COMPLIANCE INFO - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

t Terri Mercer 10601 North Shelton Road Linden, California 95236 (209) 887-2326 August 20, 1999 Jeanette Thomas Stockton East Water District 6767 E. Main Street Stockton, CA 95215 Dear Ms. Thomas: The purpose of this letter is to advise the Stockton East Water District of the unregulated spreading of cannery, food processor, and construction and demolition waste in San Joaquin County, in a manner that could permit the leachings to degrade the quality of surface water in Indian Creek, a tributary of the Calaveras River. San Joaquin County Public Health, Environmental Health Division, issued a permit, possibly in 1992, which allows the spreading of 250 cubic yards daily of vegetable/cannery waste/processing water, along Indian Creek in a spread area of approximately fifteen acres. Calaveras County has allowed an additional 150 cubic yards daily on the balance of approximately 100 acres, since 1978, without a permit, as well as a silage pit, the purpose of which is to accept vegetable and cannery wastes which putresce and become animal feed (?). The spread area is the flat alluvium of Indian Creek, which is the lowest elevation on this property, and which contains a perched water table. Any overflow, spillage, drainage, runoff, rainfall, etc. will sooner or later find its way into that water table and Indian Creek (Stockton East Water District letter to Calaveras County Planning Department 1979). I am unaware of any public hearings pertaining to an exemption from a solid waste permit on this Indian Creek location nor any intra-agency coordination which would make Stockton East aware of the long history of residents' nuisance complaints regarding this site, which includes odors and vectors associated with the vegetable waste, as well as the deposit of concrete and other wastes. Environmental Health responded to a complaint of illegal dumping along Indian Creek and subsequently issued a notice to abate (attached). I am told by the Integrated Waste Management Board that generally in these situations, the operator obtains a grading permit and comes into compliance by "capping", or landfilling. Given the flooding history of Indian Creek, I question the wisdom of such an approach, and I hope you share my concern. (See attached photograph looking northward across spreading area during Indian Creek flood). I can see no possible justification for allowing a landfill directly on a tributary to the Calaveras River. The waste/dirt piles as well as culverts installed along drainage channels, are currently diverting a portion of the seasonal runoff away from the natural westward flow, in a southward direction across Wimer Road and adjoining agricultural properties before ultimately draining into Indian Creek. The silt, road oil, and any residual fertilizers picked up in the process are likely to further deteriorate the quality of the water entering the creek. Thank you for your time. If you need additional information, I may be reached at the above number. Sincerely,