12 August 2014
Water… do we have enough?
The water woes facing many other areas in the country are highly unlikely in the Florence area. That’s according to Florence Public Works Director Mike Miller who says the City has a unique combination of a very deep and plentiful aquifer that is regularly “recharged” by rainfall.
Mike Miller – “The recharge that we have is awesome, because we do have a lot of rainfall. But, if we went for a year or two and had very minimal rainfall; and I’m talking about down to 20 inches or less…”
Rainfall would have to drop to 25-or-30-percent of the annual average for more than two years running.
Mike Miller – “Our average is over 68 inches. Two years ago we had over 96 inches of rainfall.”
North of Florence, Heceta Water District relies on surface water from Clear Lake. It too has adequate capacity and recharges rapidly. Residents south of Florence however, face a mixed bag. Many rely on personal wells that regularly dry up in the summer. That’s because the aquifer south of the Siuslaw River is far different and more limited. Geologists say there are some wells in that area that produce plenty of water, and many other residents rely on lake water.
Fire Danger Remains High
It may not seem like it this morning, but it’s another day of extremely high fire danger in all corners of the state.
Triple Digit temperatures were recorded in many locations yesterday, except along the narrow coastal strip that we call home.
A series of thunderstorms with lightning rolled down the Willamette Valley and through Central Oregon yesterday, more are expected through this evening, prompting concerns that another round of wildfires could be added to the two-dozen large blazes already burning in Oregon.
That stormy weather is also expected to bring relief. Forecasters say the moisture and clouds that accompany those thunderstorms will likely cool things down and increase humidity by tomorrow or Thursday, reducing fire danger.
County Administrator Completes Executive Team
Steve Mokrohisky continues to assemble a management team at Lane County that has been gutted over the past few years by fiscal and administrative woes.
The Lane County Administrator announced this week that Mike Finch will take on the role as Chief Information Officer, managing a department with 70 employees and overseeing 200 databases.
Finch fills the final opening in Mokrohisky’s executive leadership team that includes Alicia Hays as the director of Health and Human Services; Marsha Miller at Public Works; Marsha Edwards in Human Resources; and former Eugene 4J Superintendent George Russell as the Director of Management Services.
Shorewood Gets New Management
A familiar fixture in Florence is undergoing some changes… but will remain the same. That’s according to Susan Burkhart with the Shorewood Retirement Center. Burkhart says a new management company has taken over operations.
Susan Burkhart – “Senior Housing Management out of Portland, they’ve promoted me to be administrator of the Shorewood. So even though there’s some changes in management of it, we’re the same familiar faces that have been here.”
Burkhart has worked at the Shorewood for 20 years of the facility’s 27 years. She says the community is invited to a ribbon cutting and open house Saturday afternoon from one to four pm.
