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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – State officials said emergency repairs are continuing at the Oroville Dam’s damaged spillway in an effort to restart operations at the dam’s power plant, which provides another outlet for water release at the facility.
On Tuesday, one day after the Department of Water Resources, or DWR, halted flows down the damaged flood control spillway at the dam, crews continue removing a debris pile estimated at roughly 1 million cubic yards at the base of the spillway.
Debris removal will help lower the water level in the channel that leads to Hyatt power plant, officials said.
Bringing down the water height in that channel is a key step to restoring function at the power plant, which will give DWR another means of releasing water from the reservoir.
The forecast for the coming week is relatively dry, and Lake Oroville is not expected to rise above 860 feet elevation while spillway flows are halted for up to seven days.
The lake level still would be 41 feet below the level at which the emergency spillway would be used. The current lake level is 840 feet elevation, with inflows of roughly 20,000 cubic feet per second.
If Hyatt power plant function is not restored within seven days, DWR will use the flood control spillway again to regulate reservoir levels.
In preparation for the restarting of Hyatt power plant, DWR is moving a power line in order to connect the second of three lines needed to enable reoperation of the entire plant. This work is being coordinated with Pacific Gas & Electric Co.
Once operational, the Hyatt power plant can discharge roughly 14,000 cubic feet per second, which will allow state water officials to better manage reservoir levels through the remaining spring runoff season.
On Monday, flows down the flood control spillway gradually dropped from 50,000 cubic feet per second to zero, ceasing around noon.
The cessation of flows has allowed DWR to better assess the extent of erosion on the flood control spillway that was first noticed Feb. 7.
“We’ve been monitoring this spillway closely since Feb. 7, and we knew there was significant damage before we went to zero flows,” said acting state Water Resources Director Bill Croyle. “It’s clear we have a lot of work ahead of us. Work already is underway to repair or replace the damaged spillway so that we are ready for next winter.”
The halt in flood control spillway releases gives workers safe access to the debris pile. Crews are excavating day and night. Excavators, bulldozers and several crane barges are in operation.
Flows necessary to meet fishery requirements in the Feather River downstream of the dam are being maintained at 2,500 cubic feet per second through use of water stored in the diversion pool and Thermalito Forebay and Afterbay. This complex of small reservoirs just downstream of Oroville Dam will provide enough water to maintain flows for approximately seven days.
DWR and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife together are surveying the Feather River downstream of Oroville Diversion Dam to rescue fish that may get stranded in pools as the river level falls.
Adult salmon are not expected to be in the river at this time of year, and young salmon likely have already moved downstream with recent high flows.
Since Feb. 12, Department of Water Resources has reduced water levels in Lake Oroville from 901 feet elevation to 840 feet, more than 60 feet below the top of the emergency spillway.
DWR is coordinating with Caltrans to address the impact of emergency response activities on local roads, and this will continue throughout the operation.
For information on lake conditions; including lake levels, inflows and outflows visit http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/resapp/resDetailOrig.action?resid=ORO .
Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday released annual applicant and appointee data for the administration's judicial appointments across California.
From 2011 through 2016, Gov. Brown appointed 356 judges – including 45 in 2016 – from a pool of more than 2,000 applicants.
Over those six years, nearly 40 percent of Gov. Brown's appointees identified themselves as American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian; Black or African-American; Hispanic; Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander; or other/unknown.
Last year, Hispanic appointees accounted for more than one in five judicial appointments.
From 2011 through 2016, Gov. Brown's judicial appointees included a number of notable firsts:
– Yvette Durant, the first woman judge ever appointed to the Sierra County Superior Court.
– Richard T. Fields, the first black man appointed to the Fourth District Court of Appeal.
– Marco D. Nunez, the first openly gay judge ever appointed to the Imperial County Superior Court.
– Sonia Cortés, the first Latino judge ever appointed to the Yolo County Superior Court.
– Marsha G. Slough, the first openly gay justice in the history of the Fourth District Court of Appeal.
– Luis A. Lavin, the first openly gay justice to serve on the Second District Court of Appeal.
– Therese M. Stewart, the first openly lesbian justice to serve on the California Court of Appeal.
– Ferdinand P. Inumerable, the first Asian-American judge ever appointed to the Ventura County Superior Court.
– M. Bruce Smith, the first black judge to serve on the Fifth District Court of Appeal.
– Paul Lo, the first Hmong American judge ever appointed in the country.
– Sunshine Sykes, the first American Indian judge ever appointed to the Riverside County Superior Court.
– Sunil Kulkarni, the first South Asian American judge ever appointed in Northern California.
– Rupa Goswami, the first South Asian American woman judge ever appointed in California.
– Halim Dhanidina, the first American-Muslim judge ever appointed in California.
– Jim Humes, the first openly gay justice ever appointed to the California Court of Appeal.
– Miguel Marquez, the first Latino justice ever appointed to the Sixth District Court of Appeal.
– Rosendo Peña, the first Latino justice ever appointed to the Fifth District Court of Appeal.
– Chris Doehle, the first female judge ever appointed to the Del Norte County Superior Court.
– Kimberly Colwell, the first openly lesbian judge ever appointed to the Alameda County Superior Court.
– Mark Andrew Talamantes, the first Latino judge ever appointed to the Marin County Superior Court.
– Kathleen O'Leary, the first female presiding justice ever appointed to the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three.
– Raquel Marquez, the first Latina judge ever appointed to the Riverside County Superior Court.
Under SB 56 and SB 182, the governor is required to disclose aggregate statewide demographic data provided by all judicial applicants by March 1.
UKIAH, Calif. – The superintendent/president of the Mendocino-Lake Community College District, Arturo Reyes, has recently been named a finalist in the search for Chancellor at the Ventura County Community College District.
Reyes credits the incredible staff and faculty at Mendocino College for his recruitment. “I know that I was recruited as a candidate for this position in great part due to the tremendous work of the MLCCD board, faculty, staff and managers here at Mendocino College. Our work together is something I am incredibly proud of and have shared with my colleagues around the state since I came to Ukiah over four years ago.”
Living closer to his father, now age 90 and residing primarily in Rosarito, Mexico most of the year, is a huge factor behind Reyes’ consideration of this position.
After being contacted by the search firm representing Ventura County Community College District Reyes said, “I have carefully considered my father’s situation and the chance to be closer to him while contemplating the prospect of serving students in another region of the State in considering this opportunity.”
President Reyes has led a multitude of initiatives in his time at Mendocino College, including the college’s designation as a Hispanic Serving Institution; the acquisition of the coastal territory and center from College of the Redwoods; significant growth in state and federal grant funding; a comprehensive effort to create a more equity-minded, inclusive culture at the college; strong enrollments, and strengthened relationships and partnerships with all K-12 districts in the region.
In speaking with Reyes, he looks forward to continued success in the California Community College system.
“I have been blessed with tremendous opportunities to serve different communities and honored to serve Mendocino and Lake counties,” he said. “My current role as superintendent/president continues to be very rewarding, inspiring and professionally gratifying. Our trustees, managers, staff, faculty and students are second to none.”
Reyes and his family are saddened about the possibility of leaving this area, yet this is a new opportunity and a professional challenge worth considering.
“If offered the position it will be my father’s situation, the strength and values of their district, and the best interest of my loved ones that will help inform my final decision,” he said.
The Ventura County Community College District serves more than 35,000 students and employs more than 900 staff and faculty members at Moorpark, Ventura and Oxnard College.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Library Literacy Program is having a training for volunteer tutors on Tuesday, March 28.
The training will take place from noon to 5 p.m. at the Redbud Library, 14785 Burns Valley Road, Clearlake.
Participants will learn useful techniques for teaching adults to read and practice the techniques with a partner.
Upon completion of the training, tutors will be matched with adult learners in a variety of settings around the county.
Those who would like to help adults learn to read are encouraged to attend.
For more information or to register, please call 707-263-7633.
MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – The Stonyford Work Center on the Grindstone Ranger District of the Mendocino National Forest will be closed to the public on Wednesday, March 8, for an all-employee meeting.
Regular business hours will resume at 8 a.m. on Thursday, March 9.
Please check the forest Web site for current information, https://www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino .
Forest visitor maps are best used to view the entire National Forest and are great for driving through or planning a trip, showing recreational sites, campgrounds, public information sites and other attractions in the forest.
These maps may be purchased online through the National Forest Store at http://www.nationalforestmapstore.com/Default.asp or by calling 406-329-3024.
If you have questions, contact Lisa Marie Le Fever, district administrative staff officer, at 530-934-1147, or by email
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Lake County Council of Church Women United will meet Friday, March 3.
The meeting will take place beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Lower Lake Community United Methodist Church Social Hall, located at 16255 Second St.
The theme is, “Human Rights Celebration: Kindling New Fires of Hope.”
Guest speakers are Melissa Fulton, chief executive officer of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce and organizer of the Stars of Lake County Awards, and Janine Smith Citron of Hospice Services of Lake County who will share about the organization’s humanitarian works in Lake County.
In December, 1941, just a few days after World War II was declared, Church Women United was formed, and human rights have been on the group’s agenda since then.
Church Women United has been a part of the United Nations as a nongovernmental organization since its formation as well. It has supported the Universal Declaration of Human Rights since the UN adopted it in 1948. Human rights have been front and center in the organization’s witness and service.
With this history in mind, Church Women United began its human rights celebration 12 years ago to honor individuals who have made progress in this arena.
In Lake County the group will celebrate two such organizations, along with Church Women United’s Shoe Program. Members provide shoes to all needy school children in Lake County. Working in partnership with Healthy Start, vouchers/gift certificates are redeemable at Big Kmart to school children.
To attend the celebration, please RSVP to 707-799-6062.