Page 5 - The Friday Flyer • July 3, 2015

JULY 3, 2015 THE FRIDAY FLYER A-5 Officials talk about algae bloom in East Bay
Although alum treatments have con- tinued to reduce phosphorous, numer- ous other factors contributed to the most recent algae bloom in Canyon Lake, says spokesperson Mark Norton, water resources and planning manager for the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA).
Norton explains that warm sum- mer temperatures, low lake levels amid the drought, high nutrient content, low oxygen in the water and tepid water movement have all combined to cre- ate a seasonal “brown algae” (another less common form of blue-green algae) bloom recently found from lake qual- ity sampling results in the cove areas of Canyon Lake.
Canyon Lake has a long history of annual algae blooms. Although the blooms can occur at any time of the
year, they usually appear when high temperatures are frequent.
Norton assures residents that, during the blooms, water in the lake remains safe for swimming, water skiing and all other recreational activities. However, because certain species of algae are oc- casionally unhealthful, it is advisable not to drink large quantities of the lake water, although incidental ingestion dur- ing recreational activity poses no signif- icant health risk.
“The alum applications in the main body of Canyon Lake have done a tremen- dous job in reducing phosphorous, a nutri- ent that is a key contributor to algae growth and fish kills,” Norton says. “Based on our most recent water quality data, the over- all clarity of Canyon Lake has improved. However, algae blooms still persist and come and go in the more stagnant water
During the blooms, water in the lake remains safe for swimming, water skiing and all other recreational activities.
History of fire services dispute . . .
ttFROM PAGE A4
securing fire protection and emergency medical services after June 30, 2015. It is difficult, if not impossible, to put a plan in place when the City’s Chief has refused to meet, refused to cooperate and the County has refused to consider an extension, even for transition man- agement. It is a vital part of developing service alternatives and transitioning to new service that the current fire officials work with incoming fire staff and offi- cials to develop efficient service based on the immediate past experiences serv- ing the area.
Both before and after the parties en- tered into the Cooperative Agreement, the parties have had extensive discus-
sions concerning the level of fire service desired by the County and the level of fire service that could be afforded by the City. The County has not negotiated – it has simply responded.
The County made much ado of its minimum service level requirement and its universal application and the need to meet minimum safety levels. However, the County does not require all of its partner cities to purchase the service lev- el demanded from Canyon Lake. Docu- ments provided by the County pursuant to the City’s Public Records Act request demonstrate that a more cost effective level of service is being provided to the City of Calimesa.
The City of Canyon Lake has few- er calls than Calimesa. Similarly, the
County does not require other jurisdic- tions within the County, but not served by the County, to have three-person en- gine companies.
Some citizens have questioned why the City won’t simply pay the County and be done with it. The answer is sim- ple. It cannot. The City’s annual budget is approximately $4.6 million a year. The County, for the last year of the Co- operative Agreement, is demanding just under $2 million. That is almost half the City’s entire budget, and the revenue from the SFF is just under a million dol- lars. That leaves the City to make up the difference.
Beyond that, the County is insisting on entering a new agreement to cover the period from July 1, 2015 to June 30,
areas such as the East Bay coves.”
He notes that, after the initial alum ap- plication phase is complete, an in-depth effectiveness report will be prepared to evaluate what changes may be needed to meet water quality targets. The options may include further alum applications as well as possible alternative treat- ments such as using algaecides before
the alum, particularly in the cove areas. The initial alum program in Canyon Lake was designed to include five ap- plications over two and-a-half years. So far, four applications have occurred and the next is set for September. The proj-
ect is being funded by a state grant and by the Lake Elsinore and Canyon Lake Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Task Force, which consists of cities, the County of Riverside, agriculture and dairy coalitions and other organizations in the San Jacinto River watershed.
Implementation of the alum project is being coordinated by the City of Canyon Lake, the Elsinore Valley Municipal Wa- ter District, LESJWA, the TMDL Task Force and the Canyon Lake Property Owners Association.
For more information about LES- JWA, visit www.mywatersheds.com.
2015. The costs to the City under that proposed agreement is even higher, and it can rise during the term of the agree- ment without consent by the City.
The County has failed to provide any evidence that the costs are justified or the resources it chooses unilaterally to allocate are necessary or have any re- lationship to increasing the safety of Canyon Lake citizens. To the contrary, the City has discovered that the stan- dards imposed by the County are noth- ing more than County policy, not safety standards. The City cannot pay close to $2 million dollars just because the County wants it to.
Moving forward, the City will con- tinue to take all steps possible to protect the citizens of Canyon Lake.
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