Midpeninsula Open Space District: don't take our stream ground water

San Jose Mercury News/Bay Area News/Julia Prodis Sulek, 9/11/14.  "Los Gatos: Nudist camp accused of stealing water from open space district."

Got sandals. Los Gatos open space, trails and streams
for all to enjoy. Some "alternative" people live here too.

"LOS GATOS -- Rangers from an open space district in the wooded hills above Los Gatos descended upon a neighboring nudist camp Thursday, accused its residents of stealing water and ripped out an upstream water line that has helped keep the resort open during California's epic drought. 

On Thursday morning, a half dozen rangers in white trucks dismantled the illegal pipes in segments, coiled them up, and dumped them back on the Lupin Lodge side of the locked gate. ....  "This property and creek are protected watershed we manage. It's undergoing restoration," said Kevin Woodhouse, assistant general manager of the district. "Taking surface water from a creek -- while it may seem simple -- has legal, environmental and regulatory complexities." .... Having lost a key source of water on Thursday, Stout says he will be forced to buy even more truckloads of water." Read article. 

Reference - Midpeninsula Open Space District.  "The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District's purpose is to purchase, permanently protect, and restore lands forming a regional open space greenbelt, preserve unspoiled wilderness, wildlife habitat, watershed, viewshed, and fragile ecosystems, and provide opportunities for low-intensity recreation and environmental education."

Note photograph of Los Gatos trail from "I'm over the hill" blog, "My hiking diary."

Posted by Kathy Meeh