Anonymous
Photo: Patti Gutshall
Source: Santa Barbara County Grand Jury
Few issues are more important to the residents of Santa Barbara County than Water. In reviewing prospects for the upcoming Contract for the Cachuma Project, due in 2020, the Santa Barbara County Grand Jury (Jury) recommends that the 1995 contract needs far more than revision.
Its coverage is outdated and does not address the challenges of the future, especially the likely disruptions due to climate change. Its different technical terms can mean the same thing, and a single technical term can have several meanings. The Jury recommends revising outdated provisions every 5 years.
The Jury recommends that, unlike in the past, the County Water Agency and the 5 Water Districts should speak with one voice to the Bureau of Reclamation, especially in regard to the amounts of water to be diverted to the Districts each year. Regular meetings of their technical staffs could alleviate disagreements.
The Jury recommends that local agencies combine to create a website which covers the essentials about the Cachuma Project and gives links to more specialized material.
Whiskey is for Drinking … But, Why Fight Over Water?
The entire report, “The Cachuma Project: Contract and Management” can be found here.
Sounds like “more meetings” are definitely needed to include everyone and get them on the same page. Communication! CHILLINGRILLIN, You make a good point showing that COMB needs a total makeover. A shame they get away with no oversight to allow such nonsense.
Am I missing something here? What do you investigate about a dam and a reservoir? It hasn’t rained – oh look, the water level is low. It rained – oh look, the level is rising. Oh look – the water is blue today.
Lol about time. I lived with someone who worked for COMB and they said it was a total basket case, even by the low standards of obscure government agencies. Nepotism, high turnover, low pay, temps doing the work of multiple people, poor communication, the whole enchilada.
Since silt wasn’t hauled off and vegetation removed as it started to take over previously Cachuma acreage, what can you say about the lake’s management? (Yes there would’ve been issues regarding agricultural run-off both with salts and chemicals, but that’s more easily remediated than poor water quality and other subsequent costs due to allowing land encroachment when the opposite is necessary due to increased population.)
One thing for sure is we all owe a debt of gratitude to the visionaries who created the cachuma reservoir!