Read the transcript
AVA NORGROVE, ANCHOR:
Butte County Supervisors approved the next step in the creation of the Tuscan Water District. NSPR's Alec Stutson has more on yesterday’s (Tuesday, July 25) board meeting.
ALEC STUTSON, REPORTER:
The board voted 4 to 1 to hold a special election later this year to decide the fate of the proposed district. Only residents and landowners within the district will be able to vote, and their ballots are weighed based on the size of the property owned.
The proposed Tuscan Water District covers more than 100,000 acres of rural and agricultural land between Chico and Durham. Its plans for water management have been controversial. Many residents are worried about the district's plan to increase pumping from the water table in the area.
While the Board has no control over the policies of the district, members of the public weighed in on the issue. Some, like Emily Alma, fear what will happen if the water table drops too low.
EMILY ALMA: "That drawdown will require surface water to drop far below the reach of shallow domestic wells and tree roots, threatening that shallow wells could go dry and our urban forest and valley woodlands could die of thirst."
Opponents say it might not just affect those living in the district, and that lowering the water table could threaten trees in places like Bidwell Park.
Rich McGowan spoke in favor of the district, and directed residents with concerns or confusion to its application that was approved by the Butte Local Agency Formation Commission, or LAFCo.
MCGOWAN: "I would refer some of the questions that we're here today to this 100-page document, which is the application that was approved by LAFCo over two years ago; hundreds of hours, lots of time and effort in this document."
The special election for the district will take place later this year on December 5.
For NSPR News, I’m Alec Stutson.
