By Miriam Raftery, photos by Danielle Cook and Wayne Brammer

September 7, 2014 (Jacumba Hot Springs)—This high desert town in San Diego’s East County is normally characterized by dry washes.  But tonight around 7:30 p.m., the town’s Centennial Committee chair Danielle Cook reports, “I received a call a half hour ago from another Jacumba resident, Bill Pape, saying to "get down to the bridge right away, there is a flash flood here and about 20 of us are gathering to watch it.”

Cook grabbed her camera and headed to the scene.  “I jumped in my car with my camera and raced down. Sure enough, there was water rushing down a tributary of Boundary Creek and Carrizo Gorge and under the bridge on the East side of town where the farm is,” she reports. “The waters were coming from the Mexican side of Jacumba Valley. Water was saturating the fields on the south side of Old Highway 80.”

Ironically, the farm recently ceased operations due to a well run dry.

“The flood certainly created a flurry of excitement,” Cook concludes. “Although we received some rain from the passing storm, apparently the storm dumped a lot of rain on the Mexico side of the valley.”

By Miriam Raftery

November 6, 2014 (Borrego Springs) – The proposed placement of sexually violent predator Gary Snavely in Borrego Springs has been withdrawn by the Department of State hospitals after the conclusion of public comments, District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis has announced.

Snavely will remain in Coalinga State Hospital pending further court proceedings and the public will be notified when another site location is identified.

Snavely was convicted of molesting two girls ages 8 and 9.  He was previously placed in Jacumba before abusing psychotropic medications and being sent back to the state hospital.

To receive alerts if a sex offender moves in or out of you neighborhood, visit www.sandiegocountysexoffenders.com .

By Miriam Raftery

November 11, 2014 (Jacumba) – Consultants hired by renewable energy companies in recent years have consistently claimed that there are no golden eagles in the Jacumba-Boulevard Planning areas, where several major energy projects are proposed or planned. 

But two separate residents of Jacumba now report seeing a pair of golden eagles in the past 10 days—including on documented with a photograph.  The first sighting was over the town itself and the second was directly across from the Jacumba Solar project and a proposed power line tie-in to the ECO substation.

Golden eagles populations are threatened in the San Diego region, with only 46 pairs remaining in the county, according the Cleveland National Forest website which states that “eagles are very sensitive to disturbances by people.”Power lines can electrocute raptors and construction of any major project can be potentially disruptive.

The first sighting in Jacumba was made on October 30^th by well-known birdwatcher Eric Kallen, who runs the website www.JacumbaBirding.com. He reported seeing a pair of golden eagles and provided a photograph of one.

The second sighting was reportedly made by a resident in the Grey mountain/Table Mountain area.  “The resident, who prefers not to be generally known but is extremely reliable, says a Golden Eagle can be seen most days on the ridge-line above his property,” Howard Cook, chair of the Jacumba Sponsor Group, the town’s planning board, wrote in an e-mail notifying officials at state and federal wildlife agencies and to the county to be included in the record for the Jacumba Solar project proposal.

East County News Service

January 17, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) – San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) announced last week that the new East County (ECO) Substation project has been energized and is now operating as an integral part of SDG&E’s electric transmission system.

The entire project includes a new 58 acre state-of-the-art substation in the East County community of Jacumba, an upgraded substation in Boulevard and a 14-mile transmission line connecting the two substations. The ECO Substation project was designed to enhance electric reliability in the region and to help facilitate the delivery of renewable wind and solar energy to SDG&E customers.

“The ECO Substation project is a vital reliability addition to our local transmission system and will improve our service to our customers in the eastern part of our county.” said David L. Geier, vice president of electric transmission and system engineering for SDG&E. “This project will also help in meeting California’s aggressive renewable energy goals by facilitating the development of renewable energy in the region.”

Construction began on the approximately $435 million project in May 2013 and the 500kV transmission substation in Jacumba was completed about one year later in June 2014.  Construction recently wrapped up on the reconstruction and modernization of the existing Boulevard substation which was built more than 60 years ago.  Both the reconstructed Boulevard substation and new 14-mile 138kV transmission line connecting the two new substations were placed into service last week.  The ECO Substation project interconnects with the existing 500kV Southwest Powerlink transmission line, strengthening this part of the transmission system.

The project drew controversy for using over 90 million gallons of water during construction – three times more than forecast. Environmentalists and some residents also objected to the massive grading and environmental disruption.

Construction required nearly 950,000 work hours. In the process, SDG&E  reports an impressive safety record given the scale of the project, 75 percent lower than the industry’s national average for similar construction projects.

SDG&E is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company based in San Diego.

By Hayden Parsley

January 29, 2015 (Jacumba Hot Springs)—Take a trip into California’s past at the Desert View Tower, a quirky and whimsical relic of the past that is still open to the public in San Diego’s East County.  Located just off Interstate 8 at the In-ko-Pah exit, the tower is poised on a rocky overlook surrounded by desert on all sides.

Built in the 1920s by Bert Vaughn, a real estate tycoon who owned much of Jacumba,  this 70-foot watchtower has become a tourist attraction and a local landmark on the outskirts of the small town today known as Jacumba Hot Springs.

Originally built to commemorate the area’s rough, pre-highway history, the tower houses a small museum filled with artifacts and oddities of California’s history including our region’s Native American, Spanish, and pioneer past. The top floor of the tower is an observation deck with a coin fed telescope that provides a breathtaking view of Imperial Valley and the Anzo-Borrego desert (though now somewhat marred by a wind farm).

In 1950, a gift shop was added around the base of the tower. This shop still operates today and is filled with an all around eclectic mix of items such as geodes, gems and minerals, vintage post cards, historic and travel books on our region, arts and crafts items such as hand-made Tecate tiles, onyx bookends, musical instruments, carved animal sculptures and more.

Roaming this area of the tower are the owner’s many friendly dogs that add to the rustic charm of the location. You can also get a workout pumping a player piano while listening to old-time tunes. 

While I was there the wind was gusting. It was a bit chilly and I wished I had a bigger coat when I reached the top. The owner says this is atypical though and that it is warm and sunny most days, but you may wish to bring a jacket when you visit.

The proprietor, Ben Schultz, has many colorful stories of East County’s history, culture and colorful characters, having operated the site for many years.

Boulder Park at the Desert View Tower was created in 1933 by an unemployed engineer,  Merle Ratcliff, who was out of work during the great Depression. He sculpted  reptiles and fanciful animals out of the huge stone boulders.

The tower site also includes man-made caves that you can explore.  I didn’t get a chance to tour these – which will be an adventure for another time.

For more photos and information, you can visit the Desert View Tower on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/desertviewtower .

May 16, 2015 (Jacumba) – A bridge over Interstate 8 near Jacumba has been renamed to honor Eric Norman Cabral, a Border Patrol Agent who died of a heart attack caused by heat exhaustion suffered while tracking a group of suspected undocumented immigrants in the area.

He was found unresponsive and flown to a local hospital, where he later died. He was 31 years old. His untimely death points up the risks facing those who patrol our borders in often extreme weather conditions.

His family asked Assemblyman Brian Jones to introduce legislation to name the bridge in Agent Cabral’s honor.  That measure was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown.

A ceremony was held May 15^th to unveil the new freeway bridge signs, with representatives from the Border Patrol, the Border Patrol Union, and Assemblyman Jones present to honor the memory of Agent Cabral.

Update, August 21, 2015:  Donna Tisdale notified us that the backcountry "celebration over the death of Soitec's Boulevard projects was a bit premature. Today, County staff informed me that Soitec is going to remove the 160 cargo containers full of potentially toxic batteries from their Rugged Solar project and will resubmit the revised EIR for certification by the Board of Supervisors. (Back in February, Soitec self-terminated their Tierra Del Sol Solar project just 1 month after receiving Board approval due to a lack of buyers.) Staff is trying to docket the revised EIR for the Board agenda by October so they can meet the Court's order to report back by November 2nd on how they plan to comply," adds Tisdale, who concludes, "The battle to save the backcountry continues."

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: A Soitec solar panel in Newbury Springs, California

August 20, 2015 (Boulevard) – The last of four massive solar projects proposed by Soitec Solar in Boulevard may now be officially dead.

On August 7^th, Superior Court Judge Joel R. Wohlfeil  overturned County Supervisors’ approvals of Soitec’s Rugged Acres and Tierra del Sol projects,  because the approvals violated the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)  Soitec and the County failed to file an appeal by the August 14^th deadline, says Donna Tisdale, chair of the Boulevard Planning Group and founder of Backcountry Against Dumps, which filed the lawsuit aiming to halt the project. View the court's judgment.

“Soitec’s Boulevard projects, approved for 1,200 acres, are now dead and buried!” Tisdale wrote in an email to project opponents. Any new projects proposed for those sites would need to start all over at step one,” requiring a new environmental impacts review, a lengthy and costly process. “I have asked the County for details on when they will set aside their voided approvals, as mandated by the court,” Tisdale added.

Judge Wohlfeil wrote in his judgment, “The San Diego County Board of Supervisors (the "Board") shall RESCIND AND VACATE its approval of the Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (the "FPEIR")and associated Findings and Statement of Overriding Considerations for the Soitec Solar Project

1 that Petitioners challenged herein  (the "Project"), Major Use Permit Nos. PDS2012-3300-12-007

and PDS2012-3300-12-010, respectively, for the Rugged and Tierra Del Sol components of the

Project, Ordinance No. 10375 rezoning the Tierra Del Sol component of the Project, and

Resolution No. 15-015 disestablishing the Maupin Agricultural Preserve, because such approvals

are contrary to the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA"), Public Resources Code

section 21000 et seq”.

Soitec originally proposed four projects, two of which were approved by the County for construction: Rugged Acres and Tierra del Sol.  But the financially troubled French company later announced it has exited the solar business, despite receiving $25 million in federal money for its solar manufacturing in Rancho Bernardo.  Soitec  sold its Rancho Bernardo facility to ConcernSolar and withdrew its plans for Tierra del Sol.

All of the projects drew strong community opposition over concerns that included destruction of meadows and wetlands, habitat and scenic views as well as increased fire danger and depletion of groundwater for construction, among other concerns. (Photo, right: meadow with mature pine tree at one of the proposed Soitec sites)  The lands included public and private property at the gateway to McCain Valley, a federal recreation area, and multiple federal wilderness locations.

Only Supervisor Dianne Jacob, who represents East County, voted against the Soitec projects in Boulevard. The other four Supervisors voted yes.  State Senator Joel Anderson, who has been named as a likely candidate to run against Jacob in the next Supervisorial race, lobbied Supervisors to support the Soitec Project on  Rough Acres Ranch owned by the Hamann Companies, a major contributor to Anderson’s campaigns.

News of the projects’ demise in the wake of Soitec opting not to appeal its final project drew reactions of glee from some community members.

In an e-mail to ECM, Tisdale wrote, “We did not win on all counts in our lawsuit, but we did win in the face of extreme odds and undeservedly strong political support for Soitec.  This was an especially sweet and gratifying win for us. Soitec's Boulevard projects were un-democratically sanctioned by Governor Brown as fast-tracked Environmental Leadership projects, the feds granted them $25 million for their Rancho Bernardo factory, the state gave them $10 million or more for employee training and such, San Diego City expanded the Enterprise Zone and gave them additional incentives and benefits. And the County Planning and Development Services, Planning Commission,  and 4 of our 5 Supervisors bent over backwards to ram Soitec's experimental and high-priced projects through the environmental review process by blatantly denying and/or overriding significant  negative impacts to our community, Boulevard's Community Plan, and public health and safety overall. It was as if decision makers forgot all about the 14 years and millions of dollars invested in our General Plan Update that was supposed to keep rural communities rural and reduce development in fire prone areas.”

Tisdale concludes, “Community involvement, determination, and due diligence paid off in the end, along with Soitec's timely self implosion and decision to exit the solar business after SDG&E terminated their Power Purchase Agreements. Now, if we could only get Soitec to pay back all the public funds they wasted!

Howard Cook, former chair of the Jacumba Sponsor Group, also welcomed the news. “This is also a win for Jacumba,” he told ECM in an e-mail, noting that Jacumba’s water district had agreed to supply groundwater despite a Local Agencies Formation Commission (LAFCO) rule against outside water sales.

Cook adds, “ I also have to ask why our precious groundwater supplies are being promised to out of the country and out of state energy companies.”  He cited Iberdrola of Spain, developer of Tule Wind, Soitec Solar, a French firm, and Nextera of Florida, which aims to build Jacumba Solar—all seeking water from Jacumba.  If groundwater supplies become depleted, as a hydrologist from San Diego State warned could occur with the Soitec Solar projects alone, Cook fears residents in Jacumba could be forced to leave their town.

The news also brought cheer to many residents in Pine Valley, where shareholders in the Pine Valley Mutual Water Company have been seeking to overturn their water board's decision to sell 5 million gallos of Pine Valley water to the newly formed Rough Acres Water District that had aimed to use Pine Valley's water for the Rugged Acres solar project.

Robert Zaidman, a Pine Valley resident praised Tisdale and "all the great people that stood up for Boulevard have reminded us that there are avenues of justice...What about the public trustees that failed to deliver it? Boulevard is an example of actual heroism, not the mythical kind we see from those who self-anoint and self appoint."

East County News Service

Aug 28, 2015 (San Diego)-- San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis announced today that Gary Snavely, a diagnosed pedophile and sexually-violent predator was ordered by Judge Louis R. Hanoian to return to Coalinga State Hospital, a mental facility, after violating the terms of his release. The violations included misuse of medications, failing to remain appropriately clothed at all times on his property while in public view, and failing to report any and all instances of sexual thoughts and fantasies involving sexual deviance to treatment staff.

Snavely admitted the allegations and agreed to the revocation. He had most recently been living in Jacumba in taxpayer-funded housing until July 2, when was removed from his residence and placed back into custody of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department for the violations. There are no new victims.

Supervisor Dianne Jacob issued this statement at the news. ““The court did the right thing by sending Gary Gene Snavely back to a state mental hospital. He’s a deranged man and a repeat lawbreaker who never should have been allowed in our community in the first place. These latest violations by Snavely prove again why sexually violent predators, the worst of the worst, don’t belong anywhere near our neighborhoods and families.”

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis stated,“One of our office’s priorities is protecting the citizens of San Diego against high-risk sex offenders. We will continue to use all available resources to seek the commitment of high-risk sex offenders and ensure there is transparency and accountability whenever a sexually-violent predator is released by the court into the community.”

Snavely was originally convicted in 1987 of molesting two girls between the ages of eight and nineyears old. The molestations occurred in the Orange County area and involved fondling and oral copulation. He served three years in prison and was thereafter placed on parole. Snavely violated the conditions of his parole and was returned to prison.

In 1996, after his release and while living in San Diego, he was convicted of failing to register as a sex offender in violation of California Penal Code 290. The court sentenced him to serve 16 months in state prison.

Prior to his release from prison, the District Attorney’s Office filed a petition to civilly commit Snavely as a sexually-violent predator. In 1998, he was found to be a sexually-violent predator and was ordered to undergo treatment at the state hospital.

In 2008, the court granted his request for conditional release however, he was returned to the state hospital several months later for medication misuse. He has remained inside the state hospital since that time and continued to avail himself of sex offender treatment.

Last April, Snavely filed a petition for conditional release and Judge Louis R. Hanoian, determined that Snavely could be safely treated in the community and granted his petition and approved housing in Jacumba.

County News Service

August 27, 2015 (San Diego)--County Animal Services seized more than a dozen neglected animals from a property in Jacumba Thursday.

Animal Control Officers found a dead four-month-old baby horse, and a number of emaciated animals. In all, three horses, one Shetland pony, 10 goats and four pigs were impounded and are currently receiving care at the County’s animal care facility in Bonita.   

More

Our deserts section covers the Anza Borrego Desert State Park and the communities of Borrego Springs, Ocotillo, Ocotillo Wells and Jacumba.

By Miriam Raftery – Photo by Jim Larson, Caltrans

September 8, 2015 (San Diego’s East County)--Exactly 39 years ago this week, Hurricane Kathleen struck our region – the most powerful tropical cylone ever to hit San Diego and Imperial Counties. With another powerful storm, Hurricane Linda, set to sock our region starting Wednesday, it’s worth remembering just how much devastation was wrought the last such storm set to hit the identical area, on the very same day of the year.

With winds up to 90 miles an hour, Hurricane Kathleen dropped a foot of water on Mt. Laguna and sent a wall of water 10 feet high and 40 feet high through the town of Ocotillo in neighboring Imperial Valley, destroying over 70% of the town. Another wave a mile high and two and a half feet wide swept through Jacumba, demolishing a farmhouse.

The San Diego Union-Tribune said of the Ocotillo nightmare, “There was no warning, just a sudden roar.”

The powerful storm killed 13 people in California and Mexico. It also washed out Interstate 8 , crumbling freeway and destroyed a bridge at Meyer Creek, where a 600 foot wide section of the freeway was wiped out leaving a gully in its place some 35 to 40 feet deep.

Eldo Sanders jumped in his truck to try and save people stranded in Painted Gorge after hearing a call for help on his citizens band radio.  He never made it; his truck was found overturned in mud and his body was later found buried in a mud bank.  Another resident of Ocotillo, John Patrick Reilly, refused to evacuate his home and rescuers from the Ocotillo Volunteer Fire Department found the 63-year-old man’s  body inside his home, which had flooded.

An El Centro resident, William Meanna,  is believed to have died when his vehicle was swept off the Meyer Creek bridge on I-8 by a towering wall of water.

Flooding and mudslides destroyed 3 bridges on the San Diego-Arizona Eastern Railway, ultimately leading to abandonment of the railraoad line.  It smashed airplanes at desert airports and turned one plane on its nose in Yuma.

One Salton Sea resort area, Bombay Beach, was completely underwater.  Most of the 14 cities in Imperial County were utterly inundated.

Sheriff’s deputies and the Navy airlifted residents out of aresa west of El Centro, including an elderly woman trapped when water overflowed her bed. Shew as saved by sheriff deputies in a flatboat. 

Farmers suffered too; at least 10,000 acres of sugar beets were wiped out.  All routes out of Imperial County except for State Route 111 were shut down at one time.

80 families were left homeless in Mexicali and roofs blew off homes 600 miles south of San Diego. 

Hundreds of homes were destroyed across the region by the storm, which caused $160 million in damage, ranking as one of the worst storms in California history.

Alan Zeingheim grew up on a ranch in Imperial Valley and recalls the flash flood that raced across the desert floor on September 9^th, 1976.  The next morning he recalls going outside with his dad, believing the storm had passed. “We kept noticing some sunlight reflecting off the San Diego mountains out towards the west. It was like a sparkle,” he recalls. My dad thought itw as peculiar and said it looks like water and we listened to the radio shortly thereafter and heard the flash flood warnings. .My mom was scared and pretty insisten that we vacate the ranch and we did. We returned to find out the next morning that a wall of water approximately 10 feet high swept across the imperial Valley dessert floor, wiping out the town of Ocotillo and killing some motorists who were unfortunate enough to be on Interstate 8 at the time the water came through. When we returned to our ranch, it was under 3 feet of water and my dad’s crops were ruined. It was due to this catastrophic incident that we sold our ranch and moved to the San Diego area,” Zeingheim recalls.

He warns that due to the unique geography of Ocotillo, which sits on a alluvial fan below sea level, “The same unfortunate events can happen again.”

Zeingheim has set up a website devoted to preserving the history of Hurricane Kathleen, which you can view at his music site, MusicByAlan.com/Flood.html.

September 27, 2015 (Jacumba Hot Springs)—A bake sale and ice cream social will be held at the Jacumba Library on Saturday, October 3 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.  as part of the fall festival.  Proceeds will be used to send Jacumba Middle School students to sixth grade camp.

If you can provide baked goods such as breads, muffins, pies or brownies or can volunteer, please contact Heather Cunnington at (619)407-0453.

East County News Service

Photo: Two Jacumba CAL FIRE firefighters stand ready to respond in a new paramedic engine at the Jacumba fire station.

October 14, 2015 (San Diego)--San Diego County Fire and CAL FIRE are making a major upgrade to fire and emergency medical services at the County’s Jacumba fire station with the launch this week of round-the-clock paramedic service. It’s the first time ever the service has been offered from the station, located south of Interstate 8 near the Mexican border.

The upgrade is part of an overall effort to increase paramedic capabilities throughout the San Diego County Fire Authority’s service area.  A new paramedic engine at Jacumba is the seventh that County Fire has added over the past few years.  Other new, County Fire-funded paramedic engines now operate out of the Otay, Jamul, Lake Morena, Pine Valley, Descanso and Intermountain stations.

“We continue to take big steps to boost emergency medical services in our backcountry, and bringing 24/7 service to Jacumba is an important part of that effort,” said Supervisor Dianne Jacob.  “Until now, the closest paramedic engine to Jacumba has been at least a 30-minute drive away.”

In September 30, 2015, a man found unconscious at the De Anza Resort in Jacumba died before paramedics arrived at least 20 minutes after 911 was called, as ECM reported.  At the time, the two closest fire stations were both closed due to staffing shortages, ECM's investigation revealed.

Since then, the County has consolidated volunteer stations into the County Fire Authority with an aim toward improving both firefighting and paramedic services.

Having paramedics stationed locally at stations across rural East County will undoubtedly save lives in the future.

The area surrounding the Jacumba fire station has a population of approximately 570 and includes a segment of Interstate 8 that is highly traveled and has numerous traffic-related incidents requiring medical intervention and paramedic response. A County-funded, CAL FIRE-staffed paramedic fire engine began serving the area Monday. New staff positions included a fire captain, two fire apparatus engineers and three firefighter paramedics. This is the first time the station has been staffed at this level. 

“This is an exciting time in the evolution of County Fire,” said Tony Mecham, Chief of CAL FIRE San Diego and County Fire. 

The Jacumba fire station is located at 1255 Jacumba Rd. in Jacumba CA  91934.

East County News Service

October 24, 2015 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – Fall is in the air and it’s a great time to take a hike.  The Jacumba Hikers/Walkers have a series of hikes coming up to intriguing locations, with various levels of difficulties from easy to extreme. 

November’s destinations include Tule Canyon, Round Mountain, the Old Butterfield Stage Coach route, and Amadeo’s Straw bale cabin compound. In December, the group will hit the trail for an ancient waterfall and Davies Valley, wind caves in Anza Borrego Desert State Park, an ancient juniper forest, and the Valley of the Moon. 

For a flyer with full details, click here. You can also contact Greg Curran at 619-459-3037 or gregcurran@sbcglobal.net.

By Howard W Cook, former chair, Jacumba Sponsor Group

Photo: Lake Jacumba

November 1, 2015 (Jacumba Hot Springs)--A massive project poses an unprecedented risk to Jacumba Hot Springs' water supply. 

BACKGROUND

Jacumba Hot Springs is an old town going back to 1860 and blessed with a productive hot spring and several other good wells. It is located 70 miles East of San Diego on Old Highway 80 in a valley spread out on both sides of the border. Its high desert transition zone location at 2800 feet just before nearby Interstate 8 plunges to the desert seem an unlikely place for a water takeover by Nextera, a Florida Green Energy developer.

Other green energy developers, however, have already received the approval of the JCSD (Jacumba’s water company) for water supplies, all projected to take water starting in 2016 or 2017 and continuing through 2017 and beyond. The Nextera development, called Jacumba Solar LLC, wants an immediate (2016) 60 acre feet or 20 million gallons, Tule Wind was previously approved by JCSD for 20 to 25 million gallons, and Soitec Rugged 850 acre Solar farm was JCSD approved for 20 to 40 million gallons of water. The Soitec Rugged project was just reapproved by the Board of Supervisors. The impact of the Soitec and the Tule wind projects on the Jacumba water supply is difficult to measure and depends on the timing, but altogether or serially it will be very significant in our current drought situation. This story, however, just relates to Jacumba Solar LLC, its solar project and its new water vendor status.

JACUMBA GEOLOGY/HYDROLOGY

The geology and therefore the hydrology of Jacumba Hot Springs, the town, is very complex (in both the west side and the east side); the difficult thing to assess in Jacumba is at what point is the extraction of groundwater, whether potable, raw or non-potable, too much. When will it cause groundwater and aquifer collapse along with a collapse of land values--failure of the Jacumba Spa’s springs along with the jobs it creates? Also impacted would be Jacumba's lake that is home to the endangered tricolored Blackbird and the die-off of Jacumbas tree’s in its urban forest.

Charles E Hauser, noted hydrologist and expert on Jacumba water says in a 2014 report that “during a current regional drought, groundwater is not something to be used carelessly” and goes on to say that there is still much to be learned about the hydrology of Jacumba.” Dudek, a consulting company working for and on behalf of all of the aforementioned green energy developers, has done all of the other recent completed Jacumba hydrology studies. Dudek’ s omissions and bias are huge and should be set aside. In fact, Dudek hydrology studies were done by Dudek hydrologist Trey Driscoll.  He usually is the one asking for Jacumba water as described below. The big question is; why does Jacumba’s water company (JCSD) want to take risks with its drinking water and groundwater supplies, especially in this current drought?

USUAL ENERGY PROJECT JACUMBA WATER PROCESSES

All of the above listed projects Jacumba Solar, Soitec Rugged and Tule Wind, as well as the completed ECO substation project, fit a pattern--which is, that they all hire the same Dudek hydrology consultant, usually Trey Driscoll who  does a tailored water study.  The developers’ hydrologist makes a call on the key Jacumba person in this process. A person we will refer to as Jacumba”s Green Energy Activist, They discuss mitigation moneys and/or JCSD desired projects and they come to an agreement on the amount of water required. The Green Energy Activist involves someone on the JCSD Board, usually the President and jointly with Trey Driscoll they develop a county 399W “approval to provide water form.” The Board, with Trey Driscoll in attendance, later approves the form. The JCSD Manager signs the form and Trey takes it back to the developer. The Green Energy Activist is the key person because for the past ten years, he has heavily influenced a majority of the JCSD Board, its President, and the JCSD General Manager. Sometimes in the case of the completed ECO project, limits are placed on the amount of water that can be provided over a chosen period of time.  

WHAT IS GOING ON THIS TIME, WITH JACUMBA SOLAR LLC PROJECT OR IN ITS NEW ROLE AS WATER SUPPLIER

On October 5, 2015, The JCSD Board, In special session, approved by 4 to 1 a “WATER SUPPLY AGREEMENT BETWEEN JACUMBA COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT AND JACUMBA SOLAR, LLC (AKA Nextera, a subsidiary of Florida Power And Light, INC.). Interestingly, JCSD had previously hired (for $5,000 dollars) The San Diego County Counsel’s office to create and defend this agreement for JCSD. The County Counsel’s attorney, Rachel was present at the October 5th special meeting and at times, she defended the terms of the agreement.

 Following are the unbelievable arrangements included in this “water supply agreement” (sales agreement) and the related JCSD enabling resolutions also approved at the October 05, 2015 special meeting:

• Jacumba Solar LLC will, on or before January 15, 2016 pay JCSD $350,000 plus most of the funding for drilling a new well and rehabbing a second well. Jacumba Solar LLC also funded two hydrology studies and are mostly funding a new water terminal facility with two large 10,000-gallon tanks including a new road in the town park and athletic fields area. (JCSD revenue for each of the last 3 years has ranged from $100,000 to $140,000.)
• In the final listed agreement recital it says,  “that the LLC is not required to use the water for any particular project”. This allows Nextera to be able to sell any of the water covered by the agreement to any one, (the agreement term is 31 to 41 years) .
• Agreement item 7 says” The LLC may sell or transport the water purchased pursuant to this agreement to third parties, including for use outside the territorial boundaries of JCSD”. This says it all; Sale of Jacumba Water becomes a profit Center for both NEXTERA and JCSD. It also facilitates any other project development giving county planning departments with an automatic water source without approval from Jacumba, even if its domestic water supply and neighboring wells will be negatively impacted. 
• Agreement item 5 states “JCSD acknowledges that notwithstanding the current multi year severe drought condition there is substantial evidence of sufficient surplus non-potable water supplies to provide water to the LLC pursuant to this agreement.”

Wait a minute, all of the so called non-potable wells (wells 6, Park well, Highland Center well, are within a half mile radius of the JCSD primary domestic water well (well 4). Therefore regardless of the type of water withdrawn, there will be an effect to all local groundwater wells. The withdrawal rate in agreement item 2 can be at least 326,000 gallons per day over the initial withdrawal periods. The initial period will cover the withdrawal of 60 acre-feet or a total of about 20 million gallons of water for 180 working days or approximately eight months. The last major JCSD water project (Eco SDG&E Substation) had a limitation of 40,000 gallons a day (actually Eco stretched over a 20 month period for a total water withdrawal of 15 million gallons). If the 40,000 gallons of water set by the previous JCSD general manager was reasonable, then an 8 times increase per day and after two additional years of drought, will surely impact Jacumba domestic supplies, especially the first eight month intensive withdrawal period. In addition, since the term of the agreement is 31 years plus a ten year extension, the 326,000 gallons a day and up to a total of 100 million gallons a year, Jacumba Solar LLC can essentially have a 31 year plus ten year right to impact Jacumba water supplies.   

• The total amount of water covered by the agreement is difficult to determine, because of the final third category and also the length of category two. Category one, the initial period is defined in agreement item 2 and equals 60 acre feet or about 20 million gallons. Nextera, at its discretion could stretch this out for even 31 to 41 years, according to the agreement. The second category of 4 acre feet a year or about 1.3  million gallons a year could start immediately and provide additional water during the 31 to 41 year period. This second category could total 41 years times, or a total water use of 164 acre-feet. The third category is shown in agreement item 8. The third category provides that, LLC can buy up to 10 acre-feet for any project. It has no time or time period limitations, so unless JCSD questions them as to its use, they can have an endless loop of 10-acre feet purchases. There are some limitations if JCSD wants to challenge them, but if JCSD does not, there is no limitation on the amount of water withdrawn, other than possibly, 100 million gallons a year.

THE BOTTOM LINE  

The bottom line is that Jacumba Solar LLC can sell construction water for 31 years plus ten years and up to 100 million gallons a year at the new Jacumba water service terminal to themselves or anyone else inside or outside of Jacumba. The largest and only large previous construction water sale to the SDG&E ECO substation was 15 million gallons over a 20 month period therefore there is unprecedented risk to Jacumba's domestic water supply as well as to about ten other residences with private wells, who use the same groundwater supplies as JCSD. There is also the safety risk of over 50 heavy diesel water trucks a day in town for at least a year. One construction water fill site is across the street from the Jacumba School with no sidewalks. The other fill site is adjacent to the town athletic fields, ball courts and a children’s playground as well as the Jacumba Senior and Community Center (Highland Center).

East County News Service

November 7, 2015 (Jacumba Hot Springa) – The town of Jacumba will host a community-wide yard sale on Saturday, November 14 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. featuring hand-made crafts, art work, household items and other yard sale treasures.  Parking and admittance are free.

In addition, tours will be offered of the Chinese Castle, a historic icon in Jacumba. There is a $5 charge for the castle tour and proceeds benefit the Jacumba-Boulevard Revitalization Alliance, a 501c3.

There are many rumors swirling about this fascinating complex of buildings. Is there a 'Smuggler's' tunnel leading to Mexico? Was someone murdered there? Was the house owned by a Sea Captain and built to please his Chinese bride? Separate 'Fact from Fiction' on the tour.

The sale starts at Old Highway 80 and Railroad Street, where you can also buy Chinese Castle tour tickets at the revitalization booth.

If you would like a booth to sell items, contact Myra Price (Jacumba Women's Club) at 619-766-4204. Proceeds from space rental fee go to the Highland Community Center, a 501c3.

East County News Service

January 4, 2016 (Jacumba)--The Jacumba Hikers and Walkers have announced their schedule of hikes for January and February in the high desert region surrounding Jacumba Hot Springs. 

The hikes range from easy to extreme, covering terrain from wilderness to a desert oasis, mountains and canyons.  You’ll also see sites rich in history reflecting the region’s Native Americans, Spanish, and pioneer settlers. Other excursions including a trip to the Chinese Castle, a Garnet Mine, Goat Canyon’s railroad trestle, and a waterfall, plus dips in mineral hot springs at the Jacumba Spa and Resort.

For a full schedule, scroll down, and also be sure to read these hikng safety tips.

1-9-16 -           Myer Creek-Upper Myer Valley - This six mile hike will begin at Mountain Springs Grade and will take you into the Jacumba Wilderness via Myer Creek.  You will see "Bob's Rock," numerous morteros, and the deserted home site of legendary recluse, "Happy," before arriving at a spectacular palm oasis.  You will hike through upper Myer Valley amid giant boulders and beautiful high desert flora. This hike is rated HARD+ and will include some bouldering.  Hikers will meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Jacumba Spa and Resort 44450, Old Hwy. 80, Jacumba Hot Springs CA 91934. No Dogs Please!  Breakfast is available starting at 7:00 a.m. and lunch will also be available after the hike.  *Please readattached safety tips!  Hike Leaders:  Mike Rood (760)455-1876 & Angel Somera. 

1/16/16-           Table Mountain - This hike is rated HARD, 4 mi. round trip hiking up to Table Mtn. & Squaw Tit Red Rock Plateaus. No Dogs Please! Hikers will meet at 8am at the Jacumba Spa, 44500 Old Hwy. 80, Jacumba Hot Springs, CA 91934 then carpool to Greg’s place. Breakfast is available at the Spa starting at 7AM. Bring a Swim Suit & Towel for after the hike the owners of the Spa will provide hikers with courtesy day use in the mineral hot springs. Hike Leaders:  Dennis Ruth & Bill Pape (619) 766-4927. *Please read the attached Safety Tips!

1/23/16 -          Mortero Palms/Goat Canyon Trestle – Hikers will meet 8AM at the Imperial Valley Desert Museum, 11 /W. Frontage Rd., Ocotillo, CA 92259  to car pool to starting point. We then climb up a canyon to a palm grove known as Mortero Palms passing a half dozen morteros along the way. From there we will be tackling the rugged and difficult stretch to Goat Canyon where we will be able to view the 200’ Goat Canyon Trestle. This hike is rated EXTREME.No Dogs Please! Hike Leaders:  Richard Alcorn & Bill Pape (619) 766-4927 *Please read attached Safety Tips!

1/30/16 -         Garnet Mine Hike – A 4 mi. figure 8 loop trail to an inactive Garnet Mine. Hikers will encounter a waterfall, exhilarating views & other hidden treasures of the high desert area. Rated MODERATE to HARD Hikers will meet 8AM at Jacumba Spa & Resort 44450, Old Hwy. 80, Jacumba Hot Springs, CA 91934. Breakfast is available at the Spa, starting at 7AM.  Lunch is also available after the hike. Bring swim suit & towel for soaking in mineral hot springs after the hike, courtesy of the Spa.  No Dogs Please! Hike Leaders:  Don & Anita *Please read attached Safety Tips!   

.2/6/16 -           Border Patrol Trail & Rock House - This hike is 3.5 mi., rated EASY, taking you to the Border Fence separating U.S. & Mexico, to the Jacumba Airport & the Old Rock House. Hikers will meet 8AM at the Jacumba Hot Springs Spa & Resort 44450, Old Hwy. 80, Jacumba Hot Springs, CA 91934 . Breakfast is available at the Spa 7:30AM. & lunch is available after the hike. Bring swim suit & towel for courtesy day use of the mineral hot springs after the hike. Dog friendly hike on 6’ leash. Hike Leaders:  Greg gregcurran@sbcglobal.net& Tammy dumptruck.01@wildblue.net *Please read attached Safety Tips!              

2/13/16 -          Bow Willow to Rock House Canyon - This hike is rated Hard approx. 7.5 miles starting at Bow Willow Camp Grounds up-canyon to a rocky draw in the mountains and climbing upwards to a sandy wash to a gently sloping plateau that descends onto the broad floor of Rock House Canyon. No Dogs Please! Meet 8AM at the Imperial Valley Desert Museum, 11 W. Frontage Rd., Ocotillo, CA 92259. Hike Leaders:  Dennis Ruth, Michelle Graves & Richard Alcorn richardalcorn2455@gmail.com . *Please read attached Safety Tips!

2/20/16 -          Jacumba Walk-About – This hike is 4 mi. rated EASY and suitable for the whole family. Dog Friendly using a 6’ leash. Hikers will meet 8AM at the Jacumba Spa, 44500 Old Hwy. 80, Jacumba Hot Springs, CA 91934. Breakfast is available starting at 7AM. This hike will take you to the Chinese Castle, the natural hot springs, Jacumba Lake, Sand Wash, Train Station, Community Park and other good stuff! Courtesy day use for the mineral hot springs after the hike so bring swim suit & towel. Hike Leader:  gregcurran@sbcglobal.net *Please read attached Safety Tips!                                                                           

2/27/16 -         Indian Hill/Gun Powder Shack – This is a 10mi. hike that is rated HARD. Starting out, west of Ocotillo in the Anza Borrego State Park across broad alluvial plains dotted with cacti, small shrubs, through rocky hills of desert-varnished granite boulders and onto a small promontory called Indian Hill which is considered one of the most significant aboriginal sites in the Colorado Desert. Next hikers will encounter sheds of an old railroad camp ruins constructed of mortar & blasting –powder cans then up the hill to see the spectacular view of Carrizo Gorge. Hikers meet 8AM at the IMDM – 11 W. Frontage Rd., Ocotillo, CA 92259. Hike Leaders:  Richard Alcorn & Bill Pape (619) 766-4927. No Dogs Please!  *Please read the attached Safety Tips!

East County News Service

January 26, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) — Soon, three portable trailer-mounted generators will provide power to local communities during local emergencies such as wildfires or earthquakes. The generators could be sent to temporary charging stations in neighborhoods without power, bringing electricity to people who rely on medical equipment.

Two remote fire stations in Boulevard and Jacumba will also be upgraded to microwave radio-based internet connectivity radios and several other stations will also receive upgraded radios.

The new equipment is made possible by a donation of nearly $100,000 from the San Diego Regional Fire Foundation, which obtained the funds from San Diego Gas & Electric and allocated it to the County Office of Emergency Services to purchase the generators and radios. The generators will be pre-positioned for rapid deployment.

On Tuesday, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to accept the donation.

East County News Service

January 29, 2016 (Jacumba) — Eric Kallen, who runs the website www.JacumbaBirding.com has counted over 191 species of birds in Jacumba Hot Springs, a high-desert community in San Diego’s East County.  “I’ve had 124 species in my backyard,” he says.

Now is a great time to go bird-watching there, since you can see wintering and year-round species as well as some early spring migratory visitors.  Here are photos taken this January of a Scott’s Oriole, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, and Costa’s Hummingbird, with notes from Kallen on each:  

By Miriam Raftery, East County News Service

May 16, 2016 (Jacumba Hot Springs) – A Honda Civic belonging to a missing Buena Park man, Jonathan Barmaki, has been found by Border Patrol agents on Old Highway 80 near a welcome sign to Jacumba Hot Springs on May 9th. Agents found Barmaki's cherished 15-year-old dog, Andy,  dead inside the vehicle.

The vehicle was not out of gas and Barmaki’s wallet and keys were missing, though his cell phone, along with dog food and a dog bowl, were left in the car. The car windows were rolled up and footsteps from the vehicle led 70 feet to a border fence 25 feet high. Authorities are investigating the disappearance as"suspicious,"10 News reports. 

Barmaki, a real estate agent who buys and sells homes for a living, left Buena Park on April 30^th.  According to KNSD, surveillance video showed Barmaki at the Target at Plaza Bonita mall around 9:30 p.m. last Saturday, May 7th, where he bought toiletries, a phone charger and clothes. Around 5 a.m. Sunday,  May 8th, video shows him buying gas at a National City Valero gas station.

His vehicle was found sometime in the early hours Monday morning, May 9^th and his mother was notified at 3 a.m. of the vehicle's discovery,.  But there is still no sign of Jonathan Barmaki.

His mother, Luisa, has said her biggest fear is that her son has been hurt or taken by someone. She has told other media that Jonathan had no history of mental illness and seemed happy when he left home. But when he failed to answer phone calls she became worried.

LuisaBermaki says Jonathan and his dog were best friends  and that he would never have voluntarily left his dog.  She has also indicated that he is not familiar with the San Diego area and it is unknown what led him to the Jacumba Hot Springs area.

If you have any information, please call Buena Park Police or you can reach Luisa Barmaki at 714-293-4113.