Water
District Cleared; KCRA-3 airs clarification
by Jay O'Brien
KCRA-TV aired a report March first that included a segment about the
Rio Linda/Elverta Community Water District (RLECWD). Their report
was laced with inaccuracies, as reported in the March 4 issue of The
NEWS. Following our article, and following the Rio Linda/Elverta
Community Water District's request for a retraction and apology, KCRA
aired its regrets.
Dave Walker, the KCRA-TV Channel 3 News anchor, made the following
statement March 25, 2004 during the 6:30 PM news.
"We would like to clarify some information in our report on special
districts that aired here on March the first.
"In our story we quoted a 2003 report by the Sacramento County Grand
Jury. Following its investigation into water districts, the Grand Jury
made certain findings and recommendations including the following: golf
at district expense is not proper; charging expensive restaurant meals
on the district is not proper; and increasing retirement benefits to
help a particular individual is not proper.
"Viewers who saw our report may have concluded that the Grand Jury's
findings were directed solely at the Rio Linda Elverta Community Water
District. In fact, the Grand Jury report was directed to a total of
eight water districts, generally, including Rio Linda Elverta.
"But the Grand Jury report did not allege that any of the findings we
mentioned occurred in the Rio Linda Elverta district.
"We regret any misunderstanding that may have resulted from our
report."
It is unfortunate and a discredit to Rio Linda Elverta that KCRA-TV was
fed misinformation by individuals claiming to speak for our community.
KCRA-TV was unwittingly persuaded to air unfounded allegations that
made our water district and all of us in Rio Linda Elverta look bad to
the viewing audience. To their credit, KCRA-TV owned up to their part
in the deception.
Kudos to KCRA-TV for being accountable.
March
4, 2004 article: KCRA-TV Channel 3 hatchets Water District
March 18,
2004 article: Water District asks KCRA-TV for retraction
Published
in Rio Linda
Elverta News April 1, 2004 - Scroll for other articles
Hayer Dam
Renovation Design nears completion
By Mick Klasson
The 95% design plans for the Hayer Dam Renovation and Dry Creek Debris
Removal Project will be unveiled to the public on Tuesday April
6. At 6 p.m. on that date at the Rio Linda Junior High School
cafeteria, the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA), Sacramento
County Department of Regional Parks, Recreation and Open Space (County
Parks), and consulting engineers will present the design to the Hayer
Dam Citizen Advisory Committee.
Assuming continuation of State funding, the project will be constructed
this summer and will replace the existing Hayer Dam in Dry Creek with a
series of low rock weirs. Water previously diverted by the dam
will be obtained by way of an infiltration pipe buried in gravel
beneath the streambed. The existing railroad flatcar bridge will
be removed, allowing for construction of a new public pedestrian,
bicycle, and equestrian bridge planned to be built in 2005.
Finally, the project will remove low levees of earth and debris on the
banks of Dry Creek between the Sacramento Northern Bike Trail and Rio
Linda Boulevard.
In mid-April 2004, SAFCA plans to add rails to the existing bridge and
make other fencing modifications at the site to improve public safety
until the existing bridge is removed for construction of the other site
improvements this summer.
The current project design includes some changes incorporated as a
result of discussion generated by the last citizen meeting in
February. The concrete rubble wall on the east bank and
downstream of the bridge will be removed and the slope regraded and
protected with rock riprap and native plants. Concerns that
removing this wall would expose the bridge abutment to erosion will be
avoided by creating a rock “wing wall” to protect the abutment.
A large oak at the downstream end of the rubble wall will be
retained. The pipeline draining the infiltration gallery will be
relocated to the upstream end, thereby avoiding impacts to small oak
trees on the east bank. The sump will be relocated further from
the bank. A new chain link fence located south of the horseshoe
pits in the adjacent park will be constructed to allow room for the
future bike trail alignment.
To hear from the designers, see project drawings, and express your
opinions, please attend the meeting April 6 at 6 p.m. at the Rio Linda
Junior High School, 1101 G Street. If you have questions, feel
free to contact Mick Klasson at klassonm@sbcglobal.net or (530)
758-0839.
jump to top of page