Kirk leads on water

Taking the lead on an important issue for the first time since taking office in January, Maureen Kirk (pictured) convinced her fellow county supervisors Tuesday to add language to a proposed water management pact that, if acted upon, would make its governance process more inclusive.

At issue was the county’s resolution signing on to the Sacramento Valley Integrated Water Management Plan, which after lengthy debate on May 8 the board unanimously agreed to do. Kirk thought it was too vague and offered an alternative resolution for consideration.

Most important, her resolution called for a governance structure similar to that of the Consumnes, American, Bear and Yuba (CABY) Integrated Regional Water Management Plan. CABY, as it’s called, has a modified consensual decision-making process and enlists a wide range of stakeholders, from environmentalists to water district managers.

The board approved the changes unanimously, but it’s uncertain whether the seven other counties in the SVIRMP will go along.