KELSEYVILLE
Grand opening: Ely Museum’s Richard Paddock Blacksmith Shop
On May 19, The Lake County Historical Society will hold its annual Member’s Picnic in the Oak Grove at the Ely Stage Stop Museum. This year, the picnic will feature the opening of the Museum’s blacksmith shop with demonstrations.
The working blacksmith shop was the vision of Greg Dills, past Museum Executive Director and longtime Ely Museum supporter. Volunteers began on the building in 2018. The project is the culmination of 6 years of effort, hundreds of hours of volunteer work and thousands of dollars in donations of money and materials. Many of those donations came from Elizabeth Paddock. The shop is named in honor of her late husband.
In the 1800s, every town in Lake County had a blacksmith shop. Without the blacksmith’s wares, there would be no transportation (wagons and horse equipment), no houses (nails, hinges, etc.), no farm equipment, and very little infrastructure (roads, communication, etc.). The blacksmith shop WAS the hardware store of the period.
The Ely Museum is bringing a working Lake County Blacksmith Shop back to life as a window into the past.
Come out to the Historical Society Member’s Picnic and watch blacksmithing in action. The picnic is free to members and $10/person for non-members (but free if you become a member at the gate). We provide barbecue burgers and dogs, water, ice tea, and coffee. The rest is potluck style, so bring a dish to share. There will be sodas, beer, and wine to buy.
It all starts at noon, May 19 at the Ely Museum, 9921 Soda Bay Road, just off HWY 29 between Kitt’s Corner and the Riviera Market.
—Submitted
LAKE COUNTY
County of Lake Awarded $700,000 Department of Water Resources Grant
The Lake County Board of Supervisors has been steadfast in affirming Scott Dam remaining in place as a significant matter of priority. Efforts to demonstrate and articulate the regional value of Lake Pillsbury can be strengthened by gathering additional data. 600,000 Californians depend on water releases from Lake Pillsbury and the Potter Valley Project for drinking and agricultural water security, and adequate water supply is essential to every facet of our daily lives.
Further, should Pacific Gas and Electric Company ultimately succeed in gaining Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approval to remove Scott Dam, it is essential we understand the potential effects and threats that may accompany that profound change.
$700,000 in Water Shortage Management Program Funds Will Support Greater Understanding
With the intent of protecting regional water security at the forefront, the County of Lake is excited to announce the California Department of Water Resources has committed $700,000 in Water Shortage Management Program funding to support the “Lake County Resource Assessment, Impact Analysis, and Adaptation Strategy Evaluation Project.” This project will provide for analysis of the potential effects of PG&E’s proposed decommissioning of Scott Dam across domains including the following:
- Recreation;
- Wildfire suppression;
- Ecosystem;
- Power;
- Sediment;
- Water supply; and
- Infrastructure (e.g., roads).
Funding will likewise support the following tasks:
Identify Potter Valley Project decommissioning and climate change scenarios
Perform modelling of existing conditions, plus one or two decommissioning scenarios. Perform Climate Change modelling and include scenarios that explore extreme drought and flood conditions in the Upper Eel River watershed.
Evaluate impacts to resources and develop adaptation strategies
Technical impact analysis includes hydrological, hydraulic, and sediment modeling of the Upper Eel River and Lake Pillsbury; recreational impacts analysis; GIS and bathymetry data analysis, and economic modeling. Once impacts are identified, potential adaptation strategies will be developed.
Evaluate adaptation strategies for potential implementation
Evaluate factors like technical complexity, cost, environmental concerns, social, and other considerations related to implementation of adaptation strategies.
Report Findings
Summarize the process, results, and key findings.
RFP No. 24-32 is out now – Interested firms are encouraged to respond
RFP No. 24-32 has been issued, seeking qualified firms to further define and conduct this critical analysis.
This is truly an opportunity to make a difference in Lake County and California’s future, and we are seeking firms to help ensure studies and analyses are highly effective, and can inform efforts to ensure the most responsible decision-making possible in 2025’s Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) P-77 Proceedings.
Interested parties are encouraged to visit https://lakecountyca.gov/Bids.aspx!
Lake Pillsbury is a Lake County Gem
To see the beautiful landscapes, some of the wildlife that call Lake Pillsbury home, learn more about the community that has grown around Scott Dam, and more, watch a video presented at an October meeting of the Russian River Water Forum at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8MRLElIOZ4
—Submitted
