Calaveras County - A crowd of nearly 300 people filled the San Andreas Town Hall Monday evening in vehement protest of the proposed Pardee Reservoir expansion under the East Bay Municipal Utility District’s 2040 Water Plan. A meeting in Calaveras County was not included in EBMUD’s original schedule, but was scheduled after an overflowing meeting in the Amador Water Agency two weeks ago and public outcry. Three members of the EBMUD Board and 3 consultants sat quietly as officials and emotional residents from Calaveras and Amador Counties made pleas for the mammoth water company to scrap their proposal or consider alternatives. Consultant David Blau began by presenting a slideshow that outlined the history of the project and the potential impacts a 33-foot dam expansion and subsequent river flooding would have on the environment. “This does not mean (a dam) is being built, it only suggests what the district would spend its funds studying,” said Blau. The East Bay is dependent on the 600-square-mile watershed, which is where 90 percent of its water originates. Blau said there would be “potential benefits” for Amador and Calaveras counties if the proposal were implemented, but did not go into further detail. “This is all based on a very, very preliminary study,” he said. Public comment began with Calaveras District 2 Supervisor Steve Wilensky, who secured the venue for the meeting. “We have water and you need water, which brings us together,” he said. Wilensky referred to the latest meetings as “almost afterthoughts” and said “real partners don’t treat each other this way,” to thundering applause. His main suggestion was to “follow in the path of the country” and invest in technology and the local economy. Calaveras Water Agency Director Bob Dean reiterated Wilensky’s point, saying “the problem can not be solved with the same ideas that created it.” Bill Condrashoff of the Amador Water Agency read portions of a letter declaring his agency’s opposition to the proposed plan, and asked if any EBMUD board members had read it, to which he received a mute response and promptly provided them with copies. Chris Wright, Executive Director of the Foothill Conservancy, called it an “environmental justice issue.” He pointed to a map detailing current dams along the river every few miles, and said it was all the more important to preserve the 3-quarter mile reach of the Mokelumne proposed for flooding. One Calaveras citizen recalled her frustration at there being only one copy of the 1,500 plus page Environmental Impact Report for public viewing in the San Andreas library – the only copy readily available for public viewing in either county. She said the document was not received there until March 28th and she had to remain in the library to read it. A host of other Calaveras residents, including members of local Indian tribes, told stories of the river’s personal and historical significance. Most asked for EBMUD to either extend the public comment period or abolish the plan altogether. EBMUD Board President Doug Linney said in closing that he appreciated all public comments and they would all be taken into consideration. The comment period presently closes April 6th. Story by Alex Lane This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.