Ledger-Dispatch

By Jerry Budrick (jbudrick@ledger-dispatch.com= )=20

Pipelines release water into Tanner=20 Reservoir.

Photo by: Jerry=20 Budrick
Threats of a lawsuit from a local=20 environmental group have blocked plans to expand the size of a water = pipeline=20 from Tanner Reservoir to the city of Plymouth.

In December, the = Foothill=20 Conservancy filed a notice of intent to sue the city of Plymouth and the = Amador=20 Water Agency over their planned pipeline enlargement.

The = conservancy=20 objected to the plan to proceed with the project without additional=20 environmental review, expressing fears that more water could fuel more=20 development, endangering community character, visual quality and = wildlife=20 habitat. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service joined the conflict, citing=20 potential for sprawl on sensitive lands.

Plans were for the = Plymouth=20 Pipeline to expand from 12 inches in diameter to 16 inches, almost = doubling the=20 amount of water that could be transported.

But after an AWA = meeting last=20 Monday and the Plymouth City Council's closed session Thursday night, = those=20 plans have been withdrawn.

The city of Plymouth has a long = history of=20 difficulties with its water supply. Although the city holds annual = diversion=20 rights to 23,000 acre feet of Cosumnes River water, its ancient, = storm-battered=20 ditch system, designed to deliver that water, has continued to be more = of a=20 troublesome expense than reliable source. The city's wells, which have = been=20 supplying water when the ditch hasn't, have also presented difficulties = over the=20 years.

Respectful of the city's water woes, virtually no one = presented=20 serious opposition to installation of a 12-inch pipeline that would = transport=20 water from Tanner Reservoir on Ridge Road through Sutter Creek and = Amador City=20 to the city of Plymouth. A pipeline of this size will provide water for = all of=20 Plymouth's existing usage, plus enough for construction of approximately = 500 new=20 residences. Increasing the size of the pipeline to 16 inches could add = nearly=20 1,000 more.

Since the first mention of a Plymouth Pipeline, near = the=20 close of 2005, through certification of the environmental impact report = -=20 notwithstanding a few easement difficulties along the route - it's been = pretty=20 much smooth sailing.

There is no way to pinpoint the moment of = conceptual=20 change. It is documented that Abercrombie appeared before the Plymouth = City=20 Council on Nov. 8, 2007 with a request that the council amend the = agreement=20 between Plymouth and AWA. The amendment requested was for enlargement of = the=20 pipeline from 12 inches to 16 inches. Only three council members were in = attendance. A motion to approve the amendment was made by Councilwoman = Pat=20 Fordyce, seconded by Councilman Greg Baldwin and passed 2-1 with Mayor = Jon=20 Colburn opposed.

Then the conservancy filed its December=20 notice.

When the city and AWA appeared reluctant to return to the = original plan, the conservancy hired attorney Michael Graf of San = Francisco.=20 According to conservancy Executive Director Chris Wright, two fairly=20 unproductive negotiating sessions led the agency to rescind its approval = of the=20 larger pipeline.

When asked about the agency's change of heart,=20 Abercrombie admitted that the impetus came from the threat of = litigation.=20 Colburn agreed with Abercrombie, saying that the city did not want to = delay=20 installation of the pipeline by lengthy litigation.

The 12-inch = water=20 pipeline project will now go out to bid for contractors in May or June.=20 Abercrombie believes that construction may begin by late = summer.

Funding=20 for the undertaking will be provided from a number of sources, with the = bulk of=20 the nearly $12 million coming from the United States Department of = Agriculture's=20 Rural Utility Service, including $4.25 million in grants and $5 million = in=20 loans. An additional $500,000 will be provided by a Community = Development Block=20 Grant and $2 million will be invested by the water agency.

Jerry = Budrick