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By Kim Haman Peters Canyon Regional Park


is one of Orange County’s most popular destinations, visited by runners, equestrians, dog-walk- ers, and mountain bikers. The area is full of coastal sage, cactus and mature trees, as well as mule deer, coyotes, opossums, rac- coons and an occasional bobcat. The Irvine Company dedicated


all 354 acres of Peters Canyon to the County of Orange in 1992, including its centerpiece, the 55-acre man-made Upper Pe- ters Canyon Reservoir. Created in 1931 to regulate the flow of water taken from Irvine Lake to irrigate crops and conserve rain- water runoff, Upper Peters Can- yon Reservoir is owned and op- erated by the county’s Resources and Development Management Department. The reservoir cur- rently serves as a flood control basin and is home to migrating waterfowl, smaller amphibians and reptiles.


Down by 90 percent But now, the reservoir is dry-


ing up. As the six-year drought wreaks havoc on communities across the state, the reservoir’s water level is receding to the point where vast expanses of cracked dry mud have replaced what was once a lake. In the last 18 months, the reservoir has dropped to less than 90 percent of its normal capacity, according to a recent county report. The reservoir is a passive in-


flow, dependent on seasonal rain- fall to maintain its water level. The average rainfall for Orange County is normally 13.84 inches


per year, but since 2012, the aver- age has been half that. The reser- voir is also fed by Handy Creek, which enters the park at the cor- ner of Jamboree and Canyon View Avenue. However, Handy Creek suffers from lack of rain- fall as well.


How low can it go? County officials are searching


for ways to deal with the problem, including using the reservoir as a reclaimed water storage facility. These plans are in the prelimi- nary stages, however, as officials examine multiple possibilities, including waiting for the drought to be over and normal rainfall to resume.


Because the reservoir does not provide drinking water for hu- man consumption, Peters’ reced- ing waters are not as pressing a concern to the county as are the depleted storage levels in local aquifers and the Colorado River, the primary suppliers of water to OC households


It’s not just the water But the wildlife that depends


on the Peters Canyon reservoir is at risk. With less water, there is less vegetation, thus less food for the animals that rely on it. Less vegetation also provides less cov- erage, making wildlife more vul- nerable to predators. In the meantime, Peters Can-


yon visitors continue to enjoy the park, but more and more of the talk on the trails concerns the rapidly disappearing water. “I’ve been coming here for 17 years,” said one hiker, “and I have never seen the water level this low. It’s really sad.”


Serrano Water District schedules public meeting


The Serrano Water District will


host a meeting at 7 p.m. on Mon- day, Sept. 15 at Villa Park City Hall. The public is invited to this free meeting to learn about the


new water conservation resolu- tion, and practical water saving strategies. The numerous types of rebates now available to district customers will be explained.


Foothills Sentry


Tuesday, September 9, 2014 Crisis in the canyon: Peters reservoir is drying up


A shallow remnant of water provides limited resources for Peters Canyon wildlife. The reservoir used to be filled with migrating waterfowl. Now they are nowhere to be seen.


OC Parks plans defensible space zone


Orange County Parks has long- established management practices to protect wildlife and wilderness as homes and businesses have encroached to the edge of the county’s open space. This man- agement not only includes large- scale urban-wildland interface issues, but the growing problem of fire. OC Parks Fire Watch program currently deploys a group of spe- cially trained volunteers during high fire risk conditions to deter arson activity, ensure early fire


detection and provide public in- formation about fire danger. Parks also supports the Orange County Fire Authority’s “Ready, Set, Go” program, which provides tools to the public to protect lives and property from wildfires. OC Parks is now undertaking a


more extensive management plan to address all areas of concern in partnership with OCFA, city fire departments, the Nature Reserve of Orange County, the Irvine Ranch Conservancy and other stakeholders. This consortium


will work over the next year to develop a Defensible Space Zone Management Plan to focus on fuel management, environmen- tally-sensitive, sustainable and low-maintenance solutions for all urban-wildland problems. In recent times the frequency


and size of Orange County’s wildfires has increased to such an extent that fire can now be a threat to the county’s wilderness as well as homes and communi- ties. For more information, go to ocfa.org.


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