Discovering Family Local finds parents through DNA website.
C a l i f o r n i a ’ s O l d e s t N e w s pa p e r – E s t. 18 51
News, Etc., B1 mtdemocrat.com
Monday, August 24, 2020
Volume 169 • Issue 99 | 75¢
Candidates finalized for Nov. 3 ballot
Democrat staff
The races are set for various boards and positions in El Dorado County. Here’s a look at who El Dorado County voters can expect to see on their ballots for the Nov. 3 election.
El Dorado County Supervisor, District 1 Vote for one, four-year term John Hidahl (incumbent) Ron Briggs (former District 4 supervisor)
Photos by Cecilia Clark
A family enjoys a leisurely walk around Forebay Dam and Reservoir in Pollock Pines now that work on the dam is complete. Improvements include a raised dam, larger reservoir and enhanced trail at this popular recreation area in Pollock Pines.
Forebay full again
El Dorado County Supervisor, District 2
Vote for one, four-year term
More water storage, more hydroelectric power
Dawn Hodson Staff writer
Ken Pimlott (retired fire chief ) George Turnboo (business owner, pastor, rancher)
actions be released into taken to EID’s Main improve the Ditch and After more than two years overall conveyed — Michael Raffety, dam’s another big El Dorado Irrigation stability and about 3 El Dorado Irrigation District director strength to District project is complete as miles to renovations and improvements to withstand an Reservoir the El Dorado Forebay Dam and earthquake 1 where it Reservoir are finished and the and meet modern dam safety is treated and distributed to the reservoir refilled. standards. district’s drinking water system. Located in Pollock Pines, the While those plans to make the Water from Forebay is also dam and reservoir were originally dam more earthquake safe were in conveyed via a penstock to the El constructed in 1923 as a part the works since 2003, it took until Dorado Powerhouse and, after of the El Dorado Hydroelectric flowing through two turbines that 2017 to get needed permits and Project. can produce up to 21 megawatts of begin the project. A year later a small power The primary improvement was power, returns to the South Fork plant became operational that constructing an earthen stability American River. completed the project. buttress and raising the dam 10 Nothing was wrong with The water stored in Forebay is feet to strengthen it and increase Forebay’s dam despite its age. diverted out of the South Fork its storage capacity. Over the years Nonetheless the California of the American River as well it had lost one-third of its original Department of Water Resources as from Caples, Silver, Echo and volume due to the deposit of Division of Safety of Dams and Aloha lakes. sediment or about 330 acre-feet. the Federal Energy Regulatory A portion of the water is then Capacity increased to 569 acre-feet Commission required specific with the raising of the dam. One acre-foot equals about 326,000 gallons or enough water to cover an acre of land 1 foot deep. The expanded storage means that in an emergency, EID will have six rather than just one day’s worth of water. The additional volume will also increase the dam’s ability to generate power. According to Engineering Director Brian Mueller, the increased Forebay storage will allow EID to take advantage of the best hourly time of day pricing and that peaking generation component with a larger Forebay will help offset El Dorado Irrigation District Senior Civil Engineer Cary Mutschler stands above the pipe some of the expected overall that returns water seepage to the reservoir. reduction in annual revenue due to today’s lower power prices. Other improvements included remediating the emergency spillway structure and stabilizing the unstable slope along the spillway outfall channel to prevent continued erosion; repairing the reservoir inlet to prevent further erosion and improve public safety; relocating the drinking water valve house to accommodate the stability buttress; relocating the dam seepage pump-back station to accommodate the stability buttress; abandoning the two unused penstocks within the dam and installing a control gate on the active penstock within the reservoir; armoring the reservoir Forebay Reservoir is home to ducks, geese, turtles and fish that are all able to enjoy the n See Forebay Dam, page A7 full reservoir again.
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City of Placerville, City Council Member Vote for two, four-year term
Jackie Neau (community volunteer) Mandi Rodriguez (businesswoman) Tracy M. Bunch (education program leader) Jackie Yepez (realtor) Michael Saragosa (council member/ business owner) n
See Ballot, page A5
Suspect in deputy’s death fears for own life Pat Lakey Staff writer A man whose 911 phone call last year may have led an El Dorado County sheriff ’s deputy to his death is asking that he be transferred from an area jail because he Christopher Gary Ross fears for his own life. Christopher Gary Ross, whose exact date of birth was not available by press time but is said to be in his mid-40s, fears that because an inmate at the Sacramento County Jail recently died after contracting COVID-19, Ross is in a precarious position made more so because of his age. Ross, one of three defendants in the Oct. 23, 2019, slaying of deputy Brian Ishmael, spoke to the court through his attorney Tuesday in Dept. 7 in Placerville, during proceedings intended to solidify a date for a preliminary hearing in the firstdegree murder case. n
See Ross, page A3
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The voter registration deadline for the Nov. 3 General Election is Oct. 19. To register to vote or check your voter registration status visit edcgov.us/ Government/Elections.