The Springs at Borrego
Newsletter

Borrego Valley View 
by Garret Wood

November 2018
 
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In This Issue:
Upcoming Events and Activities
On November 6, California voters have a chance to make a difference in Borrego's water future.
RV of the Month
Golf Instruction with Steve Miller is back at The Springs
 
It's November, and it's the beginning of another glorious high season here at The Springs and the Anza-Borrego Desert. Occupancy is running higher than usual this winter so plan your visit soon to get the best choice of sites.

This month's newsletter features another of our series of star parties with Astronomer Dennis Mammana, our traditional Thanksgiving potluck, the ever-popular Nesya and her water aerobics, yoga and pilates classes, and much more.

The golf course is open for business, has been overseeded and is getting good reviews, so call  today to reserve your place in the California's Secret Desertâ„¢. Our reservation team is waiting to hear from you  at 760-767-0004 from 8 AM to 4 PM daily. Or, you can book online at our online booking engine  here .

"Ride the Lightning"
by Jeff Morris
On October 12, the Borrego Valley was blessed with an incredible lightning show that thrilled us all for hours, followed by the first significant rainfall in months. Local photographers had a field day with the show resulting in some stunning shots like this one by Jeff Morris.
 
           
 Upcoming Events and Activities

Tuesdays, November 6, 13. 20 and 27, 5 PM.
Campfire Night at the Waterfall Ramada
Bring a chair,  your favorite beverage, and a smile. 
We'll bring the hot dogs and s'mores.

Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 10:30 AM
Water Aerobics with Nesya.
$5 for RV Guests. 

Tuesdays and Thursdays at 9 AM.
Hatha Yoga with Neysa.
$5 for RV guests

Wednesdays and Fridays at 10:30.
Pilates with Nesya 
Meet at the Torres Room. $5 for RV Guests

Wednesday, November 14 at 5 PM. 
Open Mic Night with Host Monty Tam. 
Got a song to share? Bring it! Or just come and listen. We'll have a pot of hearty chili stew on the stove, and the Springs Wine and Beer Bar will be open.

Sunday, November 18 at 6:30 PM. 
Star Party with Astronomer Dennis Mammana. 
This month's topic;   "That Sneaky Ol' Moon".
We know it as simply "the moon", but all is not as it seems with our nearest celestial neighbor. The moon presents to our eyes some of the most befuddling of all cosmic illusions, and tonight we'll do a bit of cosmic sleuthing to figure out that sneaky ol' moon !
Call or visit the RV desk to sign up for the Star Party - $25 per person includes a light dinner and telescope viewing (weather permitting)

Thursday, November 22, 3 PM.   
Our
Traditional Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner. 
We'll bring the turkey and gravy, you bring a favorite side dish, and together we will share the blessings of gratitude.

Saturday November 24, 3-5 PM. 
Free live concert 
with country music sensation Trevor McSpadden
Join us at Dreamweaver Amphitheater for Trevor's covers of country classics and his own original country ballads. The Springs Wine and Beer Bar will be open

Thursday, November 29 at 5 PM. 
Wine tasting with Classic Wines of California.  
Snacks and wine tasting, no charge to RV Guests.

Saturday December 1,  8-10 AM.   Benefit Pancake Breakfast. Pancakes, eggs, sausage, coffee and juice, $6 minimum donation.  For $5 extra we'll turn your juice into a mimosa! Proceeds will benefit the Borrego Springs Senior Center.


Scenes from 
2018 Borrego Days Desert Festival

On Sunday October 21, newly-crowned Miss Borrego 
Dennise Cecena sang beautifully as special guest of
 Grupo Elejido. The band stars Borrego's own Israel Ochoa, left.

The Borrego Springs Elementary School Folkloric Dancers made a colorful splash at the Festival

 

Talented brothers Gabby and Angel Miquel de Millan sang and danced for their adoring fans.
Photo by Nancy Wright




April West of Judy Taylor's Wild Oats Band thrilled the crowd by playing her trombone for them - with her foot!
 
We hope to see you soon  in sunny and starry Borrego! 
   
Sincerely,

Dan Wright  
 
springs logo




    TourismBorrego Logo

 California Proposition 3
 would help end anxiety about
Borrego's water future.

by J. Harry Jones
 The San Diego Union-Tribune

A major step toward solving the water woes of the desert community of Borrego Springs depends on passage of a statewide $8.8 billion bond initiative in November known as Proposition 3.

If it passes, $35 million would go to Borrego, much of which would be used to purchase and fallow farmland in the Borrego Valley.

"We are very hopeful," said Beth Hart, president of the Borrego Water District. "If it goes through then the struggles the community has been facing and will be facing in the future under the Sustainable Ground Management Act (SGMA) will find some significant relief."

Borrego Springs relies solely on underground water to exist. It sits atop a huge water basin that for decades has been in an overdraft mode. The community has been sucking out of the ground roughly four times as much water as is naturally replenished each year.

In 2014, Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law the SGMA legislation and declared the Borrego Valley to be in "critical overdraft."

By January 2020 a plan must be in place, prepared jointly by the Borrego Water District and the County of San Diego, which in the end will guarantee that water use is reduced by 70 percent by the year 2040.

After several years of study, the sustainability committee in town has concluded that the only way that can be accomplished is by fallowing farmland.

Citrus and other farms in the valley account for roughly 70 percent of all the water that is drawn from the valley's ground. The only logical way to meet the state requirement is to put an end to much of the farming. Officials say 3,000 acres of the 3,800 acres of farms will need to be fallowed with the land eventually being given to the state park which surrounds Borrego Springs.

Many of the farmers are receptive to being bought out, officials say, because it is becoming more and more expensive to pump all the groundwater needed to irrigate their ranches. As the aquifer continues to drop, wells need to be dug deeper and the quality of the water becomes worse. Eventually, the farmers say, the cost of pumping will become financially prohibitive.

Farmers also know they will be forced to reduce the amount of water they use by the state regulations. Eventually they'll have to reduce the amount of land they work, no matter what.

"What it would mean is Borrego would be able to meet the requirements of SGMA and at the same time not put the water district and the community into jeopardy for huge additional costs for water quality, water treatment and for moving wells as the water table continues to decline," said Lyle Brecht, vice president of the Borrego Water District.

"At the same time it offers the agricultural community a very fine exit strategy where they would be able to recover a fair amount of the investment they have in the Borrego Valley for their agricultural production."

Dennis Jensen, president of Oasis Ranch Management which provides onsite ranch supervision to growers and investors in the Borrego, Coachella and Imperial valleys, said he thinks some, though perhaps not most, farmers would be receptive to being bought out.

"It's a potential force of funding that would allow us to leave a lot more water in the ground," Jensen said. "You're asking me would the guys want to give up some of their livelihoods? Some of those guys have been there a couple generations. It's difficult to say how some of them would feel about it.

"There will be a cutback in the next 25 years which will be substantially affecting the ability of continued farming in that area. How they want to handle the disposition of their farming operations is up to them individually. There may be someone who wants to hang on to their 100 acres and eventually just farm 30 acres," Jensen said.

Should the proposition pass, farmers will have to make up their minds relatively quickly.

Brecht said about $29 million of the $35 million will be earmarked for farm fallowing, but after five years, if the money hasn't been spent, what's left will revert to the state.

The remaining $6 million will be used for things like helping golf courses reduce their water consumption and giving some financial relief to homeowners who buy their water from the Borrego Water District.

"Before we get our hopes up we have to check out what the voters in the state of California say about that proposition," Jensen said.

Prop3, known as the California Water Infrastructure and Watershed Conservation Bond Initiative, would issue $8.877 billion in general obligation bonds for water-related infrastructure and environmental projects. The state fiscal analyst said the bond would generate about $8.4 billion in interest over a 40-year period, meaning the bond would cost the state a total of $17.3 billion.

The measure allocates $640 million to groundwater sustainability agencies to implement their plans (Borrego would get $35 million of that chunk).

"For Borrego it certainly would ease an awful lot of anxiety when it comes to homeowners wondering where they're going to get their water and from farmers wondering what they are going to do," Jensen said.

"We're all in the same boat, just at different levels."

by J. Harry Jones of the San Diego Union-Tribune

RV of the Month
W.A. Harris of Texas with his wife and daughter
 with their custom RV, built on a 
Chevrolet truck  chassis in 1924. 

         Source: Hemmings Daily and Daniel  Strohl 



Golf Instruction Available in November at The Springs RV and Golf Resort with Steve Miller


We are happy to announce that Steve Miller has returned to The Springs to offer golf instruction in November. Steve did a stint of clinics and classes at The Springs a few years ago and was very well received. He's had a long career in golf including having been head professional at two different courses. He also holds a Master's in Counseling Psychology, so he can help you wrap your mind about the physical, mental and emotional aspects of the game!

November Deals
$20 off first one-hour individual lesson 
*Regular price - $60

Beginner Series
$300 for 7 one-hour lessons

Weekend Intensive
$150 for 3 one-hour lessons
(During one weekend)




To schedule a lesson, call Steve at 303 551-5924.

 
 

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