Page 44 - Sonoma County Gazette March 2017

It is currently not raining as I look out of the windows of my cozy cyber hut. As you all know we have received more than our share of rainfall so far this season – over 80” so far and more is predicted for the next few days. The prospect of crumbling hillsides and large trees dancing in the windy storms
Finally, a forecast of sustained sunshine here on our saturated West-County hillsides! The record amounts of rain are a God-send of course, filling our reservoirs and hopefully recharging our over-stretched aquifers.
is very disquieting and I hope that you are all safe! I
To volunteer at the lovely Sky Garden contact Cathy at schezer@comcast.net. The Cazadero Community Club resumes monthly meetings and I believe that the next will be on March 14th-7 p.m. at Firehall #1. Join your neighbors in planning great events which bene t the entrée community.
The soakings we have endured remind us that the soils in many areas of our County, geologically-speaking are always moving. Albeit a slow-motion act during dry years, this year the soils are slipping and rolling, sliding and liquefying, uprooting trees and stressing our infrastructure everywhere.
In March the 8th graders at Montgomery Elementary School begin the process to learning more about El Molino High School. On March 1st they will visit the high school and also on the 1st or the 9th they will be able to register. Contact the school o ce for speci c details. The school will be on their Spring break from March 20th thru the 24th and will be back to school on Monday, March 27th.
Crews are working around the clock trying to keep our main roads open and passible. Highway One North of Jenner just above Russian Gulch (in ‘the switchbacks’) has emergency repairs ongoing. Traffic is subject to extended delays as pilings are driven. This respite in the storms should help the crews make some headway. But rest assured you will see these same areas slipping and sliding next season, unless major work is done.
Please join the Russian River Historical Society at the Rainbow Cattle Company on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 at 6pm for Give Back Tuesday.
Many of our rural communities with community water systems find their resources under constant assault, whether it is stretching every drop to the maximum during the drought years, or trying to keep their treatment and delivery systems functioning after the deluge.
There will be a myriad of fabulous raffle prizes and a delicious dinner provided by Chef Paul of San Francisco Fire House Pasta for only $5.00 to
help support the continued e orts to protect, preserve and present the unique history of the Russian River area. Check their website at russianriverhistory.org
Several coastal water systems are having similar storm-related issues, but there couldn’t be bigger contrasts to the solutions and sources of funds.
Are you ready for an emergency? If not and you are interested, the Russian River Fire Protection District has a program called Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) that is trained to help if and when an emergency occurs and is looking for people to join them. the goal of the program is to be prepared to help your family, neighbors and community if and when the need occurs. It is the goal that each neighborhood would have trained members. New training classes are scheduled for March 18 & 19 and again March 23 & 26 from 9:00am to 4:00pm This training is open to all persons interested in helping their community. please contact Marilyn Fox at russianrivercert@gmail.com
The small river-meets-the-sea town of Jenner’s water system is County owned and run. The water mains have recently been in jeopardy of failure as the saturated geological forces of this hillside community slowly head for the Russian River. Emergency repairs are underway. A concern being shared by some residents is the price tag attached, and how will it be paid. With a very small resident population to cover costs, this tiny town’s water system barely makes it (financially) on a good day.
I wish very happy March birthdays to Shawn Sheets on the 6th, Rose Abbott on the 10th,Nikki Canelis celebrates on the 13th and Wyatt Parmeter and Annie Austin on the 16th. William Grider will turn 10 years old on the 24th and Taj Hart and my dear friend and fabulous poet Susan Kennedy have their day on the 31st.
Meanwhile, up the Sonoma Coast in the Sea Ranch, underground water main breaks have increased as the saturated soils undulate under vehicular traffic and falling-tree roots rip up the landscape. But in contrast, the Sea Ranch has a huge customer base to bear the costs. So flush with funds are they, that
a new million gallon treated water storage tank was recently installed to help them through future drought. They take emergency repair needs in stride.
Daylight Savings Time commences on March 12 and the Spring Equinox occurs on March 21st. Enjoy more sunlight and call me at 632-5545 or email mayawrld@sonic.net with info or your Cazadero Column.
Midway on the Sonoma Coast between Jenner and the Sea Ranch is Timber Cove. Their community water system that currently serves approximately one hundred homes, is run by the Timber Cove County Water District (TCCWD). The name is a little misleading as this is not a County-run system, but a community system with few employees and an all-volunteer board of directors.
44 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 3/17
We will be dry with an abundance of grasses very soon. There is little time for ego-over-common sense when it comes to fire safe preventative maintenance.
Having a small customer base (+- 220 properties within the small district’s boundaries) has the plight of Timber Cove’s water company looking more like Jenner than Sea Ranch. It is an ongoing challenge to keep the tanks filled for domestic and fire-fighting needs, while at the same time keeping the rates affordable to the customers.
Recently in addition to the job of supplying water, the TCCWD has taken on the major responsibility of administering Timber Cove’s Fire-Safe Program. As if making and delivering potable water while maintaining and upgrading the (overstretched rural) water and fire hydrants wasn’t a full-time commitment.
The Timber Cove subdivision still has dozens of vacant heavily-forested properties. Cal Fire has little enforcement authority on undeveloped forested properties, so it is up to the Community to encourage property owners
to maintain a safe and healthy forest. A home owner can meet all of the
most stringent Cal Fire clearing and setback requirements, only to have the neighboring vacant parcel put their home/investment in harm’s way.
Timber Cove is finding that even with a well-developed forest management plan and a comprehensive environmental study of their coastal terraces and forests, along with the assistance and guidance of the best in the USFS and other agencies, and having the health and safety of the entire Community at heart, some people simply do not wish to be told what to do.
Some would rather pay their attorney to challenge the recommendations to clean up the grasses and ladder fuels on their vacant parcels, than to simply mow their grasses. For them, it is ‘a matter of principle’.
The end result is that the Community ends up paying in the long-run.
Either by increased water rates (to answer frivolous attorney letters), or by an increased fire danger due to inaction.