12 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY february 9-15, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com With January’s onslaught of storms now past, Monterey County officials are counting the toll of rain and flood damage on the local water infrastructure—and hoping that federal relief funds will help them shore up the main rivers, dams and reservoirs. Both during and after the storms, the Monterey County Water Resources Agency has been focusing on three primary areas of water infrastructure under its jurisdiction: the county’s two main dams and reservoirs, at Lake Nacimiento and Lake San Antonio; the Pajaro River’s levees; and the Old Salinas River slide gate, which connects that channel to the Salinas River Lagoon. The good news is that, on all three fronts, the county was able to monitor the damage and act accordingly, according to Lew Bauman, interim general manager of the Water Resources Agency. However, there was millions of dollars worth of damage sustained, and officials will be leaning on Federal Emergency Management Agency funds to help cover the costs. While ongoing drought conditions meant the reservoirs were previously “at very low levels,” Bauman says the storms dumped enough rain to prompt the Water Resources Agency to release water from Lake Nacimiento in order to preserve a buffer against potential overflow. Those releases caused further erosion to the reservoir’s plunge pool, where the dam’s spillway dumps water into the Nacimiento River, so the agency “engaged a contractor to retrofit the sides of the plunge pool with riprap to prevent erosion,” Bauman notes. At the Pajaro River’s levees, the agency installed roughly 3,000 feet worth of muscle wall, concrete K-rail barriers and other flood prevention infrastructure “to ensure that the levee didn’t overtop,” Bauman says. “Those activities were successful in preventing the flooding of the [Pajaro] community,” he adds, with the agency continuing improvements to the levees during the wet season. At the Old Salinas River channel, a combination of swelling river flows and high tides crashing in from Monterey Bay caused serious damage to both the slide gate and an access road. The damage was enough that the county has engaged a design firm to draw up the requisite repairs. In total, the various repairs could cost the county up to $7.5 million, according to Bauman: $3.5 million for the reservoir’s plunge pool, $2.5 million for the slide gate and access road, and $1.5 million for the Pajaro River levees. Immediate repairs through February are fully reimbursable by FEMA, Bauman notes, with longer-term improvements 75-percent covered by the federal agency. The county will also look to California disaster assistance funding to help with the work. safety, security, environmental stewardship, and more, which often exceed requirements of international law,” Craighead wrote in a letter to Mayor Tyller Williamson. Craighead asked the city to engage in “a constructive dialogue” with the industry before making any decisions. The concern of even the remote potential of a spill of toxic chemicals or human waste into the sanctuary, along with air pollution generated by the ships, was what drove Brent Allen, a founder of Protect Monterey Bay, to organize protests against cruise ships a few years ago. On Feb. 10, 2019, over 100 people showed up to San Carlos Beach in Monterey with surfboards, paddleboards and kayaks to paddle out in protest. Allen now lives in Oklahoma, but remains active with the group, now organized as a nonprofit. “There wasn’t one good part to that decision [to allow cruise ships] other than someone needs the courage to just say ‘no,’” Allen says. Despite the protests, the position of the city in 2019 was that the ships were following strict federal protocols designed to protect against damage to the environment. Several months after the paddle-out protest, 175 people attended a city-sponsored meeting about cruise ships amid growing concern over an increase in visits—from 11 ships in 2018 to 18 in 2019, although three were canceled due to dangerous water conditions. Eight experts on the city’s panel assured the public that the ships were safe, with the overall impact to the marine sanctuary being mostly benign. After Covid-19, Uslar changed his mind. “The key question I have for the industry is, can you guarantee nothing will happen? They cannot guarantee it,” he says. On Feb. 7 local business interests, including the Fisherman’s Wharf Association, argued against ending services. The council sided with Uslar 3-2, councilmembers Ed Smith and Kim Barber dissenting. Companies could find another way to have shore services provided. A schedule of ship visits on the city’s website shows the Discovery Princess is expected to arrive in Monterey on March 14. Water Bill The county counts millions in damage to water infrastructure from storms. By Rey Mashayekhi news Saving Lives Help give back to people facing medical challenges by donating blood. Donating takes about an hour and can save up to three lives. 1-5pm Friday, Feb. 10. Monterey Church, 401 Alvarado St., Monterey. Free. 877-258-4825, vitalant.org. On a Stroll Join the monthly Walk with a Doc program to do what the doctor says—get out for a hike—while chatting with a medical clinician. This month, the group is headed to Fort Ord National Monument. Jennifer Rodriguez, an RN, is a heart care coordinator and will address what is cardiac arrest versus a heart attack. 9am Saturday, Feb. 11. Fort Ord National Monument, Badger Hills Trailhead, Toro Creek Road, Salinas. Free. 759-1890. For more information and to reserve your spot, email healthpromotion@svmh.com. Sea Groupies Monterey Bay Aquarium is looking for people who are passionate about a thriving ocean and educating others to become new volunteer guides. Volunteers must be at least 18, and bilingual speakers are especially encouraged to participate. Sign up for one of three informational sessions to learn more about training and what volunteers do. Virtual sessions at 7pm Monday, Feb. 13 and Thursday, Feb. 16 (Zoom links will be sent one week prior to meetings, for those who RSVP). In-person session 8:30am Monday, Feb. 18 at Monterey Bay Aquarium, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey. Free. 648-4800, montereybayaquarium.org/volunteer. Critter Care Hitchcock Road Animal Services is looking for volunteers to help support shelter duties. There are an array of jobs available, including dog walking, web support and adoption services. (Volunteers are required to complete an application, attend an orientation and follow the Health Department onboarding process that includes fingerprinting and a TB test.) 1-5pm Tuesday-Saturday. Hitchcock Animal Services, 160 Hitchcock Road, Salinas. Free. 769-8798. Email your interest form to the volunteer coordinator at bradyk1@co.monterey.ca.us. GOVERNMENT SPENDING The city of Pacific Grove has launched a new financial transparency portal. Click through to view a check register by vendor and date, status updates on capital projects, and a dashboard to track the status of city council goals. Free to use. Viewable online at pacificgrove-ca.cleargov.com. The Monterey County Water Resources Agency shored up the Pajaro River’s levees during January’s storms, with the infrastructure work costing up to $1.5 million. e-mail: publiccitizen@mcweekly.com TOOLBOX The damage could cost up to $7.5 million to repair. Daniel Dreifuss signal continued from page 10
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