Your Weekly Get Up & Go has been Updated!

Posted by Meaghan Likes on May 05, 2017
Weekly News & Views by: Dave Morse
 
     Our Cinco De Mayo meeting included a breakfast of biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs, bacon and fruit.  El president, dressed in a guayabera shirt and sombrero, began our cinco de mayo meeting by ringing the bell.  We sang “Smile” and “America the Beautiful.”  President Manny acknowledged our returning member John Youmans, who was greeted by a huge applause from members.
 
     Your reporter missed the introductions of guests and guest Rotarians.
 
     President Manny passed around post cards received this week: Dave Morse was in Vietnam, Chuck Cunningham in New York, and Clay Brandow was somewhere in California.
 
    Ribs & Rotary event, May 20: John Morgan is looking for signups for the beer booth, Susanne Rockwell is looking for a few more pie makers, Meaghan & Rose are looking for record ticket sales. More details here.
 
      Jim Belenis is looking for help with making and serving burgers for the Davis High School Seniors luncheon.  He needs help from 9:30 to noon on May 24. Contact Jim if you are interested.
 
     Club members Carolyn Geanacou, Meaghan Likes and Nikki Grey Rutamu are making “Luna Pads” for young African Women through the Mooncatcher Project, Monday at International House. Learn more about the Mooncatcher Project here or let Carolyn, Meaghan or Nikki know if you'd be interested in participating in future sewing bees.
 
     Sgt. of the Day Andrew Newman called for Happy Bucks.  Mack Walker donated $100 to our Foundation in recognition of Larry Greene’s generous detective work in finding and acquiring the “little mac” potato bag. Jay Brookman’s son is graduating from San Diego State, David Morse’s (president-elect) son is graduating from high school and headed to Cal Poly.   John Youmans is “happy to be here.”
 
     Don Winters had a nice time playing golf with Rotary buddies.  Dave Morse thanked Andrew Yang for filling in on piano and was thankful for a three-week trip to Southeast Asia.
 
      Rose Cholewinski reminded us that 10 months ago she said John is “a F’ng Fighter,” welcome back John.  Gary Johns had a great time with 175 fellow employees who used to work for a now defunct organization, but who put together a reunion in Sparks, NV.
 
      Star Wars fans were asked to stand and asked to explain the significance of yesterday.  For you non Starwars fans: “May the 4th be with you.”
Bike month provided an opportunity to find out which club members had spent big bucks on their bicycles.  Members were asked to stand if they spent more the $2k on their bicycles or more than their first car.    Jim Smith confessed that his first car was $175,  Clay Brandow paid $500 for his first car, and did I get this correct, Clay paid $4k for his bicycle? Yep!
 
Members who have been in “marches recently”:  Tim Daleidin, the Science march, Meaghan Likes and Irena Asmundson, the women’s march. 
 
     Mack Walker was fined because “Larry Walker and Associates” has moved to temporary offices noting he has moved from a large corner office to a small windowless closet.
 
     Members with personal water wells stood, Don Winters explained that he has a 125’ deep well, but “don’t drink the water.”  Bonnie Walther, Don’s neighbor also has a water well.
 
     Clay Brandow introduced our speaker David Sandino.  David is Chief Counsel for the California Department of Water Resources and also teaches water law at UC Davis.  He presentation was on California’s groundwater law.
 
      David began with some statistics about California and groundwater:
  • 40% of our water is from ground water, which increases during draughts.
  • The San Joaquin valley is “ground zero” for groundwater levels with a 40 to 60% decrease in ground water.
  • Subsidence (sinking of ground due to ground water pumping) of 10 to 40’ in the SJ valley.
  • Subsidence creates problems including infrastructure challenges and a decrease and aquifer capacity.
  • 96% of the groundwater usage is in the SJ valley.
 
    California law allows each land owner to drill a well and consume as much water as needed for their property.   If neighboring land owners disagree on consumption levels, they go to court, which results in Adjudicated Ground Water basins.
 
The 2014 Sustainable Ground Water Management Act has three main goals:
  1. Sustainable management of ground water, e.g. Minimize subsidence and seawater intrusion.
  2. Local Management
  3. State provided backstop management view the Water Resources Control Board.
Water users have 20 years for all high and medium priority groundwater basis to achieve sustainability.
 
Questions included:
Dick Berry, how many years did it take to get in this situation?   Most likely started around 1925 with the usage of electrical water pumps.
 
Jack Latow, the San Joaquin valley is a major agriculture producer for the country, are there ways to increase water production?   Yes, but it is limited: water conservation and dams.
 
Less Protello, What role does the Federal government have?
No role regarding ground water.
 
Mack Walker,  What about senior rights to water, folks have been building a lot of wells in the last few years.   David noted that the claim for senior rights is likely, and will lead to lots of litigation.  David further added that there will likely be lots of litigation in implementing the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act of 2014.
 
Draw of the day: $158 in the pot, Mitch Mysliwiec won a free breakfast.