California Weather Blog: After another extraordinary mid-winter dry spell, major atmospheric river to soak NorCal later this week

California has experienced some serious “weather whiplash” over the past several months. Extremely dry conditions heading into the early fall months gave way to a relatively brief ~2 week period of extremely heavy precipitation throughout much of coastal Northern California in early December shattering local calendar date rainfall records in many places and even approaching all-time daily/December monthly records in a few spots around the Bay... Read More

Rivers and Water – New Wild & Scenic River legislation for Moke

Local legislators introduce new Wild and Scenic bill Assemblyman Frank Bigelow played a role in stopping last summer’s Wild and Scenic River legislation… The contentious nature of the legislation, which is likely to return again, inspired a roundtable discussion group that includes both sides of the issue. They will meet Thursday in Calaveras County and attendees include representatives from the Board of Supervisors, the Foothill Conservancy,... Read More

Calaveras County Draft General Plan Update – 2015

Open House/Community Workshop Schedule San Andreas- Town Hall- Wednesday, January 28, 2015  Rancho Calaveras- RCPOA Clubhouse- Wednesday, February 4, 2015 Mokelumne Hill- Town Hall- Monday, February 9, 2015 West Point- VFW Hall- Wednesday, February 11, 2015 Arnold- Ebbetts Pass Fire Station- Tuesday, February 17, 2015 Copperopolis- Armory- Thursday, February 19, 2015 Valley Springs- Valley Springs Elementary School- Monday, February 23, 2015 Murphys-... Read More

Calaveras Land Use

Murphys man granted slack on restrictive policy  Policy 07-242 has been an irritant to developers, builders and some business interests since it was approved in 2007. The policy was intended to temporarily rein in rural sprawl by preventing the creation of small lots in the county’s far-flung ranch lands and forests while county officials revised the General Plan that guides where and how growth can happen.   County code revised to simplify... Read More

Local Burn Pemits

Cal Fire news release Open burn hours, permits NOT required. Burn hour restrictions have been lifted for the counties of Calaveras, Tuolumne, and the eastern portions of San Joaquin and Stanislaus that are within the State Responsibility Area. CA Dept. of Forestry & Fire Protection, December 5  Read More

Calaveras County Draft General Plan Released!

News Flash!!  Calaveras County’s Draft General Plan Released December 18; Community Plans are NOT Included; Public Has 90-day Review & Comment Period Calaveras County –  December 18, 2014.  County of Calaveras, Department of Planning, “The 2014 Draft General Plan is now available for public review and comment.”   General Plan Draft Documents and December 18, 2014 Release Information are posted for review on the General... Read More

Rivers and Water

California Water News In California water news today, California Braces for Mudslides From ‘Pineapple Express’ Storm, Three feet of snow possible at higher elevations, Winter storms finally starting to boost storage levels in key reservoirs, How much will heavy rains help the drought?, Drought designations don’t budge despite heavy rains, Flood of storms drying up before drought is busted, California lawmakers look to 2015 for drought... Read More

Calaveras County General Plan Update

Calaveras GPU to be released December 2014 Planning Director Peter Maurer plans to have the General Plan draft out next Tuesday.  Or at the latest Wed./ Thursday–because he is going on vacation Friday for 11 days.  This was discussed at the planning commission meeting this morning. Director Maurer has been working on “loose ends” (Public Facilities, map corrections, exhibit for Open Space, Circulation Element) that he hopes... Read More

Forests and Watersheds

Government attorneys want Sierra Pacific lawyers off Moonlight fire case* In the latest move in a years-long legal brawl over the 2007 Moonlight Fire, government attorneys have asked a Sacramento federal judge to kick the lawyers defending Sierra Pacific Industries off the case for alleged unlawful and unethical tactics. Sacramento Bee, November 19  Read More

Rivers and Water

Two reservoirs get mercury warnings By Alex Breitler The (Stockton) Record / Sac Bee/ November 24, 2014 For the first time, state regulators have announced that certain fish commonly caught in two local reservoirs – Camanche and New Melones – are not safe for some people to eat because of high mercury levels. The new guidelines issued by the state Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment are not a surprise, however. They are similar to... Read More