrans and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to acquire fee interest in 14,945± acres. 9/13/11 WCB

Rudnick Ranch

Big Sierra's to Tejon Purchase is brewing...

Deal May Open the "Tollhouse" for Wildlife to Cross California

The link between the Sequoia National Forest and the Tejon Ranch conservation project may be purchased soon by the private Nature Conservancy with assistance by the taxpayers. The Tollhouse Ranch is 15,000 acres of oak trees and grasslands lying just north of the 58 Freeway a bit east of Bakersfield. Once saved, the Nature Conservancy plans on re-selling the land with complicated preservation deed restrictions to another buyer. This wildlife corridor is one of the most important in the State of California as it connects the Sierra Nevada mountains to the Angeles and Los Padres National Forests in L.A. and Ventura county, which have trail connections to the remaining undeveloped open spaces in Big Sur and San Diego. So saving this proerty is a really big deal.

I have written about the Sierras-to Tejon-to L.A. wildlife corridor battles here:
http://rare-earth-news.blogspot.com/search/label/Tejon%20Ranch

The sellers of this property are connected to the Rudnick family, which also recently sold another massive ranch further east to wind farm developers. For more on that deal:
http://rare-earth-news.blogspot.com/search/label/Onyx%20Ranch

Grasslands and blue oaks. Photo by E. J. Remson

TOLLHOUSE RANCH IS IN RED (BELOW)

SOME MORE DETAILS FROM THE INTERNET:

Rudnick ranch purchase—15,000 acres for $11 million
http://www.sierranevada.ca.gov/docs/434sum.pdf

http://www.nature.org/aboutus/privatelandsconservation/conservationbuyer/properties/natureorg-buyer-property-data-file-4.xml

Tollhouse Ranch,California, Kern County
Size: 14,945 acres, Price: $7,475,000

At closing, the buyer will be required to convey to the Conservancy a conservation easement as described below.
…TNC does not currently own the property; however, TNC currently holds an option to acquire the property. Consequently, the opportunity represented by this online posting is contingent on TNC’s acquisition of the property. TNC would also consider the possibility of assigning its option to a conservation buyer.

http://www.nature.org/aboutus/privatelandsconservation/conservationbuyer/properties/tollhouse_ranch_project_location-map.jpg

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/transprog/ctcbooks/2011/0511/117_2.5c7_EEM.pdf
$500,000 from CalTrans

Even More New Parks to Explore....

In the Sierra Nevadas and Central Valley:

IN SHASTA COUNTY:

Hathaway ranch 6630 acre conservation easement
http://www.pclfoundation.org/publications/sierranevada/shasta.html
http://www.shastalandtrust.org/content/view/19/1/

JS ranch 5940 ac conservation easement
http://www.alcnet.org/PR_JS_Ranch

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IN TEHAMA COUNTY:

(NOT FINALIZED) 5545 ac Pine Creek CE—Rose Ranch, seeking $1 million of total $1.5 mil cost of CE from SNC
http://grants.sierranevada.ca.gov/Easygrants_WS_SNC/applicationpdf.aspx?id=385

80 acres—near Lassen NP—saved 4/2011
http://www.wildernesslandtrust.org/news/eighty-acre-added-to-the-lassen-volcanic-wilderness/

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IN PLUMAS COUNTY:

BY THE FEATHER RIVER LAND TRUST:

Heart-K ranch 884 acres
http://www.frlt.org/docs/hk_directions.pdf
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Come-Celebrate--Heart-K---Signed--Sealed--Delivered-.html?soid=1102283092745&aid=3XGHZYiLLRU

Maddalena ranch—575 acres
http://frlt.org/oursuccesses.html
http://www.frlt.org/docs/madd-directions.pdf

Leonhardt Learning Landscape—42 acres,
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs092/1102283092745/archive/1105007767955.html

318 acre conservation easement at Pierce Family ranch, completed 12/2010
http://www.flickr.com/photos/frlt/sets/72157625403168342/

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IN SIERRA COUNTY:

Sierra County Land Trust Protects Volcano and Young America Lakes
5/19/11 from High Sierra Rural Alliance
http://sierracountylandtrust.org/index.shtml
http://www.sierrafund.org/news/495-sclt

Thanks to the herculean efforts of Laurie Oberholtzer of the Sierra County Land Trust and Carl Somers of The Trust for Public Land, three more parcels totaling 835 acres surrounding the Sierra Buttes will be kept in trust for the public. One parcel contains Young America Lake. Another parcel includes Volcano Lake. The acquisition also includes a large portion of the craggy face of the Sierra Buttes.
Previous purchases by the SCLT have included two parcels bordering the eastern edges of Volcano Lake and four parcels on Upper and Lower Sardine Lakes. Their land holdings now total over 1500 acres. The public will now be able to enjoy un-gated access to these jewels in the Lakes Basin area which will be managed by SCLT for hiking and back country camping.
The most recent 835 acre purchase was made possible by a grant funded through Prop 50 in 2007 to the High Sierra Rural Alliance as sponsor for SCLT from the Sierra Nevada-Cascade Grant Program. HSRA is thrilled to have played a part in the acquisition of this unparalleled landscape for public use. We wish to thank everyone who helped make the purchase possible and wish the SCLT much good luck and further successes in protecting the treasures of Sierra County.

MAP OF Young America lake
http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=39.59960,-120.65091&z=15&t=T

map of Volcano lake
http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=39.60668,-120.62521&z=15&t=T

http://sierracountylandtrust.org/whatwedo.shtml
While much of the Lakes Basin is in the Tahoe National Forest, almost 3,000 acres are still privately owned, mostly old mining claims.

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IN NEVADA COUNTY:

Sugarloaf Mtn-- 30 acres bought by city of Nevada City, 12/10/10
http://www.nevadacityadvocate.com/nevada-city/3498.html
http://sierrafoothillsreport.com/2011/01/31/nevada-city-gains-title-to-sugarloaf/

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IN PLACER COUNTY:

1800 acre Bruin ranch, (WCB 11/2010 gave half the purchase price)
http://www.tpl.org/what-we-do/where-we-work/california/northern-sierra-nevada/harvego-bear-river.html
http://auburnjournal.com/detail/144340.html

MAP: http://geocommons.com/overlays/68765

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TDLT buys 122 ac in Martis Valley,

http://www.sacbee.com/2011/05/12/3623207/preservation-trust-buys-martis.html#ixzz1MoxyPCwl
Approx. location: http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=39.29957,-120.10657&z=14&t=T

52 acre Big Gun preserve
http://www.placerlandtrust.org/news-detail.aspx?title=Big+Gun+Preserve+Protects+Endangered+Species&newsID=49

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IN EL DORADO COUNTY:

1/18/2011
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/01/18/3330966/talks-begin-on-public-uses-for.html
The Bureau of Land Management acquired the 695-acre property near Rescue just beyond Folsom Lake in 2010.
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/folsom/kanaka_valley.html

land ownership map: http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/ca/pdf/folsom/kanaka_valley.Par.75978.File.dat/ownership.pdf

topo map: http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medialib/blm/ca/pdf/folsom/kanaka_valley.Par.29358.File.dat/topo.pdf

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IN THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY

IN ALPINE COUNTY:

20 acres from Wilderness Land Trust to USFS
http://www.wildernesslandtrust.org/news/ilderness_land_trust_acquires_20_acres_to_add_to_the_mokelumne_wilderness/

http://www.wildernesslandtrust.org/news/wilderness-land-trust-permanently-protects-20-acre-private-inholding-as-part-of-the-mokelumne-wilderness/

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IN MADERA COUNTY:

Topping ranch conservation easement—1362 acres
http://yubanet.com/regional/Sierra-Nevada-Conservancy-Board-Approves-10-Million-in-Bond-Funded-Watershed-Protection-Projects-in-the-Sierra.php

2990 acre conservation easement, by Sierra Foothill Conservancy
http://www.californiaoaks.org/html/current_issues.html

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IN TULARE COUNTY:

152 acre Dry Creek and 1819 acre Homer ranch preserves,
http://www.thesungazette.com/articles/2011/05/18/news/news04.txt
http://www.sequoiariverlands.org/map/nature-preserve-map.html

50 acres added to US BLM's Atwell Island preserve in 2010
http://www.alcnet.org/projects/overview/california/atwell_1
Atwell Island Land Retirement Demonstration Project,

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IN KERN COUNTY:

434 acres donated by National Audubon Society to feds, 3/10/11
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/info/newsbytes/2011/471xtra_wild_adds.html

Solar power plans for CA Desert from the feds and L.A....

Feds Target 1.7% of the land in California for Solar Power facilities (OK, 1.7 million acres), but say much less than that will be used

From the Fed's notice:
In California,  1,766,543 acres of land would be available under the solar energy development program alternative. Four SEZs would be identified: Imperial East (5,722 acres), Iron Mountain (106,522 acres), Pisgah (23,950 acres), and Riverside East (202,896 acres).

Public Comment on the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (PEIS):

The Draft Solar PEIS is now available for public review, as detailed in the “Notice of Availability for the PEIS” published in the Federal Register on December 17, 2010 (http://solareis.anl.gov/documents/docs/SolarDraftPEIS_NOA.pdf). The Notice provides information on dates, times, and locations of public meetings on the PEIS, and solicits public comments. Comments can be submitted using the Public Comment Form on the Solar PEIS website (http://solareis.anl.gov/involve/comments/index.cfm).

For More Information Information about the Solar PEIS is available on the Public Information website (http://solareis.anl.gov).

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MORE ON THIS ISSUE:

http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/Salazar-Chu-Announce-Next-Step-in-Nations-March-toward-Renewable-Energy-Future.cfm

This press release says "reasonably foreseeable solar energy development is anticipated on only about 214,000 acres of the suitable and appropriate BLM lands in 6 western states."

MAP OF CALIFORNIA LANDS: http://solareis.anl.gov/documents/dpeis/maps/alternatives/Solar_DPEIS_CA_Statewide.pdf

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/16/AR2010121604898.html

http://www.ca.blm.gov/tf5c
http://www.mydesert.com/article/20101217/BUSINESS/12160394/1006/news01/New%20program%20could%20fast-track%20solar%20projects
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http://www.ca.blm.gov/1f5c
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-12-16/u-s-selects-solar-power-zones-to-streamline-project-approval-process.html

12/16/2010--The Wilderness Society studied the 24 areas initially suggested by the BLM and this month and identified two that aren’t suitable for development, said Alex Daue, a spokesman for the society.
One is the 110,000-acre Iron Mountain zone in California, located between the Joshua Tree National Park and the Mojave Desert National Preserve.
“A couple of the zones are inappropriate for large-scale solar development,” Daue said in a telephone interview. “Iron Mountain should be taken off their map.”
The Wilderness Society plans to work with other environmental groups and the Interior Department to promote development at the solar zones it considers best suited for large-scale energy plants, Daue said. It will do so during a 90- day comment period that begins when the document is published in the federal register, he said.
“We support solar development on most of the zones and we want the BLM to ensure projects are built within those zones,” Daue said.


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Solar Project near Ridgecrest opposed by Fed's advisory committee:

http://www.ridgecrestca.com/news/x41610864/Steering-committee-opposes-solar-project
6/29/2010--Steering committee opposes solar project

Ridgecrest, Calif. —
The Bureau of Land Management Steering Committee, at its meeting Thursday, voted 12-1 to approve a letter stating its opposition to Solar Millennium's proposed solar-power-plant project. Committee Member Dave Matthews cast the dissenting vote.
…He said the committee members represent certain entities in the Indian Wells Valley. “We represent their beliefs of what they would like to see or what they wouldn't like to see.”
The committee's letter states the project would use approximately 600,000 gallons of water a day during construction, 200,000 gallons a day during operations and 191,000 gallons of propane a year.
The letter also stated a concern the project would disturb 2,000 acres of top soil known to contain spores that cause valley fever and the proximity of the disturbed soil to human population that includes children and the elderly.
…The committee's letter stated the draft EIS does not comply with CEQA and NEPA regarding full and frank discussion of alternative sites.
“Preference is to be given to land that has already had disturbance,” it said.
According to the letter, the Garlock alternative has such a disturbance and is not located nearly as close to communities and individuals as the proposed site.
“DEIS discussion of the site does not indicate it has the wildlife issues (ground squirrel, tortoise) that the RSPP has,” said the letter.
It also states the draft document does not comply with the state and national acts regarding full and frank discussion of alternative energy sources, and the southern project area sits squarely within the northern gateway to the El Paso Mountains — one of the most popular recreational destinations in the Desert District.

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Plus--L.A. Plans Solar "Ranch" in Owens Valley
FROM Eastern Sierra Land Trust-10/14/2010:

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power announces plans for 3000 acre Owens Valley "Solar Ranch"

LADWP is preparing an Environmental Impact Report for the proposed Southern Owens Valley Solar Ranch, which would provide 200 megawatts of energy from photovoltaic solar panels. Two potential sites are being considered for this 3000 acre development. The northern site is located northeast of Lone Pine, east of the Owens River. The second site is just east of HWY 395 and north of Owens Lake. More info about the upcoming scoping meeting and where to send comments can be found here: Southern Owens Valley Solar Ranch.

http://www.ladwp.com/ladwp/cms/ladwp013701.jsp

WCB 11/2010: Calif. Wildlife board to save 84,000 acres in November...

State Plans Big End of Year Land Purchases—over 84,000 acres of land and development rights

Deals include $15 million paid to the Tejon Ranch Company

NOTICE OF MEETING --WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD
November 18, 2010

http://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=24287

MAPS: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=25149

HIGHLIGHTS:

Heart K Ranch, 880 acre conservation easement, Plumas County

Lower Yuba River, Excelsior, 527± acres, Nevada and Yuba Counties

Bruin Ranch, 1,773± acres, Placer County

Oak Hills Ranch, conservation easement over 3,316 ± acres, Yolo County

Los Vaqueros Ranch Conservation Easement, 800± acres, Monterey County

Santa Clara River Watershed, 123± acres, Ventura County

Tejon Ranch -- conservation easements over 62,003± acres--$15.8 million Kern/Los Angeles Counties

Bottle Peak 418± acres $3.5 million San Diego County

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SPECIFICS ON AGENDA ITEMS


20. Heart K Ranch $1,090,000 Plumas County
To consider the acquisition of a conservation easement for the Department of Fish and Game over approximately 880± acres for protection of critical habitat for the Sloat Deer herd as well as protection of black oak woodland, montane riparian, and wet meadow habitats, located in the Genesee Valley along Indian Creek in Plumas County.

21. Upper Butte Basin Wildlife Area, Expansion 6 $1,120,000 Butte County
To consider the acquisition of 222± acres of land for the Department of Fish and Game for the protection of wetland habitat, located approximately five miles west of the City of Biggs in Butte County.

22. Lower Yuba River, Excelsior, Phase I, $3,216,440 Nevada and Yuba Counties
To consider the acquisition of 527± acres of land by the Department of Fish and Game (DFG) known as the Yuba Narrows Ranch for protection of deer and mountain lion habitat, located along the Yuba River within the lower Yuba River watershed, situated between the DFG Daugherty Hills and Spenceville Wildlife Areas, in Nevada and Yuba Counties.

23. Bruin Ranch Phase I, $4,515,000 Placer County
To consider the allocation for a grant to Placer Land Trust for a cooperative project with the Department of Fish and Game, Caltrans and Placer County to acquire 1,773± acres of property to protect habitat for threatened and endangered species, including blue oak woodland habitat and approximately three miles of riparian corridor along the Bear River, located in Placer County. Protection of this property will also allow the connection of a regional trail through previously protected land to Placer County's Hidden Falls Regional Park and Coon Creek.

24. Oak Hills Ranch, $2,296,000, Yolo County
To consider the allocation for a grant to the California Rangeland Trust for a conservation easement over 3,316 ± acres of native oak woodlands located south of the community of Dunnigan and north of the town of Esparto in Yolo County.

26. Los Vaqueros Ranch Conservation Easement, $1,210,000.00 Phase II Monterey County
To consider the allocation for a grant to The Nature Conservancy to acquire a conservation easement over 800± acres of property to protect critical steelhead habitat as well as habitat for sensitive wildlife species including the red-legged frog, yellow-legged frog, western pond turtle and intact populations of native fish, oak woodlands, and grasslands on the west side of Salina Valley along the Arroyo Seco River in Monterey County.

27. Santa Clara River Watershed, Totlcom , $2,298,500 Ventura County
To consider the allocation for a grant to The Nature Conservancy, the acceptance of a Recovery Land Acquisition Grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife; and the authorization to enter into an Agreement to Subgrant to The Nature Conservancy for a cooperative project with the State Coastal Conservancy, Santa Clara River Trustee Council and the Department of Fish and Game to acquire 123± acres of land for the protection of threatened and endangered species and habitat corridors, located south of the City of Ventura in Ventura County.

29. Tejon Ranch $15,800,000 Kern/Los Angeles Counties
To consider the allocation for five grants to the Tejon Ranch Conservancy to acquire five conservation easements over 62,003± acres for the protection of significant natural landscapes and wildlife linkages and corridors, located south of the City of Bakersfield and north of the City of Los Angeles, adjacent to Interstate 5 and State Highway 138, in Kern and Los Angeles Counties.

30. Bottle Peak $3,562,900 San Diego County
To consider the allocation for a grant to The Escondido Creek Conservancy to assist with the acquisition of 418± acres of property to anchor regional habitat conservation planning efforts, including a Natural Community Conservation Plan, in central San Diego County and provide a critical ecological link between coastal habitat and the higher elevation Cleveland National Forest.

NOTE: PART 2 OF THE AGENDA IS IN NEXT POST

Water for nature, farms or developers?--legal fight in SJ Valley

More Lawsuits threaten Tejon Ranch sprawl's water supply

excerpted from:
http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/09/05/2066738/chinatown-ii-wells-go-dry-water.html

9/5/2010--A story worthy of Hollywood will soon unfold in California courtrooms -- allegations of government corruption and corporate greed to rival the infamous Los Angeles water grab that inspired the film "Chinatown."

Call it "Chinatown II," a tale beginning 15 years ago -- when, according to lawsuits filed in the last three months, the state illegally turned over the publicly owned Kern Water Bank to an agency controlled by giant corporations in a backroom deal.

Filed by the Tucson, Ariz.-based Center for Biological Diversity, Northern California water districts and a fishing group, two lawsuits seek a court order putting the bank back in state hands. They allege the water bank is controlled by two corporations -- Roll International, owned by billionaire Beverly Hills businessman Stewart Resnick, and Tejon Ranch Co., one of the largest private landowners in California.

A third lawsuit, which includes the Kern water districts, asks the court to stop pumping from the water bank and require further analysis to determine how much water can be pumped without drying up neighboring wells...

...Gaylord Beeson won't forget the Kern Water Bank or July 29, the day his productive water well went dry. Nor will the 32 northwest Bakersfield customers in his small water association.

He blames heavy pumping by his neighbor, the water bank. The water table has dropped 115 feet in the last three years -- something that in the past would have taken two decades....

...Water levels in Rosedale are the lowest since the district was formed in 1959...

...Resnick's Paramount Farms controls 58% of the water bank through property ownership in Westside Mutual Water Co. and Dudley Ridge Water District, the lawsuits say.

Through continuing farmland purchases, Paramount owns 120,000 acres, company officials say, making Resnick one of the biggest farmers in the state.

Tejon Ranch controls another 26% in the same way, the lawsuits say. The company plans the state's largest development -- Tejon Mountain Village, nearly 3,500 homes, dining, shopping and other amenities in the Tehachapi Mountains of southern Kern County.

Barry Zoeller of Tejon Ranch Co. disputes the lawsuits, saying his firm is a minor player with only 2% control of the water bank. The company controls only the Tejon-Castac Water District, he said.

But the legal action says Tejon Ranch also is the majority landowner in the Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water District, which controls 24% of the water bank....


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Meanwhile, Landowners fight over San Joaquin River Restoration's Impacts on their Water Rights

excerpted from: http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/08/28/2056901/suit-targets-effects-of-san-joaquin.html#storylink=mirelated#ixzz0z3TnI0cw

8/28/2010--The first lawsuit in the San Joaquin River restoration has been filed by a west-side Valley farming family, claiming the replenished flows are damaging 13,000 prime acres, buildings and crops.

The Wolfsen family -- which includes the Skinner and Mueller families -- says the river has flooded, eroded and seeped into fields east of Los Banos.

A dollar amount for damages is not included in the case, which was filed Thursday in the U.S. Court of Claims in Washington D.C. An amount would be determined as the case proceeds.

A Wolfsen spokesman said the family is not trying to stop the long-awaited restoration, which began in October, more than 20 years after environmentalists sued to return water and salmon to the dried San Joaquin.

"This is a very narrowly focused lawsuit," Wolfsen spokesman Larry Harris said. "We want to preserve property and water rights."...

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Will the Governor's New Reservoir plan evaporate more water than would be saved?

http://restorethedelta.org/?p=539

9/4/2010--As one veteran observer commented, “It’s never too early to form a JPA for an evaporation pond.” Meaning this may not be a wise place to store water.
The proposed Sites Reservoir is about 10 miles west of Maxwell in Northern California, on the east side of the Sacramento Valley. The Northern California Water Association (NCWA) says that Sites would be filled primarily by pumped diversions from the Sacramento River during peak flows in winter....

A reservoir at Sites was considered, and shelved, in 1970. DWR had looked at projected evaporation on another reservoir in the same location (Paskenta-Newville Reservoir) and reported that given the air temperature and winds off the backside of the coastal hills, Sites Reservoir would lose more in evaporation than it would make available for use elsewhere.

According to DWR Bulletin No. 73-1, evaporation at this location in the decade from 1960-1970 ranged from 73 to 96 inches a year. That’s 6-8 feet of water that would never make it to a crop (or a tap).

And that’s at last century’s temperatures, not the higher temperatures projected for this century.

Some knowledgeable people think this is actually a way to get water from the Eel River (despite Wild and Scenic Rivers Act protections) and make it available for the Central Valley and Westlands Water District.

Coincidentally, Thad Bettner, general manager of GCID (backers of the Sites reservoir), used to be the resource manager for Westlands Water District.