Water shortage & Swarthout Creek - rafting

[LasPulgas]

They might have to give up crabbing at US Wrightwoodians to CONSERVE water.    

 

[Matt]

So if domestic water use isn't nearly enough to start a drought, how is watering my lawn going to make any difference?

[Lisa]

So if domestic water use isn't nearly enough to start a drought, how is watering my lawn going to make any difference?

Drought is caused by nature, not humans wasting water.

[Matt]

when the water co. stops issueing meters, I'll believe that there is a REAL water shortage!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ensen]

I don't think they can stop issuing them.  If the county issues the building permit, the water company can't refuse to provide water, can they?

What if we had so little water that we had to truck it in, would you believe there was a water shortage then?

[WaterMeter]

New residential water meters make little difference on the volume of water used in Wrightwood.

Here's some facts that back that up:
In January 2002 SCWC could produce 1200 gallons per minute from it's Wrightwood wells.
That's 1,728,000 gallons per day.

The average water meter connection uses between 153 gallons per day to 384 gallons per day.

What this all means is that SCWC could have supported up to 4500 water meter connections during the peak summer months before the water table was drained by snowmaking and not replenished.

In 1990 there were 2438 water meter connections in Wrightwood
In 2002 there were 2595 water meter connections in Wrightwood
An increase of 157 meters in a 12 year period.

There are issues that we need to continue to focus on:
-We are currently experiencing drought conditions.
-Every resident and business must do their share to conserve and use water wisely
-Water being diverted from Swarthout for snow making must stop immediately as the State of CA holds domestic water use as the highest priority. The State Constitution also requires all water use in CA to be "beneficial and reasonable".

[Hillbillies]

New residential water meters make little difference on the volume of water used in Wrightwood.

Here's some facts that back that up:
In January 2002 SCWC could produce 1200 gallons per minute from it's Wrightwood wells.
That's 1,728,000 gallons per day.

The average water meter connection uses between 153 gallons per day to 384 gallons per day.

What this all means is that SCWC could have supported up to 4500 water meter connections during the peak summer months before the water table was drained by snowmaking and not replenished.

In 1990 there were 2438 water meter connections in Wrightwood
In 2002 there were 2595 water meter connections in Wrightwood
An increase of 157 meters in a 12 year period.

There are issues that we need to continue to focus on:
-We are currently experiencing drought conditions.
-Every resident and business must do their share to conserve and use water wisely
-Water being diverted from Swarthout for snow making must stop immediately as the State of CA holds domestic water use as the highest priority. The State Constitution also requires all water use in CA to be "beneficial and reasonable".

Great points water meter.....  may I add over the last 6 years mt. high as had a much more aggressive approach to their snow making efforts.... spending tons of money on new snow making equipment......round the clock snowmaking etc.....I have been here 13 years and my relatives for almost 25 years.  I have never seen or heard of the water running dry up here until July 02 the summer after mt. high was making snow at every moment when conditions allowed.  They made so much snow that season that at the end of Feb 02 they were out of water and snowmaking finally stopped.. as did my faucets later that summer.....coincidental???
Who do we contact so mt. high is forced to regulate their water useage???
:-/

[artology]

Wow! As a  "newbee" to Wrightwood this is astounding! Wouldn't the basic water needs of the town come before snowmaking? How can this happen? When did snow making become "beneficial and reasonable" when water has to be trucked in for domestic use??

[TableMtn]

O.K. and the fact that the 01/02 winter was the driest in recorded history had nothing to do with the water shortage?

[Blackcomb]

Combine the drought with expanded and unregulated snowmaking, and the results can currently be seen

[JC]

I would agree with TableMtn that our water shortage is partially related to drought conditions during the past handful of years.

What I don't understand is how a corporation buys a ski resort, puts millions of dollars into snow making equipment and increase water consumption "dramatically" during severe drought conditions.

Remember what John McColly, Director of Marketing said on November 10 2003, a month before any natural snowfall : "We received a huge amount of media from being the first resort to open in the region. Plus we always open with good coverage and a strong assortment of terrain features so guests know what to expect. This year's opening on November 3rd was Mountain High's earliest ever. "

During severe drought conditions?
Where did all the water come from that gave them good coverage ?
Maybe a good portion of it came from Swarthout Creek where Wrightwood residents domestic water supply is in critical condition.

[Matt]

Yet no one mentions the country clubs pumping to fill the lake!! We are members and love the club but it's interesting that we look the other way when it comes to Mt. High / water issues.

[Ensen]

Isn't the Country Club lake empty?  The last time I walked by there, there wasn't a drop of water in it.  Maybe they have filled it since then.

Even if they have filled it, I think there is a difference.  I don't think the Country Club has a well - they have a water meter.  They can't pump unlimited amounts of water out of our water table unmonitored.

[Hillbillies]

Correct me if I am wrong:  I believe years ago that the country club lake used to be two natural lakes called "twin lakes".  These two lakes were the result of a natural spring.  Someone developed it and joined the two lakes into one and put a control on the water flow from the natural spring.  I am sure that if the lake's water had anything to do with taking away from the town's supply that I -- along with other members -- would agree to have a dry lake until the drought ends.  I highly doubt that Mt. High would stop making snow if we find they are causing the town's water to run dry sooner than normal.

[LasPulgas]

Ensen:

Today the lake was about half filled.  

Saw it on making the Garden Tour rounds.....    

[Nolena]

I believe that the majority of the wells that service Wrightwood are well above the Country Club elevationally.
The other lake of "Twin Lakes" was a trout pond where the baseball field is now.
The Country Club is on the San Andreas fault (and whose fault is that, anyway?), which explains the ground water being close to the surface. Other similar areas of high water table are Robin Lake (now Robin Circle) and Wright Lake (filled in and now the overgrown area at Mill and Mockingbird).

[Moose]

[Lisa]

The same question about the Country Club was asked in another topic. The Club does have a legal right to use the water and is used by hundreds of families so it does not appear to be an abuse in my mind.

No, I am not a member of the club so my opinion is not swayed from personal wants.

The Country Club lake is a natural sag pond located on the San Andreas fault; along with Jackson Lake, Wright Lake, Lost Lake, etc.

The Country Club does choose to regulate when they fill or empty the lake so it is a little different. The water does have the ability to percolate back into the Swarthout Creek where it came from and that's one of the key issues.

Since Swarthout Creek is recognized as a subterranean flow of a stream, recognized by the State Water Commission with case references back to 1899, the owners of the Country Club have a right as a riparian owner to the water. Let's not forget that Sumner B. Wright and Kate S. Wright have used water from Swarthout Creek under riparian and prescriptive rights since 1888. (all documented in State Water Commission records and that's what makes water law in our state)

Now that's not the case with MH water usage. It's a "whole" different story.

[Lisa]

With Wrightwood residents facing a domestic water shortage Mt High isn't about to stop filling their big reservoir. The East reservoir is now at 44 feet.

Get ready for another Mt High early opening.

Here's their tentative event schedule:
http://www.usasa.org/schedules.lasso?-token=browse&month=11&-maxRecords=all&-sortfield=day&-sortfield=series&-sortorder=ascending&-database=regions.fp3&-layout=schedules&-search

[Barry]

Lisa Posted  "The same question about the Country Club was asked in another topic. The Club does have a legal right to use the water and is used by hundreds of families so it does not appear to be an abuse in my mind.

No, I am not a member of the club so my opinion is not swayed from personal wants. "

Now you're making sense, so I'm sure you'll agree that if Mountain High has the legal right to use it's water and the resort is enjoyed by "THOUSANDS" of families it's also not an abuse, in your mind.