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Squaw Valley: Can We Really Trust What Is Going On?

Squaw Valley Martis Water Grab

We’ve been able to avoid Squaw Valley politics for awhile at UnofficialAlpine.com. It’s been awfully quiet over the ridge, leading many to speculate on exactly what’s going on. As it turns out, we still have much to be worried about.

The Squaw Valley Public Service District elected today to pursue the 8-Mile Pipe option to import water from Martis Valley as the best option for a redundant source of water for Olympic Valley. We’ve written about the 8-Mile Pipe several times. Here’s a refresher:

• It would import water to the Squaw Valley Public Service District from the Martis Valley aquifer, reportedly only as a secondary backup source of water for the District. There has been much discussion regarding water studies that show there is enough water already in Olympic Valley to support KSL’s proposed over-development in the valley.

The last estimated cost for the project in 2009 was $30 million. The pipe would likely be routed along West River Street and Highway 89. Plans would call for sharing the costs with other utilities which may also choose to extend services to Olympic Valley. It would be a major construction project that would be likely to affect recreation and traffic flows in the corridor for quite some time.

The meeting of the SVPSD Water & Sewer Committee this week reviewed the Phase II alternatives that might serve as a secondary source of water for Customers in Olympic Valley. The other sources under consideration were:

  • The north fork of Squaw Creek (aka Shirley Creek)
  • The south fork of Squaw Creek
  • Drilling horizontal wells in the north flank of Olympic Valley
  • Drilling horizontal wells in the south flank of Olympic Valley
  • Additional surface storage of water in Squaw Creek
  • Waste water treatment and reuse
  • Securing water from the Alpine Springs Water District in Alpine Meadows

The complete memo that describes all 7 of the alternative options is available on the SVPSD site.

By rejecting the options explored in Phase II, the District will now move into Phase III, which is a pursuit of the 8-Mile Pipe option to secure a secondary source of water from Martis Valley groundwater. Until last September, groundwater pumping in California was largely unregulated. New legislation signed in September requires that local districts control use of groundwater, and allows the State to step in when necessary to protect the resource. The actual regulations for groundwater use may take years to actually take shape.

Since we started covering the 8-Mile pipe story back in 2013, more concern has developed over the groundwater supply in Martis Valley. A fourth year of drought means that surface sources all around the Tahoe basin may be strained in the coming years, and there is no guarantee that Martis Valley will be able to meet the needs of an over-developed Olympic Valley. It’s an issue that affects all of us that live outside of Olympic Valley that bears watching.

In Other Squaw Valley News…

Efforts to “Save Olympic Valley” have been resumed. The month of December was a quiet month in terms of saving Olympic Valley from the possibility that the community might organize to form the town of Olympic Valley. Thank god that Squaw Valley is there to save the community from itself!

moneyThe most recent posting at the Placer County Elections office show that Squaw Valley donated another $25,000 of cash to keep the Save Olympic Valley campaign alive. They also donated another few thousand dollars in non-cash contributions. Although the pace of spending has slowed considerably over the last two months, the fact is that Squaw Valley has now spent very close to half of a million dollars fighting the will of the people in Olympic Valley, and that’s before the election process has even begun. Are you still feeling good about paying $124 for a lift ticket over the holiday period?

15 thoughts on “Squaw Valley: Can We Really Trust What Is Going On?”

  1. Private Equity firms never look out for the best interests of the communities they try to bully to their will. They don’t give a rats ass who they screw in order to maximize profits for the 1%ers who invest in these heartless vulture capitalist theft schemes. The wreckage they leave in their wake is of no concern as long as they can buy off local government boobs and get clueless supporters of their nefarious and immoral plans to screw the communities they enter while walking away with bags of cash they never intend on investing locally.

  2. As a resident I believe no one in Olympic Valley has asked for an eight mile pipeline except those with much to gain financially , politically , and developmentally . I say let the people vote and this will sink like a rock.

  3. Outside of the construction impact on traffic in the 89 Corridor (which will likely impact all of us), if the residents are willing to pay for it, who cares if SVPSD brings in water from Martis?

    “A fourth year of drought means that surface sources all around the Tahoe basin may be strained in the coming years, and there is no guarantee that Martis Valley will be able to meet the needs of an over-developed Olympic Valley.”

    This statement strikes me as fearmongering. Look at the Martis Valley Groundwater Management Plan. The numbers are there. There’s a crapton of water there and current usage numbers aren’t even close to the annual safe yield. Add a draw from SVPSD and it still isn’t even close. The GMP looked at historical droughts too (e.g. 76-77, 87-92, etc.). The fact is there is a (relative to local use) ton of water existing in that aquifer and there is (and will be) plenty to recharge it.

    Any plan should be rigorously reviewed, but, again, if residents are willing to pay for it (and they can vote on their rates per Prop 218), the engineering feasibility and environmental impacts of importing water just don’t seem like significant issues.

    Note: This issue is separate than SVPSD’s Water Supply Assessment numbers re: local runoff, which appeared higher than they should have been, and which I previously pointed out (as did Ben Hatchett).

    1. Thanks for chiming in with info Colin. You’re correct in pointing out that the concern is more about the cost and construction impact. The fear mongering statement is also on point…but it’s like opening Pandora’s Box. If it’s okay to send water to Squaw Valley, then why not Reno and points beyond? More importantly, the increase of available water significantly increases the odds that over development becomes possible in Olympic Valley and Alpine Meadows.

  4. To think that the homeowners and a few businesses can pay for the cost of the pipe and probably storage is impossible.
    A $30million pipe in 2009 will probably cost $60million plus in 2020.
    Add natural gas would be a benefit and would also add to the cost, though ideally the gas provider will pay for a portion, though they would want to pass the cost onto rate payers and I cannot see that happening anytime soon, how many people would actually use it.
    And then there are all the environmental issues of having gas leaks, etc. making the entire process more problematic.
    It will be interesting learn how the SVPSD plans to pay for this.

  5. The Squaw Valley Public Service District’s Board of Directors decided to identify a preferred alternative for a water supply from Martis Valley, which will be evaluated in Phase III of our Redundant Water Supply – Preferred Alternative Evaluation. The Technical Memo is scheduled for completion in December, 2015.
    The PSD is seeking a redundant water supply to provide a reliable water supply for our customers and has been working on developing an emergency back-up supply for decades. As noted above, the Martis Valley alternative was initially evaluated in 2009.
    The District’s planning efforts are prudent and support the community of Squaw Valley by providing a reliable water supply to meet a basic public health and safety standard. A redundant water supply source is necessary should our primary source be unusable due to extended drought or by contamination. Public water purveyors typically develop back-up supplies to meet this standard.
    Our District’s responsibility to supply water is separate from any construction or development plans within the valley. Placer County and their citizens make decisions to approve or deny development projects. Districts like ours have a legal duty to serve water to approved projects in the interest of public health and safety; we must continue to explore water supply options to fulfill that obligation.
    A connection to the Martis Valley aquifer would provide the redundant supply Squaw Valley residents need to assure a safe, reliable water supply. It is an expensive option but it yields benefits beyond simply providing an alternate water supply in the event the Olympic Valley aquifer became unusable. Pipeline construction could be coordinated with installation of underground high speed fiber-optic cable and natural gas to homes and businesses in Squaw Valley. In the same easement, a bike trail could be constructed along Hwy. 89 between Truckee and Squaw Valley. A water pipeline would allow installation of fire hydrants along the Truckee River corridor, providing significantly improved fire suppression capability for residences along the Truckee River as well as the wildland flanking the highway.
    Potential fire safety benefits make this plan very attractive. In addition to the aesthetic benefits of removing propane tanks from every lot in Squaw Valley and reducing the risk of explosion due to the physical properties of propane, a natural gas pipeline would eliminate the need for highway transport of millions of gallons of liquid propane annually.
    Of course, such decisions are never made in a vacuum and we must respect the Martis Valley environment, too. The public will be included in any and all phases of evaluating this alternative. As required by law, a thorough environmental impact assessment will be conducted, including opportunity for public comment. Squaw Valley Public Service District will hold numerous public meetings about developing a redundant water supply and we will continue to explore all possible options.
    The Current Topics link on our website (www.svpsd.org) contains all of our detailed study results, public comments, and all information relevant to this project. We encourage the public to express their opinions and raise issues and questions.
    Our monthly meetings are the last Tuesday of every month at 8:30 a.m. at 305 Squaw Valley Road, except for the meeting in March, which is on the 24th. All of our meetings are open to the public, who are encouraged to come and participate.
    Our phone number is (530) 583-4692 and we are available to answer any questions related to this evaluation as well as any other services we provide.
    Mike Geary, PE
    General Manager
    Squaw Valley Public Service District

  6. I think paragraph 4 is a key point.
    “Placer County … makes decisions to approve …development projects…”
    He goes on to say that the SVPSD must fulfill Placer County development obligations (vis a vie water, etc.)
    This is a huge red flag that the PSD is supporting Placer County development, no matter how objectionable as the PSD is not part of that equation, except by law to do what Placer demands.

    Further his use of the words could and would are ambiguous at best.

  7. Incorporation would not affect the SVPSD’s plans. The District is an independent governmental entity.

    At this point relying on historical data to assess water capacity seems very risky–the current drought exceeds any historical droughts, although not the prehistoric megadroughts. In an article in the Sun today the director of utilities for the TCPUD said that their wells are below normal. Obviously as a Truckee resident I am concerned about the 8 mile pipe.
    Part of the problem with the 8 mile pipe is state law–the law requires the District to find the water for current use and further development without giving it a say in whether that development goes forward.

    1. Not necessarily true the incorporation will not effect psd water decision. As part of the incorporation process LAFCO may require the PSD and town to merge into a single entity since it makes both entities more fiscally viable.

  8. While we’re at it might as well do some hydralic fracturing to get that last bit of crude oil under martis res for a back up supply of fossil fuel to power the pie in the sky development plans of ksl.

    Seriously, Mr Geary, what contingency is your agency proposing to protect this grossly expensive infrastructure investment that currently only serves less than 500 full time
    oly va.residents from very ppssible earthquake damage? You and othes in your agency do realize there is a major, well documented fault in the area of martis res right?

    Seems like some entity other than oly va residents are driving this expensive push for alternative h2o supply and need. Doesnt take a rocket scientist to see that.

    Rumors flying ksl entertaining suitors for poss sale of squaw to yes, vail, ironically former employers of the late MIke (S)hannon and (L)icter. EricResnick other wig @ ksl was vail flunkie too its reported.

    Keep Spewing Lies

    Thanks for the excellent reportimg Mark

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