Santa Clara Water District meets with residents of New Almaden over mercury testing studies

By Kymberli W. Brady

Staff Writer

In an ongoing effort to identify mercury contamination in the Guadalupe Watershed, the Santa Clara Water District is seeking the cooperation of residents in New Almaden to conduct a walking field survey of properties along Los Alamitos Creek, from McKean road to Almaden Dam. At issue is a million dollar joint project with the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board to survey the Guadalupe Watershed for methyl mercury –a contaminant remaining from the Gold Rush days when the Almaden Quicksilver Mine was in operation.

According to Assistant Operating Officer Beau Goldie, Federal law requires states to develop plans to restore water bodies impaired by pollutants. The state and regulatory agencies have identified the Guadalupe River, Almaden Lake and the Guadalupe Reservoir as impaired water bodies due to mercury levels found in the fish.

“This is not a drinking water quality issue,” Goldie explains. “This is a fish issue. The water supply isn't impacted at all. The work that needs to be done is to reduce the amount of mercury that gets into the fish and then gets consumed by humans or wildlife.”

Since much of the creek is privately owned, residents will be asked to sign temporary “right of entry” permits allowing the district access to the creek on their properties. Visual observations to determine erosion, sedimentation and wetland areas relative to the mercury issue will be made at that time. “All of those are related to the mercury getting into the system,” says Goldie. “Mercury is available through a process called methyalization. That only occurs when conditions go anaerobic, or when there is a lack of oxygen. It is then converted into a form of mercury that is ingested by the fish. Large fish eat little fish and that's how it builds up. That's what we are looking for.”

Residents are wary of allowing the water district to walk through their backyards to inspect the creek and are concerned about the effects on property values as well as the potential burden of the responsibility to clean up impaired streams that cross their lands. At a community meeting on Oct. 3, they met with representatives of the water district to address concerns regarding permits, disturbances and potential impacts during the yearlong study. Although residents are not obligated to participate in the survey, Goldie remains confident that the process will run more effectively if done in a cooperative manner.

“Initially, people got very upset with the letter from the district asking for permission to go on their land and they said no,” explains Kitty Monahan. “So I called the water district and told them that they needed to come out and explain to us why it needed to be done on our property. After the meeting, we had a better understanding and most said yes. We are pretty much satisfied with what the water district is going to do.”

“The meeting was intended to address their concerns and have dialogue with them,” says Goldie. “Mercury is an issue that has been plaguing the county for years. It's not just the district, but also other property owners who are impacted. We will not be able to resolve this issue without the participation of the community. We are only at the data-gathering stage of this effort and it's going to be a long process.”

The first phase of the study will involve walking surveys of the creeks in an effort to identify locations suitable for future studies and sample collection. The second phase, expected to begin sometime in 2004, will include soil and water sampling to identify specific locations of deposits and mercury levels, with the mercury removal project slated to begin in 2005.

“What about us having to pay to remove the mercury?” Monahan adds. “They said “no” because they had federal grant money if we supported them. Most of us didn't want the Water Quality Control Board, nor the state or federal government coming on our properties. We'd much rather have the water district do it as we think they're more apt to protect the water. We want this project to stay at home.”

According to Goldie, measure B funding has provided the water district with revenues that can be used to address impaired water bodies through their Clean Safe Creeks program. “It's important in that it allows us to ensure that sound science is used in evaluating and identifying the amount of mercury in the system and what should be done to address it,” he says. “Although this is a state responsibility, because we were successful with the funding, we've been able to partner with the community to keep more local control on the process. If not successful, you would likely see the state step in and say what needs to be done. With the little funding the state has, we thought it would be more useful to help make sure it is a safe science.”

Once they identify where the mercury is getting into the watershed, Goldie remains optimistic that they will be successful in getting grants for restoration projects that will help reduce the loading into the system. “The district cannot do this alone and citizens will have trouble addressing the issue on their own.”

“We came out of the meeting with what I felt was a general understanding of the project and support for this issue,” Goldie adds. “We were really pleased that we had such a great turnout. The community needs to be complimented on their involvement. What we saw was a true interest in the creek. It helps us feel comfortable about this project. I am confident that we can have a good partnership and address the mercury issue up there.”

For more information about the creek study, contact Dave Drury at 265-2607, ext. 2721, or visit www.valleywater.org