I received a notice from the Lake County Community Development Dept. that will consider approving a grading permit for the installation of a new 40-acre vineyard on a 240 acre parcel owned by Wild Diamond Vineyard LLC. I can see the steep slope that they have already started stripping bare of trees, brush and all vegetation, from my front window at the top of Eagle Rock Rd. A public hearing was held on Dec. 10, 2014 for community comments. The survey area is located on the crest and southeastern slopes of a northwest-southeast ridge on the east side of Coyote Valley. Drainage from the west and south sides of the property runs to an unnamed tributary and on to Coyote Creek, then it flows south into Hidden Valley Lake. At high water it may flow through Hidden Valley Lake to Putah Creek. The soil survey from the ‘Wild Diamond Biological Assessment Report 07-18-13’, on this section of 15-30% slope, has determined that surface runoff is rapid and the hazard of erosion is severe and will have the potential to negatively impact HVL ecology with topsoil/silt and pollution from pesticides killing fish and nitrogen fertilizers increasing weed production. The County must monitor all mitigation practices required to prevent excessive erosion with adequate enforcement. The total acres graded and planted with vineyard will be 108 acres. The county should require that all creeks flowing into HVL from the Vineyard area to be monitored for levels of contaminated drainage run-off going into Hidden Valley Lake. Pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides can be dangerous to fish and aquatic animals, and also pose a threat to swimmers and to the water quality, especially if the lake has to be used as a back-up water supply in the future. Fertilizers and soil from erosion are also damaging to the lake, and cause aquatic weeds to proliferate, so that we may have to use more herbicides to control them. Another concern is the depletion of groundwater supplies or interference with groundwater recharge causing a net deficit in aquifer volume and lowering of the groundwater table level. The Lake County Water Resources Dept. does not consider this area a ground water basin and is not regulated by the state and it has not been extensively studied. HVL is using a valley aquifer.....the vineyard is using a high valley water source. The vineyard is expected use 12 acre-feet of water per year. The production rate of pre-existing nearby wells could drop to a level which would not support existing land uses or planned uses for which permits have been issued. Hidden Valley has a moratorium on water connections and development of lots due to extreme drought. These factors will probably result in lower assessment revenues and real estate values and increased cost to existing homeowners. A thorough hydrological study should be done to determine a baseline for the groundwater table used by the vineyard to mitigate the negative impact on the quantity of groundwater for preexisting wells. Concerned residents of Hidden Valley Lake and Spruce Grove Road areas are petitioning the County Board of Supervisors for a hydrological study, and also to look at the chemicals being used in the vineyard, and their potential negative impact on our Lake and riparian ecology. Since the Lake County Water Resources Dept. considers HVL a secondary reservoir for the community’s drinking water supply, I fear the destruction of that emergency source. Air quality standards will be violated if removed vegetation is burned and not chipped, and may also be violated by dust that may blow in the dry season. I think we must also be concerned about piece–meal development of the area leading to cumulative negative impact from this vineyard and the other vineyards that are also planned for this Ridge area. I feel this is an issue that both sides of the ‘facilities debate’ can agree on. I hope that the Lake Committee and the Board of Supervisers will pursue these concerns. Russ J. Rubin 987-9802 russjrubin@yahoo
Posted on: Fri, 19 Dec 2014 18:30:05 +0000
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