Idyllwild Water District will move to a Stage 2 Water Shortage Emergency on Sunday, Sept. 1. General Manager Terry Lyons made the recommendations to the Board of Directors at the July 24 meeting.
“Foster Lake is at a 3-foot depth at the deepest part of the lake,” Lyons reported to the board. He also said that despite seven months of Stage 1, voluntary limitations, water production was up 22 percent from last June and 27 percent for the first half of 2013.
The water level of most of the district’s wells has fallen compared to 2012 and is significantly less than the 2011 levels.
Stage 2 does not prohibit issuing water will-serve letters as Stage 3 does. In a Stage 2, IWD may issue up to five will-serve letters in a year.
Lyons also reported progress on the water storage tank construction for the Tollgate Zone. A public hearing for the project will be held during IWD’s Aug. 21 meeting.
A site agreement with the Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District was approved during the meeting. The district’s Advisory Commission, which next meets Sept. 5, must still approve the agreement.
The agreement grants IWD access to a 150-foot square pad to build the tank. The lease is for 25 years and can be extended. The district will construct an 8-inch water line and two fire hydrants. The board approved a contract for the water line construction at the meeting, too.
While the site is on county parks land, it is on the west side of Delano Road and the tank will not be seen from the campgrounds.
The board also approved a contract with Lilburn Corporation of San Bernardino to conduct a California Environmental Quality Act evaluation of the site. An initial draft report is expected within four weeks and final documentation should be available within three months.
The board also approved a resolution to dedicate sufficient funds to repay a state loan for the proposed water recycling plant if a loan and grant are approved and offered this fall.
The board, with Director John Cook absent, unanimously approved appointing Dean Lattin to fill the vacancy created by the recent death of President Allan Morphett.
