Sweetwater Water Authority

LOVELAND RESERVOIR TO REOPEN MAY 30, SWEETWATER ANNOUNCES

By Miriam Raftery

May 27, 2023 (Alpine) – Sweetwater Water Authority has posted a notice on its website announcing that the recreation program at Loveland Reservoir in Alpine will reopen on May 30.  Available activities are expected to include hiking and birdwatching, but not yet fishing, since the district has not committed on a date to restock the lake with fish.

In November and December, the district drained Loveland Reservoir to dead pool status for the first time ever, killing off the fish to save ratepayers money and avoid buying water during the drought. The action drew outrage from local residents and fishing advocates.

Then heavy rains in December and January destroyed a floating fishing dock, which the district plans to restore with insurance funds. The rains also caused severe erosion of trails which the district deemed dangerous, so it closed public access to the lake in January.


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SWEETWATER AIMS TO REOPEN TRAILS AT LOVELAND RESERVOIR IN “WEEKS,” BUT WON’T COMMIT TO WHEN LAKE WILL BE RESTOCKED WITH FISH

 

Update May 27: Sweetwater has announced on its website that it will reopen the reservoir to hiking and birdwatching on May 30, but the district has not yet committed to when or if fish will be restocked.

By Miriam Raftery

May 18, 2023 (Alpine) – Loveland Reservoir in Alpine has been closed since January,  after heavy storms caused major erosion to trails left exposed by Sweetwater Water Authority's decision to drain the lake to dead pool status. Though rains have replenished water levels to above the heavily eroded banks, public access has not been restored--much to the consternation of area residents.

Last night, East County residents in support of reopening Loveland packed the hearing room at the Sweetwater Water Authority headquarters in Chula Vista to voice their views.


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IN HEATED ALPINE MEETING, SWEETWATER OFFICIALS PLEDGE TO RESTORE SOME DAMAGE, REOPEN LOVELAND RESERVOIR—BUT WON’T RULE OUT FUTURE EXTREME DRAINING

Restocking with fish could take up to two years;  severe erosion on trails means a bridge may need to be built, district reveals

By Miriam Raftery

View video of hearing:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQW0avdKyE8&t=2165s

April 9, 2023 (Alpine) – A crowd of more than 100 angry residents turned out at the Alpine Community Planning Group hearing on March 23, where Sweetwater Water Authority officials addressed concerns over damage at Loveland Reservoir after SWA drained it to dead pool status. Audience members and planning group members peppered SWA officials with questions in the at times contentious session.


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ALPINE PLANNING GROUP TO HEAR LOVELAND RESERVOIR CONCERNS MARCH 23; COMMUNITY INPUT SOUGHT

By Miriam Raftery

March 3, 2023 (Alpine) –  Loveland Reservoir near Alpine remains closed to public access for fishing, hiking and recreation since storms in January destroyed the floating fishing dock and caused severe erosion. The damage occurred after Sweetwater Water Authority drained the lake to an unprecedented dead pool status, killing off fish and destroying habitat. Even after January’s heavy rains, Sweetwater again drained the reservoir – angering recreational enthusiasts and environmentalists.

On Thursday, March 23 at 6 p.m., the Alpine Community Planning Group will hear a presentation by Sweetwater on the current and future state of Loveland Reservoir.

Friends of Loveland Reservoir, a group formed to advocate for restoring the lake, states, “We desperately need community members to show up and calmly and professionally share the importance of the Reservoir. If Sweetwater does not hear from us, they will understandably believe this matter is not important to us and will continue down their chosen path.”


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SWEETWATER DRAINS LOVELAND RESERVOIR TO DEAD POOL LEVEL TO SAVE ITS RATEPAYERS MONEY-- AT THE EXPENSE OF RURAL RESIDENTS, WILDLIFE, AND FIRE PROTECTION

By Miriam Raftery

Photo  left:  water drains from Loveland Reservoir in Alpine to Sweetwater Reservoir in Otay;

Photo, right: bare mudflat at Loveland, once  400 surface acres, now doomed to be dropped to just 10.

November 23, 2022 (Alpine) – Without any regard to impacts on wildlife, fire danger, rural residents or recreational users at Loveland Reservoir near Alpine in San Diego's East County, the Sweetwater Water Authority (SWA) on November 16 began draining down the lake with an intent to reduce it to “dead pool” level – less than one-half of one percent of the reservoir’s capacity, once draining is completed over the next couple of weeks or so.

The water is being transferred to Sweetwater Reservoir in Spring Valley. From there, it will be used to provide drinking water and other water needs to residents in the South Bay communities of Chula Vista, National City and Bonita.

But critics say  the action is destroying habitat for wildlife, perhaps forever, also eliminating fishing at the area's only reservoir with free fishing access, and threatening firefighters' ability to combat fast-moving wildfires .  Critics also contend that draining the reservoir so low is unnecssary at current drought levels. Yet the people most negatively impacted have no representation on the SWA board, which doesn't include East County.

Audio: 


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