Amador County – The Amador Water Agency Board discussed its Water Supply Assessment of the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort last week, then made a confidential staff direction after a 1-and-a-half hour closed session discussion of the item. Board Chairman Terence Moore said Vice Chairman Bill Condrashoff requested the discussion of the assessment, which the previous board approved in January 2008. Moore said “it’s kind of disturbing to me that this has made it on the agenda.” He Condrashoff’s report being used to affect policy puts him “on the ragged edge of practicing engineering without a license.” Condrashoff said he reworked the analysis and found 42 cubic feet per second would be needed to meet peak flow, unlike AWA’s figure of 32 cubic feet per second. Condrashoff said “if we miss on this assessment,” can the AWA and Sutter Creek “be sued if the water supply falls short.” Moore said Condrashoff used a similar analysis to protest Jackson’s Wicklow Way Subdivision. AWA General Manager Jim Abercrombie said AWA spent “a good portion of 2008” accumulating volumes of information addressing Condrashoff’s analysis. Abercrombie said “staff believes Bill’s analysis of Wicklow and Gold Rush is incorrect.” Engineering Manager Gene Mancebo said AWA’s assessment was conservative, using current water demand, and needs for Gold Rush, known planned projects, and even “unanticipated,” hypothetical projects. Mancebo said Condrashoff’s analysis does not consider commercial, industrial and business uses, which are less that residential. Director Debbie Dunn asked if they could change what was submitted in the board’s approval last January. Kronick said he wanted to address that in closed session. Gold Rush water attorney Eric Robinson, said AWA’s assessment was “hyper-conservative,” and “bulletproof, iron clad and highly defensible.” He said AWA revisiting the assessment is not allowed in Senate Bills 610 and 221. He said “it’s now up to the land use agency” – Sutter Creek City Council – “to determine what to do with those comments.” Sutter Creek Mayor Pro Tem Tim Murphy said the place to comment about this is at the planning commission level. Sutter Creek Planning Commission addresses Gold Rush at 6 p.m. today. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Sunday, 12 July 2009 23:25
Amador Water Agency
Amador County – The Amador Water Agency Board discussed its Water Supply Assessment of the Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort last week, then made a confidential staff direction after a 1-and-a-half hour closed session discussion of the item. Board Chairman Terence Moore said Vice Chairman Bill Condrashoff requested the discussion of the assessment, which the previous board approved in January 2008. Moore said “it’s kind of disturbing to me that this has made it on the agenda.” He Condrashoff’s report being used to affect policy puts him “on the ragged edge of practicing engineering without a license.” Condrashoff said he reworked the analysis and found 42 cubic feet per second would be needed to meet peak flow, unlike AWA’s figure of 32 cubic feet per second. Condrashoff said “if we miss on this assessment,” can the AWA and Sutter Creek “be sued if the water supply falls short.” Moore said Condrashoff used a similar analysis to protest Jackson’s Wicklow Way Subdivision. AWA General Manager Jim Abercrombie said AWA spent “a good portion of 2008” accumulating volumes of information addressing Condrashoff’s analysis. Abercrombie said “staff believes Bill’s analysis of Wicklow and Gold Rush is incorrect.” Engineering Manager Gene Mancebo said AWA’s assessment was conservative, using current water demand, and needs for Gold Rush, known planned projects, and even “unanticipated,” hypothetical projects. Mancebo said Condrashoff’s analysis does not consider commercial, industrial and business uses, which are less that residential. Director Debbie Dunn asked if they could change what was submitted in the board’s approval last January. Kronick said he wanted to address that in closed session. Gold Rush water attorney Eric Robinson, said AWA’s assessment was “hyper-conservative,” and “bulletproof, iron clad and highly defensible.” He said AWA revisiting the assessment is not allowed in Senate Bills 610 and 221. He said “it’s now up to the land use agency” – Sutter Creek City Council – “to determine what to do with those comments.” Sutter Creek Mayor Pro Tem Tim Murphy said the place to comment about this is at the planning commission level. Sutter Creek Planning Commission addresses Gold Rush at 6 p.m. today. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
