RAINBOW LAKE

Since our last update, several things have happened. Our next project was supposed to be replacing the 120 year old headgate.  The Rainbow Lake Conservation Company offered to provide the the Irrigation Company a study, including engineering and architectural drawings to replace the headgate and its concrete enclosure, repair the 100 foot pipe under the dam, and build a coffer dam to allow construction without having to drain the lake.  The RLCC put together a world-class team of engineers, architects, divers, and contractors. The study and the resulting plans would have cost about $92,000, which the RLCC offered to pay. To our surprise, the Irrigation Company's board of directors refused our offer.

 

Instead of accepting donated funds, the Irrigation Company is considering making Rainbow Lake private some time this fall. If fact, the Irrigation Company owns the land under Rainbow Lake and the water. Their position, apparently, is that the White Mountain residents have enjoyed the use of Rainbow Lake for generations owing to the generosity of the Irrigation Company.  They believe they can do what ever they want with the lake. And, they are correct.

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Charging fees for lake access, fishing, boating, swimming, etc  will have many consequences. All lakefront property owners will have to pay an annual fee to use their own docks. All other members of the community will have to pay usage fees and fishing license fees. Arizona Game & Fish has always stocked rainbow trout in the lake because Rainbow Lake was open to the public.  They will stop stocking the lake and the Irrigation Company will have to pay for stocking at an estimated annual cost of $30,000.

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At this point the Irrigation Company has no idea how they will enforce compliance or what the cost of enforcement will be. 

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Recently, there has been a uproar on social media about the future of Rainbow Lake. I have read most of the posts and they are filled with anger and frustration, and a huge amount of misinformation. One group is raising funds using GoFundMe to cover attorney's fees for a lawsuit. Some people are contacting Navajo County and Pinetop-Lakeside to ask them to intervene.  Some have contacted reporters at the White Mountain Independent. Others, like our Rainbow Lake Conservation Company, are seeking donations to fund repairs the Irrigation Company has been unable to perform.

 

Of course, the Irrigation Company has another option.....raise the price of water to the water share holders who benefit from extremely inexpensive water. 

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Rick Whipple, Treasurer

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