Last Tuesday night the Marysville City Council rejected a proposal by rice farmer Charlie Mathews and former City Councilmember Dale Whitmore to once again pump fresh Yuba River water to Ellis Lake. Mathews was to contribute $10,000 and Whitmore $1,500 along with collaborating with all entities (Yuba Water Agency, State Water Resources, PG and E and the city) to make the lake clean once again.
Longtime council member and former Yuba County Supervisor Bill Simmons put the item on the agenda and made the motion to accept the River Water plan but the effort died due to inaction by councilmembers McKenzie, Samayoa, Buttacavoli and Hudson.
Simmons was the catalyst to rehabilitate and re-open the abandoned Riverfront Park Boat Ramp on the Yuba River after decades of neglect by the city. That was accomplished by collaborating with private businesses working pro bono, federal and state permitting agencies, National Guard equipment operators, and Yuba County. It included dredging the river inlet and all the clearances that entails.
Today’s algae-laden putrid lake was once clear and clean enough to swim-in according to former elected officials and long-time city residents. And, that was accomplished by using Yuba River water from melted snow delivered to the lake and then exiting into Jack Slough and onto the Feather River.
The council hired engineering firm EKI Environment and Water to study the lake and propose a plan to resolve the ongoing mess. However, EKI’s report makes no sense. It appears they had their mind made-up; they didn’t do their homework; or used bad data.
They outright rejected utilizing Yuba River water while offering inaccurate or exaggerated assumptions according to Mathews. For example, EKI claims the Yuba Water approach would result in high capital investment, operating and permitting costs.
However, EKI offers no proof of this conclusion but instead uses speculative language to sell its mechanical lake bottom aeration system which does come with exorbitant costs. And, the final outcome would not even clean the lake enough for “contact recreation,” normally called swimming.
Yuba County has numerous man-made lakes that are pure and clean being fed by snow water and all having an exit to a steam or river. None utilize compressor-powered aerators on the lake-bottom, nor are they treated with chemicals, and they all have “contact recreation.”
In the EKI Table A list of negatives about using Yuba River water EKI uses the words ”could,” “may” and “might” to construct the downside argument against utilizing nature’s way versus creating a “Frankenstein” mechanical lake. For $144,144 they offer speculation.
How about an academic analysis using “would” and “will”? How about offering some facts and guarantees to discount what has worked in the past and to refute the Mathews-Whitmore offer?
EKI and Mathews-Whitmore (M-W) agree that using the lake’s ground water well introduces minerals into the lake which feed algae. In other words, ground water from a well creates more algae. Snow water from the Yuba River does not have a high mineral content therefore starving out the algae.
Per its report, EKI’s aeration system will cost $695,000 for the pilot project and final construction plus $45,000 a year in operation and maintenance costs. Simmons says a one-time treatment of algae killing chemical costs an additional $22,000. EKI has a personal benefit in its aeration proposal, they get paid more.
The M-W plan would cost the city $10,000 – 15,000 in power costs annually to bring fresh water into the lake. And M-W is donating the “seed” money of $11,500 to hook-up and test the pump and obtain the proper permits. M-W suggest turning off the ground water pump in September and using Yuba River water instead as a test while they pick-up the cost.
M-W say if the council agrees to the approach of pumping from the Yuba River, Ellis Lake could then be drained, the fish and debris removed and the lake could be refilled in 11 days with fresh water.
The river water is free and Marysville has pre-1914 riparian water rights on the Yuba River. Numerous articles dating back to 1903 in the Appeal Democrat describe fresh Yuba River water brought by ditch and flume into Ellis Lake. If the council declines the use of the river water their rights to the Yuba River will be suspended squandering millions of dollars in future benefits.
(Get Lou’s podcast at “No Hostages Radio” and his articles at nohostagesradio.com)
Councilmembers Phone Numbers
Ricky Samayoa 530-749-3901
Bruce Buttacavoli 530-749-3901
Brad Hudson 530-632-5656
Stephanie McKenzie 530-217-8562
Bill Simmons 530-844-0229
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