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Lodi Lake: It will likely be drained every year

And again, I ask: What are the goals of City Council?


Monday, November 9, 2009 6:14 AM PST

Comments (18 comment(s))

Ladies and gentlemen, Lodi Lake is going down. Starting today, the Woodbridge Irrigation District is going to begin draining the lake again.

If you have been in Lodi for more than a few years, you know that draining the lake has been an annual thing. Prior to the new dam being built, workers would remove boards from the dam and Lodi Lake would turn into Lodi Mud Puddle from the beginning of November until mid-March or later.

So, why am I telling you this if draining the lake is so common? Well, at least one reader was under the impression that Lodi Lake was going to be full all the time because of the new dam. This reader was also under the impression that Lodi was promised by WID that the lake would remain full if they agreed to buy water from WID. Unfortunately, none of that is true.

According to WID general manager Andy Christensen, Lodi Lake will very likely be drained every year for at least six weeks so that WID can perform routine maintenance on the dam and fish screens. That is what is happening this year.

In addition, we, the city of Lodi, need the water to go down so that we can connect a water intake pipe for the future water treatment plant. Ahh, the treatment plant — a bit more on that later.

Did WID promise that the lake would remain full if Lodi bought water from them? According to Mr. Christensen and people that were part of the negotiations for the water, the answer is no. Mr. Christensen did say that WID did represent that the lake would stay full more of the time, which it will.

Did Lodi pay for the dam? No. What Lodi did and what we are doing is paying $1.2 million per year for the next 40 years for water from WID. Is WID using that money to pay for the dam? I am sure they are, but that doesn't mean we paid for it.

Now if we could just get the water treatment plant built so we could use our $1.2 million in water.

I am really happy that at least two City Council members read this column, but there is clearly a misunderstanding between accomplishments and setting goals. Accomplishments are things you have done. Goals are things you want to do. For me, and I believe like most with goals, when I set a goal I also devise a plan for getting to the goal.

I have set many goals, and I have accomplished some of them. If you were to ask me what my goals were today, I would not provide you with a list of my accomplishments. I also would not provide you with a list of items that I was required to do.

I applaud those who take the time to serve, but please do not break your arm patting yourself on the back for doing something.

What are the goals of the City Council? How will you accomplish them? These are simple questions, but they have no answers.

A basic goal that the City Council has had for several years is to have a reserve savings fund of 15 percent of the general fund, about $6 million. If that is a goal, how are they going to get there and what will it mean for us? If they have no plan, and I submit that this council has absolutely no idea how to get there, then just drop the idea all together.

This council knows that Lodi has a deferred maintenance problem that very likely is over $10 million and getting worse every day. Do they have a plan to address it? No.

Take the water treatment plant. It has been six years since Lodi agreed to pay $1.2 million per year for water from WID. Where are we today? Progressing toward plans for construction means nothing. What is the deadline for staff to provide the council with a plan for construction and for financing?

Without plans and direction, you make bad decisions. If the $1.2 million for water flowing over the dam isn't a great example, consider water meters.

Sure this council is going to get the installation started, but they are required to do so. Where the lack of planning came in is that Lodi has been collecting money for water meters since the early '90s. When they started collecting the money, they knew the meters would be needed but they kept kicking the proverbial can down the street, never formulated a plan, and now, when meters are mandated, Lodi is under the gun, the costs are certainly higher and you will pay them.

I will say it again: This City Council needs to formulate some goals, let the public know what they are, and they should be judged by how well they did to get them done.

A brief note about something brighter: On Nov. 14, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at Hutchins Street Square ,the Lodi Electric Utility is doing a holiday light exchange. The first 100 to bring a non-LED light string will receive a new LED light string. In addition, they will be giving away 200 coupons that can be used toward the purchase of LED holiday lights. For more information, call 333-6815.

John Johnson, CFA is a Lodi-based business appraiser. You can reach Mr. Johnson at john@johnejohnson.com or at (209) 369-1451.

Reader Feedback

Great American Trucker wrote on Nov 14, 2009 7:48 PM:

" The Lodi Mud Pit is an embarassment. I seldom ever visit anymore, as no one knows for sure if it will be mud or water. It's illegal to feed geese or ducks anymore, something that I used to bring the kids out to do. Now we risk arrest if we bring breadcrumbs. Same goes for enjoying some wine with a picnic lunch. What was once a wonderfully quiet, peaceful place to relax is now something to avoid altogether. "

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dogbark wrote on Nov 14, 2009 3:25 PM:

" (With apologies to Ogden Nash or Anon, or whomever.)
The difference between an optimist and a pessimist is very droll; the pessimist sees the lake half empty the optimist sees it half full. "

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lodidian wrote on Nov 13, 2009 10:04 PM:

" I have tried to understand the cost of, and the need for, a thirty million dollar water treatment plant in Lodi now. It is my understanding the proposed plant would treat the 6,000 acre feet of water Lodi purchases annually from WID. I believe price of the water is 1.2 million per year in normal and wet years.
It would be good to know how much other infastructure costs would be involved and what it might cost to manage and maintain this plant on an annual basis so we could come up with a cost per gallon delivered to residents. A good decision can not be made without this information. That said,three council members made the decision to authorize a million dollars to develop plans to go,forward with this project. Mounce and Hitchcock wanted to explore the groundwater recharge alternative but were out voted---again.
I am an optomist. I trust that the homework and some serious cost accounting will be done before more money is spent on this very costly and questionable project. "

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Brian wrote on Nov 12, 2009 7:31 AM:

" Oh those jaunts to the lake to play mud football don't seem to be that long ago. "

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richardh wrote on Nov 10, 2009 10:07 PM:

" From editor Rich Hanner: John, thanks for responding to these comments. This has been an informative string. CEM488181, great comment on those muddy, happy kids. On another note, one comment has been struck for being disrespectful and disparaging. Our columnists are willing to provide opinions and information with their identities out front publicly; they don't deserve anonymous sniping. "

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Whoa Nellie! wrote on Nov 10, 2009 8:25 PM:

" El Rushbo, interesting idea. It's similar what is going on in Sacramento right now with the "Strong Mayor" initative.

Lodi is no longer 25-30K people like it was in the 70's. Perhaps it IS time to look at the city charter and discuss a better way to govern our city.

Do we want to become as dysfunctional as our evil neighbors to the south, Stockton? That group cant' agree on what color pencils to buy. "

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election year wrote on Nov 10, 2009 12:04 PM:

" A portion of the WID irrigation canal is my backyard. When drained it becomes a smelly, debris-ridden crack in the earth. I have never seen any crews coming to clean out the junk that people have dumped. They only come to cut down all of the vegetation that lines the canal and that the water fowl need for food and to hide from predators. Just when the birds begin to migrate, the water level goes down leaving them with foul (no pun intended) little pools of water on which to rest on their long journey. When the dam was being built there were numerous articles indicating that draining would no longer be necessary. What happened? "

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John Johnson wrote on Nov 9, 2009 4:12 PM:

" Lodi is not banking the water that has not been used but the agreement with WID has been extended for each year that Lodi has not been able to use the water. "

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cem488181 wrote on Nov 9, 2009 2:18 PM:

" I have lived across the street from Lodi Lake for most of my life including my childhood. And I am telling you folks, it's like having one of those reversible jackets, two jackets in one. It's a new world to explore when the water is drained. I am delighted to hear it will be drained every year. Moms! Calling all Moms! Make sure you save old shoes and old clothes, and have the bath ready for the return of happy, muddy kids! "

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Whoa Nellie! wrote on Nov 9, 2009 2:17 PM:

" John, thanks for driving the point home. Just MAYBE someone at Silly Hall will take notice.

As for the WID agreement, I think, if my bad memory is correct, that the city has been able to "bank" the used water.

Perhaps Jeff Hood can reply and set the record straight since he seems to do so when the City is involved.

In regards to the water level, I would have remembered any clause about the lake being drained annually for maintenance. Either a) both WID & Lodi did not fully disclose this to the public, b)WID pulled a fast one on Lodi, or c)a State of CA regulation causes WID to check the fish screens yearly and neither WID or Lodi had no clue. "

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John Johnson wrote on Nov 9, 2009 12:55 PM:

" Have we been paying WID $1.2 million for the last six years? I believe we have but I only have the data at my desk back to 2005/2006 and since then we have paid and received nothing except an extension of the agreement.
As for how we will pay for the treatment plant - we will pay for the treatment plant because new development sure isn't going to pay. "

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Patton wrote on Nov 9, 2009 12:41 PM:

" We will see how they pay for the water treatment plant "

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Patton wrote on Nov 9, 2009 12:38 PM:

" t "

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max stanfield wrote on Nov 9, 2009 12:13 PM:

" I am not a hydrologist, but if the dam isn't opened periodically to speed the flow of the water, wont the river silt in over time ? Years ago, I recall a similar problem on the Colorado just below Hoover Dam. "

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wtf wrote on Nov 9, 2009 12:11 PM:

" John, you wrote: "Take the water treatment plant. It has been six years since Lodi agreed to pay $1.2 million per year for water from WID."

Does this mean we've paid a total of $7.2 million over the past six years for water we haven't received? "

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Eileen St Yves wrote on Nov 9, 2009 9:36 AM:

" John, It is too bad the irrigation district finds it necessary to drain the lake. At one time there had been a goal to clean the muck from the lake bottom to provide better summer swimming and boating conditions.
Thank you for commenting on the lack of setting goals, short term as well as long term. Maybe someone of the council who reads your article will bring this idea forward. Without a plan nothing gets done. "

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John Johnson wrote on Nov 9, 2009 9:19 AM:

" It is important for everyone to understand that draining the lake is not a decision that is made by the city of Lodi. WID makes the decisions for the dam and those decisions impact the level of the lake. It might be Lodi Lake but the water level is controlled by WID. John "

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T & C wrote on Nov 9, 2009 8:48 AM:

" Make up your mind! Either drain it EVERY Year, or Leave it FULL! Indecision seems to be the norm for the City Council! "

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