Tuolumne Supervisors consider non motorized section of Lake Tulloch - rerun of article posted July 22, 2014

At the July 15, 2014 Tuolumne Board of Supervisors meeting the Supervisors addressed a plan to create a non motorized area of Lake Tulloch at the Green Springs arm, known to many as the Kistler Ranch cove.

The proposal submitted by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) proposed to cordon off the majority of the cove, a common and favorite cove hangout for many local boaters and visitors alike. However, in a letter penned by Evan Royce, Chairman of the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors to TriDam the proposal was reduced to cordon off only a small finger of the cove for non motorized boating and allowing the cove to remain as designated; a 5 mph zone.

The proposal cited a desire to protect native wildlife that exists in the area, naming specifically pond turtles, bald eagles and bat habitats.

While the letter states that Tuolumne County looks forward to enacting the non-motorized boat change, according to Susan Larson of Tri Dam the receipt of the letter does not enact a non-motorized boating nor enact a restriction, but "represents their opinion." Susan further stated that a request had been made by Tuolumne County that impact of law enforcement and boating safety be evaluated prior to enactment of any restrictions.

 CM

Update from Tri Dam and possible drought effects on Lake Tulloch

Tri-Dam’s Board of Directors, members of the South San Joaquin Irrigation District and Oakdale Irrigation Districts are keenly monitoring drought forecasts, area conditions, and their potential impact on agency facilities.  Tri-Dam is also in direct contact with all agencies who operate facilities along the water system, both up and downstream from Tulloch.

At Tulloch, Tri-Dam’s use of the water is primarily for the generation of power at the dam near South Shore and downstream irrigation needs.  Water flows in to Tulloch Reservoir directly from New Melones Reservoir.  Tri-Dam and the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) are signatory to a 1988 operating agreement coordinating the operation of New Melones and Tulloch Reservoirs and the subsequent balancing of power generation, reservoir levels, flood management, water supply demand for Stockton East Water District, Oakdale Irrigation District, South San Joaquin Irrigation District, Calaveras County Water District, and riverine habitat downstream of Goodwin reservoir. 

Sunset over Lake Tulloch 10-6-13

Photo by Grant West

Low Water Level Photos on Tulloch

As the lake level continues to drop in Lake Tulloch residents find their boats on land. Lake Tulloch is at an estimated 492 this past weekend and will be approximately at 482 by December 1, 2012. The water level will continue to drop to approximately 473 by the first of the year.

Photos by Grant West.

Proposed Vacation Rental Ban on Lake Tulloch before the BOS

At the April 24, 2012 Board of Supervisors meeting the issue of banning vacation rentals on Lake Tulloch was a hot item. Those in favor felt it would reduce the lake noise and what they deemed excessive partying. Those opposed felt it was an infringement on property rights and a potential negative economic impact. 

Currently there are eleven home owners associations in Copperopolis yet only five of those are affected by what is being considered the core of the vacation rental issue – lake noise. Those are Peninsula Estates, Conner Estates, Shore of Lake Tulloch (Poker Flat), Copper Cove Homeowners Association and Calypso Bay. Of those associations it is reported that three – Connor, Penninsula, Poker Flat - have passed a ban on vacation rentals with the HOA’s solely responsible for ban enforcement. 

The BOS had requested a noise ordinance be drafted in 2008. In September 2009 Captain Jim Macedo spoke at a town hall meeting held at the Outcast Hall in Poker Flat stating that he had felt, "after countless hours of his time and that of county council," he had drafted an “ordinance that is enforceable.” Stating that the Sheriff Office felt it was necessary to “build a comprehensive noise ordinance for the entire county.”  One excerpt from the draft noise ordinance is as follows:

No person shall cause, suffer, allow, or permit the operation of any sound source on property or any public space or or public right-of-way in such a manner as to create a sound’ in previous stated places “in such a manner as tp create a sound level that exceeds the background sound level by at least 10 dBA during daytime hours (7am to 10pm) and by at least 5 dBA during nighttime hours (10pm to 7am) when measured at or within the real property line of the receiving property, which shall constitute a noise disturbance, provided however, that if the background sound level cannot be determined, the absolute sounds limits set forth in Table 1 Maximum Permissible Sound Levels, provided that if the sound source in question is a pure tone, the limits of Table 1 shall be reduced by 5 dBA.

The ordinance was not adopted.

In a phone interview with Sgt Mercado he stressed the efforts made by the SO (Sheriff Office) to inform the public about noise ordinances, “If the issue is noise then the noise needs to be addressed.” When asked if the SO was able to differentiate between response calls to vacations rentals versus residents he responded, “I have seen giant parties at rentals and at private homes.” Pointing out that some of the lake front homes are second homes where families bring friends for the weekends or lend the home to family or friends for use. If a ban or restriction is placed on vacation rentals the concern from the SO is the enforcement of a possible ban on short term rentals because there is no current “mechanism to enforce those issues.” He further stated the SO does not support restricting or licensing short term rentals.

Surf’s Up on Lake Tulloch

The recent years have brought many new and exciting water sports to the lake arena along with ingenious twists on classic sports.

With the advent of waterskiing in 1922, water became the new medium for sports enthusiasts.
By 1925 the first ski jump was completed and by 1947 barefoot waterskiing made its debut. In 1967 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognized the IWSF (International Water Skiing Federation) as an official partner.