Sutter Creek – The Amador Water Agency Tuesday signed off for a second time on an 18-month-old Water Supply Assessment for Gold Rush Ranch & Golf Resort. Chairman Terence Moore introduced the topic as primarily the issue of concern of District 1 Vice Chairman Bill Condrashoff, saying the meeting would likely be a discussion between “Bill and staff.” Condrashoff asked why the WSA did not use data from a particularly high peak flow in July 2008, when the flow needed was 17.95 cubic feet per second. Engineering Manager Gene Mancebo said 2 special circumstances made him choose to not use that data. He said the canal foreman was on vacation for most of that month. A leak went unnoticed for most of the month, and a new pump was installed but not adjusted correctly, and it also leaked. Mancebo said “water flow dropped more than 3 cfs after the foreman returned and made repairs.” District 3 Director Don Cooper said Condrashoff was “identifying a 100-gallon difference” in usage between staff estimates and his own, which amounted to 28 percent more than staff numbers. But even using 500 gallons a day use for the assessment, flow needed would be 28.28 cfs. Cooper said: “I’m sorry I’m having a real hard time seeing your numbers justifying that we are going to exceed 30 cfs.” Moore said “I’m not seeing the fatal flaw here,” just little errors he pointed out, which somehow “all accumulatively go up. They don’t offset each other like in the real world.” Moore said: “I think we are trying to satisfy your concerns.” Eric Robinson, attorney for Gold Rush said this was the second meeting he has “attended on an already approved water supply assessment.” He said “this particular (WSA) was reviewed an incredible number of times.” He said was amazed at the staff hours spent answering comments by “then citizen Condrashoff.” Robinson said AWA “debunked” Condrashoff’s “mathematical analysis” that was “orchestrated to create a phantom belief that there might be some peaking demand problems.” He said “there is no merit to the phantom peaking concern.” Robinson said staff analysis says there is enough water to supply Gold Rush, and validates the WSA, and he “humbly” requested the board to end its review. Amador County Planning Commissioner Dave Wardall criticized the board, and said: “If we have some board members that have personal agendas and are affiliated with environmental groups, that is not good for the agency.” He said board members should put those issues aside for the good of the agency. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.