Day 2 found us at one of the key water storage and electrical generating facilities in the State Water Project, Oroville Dam. Completed in 1968, this dam is the tallest earthen dam in the country at 770 feet. It is also more than a mile across the top holding back nearly 3.5 million acre feet of Feather River water, enough to supply water to about 40% of California’s urban water needs for a year. Unfortunately the water level is down about 120 feet right now with miles of exposed shoreline and running at less that 2/3 of its peak capacity due to prolonged drought conditions.

From the base of the dam, we journeyed about ¼ mile into the foot of the dam to view the massive turbine generators of the Edward Hyatt Powerplant that supply power to the state grid. *(No photos allowed inside the plant).  In a room nearly 2 football fields in length and over 130’ high blasted out of solid granite, the facility is utilized to generate power as dictated by the needs of the grid. One of the numerous advantages of hydroelectric power is the ability to turn it on and off at will and to generate a precise volume of power easily.

Further downstream we found yet another of the many resources provided by the State Water Project, The Feather River Salmon and Steelhead Fish Hatchery. This marvelous facility provides a series of ‘steps’ allowing the migratory fish to return to their home waters to spawn. Water temperature is carefully monitored during spawning season so that water released from Oroville Dam comes from the right thermocline level of the lake to optimize the health of the fish. Also during the run, about 60,000 to 80,000 fish are harvested (out of the millions returning to the river), their eggs are fertilized and the fry implanted with monitors so that migratory patterns may be discovered and fish health throughout the cycle can be examined for flaws anywhere in the system. The fish remains are distributed to non-profit processing plants and local Indian Tribes which returns about 60,000 pounds of low cost /high protein meals to local needy and indigent. Bet you didn’t know your water company did that.

Speaking of fish, I would be remiss if I didn’t briefly mention the Colusa Fish Screen Project further downstream in the system. This $80 million dollar plant is stuck out in the middle of nowhere and its sole purpose is to monitor fish. They routinely check how many fish (primarily a minnow-like fish called the Delta Smelt) are coming into the forebay area of the intake system. If too many smelt start to congregate, they tell the pumping plant they have to shut down until the fish go away. Last year under court ordered enforcement, this resulted in a decrease of nearly 15% of the water made available to Southern California – one reason why your bills went up. Thank the State Fisheries and Wildlife Commission, the Sierra Club and the National Endangered Species Act for that little gift.

Gene Wunderlich - Selling Southwest California Homes including Temecula, Murrieta & The Southern California Wine Country
                   

Remember, Don't wait to buy real estate - Buy real estate and wait.

' Follow The Water Tour - Day 2'

THE OPINIONS IN THIS COMMENTARY ARE STRICTLY GENE WUNDERLICH's PERSONAL OPINION. WHILE ANY REASONABLE &/or RATIONAL PERSON SHOULD AGREE, THESE VIEWS MAY NOT REFLECT THOSE OF ACTIVERAIN, COLDWELL BANKER RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE OR ANY  LOCAL, STATE OR NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS.