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I am looking forward to the luncheon meeting this month. The Nacimiento Project should be a very interesting topic. For decades this project has been on the drawing boards, and it is loaded with all of the issues we deal with as civil engineers. Politics, contract law, environmental impacts and mitigations, funding and just about every aspect of civil engineering design is involved.
I spent nine years on the Templeton Community Services District Board of Directors between 1987 and 1996, and worked as District Engineer years before that. The Nacimiento Project, even back then, was a hotly contested issue. As a member of the North County Water Advisory Committee I saw first hand the technical challenges and the political posturing of the North County water agencies and the City of San Luis Obispo as they debated the merits of State water and this local project.
Water continues to be the lifeblood of growth and economic vitality. If you haven't already read it, I would highly recommend the book "Cadillac Desert - The American West and Its Disappearing Water," by Marc Reisner. The back cover reads "The story of the American West is the story of a relentless quest for a precious resource: water. It is a tale of rivers diverted and dammed, of political corruption and intrigue, of billion-dollar battles over water rights, of ecologic and economic disaster…..". It is amazing to read how Southern California was transformed, in no small part, by imported Colorado River water.
A tremendous amount of water has flowed under the bridge since those early California days (did I really say that?), when the Bureau of Reclamation was battling the Army Corp of Engineers. Almost non-existent back then, environmental regulations have now changed the way we accomplish public works projects, and we certainly don't have the political corruption that was pervasive in Los Angeles in the early 1900's. But the issue of exporting water out of the North County will continue to be hotly debated by developers, environmentalist, no-growth advocates, and North County ranchers. You only have to look at the recent move towards adjudication of water rights in the Santa Maria and Nipomo areas to see the seriousness with which communities view water use and water rights.
Let's hope teamwork, quality civil engineering, and reasonable people make the Nacimiento Project a long term tool for the prosperity of our communities north and south of the Cuesta Grade.
by Russ Thompson
Over the years, our elected leaders in ASCE have provided a dynamic mix of experience, enthusiasm and creativity. The experience brought to the Society's leadership by our more senior engineers is complemented by the enthusiasm of our younger engineers. One such young engineer and leader in ASCE is Scott Stokes, our current Branch Membership Chairman.
Scott was born in sunny Southern California near Los Angeles. Scott's parents were originally from Canada. Scott is the youngest of three children and has the distinction of being the only child in his family born in the U.S. Just one year after Scott was born, his parents returned to Canada where Scott lived for the next seven years. At the age of eight, Scott and his family returned to the U.S. They settled in Spokane, Washington, for a short time and then relocated permanently to Sacramento, California, where Scott remained until graduation from high school.
As a young child, Scott gravitated toward toys that allowed him to construct things. He remembers being especially fond of Legos. In high school, Scott showed an aptitude for math and physics. Like so many other engineers, all he needed was a push in the right direction. His mother recognized his particular talent at a young age and suggested he consider engineering as a career choice. Scott took her good advice and enrolled at Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo with a major in Civil Engineering. While attending Cal Poly, Scott fell in love with the area, and vowed he would someday return.
A co-op with Stanford University provided Scott a lead on his first engineering job. Scott's advisor at Stanford recommended him to B.K.F., a large planning, engineering and surveying firm in San Jose. Scott worked for B.K.F. for several years but longed to return to the Central Coast. He distributed resumes to several firms in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. While interviewing with the City of Santa Barbara, Scott was contacted by Cannon Associates. He was hired shortly thereafter and continued to work with Cannon until just recently. It was at Cannon that Scott received his Professional Engineer's license. Scott is now a project manager with the RRM Design Group where he specializes in public works engineering.
During our interview Scott recalled a few of his most memorable engineering challenges. Probably most notable was his position as project manager for the Atascadero Home Depot project. Scott was charged with bringing together many different design and construction teams to coordinate the site development and offsite improvements. Other notable projects include the Cal Poly housing project, an 840 bed complex recently constructed on campus; and the extension of the award winning Pismo Beach promenade project.
Scott's personal life is full of the challenges and pleasures of a young family. Scott and his wife Jennifer are the proud parents of a 2-year-old son, Jake, and a 4-year-old son, Ryan, who is now attending preschool. When spare time allows, Scott enjoys skiing, tennis and golf.
by Greg Ray
Whatever happened to the Nacimiento Water Project?
It's all about the water. Who has it? Who needs it? How reliable is it? And how will it get from a lake 15 miles northwest of Paso Robles to a drinking fountain in downtown San Luis Obispo? Even though the Nacimiento Project has been planned for decades, it still raises North County vs. City of San Luis Obispo water debates, proving water is and always will be a key political issue in this area.
Our February luncheon speaker is Mike Nunley of Boyle Engineering. Boyle Engineering is managing the Nacimiento Project's environmental review and preliminary design for the County Public Works Department. Mike will discuss the findings of the soon to be released EIR for the project, and where the project goes from here. This meeting will give our members an advanced look at a hot topic likely to be in the news in the coming months. Hope to see you there.
by Russ Thompson
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JOIN SCE'S FIRST ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2003; MORRO BAY GOLF COURSE $75; CONTACT CESAR MORAN: MORAN@CALPOLY.EDU |
The affiliation between our Central Coast Branch and Cal Poly's outstanding student chapter is one of those factors which over the years has greatly enhanced our local professional activities. With this in mind, Cal Poly's Society of Civil Engineers invites local professionals to participate in three major upcoming events: the 13th Annual Career Fair, the CE Professional/Student Forum, and golf.
First things first! The box above displays essential information on the 1st Annual SCE Golf Tournament. A fine time should be had by all.
The annual CE/ENVE Career Fair, sponsored by SCE and the Society of Environmental Engineers, has for years attracted dozen of leading engineering firms and agencies from throughout California to meet hundred of student job-seekers from CE, ENVE and related majors. This year's fair will be Thursday, March 6, 10 AM to 3 PM, on-campus in the Chumash Auditorium. If your organization is not involved and would like to hear more, contact Cesar Moran at moran@calpoly.edu.
To recognize National Engineers Week, SCE is organizing a Professional/Student Informal Forum as an opportunity for students and local professionals to exchange views and better get to know each other. For additional information, contact Kristina Skrehot at kskrehot@calpoly.edu.
by Ed Sullivan
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