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Work begins to refill Shadow Cliffs Lake

Officials hope project will give enough water to allow recreational activities to return this summer

A photo of the Shadow Cliffs Regional Park lake in March 2023 shows a massive increase in the water supply following an intense winter of storms, which contributed to the increase of water. (Photo courtesy of Olivia Sanwong)

For the first time since 2020, the lake at Pleasanton's Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area could soon have enough water for people to swim, fish and drive their boats if all continues to go well with recent water-pumping efforts.

The water refill project, which is currently using two diesel-powered water pumps to move water from the Arroyo Del Valle water stream into Shadow Cliffs Lake, came together after the recent winter storms basically ended the year-long drought that plagued lakes and water supplies across California.

"The past several years of drought have left the Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreational Area water level much lower than our community is used to, and we anticipate residents will be happy to see the water level higher this summer," Heather Tiernan, communications manager for the city of Pleasanton, told the Weekly.

The refill project is expected to last until May 31.

Jen Vanya, East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) public information specialist, told the Weekly that the park district is funding the refill project through a drought recovery fund.

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"We are hoping to retain enough water to allow recreational swimming, fishing and boating to return to Shadow Cliffs," Vanya said. "These activities have been suspended since 2020 due to COVID-19 and drought."

Two water pumps have been installed and will continue to pump water into the Shadow Cliffs lake until May 31. (Photo courtesy of the East Bay Regional Parks District)

Zone 7 Water Agency had initially proposed the project to the park district, which operates Shadow Cliffs, according to Olivia Sanwong, EBRPD board director for Ward 5 -- the area that includes Shadow Cliffs.

According to Zone 7's annual report for the sustainable groundwater management program for the 2022 water year, the lake couldn't receive any water last year due to the drought. However, that quickly changed after the onslaught of heavy rains poured down in the Bay Area, refilling several lakes and water supplies.

This led to Sanwong publishing a column early this year on the complexities of water in California and how there is a need for different approaches to water management in order to ensure adequate water supply.

She told the Weekly how California's State Water Project, which works to move and store as much of the surplus water from these storms as possible, made additional untreated water available to contractors such as Zone 7 this past March through what is known as "Article 21 water."

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"What Article 21 water is, supplemental non-potable water at cost rates and that cost rate is really important for East Bay Regional parks," Sanwong said. "So we're really paying a much lower rate for this Article 21 water."

She pointed out that while the Shadow Cliffs Lake is a recreational area and doesn't serve as a water supply location, the additional water is being stored there as a sort of spreading ground facility.

According to Sanwong, spreading ground water conservation facilities retain surface water long enough for it to percolate into the soil.

The project broke ground with the first pump beginning to fill up the lake this past Saturday, but Sanwong said that the effort to fill up the lake isn't something that has just been in the works at a Zone 7 and EBRPD level -- she said it's something that she wanted to do ever since she first joined the park district in December, shifting elected offices after 4-1/2 years on the Zone 7 board.

"Shadow Cliffs has an incredibly special spot in my heart," Sanwong told the Weekly. "It was a fun place for me to go to as a child."

"More recently, in December 2022, when the Shadow Cliffs Lake level was at its lowest point, the East Bay Regional Park District had a dedication ceremony for the new Shadow Cliffs Interpretive Pavilion," she added. "At the ceremony, my predecessor Ayn Wieskamp, introduced me and commented how she had high expectations for me to help make sure EBRPD fills Shadow Cliffs Lake with water."

She also said how refilling the lake was her first real challenge as an EBRPD director and that she especially appreciated the joint collaboration between not just Zone 7, but with the city of Pleasanton as well given that the city has noise ordinances that had to be addressed due to the loud pumps.

"There are about 11 homes that live fairly close to the arroyo, where the two pumps are operating," Sanwong said. "My staff at East Bay Regional Parks actually went and delivered a letter from the park district to each of those homeowners and if they were home, we would have a conversation with them."

Sanwong added that while the recreational aspect of refilling the lake excites her, as she grew up enjoying the lake, the conversation around exploring things like Zone 7's proposed Chain of Lakes pipeline project and how that could help ensure a more stable water supply for Shadow Cliffs is what's most important to her.

"Water in California is not simple," she said. "I think that the extreme weather patterns that we've been experiencing -- from severe drought to, you know, a deluge of storms that we experienced this year -- I think it's going to get even more complicated and complex going forward."

A photo of the Shadow Cliffs Regional Park lake taken on Dec. 14, 2022, before the severe rain storms, shows the impact the drought had on the water levels. (Photo courtesy of Olivia Sanwong)

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly described where the funding for the project came from. The East Bay Regional Park District is funding the refill project through a drought recovery fund. The Pleasanton Weekly regrets the error.

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Work begins to refill Shadow Cliffs Lake

Officials hope project will give enough water to allow recreational activities to return this summer

by / Pleasanton Weekly

Uploaded: Wed, May 10, 2023, 5:59 am
Updated: Wed, May 10, 2023, 1:48 pm

For the first time since 2020, the lake at Pleasanton's Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area could soon have enough water for people to swim, fish and drive their boats if all continues to go well with recent water-pumping efforts.

The water refill project, which is currently using two diesel-powered water pumps to move water from the Arroyo Del Valle water stream into Shadow Cliffs Lake, came together after the recent winter storms basically ended the year-long drought that plagued lakes and water supplies across California.

"The past several years of drought have left the Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreational Area water level much lower than our community is used to, and we anticipate residents will be happy to see the water level higher this summer," Heather Tiernan, communications manager for the city of Pleasanton, told the Weekly.

The refill project is expected to last until May 31.

Jen Vanya, East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) public information specialist, told the Weekly that the park district is funding the refill project through a drought recovery fund.

"We are hoping to retain enough water to allow recreational swimming, fishing and boating to return to Shadow Cliffs," Vanya said. "These activities have been suspended since 2020 due to COVID-19 and drought."

Zone 7 Water Agency had initially proposed the project to the park district, which operates Shadow Cliffs, according to Olivia Sanwong, EBRPD board director for Ward 5 -- the area that includes Shadow Cliffs.

According to Zone 7's annual report for the sustainable groundwater management program for the 2022 water year, the lake couldn't receive any water last year due to the drought. However, that quickly changed after the onslaught of heavy rains poured down in the Bay Area, refilling several lakes and water supplies.

This led to Sanwong publishing a column early this year on the complexities of water in California and how there is a need for different approaches to water management in order to ensure adequate water supply.

She told the Weekly how California's State Water Project, which works to move and store as much of the surplus water from these storms as possible, made additional untreated water available to contractors such as Zone 7 this past March through what is known as "Article 21 water."

"What Article 21 water is, supplemental non-potable water at cost rates and that cost rate is really important for East Bay Regional parks," Sanwong said. "So we're really paying a much lower rate for this Article 21 water."

She pointed out that while the Shadow Cliffs Lake is a recreational area and doesn't serve as a water supply location, the additional water is being stored there as a sort of spreading ground facility.

According to Sanwong, spreading ground water conservation facilities retain surface water long enough for it to percolate into the soil.

The project broke ground with the first pump beginning to fill up the lake this past Saturday, but Sanwong said that the effort to fill up the lake isn't something that has just been in the works at a Zone 7 and EBRPD level -- she said it's something that she wanted to do ever since she first joined the park district in December, shifting elected offices after 4-1/2 years on the Zone 7 board.

"Shadow Cliffs has an incredibly special spot in my heart," Sanwong told the Weekly. "It was a fun place for me to go to as a child."

"More recently, in December 2022, when the Shadow Cliffs Lake level was at its lowest point, the East Bay Regional Park District had a dedication ceremony for the new Shadow Cliffs Interpretive Pavilion," she added. "At the ceremony, my predecessor Ayn Wieskamp, introduced me and commented how she had high expectations for me to help make sure EBRPD fills Shadow Cliffs Lake with water."

She also said how refilling the lake was her first real challenge as an EBRPD director and that she especially appreciated the joint collaboration between not just Zone 7, but with the city of Pleasanton as well given that the city has noise ordinances that had to be addressed due to the loud pumps.

"There are about 11 homes that live fairly close to the arroyo, where the two pumps are operating," Sanwong said. "My staff at East Bay Regional Parks actually went and delivered a letter from the park district to each of those homeowners and if they were home, we would have a conversation with them."

Sanwong added that while the recreational aspect of refilling the lake excites her, as she grew up enjoying the lake, the conversation around exploring things like Zone 7's proposed Chain of Lakes pipeline project and how that could help ensure a more stable water supply for Shadow Cliffs is what's most important to her.

"Water in California is not simple," she said. "I think that the extreme weather patterns that we've been experiencing -- from severe drought to, you know, a deluge of storms that we experienced this year -- I think it's going to get even more complicated and complex going forward."

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly described where the funding for the project came from. The East Bay Regional Park District is funding the refill project through a drought recovery fund. The Pleasanton Weekly regrets the error.

Comments

Jeff Durban
Registered user
Del Prado
on May 10, 2023 at 10:07 am
Jeff Durban, Del Prado
Registered user
on May 10, 2023 at 10:07 am

Something seems off with the timing of this article. Filling of Shadowcliffs has been going on for a few months now. Maybe additional pumps have been added to the effort? The lake has been very slowly rising, but if the filling is stopped May 31st, the level will not be close to using the boat docks, beach, or launch ramp.


Jocelyn Combs
Registered user
Pleasanton Valley
on May 10, 2023 at 7:14 pm
Jocelyn Combs, Pleasanton Valley
Registered user
on May 10, 2023 at 7:14 pm

We are fortunate to have Olivia Sanwong on the EBRPD board. Her experience on the Zone 7 board, knowledge of water issues, and contacts in the water business are invaluable. The EBRPD relies on water from lakes, streams and rivers for swimming, boating, fishing, habitat, and fire suppression. Knowing how to get it and replenish it is a valuable skill for a board member to have..


Jocelyn Combs
Registered user
Pleasanton Valley
on May 10, 2023 at 7:17 pm
Jocelyn Combs, Pleasanton Valley
Registered user
on May 10, 2023 at 7:17 pm

@Jeff
The levee trail was closed on Monday. There was heavy equipment on it that may be for this project.


Jeff Durban
Registered user
Del Prado
on May 12, 2023 at 8:39 am
Jeff Durban, Del Prado
Registered user
on May 12, 2023 at 8:39 am

I stand corrected. There was a small input pipe adding water to SC for the past few months, but earlier this week two larger pipes and pumps were added. The water level has risen considerably and may reach normal levels by the end of the month. Kudos to the EBRPD team. Now, let's bring back the waterslides! Here's to a great summer at Shadowcliffs.


Jo
Registered user
Del Prado
on May 13, 2023 at 5:00 pm
Jo, Del Prado
Registered user
on May 13, 2023 at 5:00 pm

remove the weeds near the shore first please


Jeff Durban
Registered user
Del Prado
on May 26, 2023 at 10:43 am
Jeff Durban, Del Prado
Registered user
on May 26, 2023 at 10:43 am

Shadowcliffs is almost full! Big shoutout to Olivia Sanwong for making the magic happen.


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