THE STONY CREEK WATER WARS - The Orland Project, a project of hobby farms?

THE STONY CREEK WATER WARS
Glenn County - Tehama County - Colusa County , California.
(c) 2001, Mike Barkley
The Orland Project, a project of hobby farms?

[This is a transcription from the Glenn County General Plan. I've made every effort to present the content precisely, but not the form.]

[Title page]
GLENN COUNTY GENERAL PLAN

[Title page]
Community
Development
Issue
Paper

Submitted to:
Glenn County
Planning Department

by:
QUAD Consultants

April 1992
. . . . . . . .
2.1.5 Irrigation Water

As noted in the Environmental Setting Technical Paper, there are water and irrigation districts, as well as some private water companies, in Glenn County. These special districts and companies were originally formed to provide irrigation water to farmers within their district boundaries. Some of these districts now are supplying domestic water to rural residential parcels in addition to their traditional role as a purveyor of agricultural water.

An example of such a situation is the Orland Unit Water Users Association; which, however, is a private association, and not a public special district. According to the Orland Area General Plan:

The Orland Unit Water Users' Association supplies water for irrigation to land around Orland. The Orland Unit Water User's Association secured a water right to water from Stony Creek in 1902 and the first water was delivered to the Orland Project in 1910.

At this time (1990) the Orland Unit Water User's Association has 1100 share holders ... Only 90 share holders have forty (40) or more acres. Six hundred

Glenn County Community [p.] 10
Development Issue Paper

seventy nine (679) share holders farm from five to forty acres. There are 331 parcels with less than five acres in the Association. These farming operations can be considered as hobby farms or supplemental income since all the owners have other jobs for their main source of income.

[ WE LOST OUR WATER RIGHTS TO AN ASSOCIATION OF HOBBY FARMERS ?
OUWUA WASTES WATER ? ]
The apparent trend toward conversion of water users from large-scale farming operations to five-acre "hobby farms" marks a change in the Association's original mission, and may raise dilemmas within the Association should issues arise which divide their diverse clientele. Although the Association does not provide drinking water to its users, by providing irrigation water to small parcels (5 acres or less), it can be argued that the Association encourages, or at least does not discourage, the creation of parcels of a size not viable for commercial agriculture, and may thwart County land use policies. It can also be argued that water delivery to non-viable agricultural parcels represents a waste of a public investment intended to support agricultural operations.

[ OUWUA IS OUTSIDE THE REGULATORY MECHANISM FOR CONTROLLING URBAN SPRAWL. ]
In the case of special districts, LAFCO can amend their Spheres of Influence and/or require detachments from a district upon annexation to a city. However, in the case of a private water company, the decision as to whom they will serve is a matter for the board of directors and/or shareholders of the company.
. . . . . . . .
Glenn County Community [p.] 11
Development Issue Paper
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--Mike Barkley, 161 N. Sheridan Ave. #1, Manteca, CA 95336 (H) 209/823-4817
mjbarkl@inreach.com