November 2016 Update

Dear Member:

Happy Holidays

We hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving and will have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 

November Weather

My family was from the mid-west where they dry land farmed in Nebraska.  They were all weather watchers.  The weather was the life blood of the plains.  If you mis-read or were mis-informed about the weather, it could be spell disaster.  The current drought in California and all of the southwest United States, could last for years or even centuries.  I'm watching the weather and our reprieve last year with El Nino has been replaced by El Nina. 
Both November daily high and low temperatures were 3 degrees warmer than the average for the month.  Rainfall of 1.85"and was .20" above average.  Outlook for December is not so promising.

The Drought Outlook: Over Half of the U.S. is Dry

The Old Farmers Almanac

The latest figures are out. As of end of 2016, more than half of the continental U.S. is dry or in drought. And it’s not expected to end.  Read more...

Pipeline Construction

The pipeline construction has begun.  I will forward information and updates from the city on progress and road closures as I receive them.  

For more information, please click here.

Watering Rules

Please water only three days per week, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. If you have a seasonal adjustment on your sprinkler controller, you should look to dial it back to the 10% level. If you don't, turn it OFF for December, January, and February.

Water Conservation

Water usage was again seasonally down in November to 34,800 gallons per household, however, it was 7% worse than target and 44% worse than last year. For the year, we are now worse than target and last year by 4%.  Click here for a larger view.

Making Water Conversation a California Way of Life

State agencies have released a draft plan for achieving long-term efficient water use and meeting drought preparedness goals that reflect California’s diverse climate, landscape and demographic conditions.

The plan’s fundamental premise is that efficient water use helps all of California better prepare for longer and more severe droughts caused by climate change. California recently suffered the driest four years in state history, with only average rainfall last year. Even today, 75 percent of the state remains in severe drought conditions. A UCLA report projects the Sierra Nevada snowpack, one of California’s largest sources of water supply, to potentially drop 50 percent by the end of the century due to climate change.

To read all 72 pages of the draft plan, click here.

October 2016 Update

Dear Member:

Director Resignation

I'm sad to report that Dave and Kimi Bigelow have decided to join their daughter and family and move to Colorado in the next couple of months.  They have put their house on the market and are awaiting the construction of a new home in Fort Collins.  
Dave has served on the BWC board of directors for the last 7 years and as president for the last year.  Dave was responsible for successfully managing the construction and tank installation in 2011.  
We've enjoyed our friendship with Dave and Kimi. We'll miss them and we wish them all the best in their new home. 

October Weather

We missed most of October here, but daily high temperature was 4 degrees cooler than the average high of 83. Daily average low temperature of 54 was right on average.  There was a nice rain event late in the month which delivered .67".  Average rainfall for October is .87". Long term outlook for this winter is average rainfall and normal temperatures.

1,2,3-TCP Update

The lawsuit has been filed. Provost and Pritchard Consulting Group has been hired to perform a study to determine the best and most cost effective means to remove or mitigate this chemical contaminant. 

Propane

Thanks to all who participated in the survey.  There was some interesting data generated.

Pipeline Construction

The pipeline construction has begun.  I will forward information and updates from the city on progress and road closures as I receive them.  

For more information, please click here.

Watering Rules

Please water only three days per week, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. If you have a seasonal adjustment on your sprinkler controller, you should look to dial it back to the 20% level. 

Water Conservation

Water usage was again seasonally down in October to 51,000 gallons per household, 5% better than the target, but 9% worse than last year. For the year, we are worse than target, 3%, and 2% worse than last year.  Click here for a larger view.

September 2016 Update

Dear Member:

1,2,3-TCP

As we noticed you last month, our well has been found to be contaminated with 1,2,3-TCP.  This chemical compound was an ingredient in a nematicide produced and sold by Dow Chemical and Shell Oil Company.  Your board of directors believes that these companies are responsible for this contamination.  We have retained counsel, Robins Borghei LLP to seek recovery of damages and cost of remediation for our well water.  We will keep you informed of developments.

September Weather

September daily high temperatures averaged 1 degree above the normal 91 degrees for the month although it seemed warmer. Average low temperatures were also right at normal 61 degrees. We did receive a few drops of rain during the month, just enough to need a car wash.  Average rainfall for September is .24". Smoke and harvest dust did create some extraordinary sunsets.

New Neighbors

Trevor and Megan Barbeau purchased the home formerly owned by Chris Moi and Kryss Speegle. They just moved in with their two young children. Welcome to the neighborhood.

Propane

If you responded to the propane poll, results will be coming this week.

Pipeline Construction

This month, the City of Fresno will begin initial construction activities on the Kings River Pipeline project in our area. Over the next month, you will begin seeing construction equipment, crews, traffic control and intermittent lane closures along Belmont Avenue.

More than 13 miles of six-foot-diameter pipeline will be constructed along Belmont Avenue, from the Fresno Canal #3 crossing of East Trimmer Springs Road to Armstrong Avenue, and north along Armstrong Avenue to the SESWTF at the intersection of Armstrong and Olive avenues. Work is anticipated to take place Monday through Friday during the daytime from October 2016 to January 2018; however, construction days and hours may change.

During construction, you can expect traffic impacts and road or lane closures. Detours will be implemented during pipeline construction, but access for local traffic will be maintained for all residents and businesses along the closed road. During construction, the project team will work to minimize inconveniences associated with traffic, construction noise, dust and debris, and large construction equipment. The pipeline will be constructed in phases, so only short segments will be impacted at any given time along Belmont Avenue.

For more information, please click here.

Watering Rules

Please water only three days per week, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. If you have a seasonal adjustment on your sprinkler controller, you should look to dial it back to the 40% level. Be sure and reset your sprinkler controller after the power outage last week if the battery backup is not working.

Water Conservation

Water usage was seasonally down in September to 70,000 gallons per household, 2% worse than the target, and 1% worse than last year. For the year, we are worse than target, 4%, and 2% worse than last year. Usage was much better than August. The cost of electricity to pump our water was 16% over budget for the month of September and is now 29% over budget for the year. Click here for a larger view.

It Ain't Over...

UCLA researchers warn centuries of drought could return to California

San Francisco Chronicle

We may someday have to stop calling our drought a temporary phenomenon and just label it the new normal. Climate change could lock the state into a dry pattern lasting centuries or even a millennia if history repeats itself, according to a new study out of UCLA.
Researchers correlated findings from Sierra Nevada soil samples and found that energy changes from natural occurrences like a shift in the Earth's orbit or sun spots may have triggered prolonged dry weather in California. In the Nature.com journal Scientific Reports, the team argues that current radiative forcing - energy change brought on by greenhouse gas emissions - may create a similar prolonged dry pattern in the Golden State.
"Radiative forcing in the past appears to have had catastrophic effects in extending droughts," UCLA professor Glen MacDonald said in a university publication. "When you have arid periods that persist for 60 years, as we did in the 12th century, or for millennia, as we did from 6,000 to 1,000 B.C., that's not really a 'drought.' That aridity is the new 
normal."
From 6,000 to 1,000 B.C., the core sample indicates a 5,000-year dry period in California that had been suggested by previous research. That period was linked to a slight change in Earth's orbit that resulted in increased solar energy in the Northern Hemisphere and creating La Niña conditions.
MacDonald's team correlated historic radiative forcing with increased water temperatures in our oceans, likely creating more La Niña and El Niño weather patterns during previous dry spells. If greenhouse gasses persist, MacDonald warns that we could see more of these boom-or-bust winters, potentially bringing a significant change to California's ecosystems.
"In a century or so, we might see a retreat of forest lands, and an expansion of sagebrush, grasslands and deserts," MacDonald said in the UCLA release. "We would expect temperatures to get higher, and rainfall and snowfall would decrease. Fire activity could increase, and lakes would get shallower, with some becoming marshy or drying up."
MacDonald stressed that his study can't be used to predict the future, but it does offer cause for concern.

August 2016 Update

Dear Member:

August Weather

August daily high temperatures averaged a normal 98 degrees for the month.  Average low temperatures were 2 degrees higher than the normal 65 degrees. It did not rain except for the abundance of water from sprinklers.  

Traffic

There seems to be much more traffic around the Sanders Court circle than there was in the past.  Along with the increased traffic, there are also now more young children in the neighborhood and more are on the way.  Please watch your speed. 

Well Depth

The water depth of our well along with the draw down (the depth with the pump running), was measured in August.  Good news, the water level was at 78 feet, nearly the same as it was last September. Click here for a larger view.

Water filters

Occasionally, we all have issues with scale and sand in our water lines. Mostly it's just an irritation when filters in faucets and shower heads plug up and need cleaning.High efficiency clothes washers, however, pose a new and bigger problem. These new designs are much more sensitive to sand and scale. The hose filters, included with these washers, do remove the sediment, but require cleaning often and that's a bigger job. These washers will not operate with reduced water flows from the buildup of particulates.
One solution that works is the installation of sediment filters. Filters last about 6 months and the cost is less than $100 to install (DIY) and $20 per year for filters to keep your washer running happily. It will blink its lights and sing little tunes.

Dick Walker

Old friend and former neighbor Dick Walker passed away in August at his home in Acworth Georgia where he had lived for many years. Our deepest condolences to his daughter Dawn Walker and her family.

Propane

A local propane supplier is interested in supplying all propane to users in the neighborhood.  Depending on the interest of a substantial number of BWC members, a rate quote will be developed for co-op pricing.  If you are interested in reducing propane costs, click here. 

Neighborhood Watch

Recently, one of the BWC members returned home from vacation to find a broken sprinkler water pipe that may have been leaking for some time.  A broken water pipe inside a home happened a couple of years ago to another neighbor which caused extensive damage and expensive and time consuming repairs.  If you're going out of town, ask a neighbor to keep a watchful eye.  

Watering Rules

Please water only three days per week, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. If you have a seasonal adjustment on your sprinkler controller, you should look to dial it back to the 70% level. 

Water Conservation

Water usage was up again in August to almost 93,000 gallons per household, 17% worse than the target, and 10% worse than last year. For the year, we are now worse than target, 5%, and 2% worse than last year. August's usage was the highest monthly usage seen in the last 3 years and the third high usage month in a row.  The cost of electricity to pump our water was 29% over budget for the month of August and is now 30% over budget for the year to date.  Click here for a larger view.

July 2016 Update

Dear Member:

July Weather

July daily high temperatures averaged 1 degree higher than normal at 100 degrees. The last week of July at an average high of 104 made the entire month seem warmer.  We received exactly the average rainfall of for the month, zero rainfall.  

Director Moi

Chris Moi announced his resignation from the Belmont Water Corporation board of directors at the last meeting.  He has accepted a new position and is moving with his family to the bay area. Thank you for your work on the board and best wishes to you and your family.  We'll miss you.

Well Inspection

The SWRCB inspected the well and tank in early July.  The recent installation of a concrete pad around the well head resulted in good report from the inspector.  

Watering Rules

Please water only three days per week, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. If you have a seasonal adjustment on your sprinkler controller, you should look to dial it back to the 80% level toward the end of the month as daily temperatures begin to cool. 

Water Conservation

Water usage was up again in July to almost 91,000 gallons per household, 12% worse than the target, and 13% worse than last year. For the year, we are still slightly better than last year at 2% better than the target but 1% worse than last year. July's usage was the highest monthly usage seen in the last 3 years.  The cost of electricity to pump our water was 69% over budget for the month of July.  Click here for a larger view.

June 2016 Update

Dear Member:

Happy Independence Day

Annual Consumer Confidence Report

The annual Consumer Confidence Report has been approved by SWRCB and has been uploaded  to the website. Click here to visit the Belmont Water Corporation Notices page.

June Weather

June was about 3 degrees warmer than average at 97 degrees and it appears that the warm weather spurred that usage of water (see below).  The month started and ended with triple digits, but gave us some nice days and a bit of rain in the middle. The Fresno Bee reports that we have received 14.29" of rain since the beginning of the weather year, last September 1, compared to a normal of 11.5".  

Water Sharing and the Well

The interconnection between BWC and BCC was closed on June 10 when repairs were completed to the BCC domestic well.  We have completed some minor improvements on the well, extending an air vent and pouring a larger concrete pad around the pump motor.  SWRCB will be inspecting the water system in July.  

Watering Rules

Please water only three days per week, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. If you have a seasonal adjustment on your sprinkler controller, it should be at the 100% level. 

Water Conservation

Water usage in June was up substantially to almost 89,000 gallons per household, 16% worse than the target, and 23% worse than last year. For the year, we are still slightly better than last year at 2% better than the target and 5% better than last year. Click here for a larger view.