Water district meets Friday on Mad River water bagging proposal

Eureka Times-Standard

Water district meets Friday on Mad River water bagging proposal

By The Times-Standard

Thursday, February 20, 2003 –

The Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District will meet Friday to discuss the response it has gotten to a proposal to ship Mad River water south in giant ocean-going bags.

The district has been investigating a proposal from the Alaska-based Aqueous Corp. to sell the company 15,000 to 20,000 acre feet of so-called surplus water that central and southern California cities are thirsty for.

The reaction to the proposal has been mixed. Many believe that Humboldt County’s long-standing fight to return water to its diverted rivers should preclude sending water south from another river. Some fear control of the water could be lost under international trade laws or secured indefinitely by water-poor California cities. Others believe the deal may be a good one, and will save local users money.

Overwhelmingly, however, the service districts the district serves have urged extreme caution — and some have voiced outright opposition — in considering the bid.

The meeting begins at 10 a.m. at the district’s office at 828 7th Street in Eureka.

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, and as defined under the provisions of “fair use”, any copyrighted material herein is distributed without profit or payment for non-profit research and for educational use by our membership.