Farm Water News: News articles and links from January 9, 2013

Delta

(This story was previously printed in the San Jose Mercury News.)

Fish count population drop in 6 Delta species

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From Contra Costa Times - Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013

From Oakland Tribune - Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013

Coalition response...It is not a surprise that the fish counts are low when one considers that the only effort undertaken by officials governing Delta water is to reduce water deliveries. These reductions have been instituted for years and yet the fish continue to decline. Cutting back water deliveries is not the answer. Other actions should be taken that address poor water quality, predatory fish and invasive species. We can no longer simply say that fish need more and more water. It's more complicated than that.   Actions that have reduced water deliveries have failed to clearly provide a price tag on the cost to consumers. During a 14-day period in December, public water agencies were required to reduce the amount of water they move through the Delta because of the Delta smelt. As a result, more than 250,000 acre-feet of water was lost without even a plan on measuring benefits for the environment.   Continuing to use old solutions to today's complex problems doesn't cut it anymore, especially when the old ways aren't providing any improvements in the system. The lost water could have served more than a million people for a full year. It could have grown hundreds of millions of dollars in farm products and created jobs throughout the economy. Instead it went to the ocean and no one can say whether it did any good at all.

WATER SUPPLY

Farmers crossing fingers that snowpack will hold up

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From Hanford Sentinel - Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013

Local ag interests speak up against tapping Salinas Valley aquifer

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From Monterey Herald - Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013

Klamath signatories hope Congress acts on water pact

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From Capital Press - Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013

River Beat: Another bad year on the Colorado

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