Historical Clippings Book (HC-04) (198 pages)

. THE SACRAMENTO BEE Page C5 Sunday, March 19, 1967 California Resources Planners Fit Recreation Into Reservoir Projects By Clyde Gorman HE NATIONAL Wildlife Federation, once a gadily of heavy construction agencies involved in water, power and floodcontro] projects, is seeing more recreational features fitted into these public works from the planning stage on up, This was told to delegates from the nationwide organization as they gathered in San Francisco recently. The reason was summed up in a major speech by Gen. , William F, Cassidy, chief of the U.S. Army Engineers. ‘People ' are willing to spend money for things they would not spend for . before,”’ he said. He noted construction and operating agencies “now have the capability to go beyond stark needs.” In California, the big three in the government end of this business are the State Department of Public Works, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Army. When the construction of major reservoir projects began right after World War II, authority generally was limited to a take line just above the water. This usually was just a few vertical feet from the full pool. The purpose was to prevent damage by wave action to private land surrounding the , reservoir. In order to acquire a little room for public access, efforts sometimes were made to purchase by ‘“‘meets and bounds” — in other words, buy the whole parcel — a standard real estate practice to avoid severance damage. It soon was learned many farmers preferred to be left with half a farm and some fine resort property than to sell out completely. So for a time, it was a matter of squeezing in a public boat landing here and there. ONSIDERING last Sunday’s story, which noted the City of San Francisco does not even want a road near its Crystal Springs Reservoir, much less people and boats, how come the encouragement of water-based recreation in the Sierra reservoirs? Well, Crystal Springs water comes mostly by closed conduit — not open rivers — all the way from Hetch-Hetchy, high in the Sierra, and needs very little treatment, if any. By the time open stream flows reach the foothill line where the big Sierra dams are located, the water has to be treated anyway when used for domestic supply. On a national scale, Cassidy pointed out, water resources are being used at a rate much greater than nature can sustain without assistance. “Our water-resources potential is limited, . yet rapid national growth is accelerating demands at a pace . challenging our capability. “What will happen 40 years from now when twice as many people crowd this land and water requirements are more than doubled? Our enormous future needs can be met only by expanding water conservation and development, by cleaning up our sources of water and by keeping them unpolluted.” T APPEARS this nation is using only about 20 per cent of the water that falls on it. This is because rainfall varies from less than an inch per year to about 80 inches, considering the whole land surfaces. A solution is to take the people where the water is or take the water where the people are. In a 20-year projection, the chief of engineers feels present reservoir capacity will have to be doubled. So that water released by these dams will not make a salmon turn around and head back to sea, the wildlife delegates were assured: “We can keep our streams clean by the construction of proper sewage treatment and disposal systems, water treatment plants and by having available, where necessary, stored water to keep streams alive so nature can do its further work . of giving us good water of proper oxygen content.” In such a process there should be plenty of fish and game left to manage for the enjoyment of future Americans. The National Wildlife Federation, with its 1.2 million members, has become an important influence to retain and even improve scenic and recreational values while necessary harvesting of our natural resources continues, During the conference it was noted the Missouri River, known as the “Big Muddy” as a result of natural causes, is getting clean enough for trout. It would seem the presence of trout in a stream can tell a man almost as much about the quality of water as any laboratory test, So if a small trout comes out of your faucet, you know the water is good—but you had better notify the hatchery. California Resources PGE Developments Add To Recreation Facilities Demanded By Public By Clyde Gorman Wet IS THE ROLE of private industry in California's use of water resources? The coverage so far of dams, reservoirs and related works in this series has been based largely ‘on State of California and federal operations. It would be well to observe what nongovernment forces are doing, and specifically, the Pacific Gas & Electric Co. California rivers, especially those which begin high in the Sierra Nevada and the north coastal mountains, provide immense power drops. Yet, because of the seasonal fluctuations of our streams, hydro-electric power must be teamed with other energy sources to match daily peaks and changing demands. To handle these swift changes of load requires a well integrated group of little companies or one well-organized big one, So it was that the PGE outgrew its hometown of San Francisco in the 1930s and expanded its service area north to Oregon and south about 500 miles to the vicinity of Bakersfield in the Central Valleys, and Santa Maria on the coast. Then it feathers into the Southern California Edison Co., the big producer in the southland. The PGE area covers 47 counties or some 94,000 square miles which are inhabited by more than 9 million people, ry\0 SUPPLY the present power market, the company has an I installed capacity of more than 8 million kilowatts. of this, one-third is supplied by 68 hydro plants. The rest comes from standard steam plants, and four others that have just emerged from the science-fiction field: Two powered by nuclear energy and two geothermal (geysers). Yet it is the hydro plants that appeal to those who appreciate outdoor recreation. Dotted throughout the mountains of the service area are 150 lakes and reservoirs. They have a total capacity exceeding . 295 million acre-feet and 450 miles of shoreline. The company . usually owns enough of this shoreline for operational requirements, and this in turn often abuts public land, mostly U.S. Forest Service and some in national parks. Through cooperation with such agencies, and also on its own, modem campgrounds are made available to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. When off by itself, or in areas not adjacent ! to places where fees are charged, access to PGE watershed lands is free. The utility company’s own construction and maintenance crews keep the grounds in shape. For directions ! to these areas, there is a booklet called “Your 1967 Guide to PGE Campgrounds and Picnic Areas,” available at all local PGE offices. With spring already here and summer conmung on, it might be handy to have for a low-budget and high-fun vacation. These water power reservoirs vary in size from Lake Ak manor (1,360,869 acre-feet) near elevation 5,000, not far frot Mt. Shasta, to small diversion structures not much over 3,005 acre-feet, 'TATER DROPPED on a turbine can make a power plan W go from zero to full capacity in 80 seconds. As a resul water power is used to inject energy into the system quickly whenever needed, especially during peak loads when everyone turns on his lights at night, or cranks up the shop in the morning. That is the reason for the reservoirswater will be there, no matter what time of year, It folle that threugh this hydro power process, California streams that would have dried up or trickled in the summer are kept alive This is hydro plant tucked away no hydro plant, versely, in times of heavy flow, th contro! during a heavy storm i Even then, being full, they have kep of downstream channels. The littl d write-off, but they help by just being there. As a final observation, to she picture fits to . the bi.

. THE SACRAMENTO BEE Page C5 Sunday, March 19, 1967 California Resources Planners Fit Recreation Into Reservoir Projects By Clyde Gorman HE NATIONAL Wildlife Federation, once a gadily of heavy construction agencies involved in water, power and floodcontro] projects, is seeing more recreational features fitted into these public works from the planning stage on up, This was told to delegates from the nationwide organization as they gathered in San Francisco recently. The reason was summed up in a major speech by Gen. , William F, Cassidy, chief of the U.S. Army Engineers. ‘People ' are willing to spend money for things they would not spend for . before,”’ he said. He noted construction and operating agencies “now have the capability to go beyond stark needs.” In California, the big three in the government end of this business are the State Department of Public Works, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Army. When the construction of major reservoir projects began right after World War II, authority generally was limited to a take line just above the water. This usually was just a few vertical feet from the full pool. The purpose was to prevent damage by wave action to private land surrounding the , reservoir. In order to acquire a little room for public access, efforts sometimes were made to purchase by ‘“‘meets and bounds” — in other words, buy the whole parcel — a standard real estate practice to avoid severance damage. It soon was learned many farmers preferred to be left with half a farm and some fine resort property than to sell out completely. So for a time, it was a matter of squeezing in a public boat landing here and there. ONSIDERING last Sunday’s story, which noted the City of San Francisco does not even want a road near its Crystal Springs Reservoir, much less people and boats, how come the encouragement of water-based recreation in the Sierra reservoirs? Well, Crystal Springs water comes mostly by closed conduit — not open rivers — all the way from Hetch-Hetchy, high in the Sierra, and needs very little treatment, if any. By the time open stream flows reach the foothill line where the big Sierra dams are located, the water has to be treated anyway when used for domestic supply. On a national scale, Cassidy pointed out, water resources are being used at a rate much greater than nature can sustain without assistance. “Our water-resources potential is limited, . yet rapid national growth is accelerating demands at a pace . challenging our capability. “What will happen 40 years from now when twice as many people crowd this land and water requirements are more than doubled? Our enormous future needs can be met only by expanding water conservation and development, by cleaning up our sources of water and by keeping them unpolluted.” T APPEARS this nation is using only about 20 per cent of the water that falls on it. This is because rainfall varies from less than an inch per year to about 80 inches, considering the whole land surfaces. A solution is to take the people where the water is or take the water where the people are. In a 20-year projection, the chief of engineers feels present reservoir capacity will have to be doubled. So that water released by these dams will not make a salmon turn around and head back to sea, the wildlife delegates were assured: “We can keep our streams clean by the construction of proper sewage treatment and disposal systems, water treatment plants and by having available, where necessary, stored water to keep streams alive so nature can do its further work . of giving us good water of proper oxygen content.” In such a process there should be plenty of fish and game left to manage for the enjoyment of future Americans. The National Wildlife Federation, with its 1.2 million members, has become an important influence to retain and even improve scenic and recreational values while necessary harvesting of our natural resources continues, During the conference it was noted the Missouri River, known as the “Big Muddy” as a result of natural causes, is getting clean enough for trout. It would seem the presence of

trout in a stream can tell a man almost as much about the quality of water as any laboratory test, So if a small trout comes out of your faucet, you know the water is good—but you had better notify the hatchery. California Resources PGE Developments Add To Recreation Facilities Demanded By Public By Clyde Gorman Wet IS THE ROLE of private industry in California's use of water resources? The coverage so far of dams, reservoirs and related works in this series has been based largely ‘on State of California and federal operations. It would be well to observe what nongovernment forces are doing, and specifically, the Pacific Gas & Electric Co. California rivers, especially those which begin high in the Sierra Nevada and the north coastal mountains, provide immense power drops. Yet, because of the seasonal fluctuations of our streams, hydro-electric power must be teamed with other energy sources to match daily peaks and changing demands. To handle these swift changes of load requires a well integrated group of little companies or one well-organized big one, So it was that the PGE outgrew its hometown of San Francisco in the 1930s and expanded its service area north to Oregon and south about 500 miles to the vicinity of Bakersfield in the Central Valleys, and Santa Maria on the coast. Then it feathers into the Southern California Edison Co., the big producer in the southland. The PGE area covers 47 counties or some 94,000 square miles which are inhabited by more than 9 million people, ry\0 SUPPLY the present power market, the company has an I installed capacity of more than 8 million kilowatts. of this, one-third is supplied by 68 hydro plants. The rest comes from standard steam plants, and four others that have just emerged from the science-fiction field: Two powered by nuclear energy and two geothermal (geysers). Yet it is the hydro plants that appeal to those who appreciate outdoor recreation. Dotted throughout the mountains of the service area are 150 lakes and reservoirs. They have a total capacity exceeding . 295 million acre-feet and 450 miles of shoreline. The company . usually owns enough of this shoreline for operational requirements, and this in turn often abuts public land, mostly U.S. Forest Service and some in national parks. Through cooperation with such agencies, and also on its own, modem campgrounds are made available to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. When off by itself, or in areas not adjacent ! to places where fees are charged, access to PGE watershed lands is free. The utility company’s own construction and maintenance crews keep the grounds in shape. For directions ! to these areas, there is a booklet called “Your 1967 Guide to PGE Campgrounds and Picnic Areas,” available at all local PGE offices. With spring already here and summer conmung on, it might be handy to have for a low-budget and high-fun vacation. These water power reservoirs vary in size from Lake Ak manor (1,360,869 acre-feet) near elevation 5,000, not far frot Mt. Shasta, to small diversion structures not much over 3,005 acre-feet, 'TATER DROPPED on a turbine can make a power plan W go from zero to full capacity in 80 seconds. As a resul water power is used to inject energy into the system quickly whenever needed, especially during peak loads when everyone turns on his lights at night, or cranks up the shop in the morning. That is the reason for the reservoirswater will be there, no matter what time of year, It folle that threugh this hydro power process, California streams that would have dried up or trickled in the summer are kept alive This is hydro plant tucked away no hydro plant, versely, in times of heavy flow, th contro! during a heavy storm i Even then, being full, they have kep of downstream channels. The littl d write-off, but they help by just being there. As a final observation, to she picture fits to . the bi.