3 chosen to represent Glenn County

Three Glenn County representatives have been chosen to serve on the Northern Sacramento Valley Integrated Regional Management Board.

Supervisor Leigh McDaniel and farmers John Erickson and Gary Enos were selected to sit on the board when it is formed. Eighteen agencies will be represented.

Erickson and Enos were selected from five applicants.

Enos, of Glenn, said on his application he feels water is the life blood of Glenn County and the economy is dependent on a dependable water supply.

Erickson serves on the Board of Directors for the Orland-Artois Water District, and hopes to balance farmers' water usage with surface and groundwater supplies.

Additional applicants included former Glenn County Supervisor John Amaro, Sandy Denn of the Family Farm Alliance and Michael Vereschagin, another Orland farmer and Glenn County Farm Bureau director.

The candidates' applications were reviewed by Agriculture Commissioner Mark Black and County Water Coordinator Lester Messina, who said all of them were qualified to serve.

All of the other applicants had ties to local water agencies and a lot had other volunteering commitments, the supervisors said.

Supervisor John Viegas may serve as McDaniel's alternate on the water group's board.

However, Black advised against choosing citizen alternates at this time because unless the representatives go to every meeting, they may not be as effective.

This water planning group wants to protect North State water interests by finding ways to manage and save groundwater and maintain surface water supplies in an era of Southern California and state water grabbing, officials said.

Contact Rick Longley at 934-6800 or rlongley@tcnpress.com.