Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/500736
ByFenitNirappil TheAssociatedPress SACRAMENTO About 1,500 farms and individuals in the Central Valley were ordered Thursday to stop taking wa- ter from rivers and streams for irrigation, the latest move by state regulators to save water amid intensifying drought con- ditions. It was the start of the latest round of water restrictions as rivers and streams across Cal- ifornia run too dry to provide enough water to water crops and provide safe passage for fish. The State Water Resources Control Board sent a letter to about 1,600 water rights hold- ers, mostly Central Valley farm- ers in the San Joaquin River wa- tershed, ordering them to stop pumping from streams. The or- der only applies to those who ob- tained water licenses after 1914 under California's water rights system that prioritizes those with claims more than a cen- tury old. The letter also warned that most or all so-called "senior wa- ter-rights holders" in the San Joaquin River watershed could face restrictions on taking wa- ter for the first time. The board has not restricted senior water rights since it pro- hibited pumping on a portion of the Sacramento River in the 1970s. DROUGHT St at e or de rs no water di ve rs io ns More than 5,000 water rights were suspended last year, which the board says helped contribute to fallowed fields and job losses at farms. Staff reports MINERAL Lassen Volcanic Na- tional Park received more than 432,000 visitors last year, who were said to have spent more than $25 million in communities near the park, according to a recently released National Park Service re- port. That spending, according to a press release, supported 347 jobs in the area and had a cumulative benefit of $28.6 million to the lo- cal economy. "National park tourism is a significant driver in the na- tional economy, returning $10 for every $1 invested in the Na- tional Park Service, and it's a big factor in our local economy as well," said Lassen Park Su- perintendent Steve Gibbons, in the release. "We appreciate the partnership and support of our neighbors and are glad to give back by helping sustain local communities." Lassen Park visitation has increased in each of the last three years, according to the report. In 2012, the park re- ceived 351,269 visitors. In 2013, the park received 427,409 vis- itors. "Lassen Volcanic National Park welcomes visitors from across the country and around the world," Gibbons said. "We are delighted to share the story of this place and the experiences it provides. We also feature the park as a way to introduce our visitors to this part of the country and all that it of- fers." Nationally, according to the re- port, 292.8 million park visitors di- rectly spent $15.7 billion in com- munities within 60 miles of a na- tional park. ECONOMY Lassen Park visitors spent $25M in local communities NationalParkService releases 2014 report Comics............B5 Community.....A3 Lifestyles........A5 Education........A5 Opinion............A8 Sports..............B1 INDEX Redding Veterans Home residents will be planting trees in Igo to mark Arbor Day today. PAGEA5 LIFESTYLES Treestobeplantedat Veterans Cemetery PAL Martial Arts will resume self defense, empowerment classes for women starting on May 14. PAGE A5 LIFESTYLES Self defense classes for women to resume Obama reveals 1American and 1Italian hostage inadvertently killed in operation against al- Qaida leaders. PAGE B4 WAR ON TERROR Hostages killed in drone strikes in Pakistan Research suggest hundreds of small earthquakes in US can be traced to drilling; could lead to worse quakes. PAGE A6 SCIENCE Report: Oil, gas drilling spur more quakes By Andre Byik abyik@redbluffdailynews.com @andrebyik on Twitter RED BLUFF Years after it was first proposed, con- struction on the city's River Park boat launch project to restore public access to the Sacramento River could be- gin this summer. The Red Bluff City Coun- cil on Tuesday awarded a roughly $109,500 construc- tion contract for the first phase of the project, which includes the rehabilitation of the existing boat ramp off the Sacramento River at the park. The first phase of the project includes the con- struction of a 20-foot, sin- gle-lane ramp on the gravel bar for motorized boats, according to the city. Ac- cess to the ramp would be from the existing ramp to a 24-foot-wide gravel ac- cess road. Bruce Henz, the city's public works director, told the City Council that there are restrictions regarding when equipment is allowed in the river, and that there's essentially a fall deadline to complete the first phase of work. "But we believe there's enough time for every- thing to get done, and all we have to do is get started and not have dis- charges real high," Henz said. "With the drought, we don't believe the dis- charges will be real high this summer, so we should be able to work pretty much all summer in the river." The existing boat ramp at River Park off Main Street has been called "the boat launch to nowhere" since a federal judge in 2011 ordered that the gates at the Red Bluff Diver- sion Dam be permanently raised. The city's boat launch project, whose funding largely comes from already awarded grants, comprises two phases. The second phase in- cludes a new two-lane, con- crete ramp at the park a few hundred feet upstream from the first phase of the project, a new restroom, a picnic pavilion, parking lot repaving and other im- provements. Additional authorization for construction on the sec- ond phase of the project will be brought to the City Council once designs, en- vironmental reviews and permitting are completed, according to city staff. RED BLUFF Boatprojectmovesforward Construction at River Park could begin this summer COURTESY PHOTO The lodge at the new Highland Ranch Resort was refurbished and seven new cabins, pictured, have been built in anticipation of its opening in May. By Julie Zeeb jzeeb@redbluffdailynews.com @DN_Zeeb on Twitter Tehama County and sur- rounding areas are getting a new place to beat the sum- mer heat or just to get away from the city when a new business, Highlands Ranch Resort, opens in May. Located in the Child's Meadow area, near Lassen Volcanic National Park, the business will have seven newly built cottages for visi- tor's to take in nature, right at the meadow's edge, next to the lodge. "We are fortunate to have been chosen to be the stew- ards of this beautiful area," owner Kevin Wilsey said. "Dedication, persistence and hard work are proof that dreams can become reality if you really believe. This is, and has been, a wonderful effort of friends, family and kindred spirits. We look forward to shar- ing Highlands Ranch Re- sort with you all." Wilsey, a 54-year-old Cot- tonwood native now living in Rocklin, purchased the land in 2010 from The Na- ture Conservancy, accord- ing to a release. His love of the area started with a summer cabin in Mill Creek his family owned in the 1970s and 1980s. Great memories of long summers fishing, hiking and exploring Las- sen Volcanic National Park inspired him to develop Highlands Ranch Resort, he said. After about 40 years of enjoying the area, Wilsey has long had a vision of cre- ating a special getaway for visitors and sharing the his- tory of the area, he said. Historically known as Child's Meadow, the area was named after one of the families who owned the land in the early to mid-1900s and was used for grazing livestock. It was also used as a sum- mer homestead until Las- sen Peak began erupting in 1914. At that time, according to the release, the family who owned it built a lodge and gas station to accommo- date the tourists who would travel to get out of the val- ley heat and see the active volcano. Eventually, Wilsey bought a cabin in Mill Creek himself and six years ago noticed a for sale sign in Child's Meadow. Highlands Ranch Resort to open for business in May BUSINESS BOAT PAGE 9 PARK PAGE 9 RANCH PAGE 9 DROUGHT PAGE 9 HIGHLANDS RANCH RESORT NEW! InterviewsandTours Saturday,April25•1pmto5pm Hwy 36E on Childs Meadow www.highlandsranchresort.com If there's a "photo op," have someone take digital photos with their phone or camera. Folks doing something make the most interesting photos. Make note of the names of the individual people in the photo, unless it's a big crowd. Then send photos with an email describing "WHO, WHAT, WHY WHERE and WHEN" to editor@redbluffdailynews.com, and include a phone number where staff can reach you for more information, if needed! We'd like to see more of YOU in The Daily News! WANT TO GET MORE OF YOUR GROUP'S NEWS IN THE NEWSPAPER? » redbluffdailynews.com Friday, April 24, 2015 50CENTS AN EDITION OF THE CHICO ENTERPRISE-RECORD 7 58551 69001 9 Volume130,issue111 Good morning, thanks for subscribing Prisma Tapia WOODSON Students get visit from Dairy Princess Education A8 4-H Fur & Feathers Show set for Saturday Community A3 FORECAST High: 72 Low: 50 A10 Grow?Ranchorride? Readaboutlocalandnational Ag, rural, ranch and rodeo news and commentary. VISIT REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM/ RODEO DOYOU RODEO?