Annual Creekside Water Meeting - July 2, 2016

The annual meeting of the Dinkey Creek Water and Improvement Association will take place at 10:00 AM on Saturday July 2nd in the campground amphitheater.  It will likely be warm and sunny, so bring a hat and sunscreen.

Brad Barker, President

Owen Purdy, Vice President

Eric Hardy, Treasurer

Lori Armer, Secretary

Water News - Creek side

Although the water system on for the creek side cabins is turned on, we have yet to complete the state mandated testing.  Please refrain from drinking the water until we have received approval from the state water agency.  It is perfectly acceptable to use it for flushing and bathing.

Creekside Water System Closure

On Saturday October 24th, we will be shutting down and draining the water system for all cabins serviced by the creek side water system. It will not be turned back on again until next spring.  Please plan accordingly.

Dinkey Creek Gate Closure

I received news this week that the gate near the Dinkey Creek Campground kiosk will be locked beginning the evening of Sunday, September 20th. Please remember to have your keys with you when visiting your cabin this Fall. As always, after the gate is officially locked for the season, it is very important to lock the gate behind you after driving through. Take extra care to replace the lock to it's proper place in the chain so that you don't inadvertently prevent authorized access by other agencies.

Today's Rough Fire Update

Click on the following link to see a map and commentary regarding the current location of the fire, safety news, and ongoing efforts efforts to control the fire.

Current Rough Fire News

Rough Fire Update - Sunday August 23rd

Here is some news shared with me via Cindy Lindstrom:

From: Melinda Lee
Sent: Sunday, August 23, 2015 7:39 PM
Subject: Rough Fire Update - Interagency Fire Briefing

Dave and I attended the interagency fire briefing at Wishon today.  The room was packed with folks from the US Forest Service, CalFire, National Park Service, Fresno County Sheriffs (including THE elected sheriff), Fresno County Board of Commissioners elected representative for this mountain area (Poochigian), someone from Senator Diane Feinstein's office (who has been attending all of the briefings), California Highway Patrol, and PG&E people.  Channel 30 and Channel 24 were there.  The locals attending were PG&E people who live at Wishon, cabin owners from Courtright, cabin owners from down toward Sawmill Flat, Clyde Pack Station (Deborah Clyde), Wishon Resort, PG&E folks from Blackrock Reservoir facility (the fire has burned right up to it), a couple of women from Mile High, and Steve Haze (executive director of Yosemite/Sequoia Resource Conservation & Development Council - lives at Auberry).  I wore my Camp El-O-Win teeshirt and hat.  That did not go unnoticed.

Outside, the air was thick with smoke.  The smell of smoke carried some of the low country smell of grass and brush.  We drove over to the dam for the view of the smoke.  Even though we were right by the dam, we could scarcely see it.

The incident commander, Dave Cooper, gave the briefing.  Their communications person was there and helped moderate the session.  After the briefing, attendees were allowed to ask questions.  

Most people were concerned about Wishon and if the fire was going to burn to there.  Right now there is no way to know for sure what will happen.  But they are working to stop it from jumping across the North Fork of the Kings River.  Down at Balch Camp the fire has burned almost all the way to the little town.  They have been back burning slowly from the town to the north down to the active fire line to the south (at that point).  They are working slowly and using air support to keep the back burns cool enough so they don't create too much heat and thereby burn across the river or into Balch Camp.  

The fire has burned down to the edge of Blackrock Reservoir.  They said the fire backed down on its own very nicely.  There is concern that the fire might burn over the top from Spanish and go around Blackrock and jump the river.  There is a lot of ground between Balch and Blackrock and there is too much distance between the fire and the river to do back burning at this time.  The columns we have been seeing the last couple of days have come from back burns.  They are preparing to put in fire line along the Crown Valley trail to Rancheria Creek.  The purpose of this would be to keep the fire from burning right on into Wishon.

Of interest to us at Dinkey Creek is whether or not the fire will jump the river.  It could jump down near Balch in which case it could burn up the Dinkey drainage.  They would look to Fence Meadow ridge as the next fire line in that event.  If it crosses over up by Blackrock, then Patterson Mountain is the line.  They are building lines ahead just in case.  

If the fire does jump the river and threatens the McKinley Grove Road, they will evacuate Wishon and Courtright because McKinley Grove Road is now the only way out since Blackrock Road is closed due to the fire.  

The danger to Dinkey Creek comes if the fire jumps the river and burns over this direction, either up the canyon or over by way of Fence Meadow to Dinkey Mountain.  This has been a slowly developing fire.  If it continues to move slowly, there is a chance a change in the weather could change the situation for the better in a hurry.  But if the wind picks up, if the fire hits a really flammable area, if if if...then we may be looking at evacuating here.

It was recommended that when you evacuate, do not turn off utilities, DO turn off propane tanks, leave both gates unlocked.  You have to have some sort of identification that shows you are the rightful owner of the property in order to return after the evacuation.  Otherwise they will not let you return to your property.  Also, they said if you have stored water (water tank), you can leave a sign or note at the gate that says so.

Dave and I figure the next two or three days will reveal a lot.  If they can hold the fire to the east side of the North Fork canyon, we will be okay.  If the fire jumps, we need to pay attention very closely.  We will be monitoring and will provide updates as the situation develops.

Melinda

Dinkey Creek Water News - Creekside Cabins

Summer cabin season has finally arrived.  Last Saturday, Owen and I filled the wooden tanks, inspected the primary water lines, made several repairs and opened the main valves.  The water system is up and running, however we have not yet received the results of our water tests, so until we get word that the water is safe, please refrain from drinking it.  In other words it's OK to flush with, but not to drink. As you are likely already aware, we are currently in an EXTREME DROUGHT condition, please use water as sparingly as possible.  Our water supply is extremely limited and may not last all the way through the summer.  Many cabin owners in nearby areas of the forest have who have no water this year are installing personal tanks and paying someone to regularly fill them.  This is an expensive solution which we would prefer avoiding. 

Fortunately, the drilling phase of our new well project is complete and we are in a good position to supply our cabins with a fresh source of high quality drinking water. The original budget for the well was based on a drilling depth of 300 feet, however we had to drill approximately 900 feet before reaching water of sufficient quality and quantity. This is an additional expense that we will divide equally among cabin owners.  Owen is in the process of getting cost estimates for the remainder of the project.  We are hoping to do much of the work ourselves avoiding as much labor cost as is reasonable.

There are a few cabin owners who have yet to pay the $1500.00 that was assessed in 2014.  If you are one of those people, please make your payment as soon as possible.  The sooner we get more money in our account, the sooner we can complete the project and the more likely we won't run out of water this summer.  If you are unable to pay the the whole amount, consider splitting it up and making a few partial payments. 

Looking forward to another great Dinkey Summer.

Thanks,

Brad Barker

President

Dinkey Creek Water and Improvement Association

Creek Side Water System News

Cabin Owners,

As of Sunday afternoon October 27th,  the creek side water system has been shut down for the winter and will not be operational again until next Spring.  Below freezing temperatures are expected to arrive within the next few days, so if you have not winterized your cabin yet, you might want to get up there very soon and do so.  Thanks once again to Owen and Justin Purdy for helping out with this yearly effort.

Our well driller has completed the drilling operation.  He had to go considerable deeper than we had originally hoped. The good news is that we do have a viable well to begin pumping water from beginning next summer.  There are still several of you out there that have yet to send in your $1,500 payment.  Please do so now so that we can pay the well drilling invoice and complete the rest of the project.  The next step is for us to purchase and install a power pole near the well so that So Cal Edison can string a power line to our site.  This will hopefully happen in the next week or two as we were told that they are already planning to be working in the area.

More news to follow as the project progresses.

Brad Barker, President

Owen Purdy, Vice President

Lori Armer, Secretary Treasurer

Dinkey Creek Water and Improvement Association - Work Day and Annual Meeting notice

We are planning a short water system work day on  June 21st beginning at 10:00 AM.  If you are able to lend a hand for a few hours, please meet at 10:00 Saturday morning on the dirt road near the Noble cabin.  Bring digging implements, shovel, pick, gloves, crowbar, and/or an axe if possible. Thanks.  -Brad Barker

Dinkey Creek Water and Improvement Association
Annual Meeting Notice

The Dinkey Creek Water and Improvement Association annual meeting will be held on Saturday, July 5 th, 10:00am at the Campground Amphitheater. Please review enclosed minute meetings from last summer. At last year’s meeting, discussion was held regarding an assessment for the installation of new water tanks. We are looking at about a $700.00 per cabin assessment for installation. More details to follow at the annual water meeting. Hope to see you all there! -Lori Armer

More trash talk

I pulled an old rusty BBQ and a white utility cart out of our Granite Dumpster this afternoon. They will be stored next to my shed, in the event that someone was unaware of the rules, and wishes to dispose of them and rid me of the responsibility. Were Granite to find these items in the receptacle when they emptied the dumpster, we would be fined accordingly--in past years we have paid several hundred dollars in fines. PLEASE DO NOT PUT ANYTHING EXCEPT HOUSEHOLD TRASH in our granite dumpster.

2014 Billing

From Kathy Landess:

Hi, all!

 

We apologize for the short notice but we were waiting to make sure that the RO or WO didn’t pull the rug out from underneath us regarding delaying the yearly billing as they have done in the past few years.  Thankfully, they didn’t this year.  The billing will be slightly delayed but we intend to have the bills in the mail early next week.  Please tell your folks that if they haven’t received their bill by the end of the month to contact us.  The billing amount will be straightforward – 2013 fee adjusted by the IPD factor (1.014) = 2014 fee.

 

For those folks who request payment plans, there is a change in process.  The district can no longer accept payment plans.  The payment plans must be processed through the Albuquerque Service Center (ASC).  ASC’s number if 1-877-372-7248, select Option 1 for Budget and Finance.  Must be able to prove a financial hardship.

 

As always, give me a shout if you have any questions or wish to discuss anything.  J

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

 

Kathy

Kathy Landess

Resource Assistant, Special Use, Lands and Recreation

High Sierra Ranger District, Sierra National Forest

(559) 855-5355 x 3311                                 FAX (559)855-5375

klandess@fs.fed.us

Water Shutdown

To cabin owners on the creek side,

The creek side water system will be shutdown for the year on Sunday October 13th, 2013.  Don't be caught high and dry.

Brad

Bear Witness

From Kathy Landess, US Forest Service:

Recent Bear activity in Huntington Lake Area.

Please read this:  Bear Country

Aspen Fire

Here is a link where you can track the firefighting progress of the aspen fire.

http://www.inciweb.org/incident/3552/

Annual Water Association Meeting

The annual Dinkey Creek Water Association Meeting will be held at the campground amphitheater on Sunday July 7th at noon.  The forest service meeting will be held in the same location immediately afterwards.. Becky Shufelt, the new special use permit administrator, will be addressing the cabin owners.

It will likely be quite warm there at that time of day, don't forget to bring sunscreen, hat, water, etc. 

Fire Advisory

Self Inspection Form

You may download and print your cabin Self Inspection form using the link on the right side of this page.  The Special Use Handbook is located there as well.

Huntington Basin Project

Also, as requested at a few tract meetings, I would like to provide a link to the Sierra National Forest Project page for the Huntington Basin Project.  I want to encourage those that have cabins around the lake to please keep informed of the project as it develops, be aware of how it could affect your cabin, and voice your concerns throughout the process.  For those tracts that I have not attended meetings with yet, I will be touching on this topic at your meeting.

Here is the link to Huntington Basin Project information: http://tinyurl.com/lyc7ybb

Becky Bacon Shufelt

Acting Special Uses Permit Administrator

High Sierra Ranger District

Sierra National Forest

(559) 855-5355 ext.3373

Campground Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

The Sierra National Forest invites you to come and celebrate the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Rancheria Campground, College Campground and Dowville Picnic Site on Saturday, June 29, 2013.  These facilities are in the beautiful setting of the Huntington Lake Recreation Area. This special ceremony will honor our partners, Southern California Edison for their collaboration with the design and resources in renovating the three recreation sites, and California Land Management for their services in the management of the facilities. The celebration will begin at 2:00 at the Rancheria Campground amphitheater and Refreshments will be served. We hope that you will join us.

Susan Burkindine

Assistant Recreation Officer

Sierra National Forest

1600 Tollhouse Road

Clovis, CA   93611

sburkindine@fs.fed.us

(559) 297-0706 ext. 4921

FAX (559) 294-4809

Burning Desire

Hi all,

I have just been informed that June 10th will be the cutoff date for debris burning at all elevations.  Please pass on this information to the members of your tract. If you have any further questions You can contact our Fire Prevention Battalion Officer Belinda McCandliss at 559-855-5355 x3334.

Becky Bacon Shufelt

Acting Special Uses Permit Administrator

High Sierra Ranger District

Sierra National Forest

(559) 855-5355 ext.3373