Radical Ridge Water Issues

From Chiah Rodrigues:

I had an extremely frustrating day concerning water for restoration of the roads. Fisrt I recieved a call from Meca to see if I could find people who wanted to share their water for road restoration. I began making phone calls. Days before this CDF was pumping water from our pond and we were under the understanding that it was for fire suppression. Then we began wondering where it was going because from what we could tell there were no active flames on this end of the fire. When Meca called me I began putting the pieces together. Then John Beatty blogged that he had this experience with the Greg Simpson co. water hauler. I called neighbors to get permission for use of their ponds and Aasta said they were getting low on water and preferred their pond not be used, John said the same. I talked with a Mel at Lynn and Bobs who was supposedly in charge of the road restoration/water spraying. I told him there were two ponds available, Emrys' and Petes upper pond. It seemed the deal was done. But I made a call to Cal Fires Tracy Budrow (SP?) she was very concerned. She said since no one understood that the water was going for roads before yesterday that it was inapropriate for them to be pumping from our ponds to do restoration. I only authorize water from my pond to be used for fire suppression. But 12,000 gal. were pumped from our pond total for possible fire suppression and mostly for road restoration. This is a pointless use of our precious water, we cannot afford this!!!!! Especially not at the beginning of fire season. The roads will only be just as dusty tomorrow!!! I understand that CDF is only trying to restore the roadways that they were using, but this water use is not going to help for long. Tracy said that the order would be put out that Radical Ridge has had enough water put on the roads. I figured great, its done. But when I was on my way home, I ran into Greg Simpson Co. water truck spraying water on the roads again. I stopped the truck and asked him why he was still doing this and where he got this water from. He told me he was under a contract and was just taking orders. He had pumped at least two truck loads from the creek (about 6,000 gal). He told me if I wanted it to stop that I should take my little self down to the fairground and tell CDF myself. I had already done that by phone! The communication was not happening here, and besides he said that all us little people who dont know anything need to stop telling him what to do and talk to who is giving him orders. I stopped at John Beatty's on the way home and he said he just had to turn the same truck away from his pond again, and the truck proceeded to the creek to pump. I called Tracy again, this time she was very upset. She then said that she was sorry I was spoken to in that way and that she deffinately told them to cease all water spraying on Radical Ridges end. So she had Mike Maynard call me who reassured me that it would end. He also said they can get us the water back which I fully expect to happen. Neighbors are in agreement= our water should not be used to put on the roads. I will make a tally of how much water was put on the roads and tell Tracy and Mike. Please let me know if anyone has further info or comments. I think overall the Cal Fire/CDF people have been great, but this is the second major communication issue I have had that has caused serious panic and problems. Chiah