Anticipation of the completion of the launch ramp extension and reopening of Diamond Valley Lake, scheduled for February, is the hot topic among bass fishermen. But a much wider look at the efforts of (and the costs assumed by) the Metropolitan Water District demonstrate how small the recreational interests are in the scheme of things.
The big item, the Inland Feeder, (click here) as was announced Oct. 1, has been completed and waters are flowing. But even in spending $1.2 billion dollars on the effort, does not insure recreation, merely the tools to redirect water from the Colorado River or from the California Delta, when environmental issues are finally resolved.
Yet, thanks to bass fishing advocates, fishermen will get to defray the inflated costs of that ramp that the MWD says will cost less than one-thousandth of the entire Inland Feeder project.
True, the versatility of the Inland Feeder is its greatest attribute with regard to the desert that is the reality of Southern California. Instead of a system relying on the Sierra snowpack, the completed system has the ability to take rain/runoff from the local mountains and redirect it into DVL for storage.
So, when it comes to lake access, it’s only money. Hopefully, no secondary issues such as labor disputes (read it) will pop up to interfere with the much anticipated reopening of the lake.
4 Responses to “DVL launch ramp just chump change to MWD”
No shortage of upset folks. It just doesn’t seem that any amount of complaining gets their attention. The ramp work looks to be motivated by a public outcry, but since they were already supposed to have built the facility, having us wait and then pay more is no bargain….
JUST CALLED DIAMOND VALLEY MARINA TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE ANNUAL PASS AND WAS TOLD IT WILL BE RAISED TO $450.00 THIS COMING YEAR. I GUESS THE DAILY USE WILL PROBABLY BE DOUBLED ALSO. THE AVID FISHERMEN SHOULD BOYCOTT THE LAKE. THERE NEEDS TO BE BE SOME KIND OF REVOLT.
Unfortunately, MWD is not accountable to anyone that cares to limit their way of doing things. It appears they are only adding $6 a day to the one guy/one boat entry–24 percent.
But not much of a bargain on the annual pass. (Check the blog for Nov. 22).
I AGREE. I WAS JUST WONDERING ABOUT A LOT OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS IN HEMET ARE UPSET BY THE CLOSING OF THE LAUNCH RAMP AND THE MONEY THEY ARE LOSING. IT SEEMS LIKE THEY SHOULD BE WILLING TO KICK IN SOME MONEY TO HELP SO THAT THE PRIVATE BOAT OWNERS WILL NOT BE THE ONLY ONES HELPING TO PAY FOR THE RAMP EXTENSION. I AM A BASS BOAT OWNER AND DO NOT MIND A SMALL INCREASE IN FEES BUT EVERYONE THAT IS GOING TO BENEFIT SHOULD ALSO HELP.