CALIFORNIA: HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE
Rural Water Association Assists Subdivision Committee
Background
Location: Hidden Valley Lake is a subdivision of 7,500 located in Lake County,
California.
Water Supply: Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District (HVLCSD or CSD) is the
Public Water Supply (PWS) for Hidden Valley Lake. It uses ground water.
The district has added a new well in the past two years, due to a collapsed casing. The
new well was drilled approximately 20 feet from the old well.
Source Water Assessment: This source water protection plan was completed in
December 2002, in advance of the source water assessment.
Priority Contamination Threats
Major threats to the town's water supplies include abandoned wells, above ground fuel
tanks and storage tanks, agricultural wells, airports, cement plants, Concentrated Animal
Feeding Operations (CAFOs), engine repair facilities, farms, ranches, orchards, bus
fleets and terminals, gas stations, golf courses, gravel mining, high density septic
systems, historic landfills and waste water ponds, parks and maintenance facilities,
pesticide applicators: agricultural, RV campgrounds, and RV and vehicle storage.
Local Team and Developing the Protection Plan
The Hidden Valley Lake Steering Committee developed the source water protection plan
in cooperation with the California Rural Water Association, an affiliate of the National
Rural Water Association.
Management Measures
Hidden Valley Lake CSD continues to maintain high standards in the quality of drinking
water provided and in source water protection; they constantly seek innovative
environmental measures to aid in protecting their drinking water source. As an example
of their forward-thinking motivation they began a Project of Ecosystem Management
Delivery of Groundwater to Putah Creek for Summer Flow Enhancement for
Sustainability of Wldlife Fish and other Aquatic Species in Southeastern Lake County.
In 2000, the Project won the Statewide Environmental Award from the Association of
California Water Agencies. In 2004, the CSD won the Watershed Award given by
California Rural Water Association for their continued work on this project.
Most recently the CSD has been awarded a grant in the amount of 1.2 million to restore
the pipeline involved with the Ecosystem Management Delivery of Groundwater to Putah
Office of Water (4606M) 816F10004 January 2010
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Creek for Summer Flow Enhancement for Sustainability of Wildlife Fish and other
Aquatic Species in Southeastern Lake County Project.
Hidden Valley Lake CSD also continues with other protection measures:
• Work with Lake County Environmental Health Department to draft and enact
wellhead protection. The wellhead protection ordinance has been discussed with
Lake County, but not implemented.
• After review of the wellhead protection zone, CSD has filed an application with
the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) to expand its boundaries to
take in the entire Coyote Valley groundwater basin. All mapping, utility service
review and public hearings have been completed, and CSD is waiting for an
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to finalize new boundaries. Primary reason
listed in LAFCO application was protection of Coyote Valley groundwater basin.
• The district has held numerous public meetings with the general public, Board of
Supervisors, County planning staff with a focus of Coyote Valley water basin
protection management.
• CSD educates residents, schools, and businesses of the potential impact of
storm water runoff on their drinking water sources.
• Outreach initiatives include educating residents of the Hidden Valley Lake
Association subdivision about storm water runoff issues, through means such as
mailings and stenciling storm drains, and educating residents of wellhead
protection zones about activities that can impact drinking water quality.
• CSD surveys property owners in the wellhead protection zones as to their
knowledge of abandoned wells in their area. The district has discussed with
surrounding property owners the proper well abandonment procedures.
• The Hidden Valley Lake Source Water Protection Plan will be updated to reflect
the 2004 construction project which includes: Well 4 replaces Well 1. Tank#1 has
an additional 500,000 gallon steel tank. Tank#4 has an additional 500,000 gallon
steel tank. All pressure zones were re-equipped with new pressure reducing
stations. All three water booster stations were replaced with new buildings,
equipment and SCADA system controls; pump stations were designed and built
for subdivision build out.
Contingency Planning
Measuring Program Results
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For further information, contact:
Belinda Green
California Rural Water Association
1112 I Street, Suite 200, Sacramento
CA 95814
(800) 833-0322
belinda@cwo.com
Office of Water (4606M) 816F10004 January 2010
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