Former Alaska official moves water-bagging idea to Humboldt

Santa Rosa Press Democrat

Former Alaska official moves water-bagging idea to Humboldt

January 16, 2003

By JOHN ADAMS, THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

He’s back in the news.

He is Ric Davidge, the former state and federal official from Alaska who proposed to tow huge bags of fresh winter runoff from the Albion and Gualala rivers to San Diego. Growing opposition doused the idea in early December.

Opposition came from county and state agencies, from water-protection activists and eventually, even from some San Diego sources. Some opponents talked of other water buyouts that resulted in less quality, poor service and soaring water rates.

Davidge changed the name of his firm from Alaska Water Exports to Aqueous International. He’s now moved his water-bagging idea north after learning the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District has surplus water for sale.

There was little public and governmental support for the original idea of bagging runoff from the Albion and Gualala rivers. However, surplus water from the Mad River being for sale in Humboldt County could give a boost to Davidge’s proposal.

Earlier concerns mentioned fish, fishing, domestic water needs, and even a foot-in-the-door precedent that could earmark other ocean-flowing streams for bagging of excess winter flows. Drought years also would reduce surplus-water availability.

I wonder if removing 20,000 acre feet of water annually from the Mad River could interfere with winter steelhead runs and the fabulously successful Blue Lake Hatchery on the lower Mad River at the north end of Humboldt Bay.

Contact John Adams at The Press Democrat, P.O. Box 910, Santa Rosa, 95402, or by fax, 545-3474.

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