Vol. 32, No. 43
Page 1, column 1

By Liz Bowen, assistant editor, Pioneer Press, Fort Jones, California

SISKIYOU COUNTY, CALIFORNIA – The suddenness in the change of water master fees has agriculturists and county officials hopping mad.

In the past, half of the cost of water master service has been paid by the water user and half by the state. The water user is allocated a specific amount of water under his California legal water right.

A water master works with water users to be sure that everyone in a water mastered area, uses the correct amount of water. This service is provided through the California Department of Water Resources (DWR).

Unknown to most agricultural water users, the water master fund in the DWR was not funded in the 2004-2005 state budget, which was signed by the governor on July 31.

In fact, other funds in the DWR were not funded and apparently the cost for water master service not only doubled, but also increased up to six times throughout the state.

The increase of the water master fee affects up to 400 water users in the Siskiyou County.

In the Shasta River water mastered area, the fee was a 400 percent increase from $62,000 to $248,000.

Jim Wilson, a leader in SOSS, the Save Our Shasta and Scott Valleys and Towns coalition, began making phone calls to the county, DWR officials and other state level officials, when he learned of the situation.

"Our effort is to stop the billing of this tremendous increase on the tax roll," said Wilson, explaining the urgency.

It is on each individual tax roll, where the fee increase will be billed to the water user. DWR has billed the county and the fees are obtained through tax statements.

Howard Moody, chief administrative officer for Siskiyou County, has also jumped on this bucking horse. He was on the phone making scores of phone calls last week. First, Moody began calling Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa’s and Senator, Sam Aanestad’s offices. The legislature let out the week before, but Moody tracked down the needed movers and shakers. As a result, there have been meetings in the governor’s office in Sacramento.

"My opening statement is that there’s a train wreck coming," said Moody. "We just can’t have this high of a fee increase. This is just wrong."

Moody and Wilson have also contacted officials and agriculturists in surrounding counties of Modoc, Lassen and Shasta, to coordinate the pressure.

The water master fee increase affects the entire state. In the eight northern counties, DWR water masters 44 decrees, which were set up by a judge.

Bill Bennett, a state official with DWR, said that he has $195,000 lined up to come from the Bureau of Reclamation – Klamath Project to augment the Shasta and Scott Valley water fees. He expects a contract to be signed between the federal agency and his state agency within a few weeks.

But, Wilson and Moody are still questioning why the DWR increased the fees so much.

Howard Moody, county administrator, said that the water master fee increase will be discussed at the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisor’s meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 14, sometime between 10 a.m. and noon, in Yreka, California.

Those concerned about the fee increase should attend.

Bill Bennett, a state official with the California Department of Water Resources, told the Pioneer Press that he will have an updated report on the status of the water fee increase.