Amador County – The Plymouth City Council in its first meeting this month authorized its city manager to discuss with a company about reopening the Arroyo Ditch. City Manager Dixon Flynn said last week that the council authorized him to negotiate with Shenandoah Water Company regarding operation of the Arroyo Ditch, including working to verify legal rights to the diversion of water and also to get the nuts and bolts turned to bring water through the ditch to the city. Flynn said the Shenandoah Water Company is made up of 2 attorneys and 2 engineers, and includes 2 former Amador County residents. They were 1 of 2 companies who submitted a list of qualifications for the work. Flynn said the Shenandoah Water showed its experience in specifically getting a ditch to flow again in Napa Valley. The group restore flow to a 1950s water ditch by proving “beneficial use,” or showing buyers for the supply of water downstream. Flynn said the Arroyo Ditch was in use for 100 years and went on down Highway 49, eventually serving customers all the way to Ione. Once restored, those farms downstream along the Arroyo Ditch could translate to those needed “beneficial use” customers. He said the ditch “slipped into disrepair because the city fell behind in maintenance over the years.” By the mid-1990s, it slipped into disuse. Flynn said it pulls water only during high flow times, per the rights. “And the problem is, where do you store it? I believe I have the solution – in the mines.” He said mines are used in the Middle East to store water, where they are called cisterns. The city has estimated that it could store 200 acre-feet of water in the Empire Mine. He said it would have to be checked for chemicals, but he said the Empire was said to have been easy to bail out when it took on water, indicating it was likely not leaky. Shenandoah Water Company will work on restoring the water, then be able to sell a portion of the water, while giving Plymouth a share of the water, all at no cost to Plymouth. Flynn said he was not yet sure whether the ditch would be restored or be fitted with a pipeline. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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Amador County – The Plymouth City Council in its first meeting this month authorized its city manager to discuss with a company about reopening the Arroyo Ditch. City Manager Dixon Flynn said last week that the council authorized him to negotiate with Shenandoah Water Company regarding operation of the Arroyo Ditch, including working to verify legal rights to the diversion of water and also to get the nuts and bolts turned to bring water through the ditch to the city. Flynn said the Shenandoah Water Company is made up of 2 attorneys and 2 engineers, and includes 2 former Amador County residents. They were 1 of 2 companies who submitted a list of qualifications for the work. Flynn said the Shenandoah Water showed its experience in specifically getting a ditch to flow again in Napa Valley. The group restore flow to a 1950s water ditch by proving “beneficial use,” or showing buyers for the supply of water downstream. Flynn said the Arroyo Ditch was in use for 100 years and went on down Highway 49, eventually serving customers all the way to Ione. Once restored, those farms downstream along the Arroyo Ditch could translate to those needed “beneficial use” customers. He said the ditch “slipped into disrepair because the city fell behind in maintenance over the years.” By the mid-1990s, it slipped into disuse. Flynn said it pulls water only during high flow times, per the rights. “And the problem is, where do you store it? I believe I have the solution – in the mines.” He said mines are used in the Middle East to store water, where they are called cisterns. The city has estimated that it could store 200 acre-feet of water in the Empire Mine. He said it would have to be checked for chemicals, but he said the Empire was said to have been easy to bail out when it took on water, indicating it was likely not leaky. Shenandoah Water Company will work on restoring the water, then be able to sell a portion of the water, while giving Plymouth a share of the water, all at no cost to Plymouth. Flynn said he was not yet sure whether the ditch would be restored or be fitted with a pipeline. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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