San Mateo County Times
March 9, 2005

Bill seeks to open Crystal Springs
But S.F. wants to keep watershed off-limits to boaters, anglers

By Nicole Neroulias

IN AUGUST 2003, county officials and residents applauded the opening of four miles of trails at Crystal Springs - a 23,000-acre wastershed owned by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and previously barred from public use.

A bill introduced by an East Bay lawmaker proposing recreational access to the watershed's four lakes and other Northern California reservoirs has received a far more lukewarm response.

Bill AB 672, authored by Assemblyman Johan Klehs, D-San Leandro, would allow fishing, canoeing and kayaking at reservoirs owned by state and local agencies, while continuing to outlaw bodily contact with the water. Agencies would be allowed to close areas for up to three days a week and could charge a fee for public use.

"These recreational areas are owned by the public, and the public should have access to them," Klehs said in a statement. "Californians are healthy people who enjoy exploring and adventure as an important part of their lifestyle."

Tony Winnicker, spokesman for the SFPUC, said the commission was well aware of recreational interest at Crystal Springs.

The commission's responsibility, however, is to make sure the upper and lower Crystal Springs, San Andreas and Pilarcitos lakes continue to provide drinking water - through natural rainfall and the Hetch Hetchy reservoir - for nearly all of San Mateo County, he said.

"Maintaining a pristine watershed is a key part of protecting our water quality," he said.

County officials cited similar concerns, along with the informal conditions of the hard-won battle with the SFPUC over watershed trail access, for their reluctance to support AB 672.

Mike Nevin, former county supervisor and longtime advocate of public trails at Crystal Springs, said he would stand by his promise to oppose fishing at the "crystal-clear and pure" lakes.

"One of the concerns we always had was about keeping the water safe," he said. "I was clear with (the commission) that it was not our intent to have access to the water."

The "bloody" fight to persuade the SFPUC to allow limited hiking at Crystal Springs - restricted to three days a week and led by docents - took more than a decade to negotiate, said Lennie Roberts, legislative advocate for the Committee for Green Foothills.

Predicting strong opposition to the Klehs bill, Robert added that her committee "would not be interested in seeing additional recreational use on the lakes."

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