Menlo Circus Club watering fields at 11am

Perhaps the Almanac could make a few phone calls and report back.

Working on it!

I don't know if it's recycled water or not, but if it is, keep in mind that recycled water usually is trucked from local water treatment plants whose hours of operation are a constraint.

I am pretty sure that the Circus Club has its own wells. They are probably using well water

How arrogant can you get? It's time to shut this club down.

How about focusing on YOUR conservation efforts and be a little less obsessed with a neighbor who may not be quite as vigilant as you?

Nope, sorry, I'm tired of seeing all the rich people whining about having to cut their overconsumption as in the much-reported case of Rancho Santa Fe, eg Web Link

I just got my first water bill under the new budget, and our household of four managed to cut 2/3 from our 2013 use, total 9 CCF. Yes, the grass is dying but so be it. How dare the ultra-wealthy have the arrogance to think they should be exempt by dint of the fact that they're rich and therefore more entitled than the rest of us?

I do have neighbors with green grass and sprinklers on during the day. I wonder how many people don't even know their water has been rationed.

POGO: "How about focusing on YOUR conservation efforts and be a little less obsessed with a neighbor who may not be quite as vigilant as you?"

Because this "neighbor's" abuse of water is affecting all of us. A commensurate punishment would be shutting the club down for a month. It's time to send a strong message.

Is well water a viable excuse? I ask that seriously. Does it deplete the water table? Is it potable or non-potable water? I know a Stanford uses well water, too, and has plenty of lawns for sports and ceremonial areas.

>>"How arrogant can you get? It's time to shut this club down."

Really? Do you actually know anything other than the fact that sprinklers were running during the day? Could the irrigation controller have failed? Could a valve have stuck open?

If they are on well water do you know the rules that apply? If it is recycled water do you know what the rules for watering with recycled water are?

Do you know what their water allocations are?

Take a deep breath and relax. I am sure the issue will be resolved without issuing threats of closure.

This is unbelievable. Rather than apologize for this incredibly wasteful behavior and make a donation to the community to try to at least partially make amends, it looks like the club members are trying to find excuses to justify this.

Get the Facts, it seems like you are the one who doesn't understand the rules, so let me explain them to you. In this history making drought, if your sprinkler is broken, you fix it before passers by notice it. If you're using well water, you still use it responsibility because the water you're sucking out of the ground belongs to all of us.

I thought the guy suggesting a one month shutdown was being a little harsh but after reading your comments, I don't think he goes far enough.

You expect me to go without taking a shower so you can ride your polo pony?

Shut the thing down permanently.

Hello, World. Use of well water definitely depletes the water table.

But that's the question - doesn't well water belong to the well owner? Ancient water right conflicts are timeless I think.

For those truly concerned, you can wait for Ms. Wood's story or call the club and ask.

Idea for a story: ask for tours of places that use lots of water - clubs, schools, golf courses - and find out how they're dealing with the drought. How does it impact snall businesses who use a lot if water?

Dear Wow,

Thank you for pointing out that I went a bit overboard in my first post. I get your point. Just so you know...

I have no affiliation with the Circus Club. I am not a member, and I don't play polo.

I do, however, hope that folks will take the time to research the facts before deciding that an individual homeowner or organization should be "shut-down" by the neighbors. The idea of a neighborhood is to all work together to help one another during tough times.

Lessons Learned, Wow, very abusive:

Is this really about water? According to the USDA our agriculture industry in the western states is responsible for up to 90% of all water usage:

Web Link

To make these comments about a small private club watering 1/2 of their polo field at 11:00 AM sounds like it's more about hating the members of the club rather than the water usage itself. Terms like "Ultra wealthy", "arrogance","entitled", and the ridiculous call to "Shut the thing down permanently" make me think that.

According to the USGS it takes 150 gallons of water to produce 1/3 of a pound of hamburger.

Web Link

Although the Circus Club may not have made the best decision to water at 11:00 AM with their well water the collective anger would be better directed at shutting down McDonalds and Burger King. Or, if you want to think globally but act locally, the Dutch Goose and the Oasis would be a good place to start.

Well water or not the same rules should apply.

The wells are tapping in to a communal water supply, and did everyone somehow miss the recent research about the depleted aquifers? Not just in California, but globally.

As for the amount of water used to produce meat, I'd be totally in support of putting an end to the barbaric practice of growing and eating other animals. But then, I'm also not wasting water.

I have personally seen lessons learned eating meat. And I have also heard he practices the bourgeois practice of bathing with water as well.

The Circus Club (of which I am not a member) has and always will operate outside of the rules the rest play by. I personally like them, but I do get the water point. Here is a Business (oh my, did I say a business in Atherton?) that gets to do as they like, when they like, without retaliation. Personally, I like the fact the local Government (Town of A) does let them operate this way. That said, flaunting is never appreciated, so watering at night when most are asleep is probably a better venue. What I do not know is do US Polo rules require a field to be watered right before a match, that would alter my statement

Alas, Sir TH, I fear you are confusing me with another, since I am and always have been a she. Are you suggesting that I sacrifice my 2-minute showers so that the worthiest among us can parade their ponies through pristine pastures? Is there cake in the offing too?

Lessons learned:

We all know that "the worthiest among us can parade their ponies through pristine pastures" and they always will. The silly part is that taking shorter showers and letting your landscaping die is going to do next to nothing to combat this drought. If agriculture is using up to 90% of California's water how is your 2 minute shower going to do anything? It's not. Further your 2 minute shower, even with an old, inefficient shower head that I'm sure you don't have, uses only about 5 gallons per minute per the USGS

Web Link

You would have to be taking 30 minute showers to equal the amount of water used to produce the 1/3 pound of hamburger.

Web Link

So leave the ponies alone and go picket at In N Out.

The comments about farming, and beef production in particular (which uses a lot of water indirectly, since cows eat alfalfa, which requires an extraordinary amount of water to produce) is misplaced because no one is alleging that the farmers are using more water than they need to in order to produce the alfalfa. California may have to curtail this, and it may involve economic damage to the farmers and the economy.

The Circus Club, on the other hand, can get the same or better results for its lawn by not watering when the sun is out at maximum brightness. They are using much more water than is needed to accomplish what they are trying to do.

Very Abusive:

As I said in my earlier post the Circus Club did not make the best decision with their late morning watering. However, I don't think my agriculture comments are misplaced at all. If we are interested as a state to reduce water usage we have to look at the facts. The agricultural industry is using water at a rate 9 times greater than the rest of us. If the state hypothetically uses a million gallons of water per year and agriculture reduces their usage by 5% we will save 45,000 gallons of water. The rest of us have to cut back 45 % to save those same 45,000 gallons of water. So, again, reducing beef consumption will do far more good that reducing shower times and lawn watering.

In fact you can do various analyses that show if California farmers merely stopped exporting alfalfa out of state, the damage to the economy would be about $3 per person, which most California residents would gladly pay in order to not have these water restrictions.

Nonetheless, I think disenfranchising an economic group and their livelihood is an extreme measure, and one that has many philosophical repercussions.

Of course, none of this discussion takes into consideration the unused desalination plants in southern California either.

What we have here is quite simple, though. In the midst of pretty crushing restrictions and price increases by CalWater, a local country club performing a water-related practice that ranges from stupid to arrogant to abusive depending on how peeved one is about the situation is just being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

It appears that the Circus Club does not irrigate with Cal Water. I am trying to talk to them to ask them what their plan is for conserving water.

This discussion in California is commonly known as 'Lawn Shaming.' When I first heard the term, I thought they were talking about the actor who was the Hunchback of Notre Dame.

I was mistaken.

Barbra - Really? You are and have been a reporter for as many tears as I can remember.. So just go ask them, stop by.... They run a business and as such they should be able to answer this...... If they don not then list whom you spoke with and their answer....even no comment is fine we can recognize that

Robert D.: please let Ms. Wood do her job. As a former reporter, I know sometimes it takes a few days to gather the information and speak to the right people, cross-check facts, etc., to print a responsible story.

I'm saddened by the tone of many of these comments, many of which have an undercurrent of vitriol that goes well beyond anger about a club's water usage.

How sad that readers are taking issue with one user when there are many users in the local area that use larger amounts of water than the average home. One question that I have not seen answered during all of the conversations about water conserving is how are multifamily dwellings, apartment buildings, etc being asked to conserve? Most buildings do not have separate water meters for individual living units. How are renters being held accountable for what they use in large buildings? "All for one and one for all" as they say.

I think it's good to keep getting the word out to businesses, farms, and individuals in an educational way... though honestly, most people or businesses won't make a change until it hits their wallet.

The crop that consumes the most water in California is alfalfa, grown as feed for cattle and dairy cows consuming 2.7 trillion gallons of water a year, much of it exported. Obviously the price of water is not high enough.

Almonds, pistachios and rice take spots 2, 3 and 4. Don't eat them, if you can avoid it!

Water for everyone should be priced based on scarcity, and the farmers and businesses will eventually find more economical crops or choices.

As for consumers, the biggest use is still landscaping. Menlo Park and most of residential California is still looking pretty green and lush for a 4 year drought, but the prices have just started increasing, and not really by that much. Shaming does no good, but tactful conversation about the drought and how we can all make a difference will help.

I've been sampling the various veggie burger and veggie options from all the local stores and restaurants, and some are GREAT! I have started leaving comments on restaurant comment cards for more vegetarian options, as having 1 dish is not much of a variety. Where I work, 50% are vegetarian. Restaurants are leaving money on the table by catering to meat eaters. My colleagues would eat out more if there were more options, instead they feel they need to bring lunch to work and dine in.

Ok, enough rambling for the day...

Here is the response from Christian Thon, Circus Club general manager. He said he is busy this week finishing up a major construction project and getting ready to reopen the club this weekend, so I will speak to him more in depth next week.

"I would note that this construction significantly improved our water conservancy efforts throughout the property at great efforts and expense. The Circus Club is very much trying to be a role model for other Atherton residents and companies with our water conservation efforts and policies that we have already put in place. There is no question in my mind that we will meet (or exceed) the required 36% threshold for our water usage. It’s shame that people draw their own conclusions without getting the whole story. That part nobody can control.

Re. the Polo Field irrigation, we water in the day only because we are not allowed to water at night due to noise ordinance from the Town of Atherton. Believe me, I’d love to be able to water the field at night but it’s against the law."

I will further check into the noise ordinance outlawing night watering, but City Manager George Rodericks said this was "the first I've heard of it."

"I'd love to be able to water the field at night but it's against the law."

I'm so glad we all waited for the "facts to come out" and didn't jump to any conclusions!

;-)

It seems to me Atherton needs to rethink its noise ordinance if it keeps the Circus Club from watering at night. That they can't because they might "disturb" someone is absurd. Especially during a drought.

Atherton Code:
8.16.030 Basic noise regulation.

Except as otherwise permitted under this chapter, no person shall cause and no property owner shall permit on such owners’ property, a noise produced by any person, machine, animal or device, or any combination thereof, in excess of the sound level limits set forth in this section to emanate from any property, public or private, beyond the property line. Any sound in excess of the sound level limits set forth in this section shall constitute a noise disturbance. For purposes of determining sound levels, sound level measurements shall be made at any location on the receiving property.


Sound Level Limits


7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

60 dBA


10 p.m. to 7 a.m.

50 dBA


A. In the event the alleged offensive noise contains a steady, audible tone, such as a whine, beating, pulsating, throbbing, or hum, the standards set forth in Section 8.16.030 shall be reduced by five dB.

Sound samples of sprinklers.
Web Link

Sound Level Limits

7 a.m. to 10 p.m. 60 dBA

10 p.m. to 7 a.m. 50 dBA


A. In the event the alleged offensive noise contains a steady, audible tone, such as a whine, beating, pulsating, throbbing, or hum, the standards set forth in Section 8.16.030 shall be reduced by five dB.

Do the sprinklers produce more than 45 dBA?

The main advantages with dBA - the A weighting in noise measurements - are
•adapted to the the human ear response to sound
•possible to measure with low cost instruments

If there truly is a noise issue from 10pm to 7am (which has not been confirmed), then water at the beginning of the day starting at 7am or end of the day finishing at 10pm.

Jack, of course not. I was being sarcastic. The excuse is ridiculous. He just should have said they made a mistake and are changing the watering schedule.

Very Abusive:

Please tell us how you know that Mr. Thon's claim is an excuse and not a fact. Do you work for the town of Atherton?

"I didn't know that", I do not work for the Town of Atherton. I do live in it. I'm surprised you're asking this question, since the answer is contained in the posts above by Jack Hickey and "not rocket science".

The noise ordinance divides the day into two parts: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (60 dBA max), and 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. (50 dBA max).

Let's ignore the issue that sprinklers don't exceed 50 dBA. I water after 10 p.m., and never was accused of violating any noise ordinances. If the Circus Club has a much larger area to irrigate, and the claim is the cumulative effect of all the sprinklers going at once will exceed 50 dBA, just water in zones (like I do).

But continuing to ignore that issue, Christian Thon's claim that "I'd love to be able to water the field at night but it's against the law" is clearly absurd when examining the ordinance. Even today, the longest day of the year, sunset is at 8:33 p.m. Even today, the Circus Club would still have an hour and a half to water before the lower noise kicks in.

Besides using a lot less water than irrigating when the sun is at almost its highest point in the sky, it's better for the lawn to avoid irrigating with very warm water.

Well, at least you "know that now", right?

The restrictions apply to water districts who have to reduce their use by a stipulated percent. For Bear Gulch it is 36%. The districts pass on the conservation measures to their customers. The district doesn't regulate ground water.

If a consumer is able to use water from a source not subject to reduction, they should be entitled to do so. It's not a regulated activity. This would include the use of gray water and well water. It would include a private citizen, a private club, or a public entity (think Holbrook Palmer Park).

If the consumer takes on the risk of digging a wall and the cost of operating it, they should benefit from its use. Until such time as well water becomes regulated, I think it can be used in any way the owner of the resource sees fit.

Like it or not, the ground water is not a public resource subject to control. It causes no harm to you if it is used. This is not the central valley where the ground is collapsing due to over use. You may wish that to be so, but it simply is not.

So which is it? It's illegal to water during the day, or the Circus Club can do whatever it wants with its well water?

(I still haven't heard from anyone that the Circus Club is actually using a well).

I have a well also. It came with my house, and I'm very grateful that I have it (obviously now more than ever).

While well water is not currently regulated, the underlying resource belongs to the State of California (you may wish that not to be so, but it simply is). If institutions like the Circus Club abuse well water during this drought, especially in public and obviously, when many neighbors are suffering with restrictions and rate increases, it will wind up hurting me, and others who have responsibly used wells, in accelerating the amount of time it takes for well water to become regulated or taxed if the drought doesn't subside.

How about just switching the watering schedule to the evening? Isn't that really the simplest solution for everyone?

Very abusive - Every time I read on of your postings I wonder if you are meaning to be very abusive or rather implying that others are very abusive? Why have you chosen to describe yourself with this name?

"The underlying resource belongs to the State ...". The government is coercive and certainly has the power to seize and regulate any property they wish, including groundwater. In that context, I suppose you have a point ... our Marxist Governor Moonbeam could claim right to groundwater and restrict its use.

Our current state of affairs, however, suggests that you are entitled to use that water.

As a matter of personal virtue, you've chosen to leave it in the ground. Congratulations. Until it's regulated, however, others have no such responsibility to conserve groundwater ... whether a municipality, private person, or club. We could go down the path of whether watering lawn is reasonable, but I don't think the majority would still agree that it is -- regardless of time of day.

As for groundwater rights, here's what I found:

"The California Supreme Court decided in the 1903 case Katz v. Walkinshaw that the “reasonable use” provision that governs other types of water rights also applies to ground water." - State Water Resources Control Board

"The majority rule is to allow each property owner “reasonable use” of the ground water beneath his or her property. Essentially, this means that the owner can use the property to whatever extent is reasonably necessary for the use and enjoyment of that property." - National Paralegal

"Owners of lands overlying a groundwater basin or other common source of supply have the first right to withdraw water for reasonable beneficial use on their overlying lands, and the right of each owner is equal and correlative to the right of all other owners similarly situated." - Fish and Wildlife Service

"In Pasadena v. Alhambra, the California Supreme Court stated that the “overlying right,” or right of the owner of the land to take water from the ground underneath for use on his overlying land, “is based on ownership of the land and is appurtenant thereto (footnote omitted). (pages 669-670, Volume II)

"The California Doctrine of Correlative Rights. The doctrine of correlative rights to the use of percolating waters in California accords to each owner of land overlying a common water supply a right to the reasonable beneficial use of the water of that supply on or in connection with his overlying land. Such right of use of each landowner is correlative with similar rights of all other overlying owners. An insufficient supply may be apportioned among them by a court decree. Any surplus may be appropriated for non overlying uses. (page 670, Volume II)"

What's clear is a well owner is absolutely entitled to use the water below their real property. It is not regulated and beyond the scope of the current conservation mandate. If one has accumulated the wealth necessary to poke a speculative hole in the ground and strike water, then more power to them. They should benefit from their investment.

Sour Grapes, I'm certainly no Marxist. I'm also a realist. A 1903 California Supreme Court decision won't stop California from regulating all of our wells if the drought gets bad enough. It's just common sense to not flaunt extravagant or wasteful uses of water during this epic drought, especially if one is lucky enough to have a well. It's really just thumbing one's nose at those who don't. By the way, the assembly has already passed laws to regulate and restrict the use of groundwater sources. I'll say it again: the Circus Club, as a matter of responsible water use (groundwater sources can and are being depleted), as well as good public relations, should adopt an evening watering schedule, and stop generating silly rationales for what has been observed.

I was having trouble getting back to sleep so I decided to read these comments. It's working like a charm. Can't keep my eyes open any longer. Thamks and g'night.

So Abusive, when are you going to stop watering your acre of lawn and landscaping? To be irrigating that much landscaping during a drought is certainly "very abusive." Even if you're only watering at night. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

" A 1903 California Supreme Court decision won't stop California from regulating all of our wells if the drought gets bad enough."

The first steps in well water regulation have already been taken:
"TThe rules, which go into effect at the beginning of 2015, require the state’s Department of Water Resources to identify “high” and “medium” priority basins, which then must establish local groundwater sustainability agencies and develop monitoring plans. (Though the basins have not yet been identified, it’s likely that many will be located in the southern reaches of the Central Valley, where overdraft has been most severe.) These plans, which require each basin to achieve “groundwater sustainability” by 2040, must be completed within five or seven years, depending on the priority. If deadlines aren’t met, the state water board can intervene and establish an interim plan.

In addition to its new monitoring requirements, the law also requires local agencies to look for ways to apply “conjunctive” management of ground and surface water — treating rivers, streams and lakes, along with aquifers, as a connected hydrological system. It’s the first time the connection between ground and surface water has been explicitly acknowledged under California law. “If there has been an upside to the drought,” says Jay Famiglietti, a hydrologist at the University of California, Irvine, “it’s that it has brought sustained focus on groundwater to get this legislation passed.”

The package of bills, authored by state Sen. Fran Pavley, D-Agoura Hills, and Assemblyman Roger Dickinson, D-Sacramento, comes after emergency water-saving restrictions in July banned wasteful activities, such as hosing down sidewalks and washing cars without water-saving nozzles. Brown has also used the drought to build support for a $7.1 billion water bond on the November ballot. (At press time, the vote had yet to take place.) This includes funding for drought relief, dam building, groundwater cleanup and devising regional water-management plans. "
High Country News Web Link

Did anyone confirm whether this happened?

While on a run by the circus club at 1pm on Saturday, they were watering an area by the fence with the public road. There isn't even grass. There was a defective sprinkler pouring water right out on the road. The flow of water was running down to the nearest sewer drain. I took photos.

I think they should at a minimum have modern, water efficient irrigation systems with drought tolerant vegetation.

It's appalling that the Circus Club has not owned up to their watering habits. I hope the Almanac pursues this story. Everyone (including private clubs) needs to do their part for our community and for our planet.

There are some pretty obvious solutions for this public relations problem. Here's one that exploits some of the many synergies between the Circus Club, Town of Atherton, and Atherton Police Department:

The Town of Atherton should buy a well for the Circus Club, and an ox to operate its pump. The ox can work half time for the Circus Club, and half time for the town, pulling a very large Lazy Susan at the new Town Center Cafe for the free buffet (and gourmet) lunch daily for cops.

The parcel tax, suitably enhanced, can easily cover all of this. The well can also benefit the town at large by providing a water source for fire hoses so the Atherton police department can deploy against undesirable passersby.

Still waiting for an answer from Menlo Circus Club. A direct response would be nice and neighborly. Let's not forget this issue until it is explained.

Barbara Wood: Are you still pursuing this story (hopefully)? Any news?

It's been two weeks and still no information?

CIRCUS CLUB MEMBERS: Please ask your club what is going on with water restriction measures. Is the club relying on non-potable water? Why not water during off-hours to maximize irrigation?