January 15, 2008

Water is not the biggest problem

By Danielle Seckler

   Ever since the water rates were increased for commercial users last summer, water has taken over as the major issue for several Big Bear Lake City Council members. Do we have enough water for current customers and future growth? If we need more water than can be naturally recharged from snow and rain, where do we get it? Will we have to buy into down the hill water sources (very, very expensive), use BBARWA water inside the valley (very expensive), stop growth, or get water from the CSD if they have enough to sell? All are important questions and we believe the questions deserve serious consideration.

   There are people in this valley who believe that growth has to be stopped to keep the valley as a quaint mountain community, which doesn’t go down well with the real estate industry who generally believe that ‘if you built it, they will come’. Those are the two extremes; however the middle of the road would be to have sustainable growth. Sustainable growth needs to know how much water there is in the valley, which the Big Bear City Community Services District (CSD) is working on with the US Geological Services, however phase one is almost completed and much more study and money to pay for it will have to be done. The Big Bear Lake Department of Water and Power (DWP) have completed a master plan which tries to look into the crystal ball to see how much growth could be possible. The DWP researched how many parcels of land could be subdivided, vacant land that could be built on, and projections of part-time residential properties that could be converted into fulltime residents, and lastly how the retiring baby boomers will have an affect on all the numbers. It is from the DWP master water plan that City Council members keep quoting that in 2015 we will need an outside water source; however that only takes into effect the water needs of the DWP, without knowing if the CSD has enough water.

   The problem is not just water; the higher danger to the mountain communities is first and foremost fire, sheriff deployment, code enforcement, and electricity are equally high on the list. In 2006 we had six fires that threatened the valley; in April we had the Los Fores and Silverlake fires, in September the Butler I & II fires, and October Green Valley and Arrowhead fires. Without snow covering the mountaintop during the winter season and the continuing drought, we live in a year round fire area and most of the residents are aware of the constant threat from the forest that surrounds us. As the chair of the Fire Safe Council has stated many, many times; “fire is an equal destroyer”. A fire that starts in Erwin Lake or Sugarloaf can blow into Big Bear Lake and visa versa.

   With the housing market in the dumper and projected not to be resolved in the Inland Empire until at least 2010 and we expect the local housing market to take longer, despite some rosy projections. Americans are facing stagnant wages, foreclosures (especially on second homes), and fears of recession with ever tightening of credit, while locally our area is deemed as a massive fire waiting to happen. We can no longer expect that locally we will be lucky that a fire will not sweep into the valley. Make no mistake the Mother Nature has given us several reprieves since 2003 many times by stepping in. We don’t see that the date of 2015 of being the year for a new water source for the DWP as being realistic.

   Once again the cart is being put in front of the horse. What we really need, is some serious people who will look at the valley a whole. The problem is that in this small pond we call our valley; the frogs won’t share their Lillie pads and they don’t work together. Remember after the 2003 Old Fire, when the Healthy Urban Forest Initiative Committee was created under the previous general manager, Michael Perry. They collected over $175,000 from the Big Bear Lake, CSD, BBARWA, DWP, and MWD to name a few? Meetings were scheduled and after about a year or two, it petered out, so Mayor Bill Jahn disbanded it. Did anyone get an accounting of the money spent on what? Chipper programs were started, yet each fire department did their own thing in the end, though as a group they did get the community wilderness protection plan (CWPP) done for the entire mountaintop. Then there was nothing until last summer, and the City decided on having the Big Bear Lake fire department and planning commission come up with some pretty restrictive fire protection ordinances, however most of it was smacked down as they never included the community for input and education.

   Why can’t anyone get it straight? Work together on valley wide plans for fire, water, and growth. Have the same rules and regulations for incorporated and unincorporated areas apply to the entire valley. What good does it do, if Big Bear Lake clears out all the fire fuels, trees, and woodpiles; while the unincorporated and US Forest does not? What good do does it do if Big Bear Lake clears out the fire danger and the fire hydrants in the east don’t have enough water pressure to put out a structural fire? With normal winds, a fire in the east will back whip around Sugarloaf Mountain to Big Bear Lake. To protect people in the west or east, there must be a constant improvement of water delivery, fire fuel reduction, and a general plan for sustainable growth.

   Leave the egos and ulterior motives behind – think valley wide. Fire, water, and growth are valley wide issues.

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