08-29-2022, 04:08 PM
The reality is that the water master for Minersville has changed in recent years. The old master worked hard at keeping enough water in the reservoir to sustain the fishery (remember that sportsmen have paid a good chunk of money to acquire a conversation pool in Minersville, so technically some of that water is owned by fishermen. The reservoir can be drained this year because the reservoir did not fill enough.) The new master seems intent on taking as much water as possible. With the monsoon season this year, I believe more water could have been saved. The old master didn't like to completely empty it even if he legally could because of the difficulty in refilling it. He also understood that the water is not only valuable for the famers who utilize it but also the county as a whole...saving as much water as possible is a win-win for everyone involved including the farmers. My bet is that the new water master will learn that lesson over time as well.