Come one, come all on Sunday, September 13, 2015 to the 8th Annual Save Kilarc Picnic!
We are working to ensure that there will be loaner fishing rods for all the kids, but
still advise that you make a reservation by e-mail to kilarc@kchydro.com
Attendees will receive a free windshield squeegee/ice scraper to commemorate the event!
This is the recording played by Joan & Earl Wetmore during the Whitmore Mountain Fair parade on May 18, 2013,
(see photo below) when they were voted best entry!
The Save Kilarc Committee was established by Whitmore resident T. Glenn Dye,
whose below poster and compelling arguments for the retention of Kilarc Reservoir, especially for its recreation benefits,
have motivated the community to continue its efforts to ensure this wonderful facility will remain for future generations.
We anticipate being set up by 9 am and plan to serve food through 1 pm, although folks planning to come later
are welcome to stay as long as they want. Everyone is encouraged to let us know if they would like to purchase
lunch by sending an e-mail to the same address no later than Friday (although we're likely to see messages sent on
Saturday as well).
You may also use this e-mail to request that customized Save Kilarc T-shirts, mugs, and other memorabilia be
ordered and shipped directly to you, if you happen to miss us at the picnic.
The last two picnics were enjoyed by those who attended (and, we're STILL waiting for the State Water Resources Control Board
to take their action, having been delayed by staff needing to focus on addressing drought issues), as reflected in
these articles from the East Valley Times:
Fishing and visiting draw folks to annual Save Kilarc Picnic
08/06/2014
Fishing great on Kilarc Forebay at annual picnic
09/18/2013
The State has been doing a great job keeping Kilarc stocked this summer,
planting fish every other week for the most part, then planting the past two weeks in a row! Anyone can check
the recent planting schedule - and don't forget that Saturday, September 5 is a free fishing day,
when anyone may fish without a license, but please respect the daily limits out of consideration for others who are fishing.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife scheduled to stock the lake not too much before, so the fishing
should be good, and there will be food for sale.
Orders may be taken for Save Kilarc T-shirts, mugs, and other memorabilia, or
you can express your interest to the kilarc@kchydro.com
if you want to provide input in advance or can't make the picnic.
You may recall John Elam singing his original song about fishing at and fighting for Kilarc
by clicking "Hats Off to Grandpa!"
The Save Kilarc Committee
Timeline
Letters from Glenn Dye appear in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) on-line eLibrary from
as early as 2002, when PG&E first had to decide what to do upon the expiration of its FERC license to operate the
hydroelectric facility.
In March 2005, PG&E concluded an agreement with Federal and State Resource Agencies and Environmental Protection
Groups. The agreement stipulated that dismantling of PG&E's facilities was the preferred License Surrender alternative.
In February 2007, PG&E held a "kick-off" meeting at Whitmore School as mandated by the FERC to start the
License Surrender process. T. Glenn Dye's Save Kilarc Committee became the organization that informed and engaged the
Whitmore Community to participate as local stakeholders.
In August 2007, the first annual Save Kilarc picnic was held at Kilarc Reservoir.
When the Save Kilarc Committee was convinced that teaming with stakeholders on South Cow Creek to establish
a clearly local presence would best prevent loss of Kilarc,
website content developed for www.savekilarc.org by KC LLC, a collaboration of Davis Hydro LLC and Sackheim Consulting, was moved to supplement
content provided at www.kilarc.info Recently, another website has been established to reflect the related efforts of
The Kilarc Foundation.
In August 2011, FERC staff released a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) which biased and incomplete
analysis still concluded that the only compelling reason for demolishing PG&E's facilities was that PG&E had reached an
agreement in March 2005, before the FERC process had even started, with all the signatories of the agreement
continuing to support dismantling, EXCEPT the
State Water Resources Control Board (represented by staff member Jeff Parks). With no basis in their own environmental review,
FERC staff recommended that the FERC accept the demolition plan, subject to mandatory conditions of the Federal Resource Agencies
AND conditions of the State Water Resources Control Board under its authority granted by Section 401 of the federal
Clean Water Act to issue Water Quality Certification.
As the Chair of the Save Kilarc Committee, Glenn Dye, with the increasing assistance of Maggie Trevelyan
(who also organized many of the Save Kilarc picnics!),
remained active until moving to live with family in Idaho less than a month before he passed away in May 2012.
Maggie has also moved away in the meantime, so we are grateful that Whitmore resident John Hampton is
honoring Glenn's request to carry on
his legacy by supporting the continued efforts of the Save Kilarc Committee. Glenn's son Tim is similarly
doing as much as he can to support. Glenn and Maggie were sorely missed at the 2012 annual Save Kilarc picnic, but
we were honored to have Glenn's wife Judy in attendance while back from Idaho on a visit, as well as Tim and John.
In April 2013, the State Water Board pledged to reach an independent opinion on the Kilarc decommissioning
as reported in The East Valley Times.
It is anticipated that the Water Board will
issue its draft Environmental Impact Report and draft Conditions of Water Quality Certification soon. Stakeholders
will have an opportunity to provide additional input before the Water Board issues its final
requirements, anticipated some months after release of the draft.
We'd appreciate your sending your
thoughts and feedback to kilarc@kchydro.com
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