State policies on water reserves at reservoirs hard to understand

Around 2019, state regulators categorized the El Capitan Dam near Lakeside as being in “poor condition,” the second-lowest level on the state’s dam safety scale, because of its seismic stability issues and need for “significant repair.” OK, so that is six years ago now.

The two years of great rain we had starting three years ago nearly filled the dam. So what happened? Billions of gallons of water have been released into the ocean from local reservoirs in recent years, mainly because of a state order that required keeping the water levels low.

This is insanity! We finally get a bunch of rain, then literally billions of gallons are released. All while billions of dollars are being wasted on the state’s bullet train to nowhere. Unbelievable.

No wonder the state of California is laughed at around the country. Let’s figure how to get priorities straight. Water is pretty darn important here!

— Clif Quinn, Blossom Valley