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 Site of the proposed second power plant -- a 1000 square foot, 20' x 50' x 20' high metal building. Exact placement has not been determined, but it will be in the flat area just beyond the bridge. The South Fork Pit River is just below the edge of the road. Short Creek, inside a 5' diameter metal pipe, would come down along the canyon (left) from West Valley Reservoir. |
This project will have a HUGE effect on the South Fork area(from previous page) Though the project might at first seem to be low impact in its use of an existing diversion and dam, the repercussions rise steeply from there. The diversion canal would be enlarged with heavy equipment. The diversion structure itself will be newly built around the original concrete block. A facility would be constructed at the diversion’s end on West Valley Reservoir’s shore. The reservoir outlet, Short Creek (or West Valley Creek), itself a nice trout stream, would be encased in pipe down to a powerhouse at its confluence with the South Fork Pit. This site is immediately next to the main road and less than one quarter mile from several homes. The high voltage power lines, which run close to these homes, would be enlarged or run on a second parallel set of poles. And all of this construction would be taking place near Native American cultural areas and sensitive wildlife sites. Twenty years ago this locality was sparsely populated and it was not obvious then that there were pockets of private property among the public lands along the South Fork Canyon. It retains that character today although there are more homes now, and in the valleys further east, two bed and breakfasts have been added to the popular lake and riverside campgrounds and trailheads of the South Warner Wilderness. It is still extremely quiet just about anywhere you go, unless you are next to the water. Sounds carry through the steep-sided canyon. Many birds and animals are resident. At night it has one of the darkest skies in the US. County Road 64, the main route east, parallels the South Fork Pit River for about nine miles from Highway 395 at the town of Likely, out to Jess Valley. It is the only paved road into the South Fork area. It runs through pastureland for about three miles, then, where the road crosses a bridge, enters the steep-walled canyon. For most of the next six miles the river is directly alongside the road. Fishers and picnicers often use the many turnouts. I hate to publicize it, but one of the great places to fish is at the junction of Short Creek (West Valley Creek) and the South Fork Pit exactly where the powerhouse would be! The three miles of river upstream from Short Creek is the stretch proposed to be de-watered. The river and road continue parallel, split away through some private property, pass some National Forest unimproved campsites and converge again, continuing on up to Jess Valley and the South Fork Pit’s headwaters. This project appears to have been conceived during California’s unfortunate energy crisis a few years ago. The truth is that California is not lacking power, but only lacks the infrastructure to deliver it. The power generated would be enough for fewer than 2000 homes WITHOUT HEAT. Few jobs or benefits to Modoc County would be created. The materials, specialized equipment, and trained workers are likely to come from elsewhere, and the very small amount of power generated will be sold. This relatively tiny project is not worth all the environmental and aesthetic damage it would do. |
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| ©2007 Friends of the South Fork Pit River
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