To: Lake Davis Steering Committee
From: Julie Cunningham
Date: August 9, 2004
Re: Notes from the August 9, 2004 Lake Davis Steering Committee meeting held at Portola City Hall
Present: Doug Rischbieter (California Department of Water Resources) – by phone, Ralph Hinton (CDWR) – by phone, Fran Roudebush (Chair), Curtis Levine (CDWR), Mike Morrison (California Department of Fish and Game), Judy Schaeber (U.S. Forest Service), Colleen Marsh (Lake Davis Coalition), Julie Cunningham (CDFG)
Fishing Report – none
Water Level Update – Lake Davis is at 5,764.08 feet elevation, with a volume of 46,584 acre-feet. The reservoir is 10.92 feet below spill, and is about 2 feet lower than it was this time last year. The water level by Labor Day is projected to be at 5,763.17 feet. The end of the Honker Cove boat ramp is at 5762 feet, and the end of the Camp 5 boat ramp is 5,760.8. It will be a close call as to whether the boat ramps will be useable at the end of the season. The Department of Boating and Waterways has ramp extensions, but no money or personnel to install them. In regards to extending the boat docks during a reservoir draw-down, Judy and Doug have both spoken with James DiGiorgio with the California Department of Boating and waterways, and the item has been proposed in their 2006 budget.
Cultural Resources: Doug would like the DWR to coordinate with USFS archaeologists on any cultural resource surveys if the reservoir is drawn down. Julie will forward a draft CEQA workplan to Janis Offermann (DWR) and Dan Elliott (USFS) so that they will have an idea of a timeline for coordinating such a study.
Groundwater Issues: Julie, Colleen and Kelly have not set up any meetings with well owners. They may do this after a project is proposed. DWR geologist Toccoy Dudley will be visiting the area on Thursday August 12th, and if anyone would like to meet with him, Julie will set something up.
Economics of area – Julie reported on several discussions she has had with economists regarding the economic study. She spoke with John Sheehan of Plumas Corporation, Steve Hampton, an economist with the California Department of Fish and Game, Warren Jensen (CSUC Center for Economic Development) and Thomas Wegge. The most important data for determining local impacts as well as doing a cost-benefit analysis would be the “angler days” and amount anglers spend when visiting the area. Fran requested that Julie find out if the data used for the $9 million dollar settlement could be used in the study as well.
CDFG Director Visit Sept. 1, 2004. Fran announced that Ryan Broddrick would like to meet with the Steering Committee September 1. Ivan suggested that former Steering Committee members as well as a letter to the Plumas County Board of Supervisors and Portola City Council would be appropriate. Fran and Julie will put together a mailing list and invitation.
Letters of interest for vacancy on Steering Committee. Fran read two letters of interest submitted for the vacancies on the Steering Committee. The two interested parties are: Kent Petersmeyer, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Grizzly Ranch, and John T. Ball, retired Superior Court judge. No letters of interest were submitted for a business interest inside of the city limits, so Fran will be talking to Steve Clifton (Leonard’s Market) to see if he is interested, before interviews are held.
DFG Pike Removal Project update: Mike reported that crews are gill-netting and electrofishing. The catch was about 3100 pike in July (as compared to about 1800 or 1900 last July). At the end of August, funds for the field crews are projected to run out. During monitoring at the end of July, crews for the first time found pike (young-of-the-year) in rip-rap at Grizzly Dam.
Announcements: Colleen announced that the Lake Davis Homeowner’s Association has offered to purchase brown trout to stock in Lake Davis to eat the pike. Julie offered to give a presentation on pike ecology to the group. Stocking permits/proposals would need to be discussed with Lori Powers. Doug pointed out that browns in Lake Davis show a poor return to creel.
Julie announced that she and Ivan met with a group of public health personnel and others in Sacramento last Friday to discuss approaches to the public health issues of a project at Lake Davis. They met with Dr. Dave Spath (California Department of Health Services), Dr. Ron Tjeerdema (UC Davis), Dr. Peter Kurtz (California Department of Food and Agriculture), Brian Finlayson (California Department of Fish and Game) and Dr. Jennifer Gladden (Plumas County public health officer). The main thing to come out of the meeting was the idea of doing public informational meetings (similar to what has been done over the last couple of years) in parallel with the CEQA process. The group will be asked to review and comment on the public and environmental health portions of the environmental analysis.
A special meeting of the Steering Committee will be held with DFG Director Ryan Broddrick on Wednesday, September 1st at 1:00 p.m. The location is to be arranged.