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Coast
panel rejects plan to tow river water:Private firm would have
supplied San Diego with Mendocino County resource
Ric Davidge, president of Alaska Water Exports, wanted to tow enormous polymer fiber bags filled with fresh water from the Albion and Gualala rivers for potential sale to water-thirsty San Diego. Community leaders, environmentalists and public trust advocates, upset with the idea, have lobbied their state leaders and the coastal commission since January to halt Davidge's plan. Opponents say Davidge's proposal would endanger the environment, privatize the public resource of water and give state water rights to an outsider for possible international sales. Davidge, reached Friday at his business, based in Anchorage, said he canceled his application to the State Water Resources Control Board, the final arbiter of water rights. Davidge said he changed his mind after state officials told him it would cost him up to $2 million to conduct the minimal environmental studies for his plans. Davidge's "water transport bags" -- essentially huge bladders each the length of three football fields -- would have been towed by fleets of tugboats in the ocean. He said the polymer fiber bags ride below the water, even in storms, and wouldn't be an eyesore. His ocean-bound bags would have hauled 20, 000 acre-feet of water each year from the Albion and Gualala -- enough for 40, 000 households. Now, it seems, Davidge instead is shifting to a new plan -- with sketchy details -- that involves purchasing extra water next year from water agencies in coastal communities. "These places have excess water that could be available to other municipalities . . . but I'm not at liberty to disclose which ones," Davidge said. "You get away from the question of water rights, and acquire water from an approved utility." Coastal Commission Chairman Mike Reilly said it was "fascinating" that Davidge had canceled his two applications. But, Reilly cautioned, the privatization and distribution of water will continue to be major issues. E-mail
Pamela J. Podger at ppodger@sfchronicle.com.
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