At a well-attended Board meeting Thursday, the Amador Water Agency Board of Directors revisited the results of the Water Supply Assessment for the Gold Rush Ranch and Golf Resort that the Agency provided to the city of Sutter Creek in January of 2008.

The Water Supply Assessment was performed by independent consultant HydroScience Engineers, Inc., and estimates the county's water demand for the next 20 years. Sutter Creek Planning Commission and City Council will use the Assessment to analyze the impacts of the Gold Rush Project on local water resources as part of the environmental impact studies required for new development.

In August 2008, before he was elected to the AWA Board of Directors, District 1 Director Bill Condrashoff submitted a letter to the City of Sutter Creek disputing some of the findings of the Assessment. The City of Sutter Creek requested additional information in response to Condrashoff's concerns and AWA engineering staff re-examined the Assessment, concluding that the county's existing water supply is sufficient to meet the estimated demand of the Gold Rush project plus future growth.

After lively dialog with members of the public and representatives of the City of Sutter Creek and the project, and a closed session conference with Agency counsel, the Board took no action that would affect the approved Water Supply Assessment for Gold Rush Ranch and Golf Resort.

The Directors did take formal action to reduce two planned rate increases. The Board suspended a planned 12 percent Amador Water System rate increase and approved an 8 percent increase. They also suspended a wastewater rate increase in Martell of 25 percent in favor of a 15 percent increase.

The reductions were approved along with significant cost reductions incorporated in the Agency's 2009-2010 budget.