Fresno Famous

     Dinkey Looked more like a raging river.

     Jocey, Sis Jackie and I spent a few days at Dinkey Creek in the Sierra National Forest, in eastern Fresno County. Water, water, everywhere! The high level of runoff was fantastic! Great implications of water for agriculture and public use in our ever thirstier population.

     This is a good year to make the argument for expanding storage. Some would like to build more dams in the Sierras. From what I have read, new dams would be so costly as to make the water extremely expensive.

     As Lloyd Carter, a water expert in our area that I trust to be truthful has said: "Everyone agrees we need storage. But above ground or underground? A Temperance Flat dam, even if approved, is at least 10 and probably 20 years away. It will generate only 200,000 acre-feet of additional water that may cost as much as $300 to 500 an acre-foot, far too high for farmers unless already overburdened taxpayers subsidize the cost."

     http://www.lloydgcarter.com/content/08012630_an-article-san-joaquin-river

     http://www.lloydgcarter.com/content/110514483_lloyd039s-may-2011-radio-show

     Most agree, that underground basins on the valley floor would be the best option.

     Unlike some other areas of the country we have no fear of serious, urban flooding like they're having in the midwest because our dams, such as Friant and Pine Flat that were built decades ago to control flooding. They have dams to control flooding as well, but they have allowed uncontrolled development to expand into areas that haven't had serious flooding for many years and some people take the chance and go for it. And, sometimes, they lose their houses, their businesses and even their lives.

     We're pretty safe here in Fresno from these kinds of natural disasters. I've lived here in Fresno since the 1950s and we've not had devastating flooding, no Tornadoes and no really bad earthquakes. We've had and will probably continue to have, once-a-decade medium-minor earthquakes, but nothing really devastating, like the Loma Prieta Earthquake. Not so far. Not yet.    

     But, there has been some inconvenience and nuisance brought on by flooding in our area. Lindy's Landing in Reedley on the Kings River has been flooded ruining a part of their camping season.
     I saw a couple of dunderheads trying to fish in the fast-moving water of Dinkey River. Cheeseballs on little salmon-egg sized hooks. The super-high, fast moving water makes for bad fishing. Any novice fisherman worth his salt knows that!

     Well equipped store with a grumpy old guy with $1 Bee and $7.59 a gallon gas. Considering it's 6k feet elevation that's reasonable.

The organ soundtrack was a piece I wrote and recorded back in the 90s on the chintzy keyboard and the 424 4-track.

Dinkey Creek-Elevation 5987
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinkey_Creek,_California

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989_Loma_Prieta_earthquake

http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/06/24/2440962/flooding-a-nuisance-for-many...