Westlands -- Worse than I thought
Blog
By David Zetland, Monday, March 14, 2011
I had two impressions about Westlands Water District (the largest irrigation district in the US):
1. WWD farmers have done a fine job in stretching their limited water supplies (via high efficiency irrigation, etc.) to grow profitable crops.
2. WWD only exists by the grace of subsidies that brought infrastructure and water to a place that would have neither without political prioritization that's given WWD farmers implicit (water) and explicit (cheap funding) subsidies.
Coalition response --- This writer makes reference to claims by various litigants from 20 and 30 years ago that have no bearing or relevance to the federal reclamation program today. Westlands Water District is, in fact, in full compliance with all of the requirements of reclamation and environmental law as well as federal agricultural programs. Congress has directed and the federal courts have affirmed that the Bureau of Reclamation has a duty to provide drainage service to Westlands, which it has not fulfilled. In response, the Bureau in March 2007 adopted a Record of Decision for a drainage program that it estimated would cost $2.7 billion. The Bureau concluded in its report to Congress, however, that such an effort was infeasible under existing law because, among other things, the costs far exceeded the national economic benefits it would produce.
Discussing issues like this is important in the public discourse over water policy. It's necessary, however, to use relevant facts if we hope to make progress and do our best to inform the public.
Letter
From Merced Sun Star, Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Editor: As a junior environmental engineering student at UC Merced, I was appalled at one of the reformations that Ellen Hanak proposed in her article "Managing California's water: from conflict to reconciliation" of February.
Coalition response --- This writer refers to California system of water rights as "ancient" and "decaying." California has done well for more than150 years with a system of water rights that is based on "first in time, first in right." Dismantling water rights is an extreme solution to a problem that can benefit from increased storage, better conveyance and flexible rules governing water transfers. The alternative is unnecessary and would upset any stability California has providing food and fiber for consumers here and around the world.
WATER SUPPLY
Viewpoints: Cut State Water Project's ties to state budget
Opinion
From Sacramento Bee/State Water Contractors - Tuesday, March 15, 2011
The State Water Project delivers water to more than 25 million Californians and 750,000 acres of farmland. For 50 years it has reliably powered California's economy and provided the foundation on which families, farms and businesses succeed. But in recent years its reliability has faltered due to the state's unending fiscal crisis.
TV News
From Channel 47, Fresno - Monday, March 14, 2011
On 5,000 acres of land in west Fresno County, the Fresno Nuclear Energy Group wants to build a nuclear plant. The first phase would incorporate water creating, according to the group's president and C.E.O.
American River water flows to nearly double tonight
Story
By Sacramento Bee, Monday, March 14, 2011
The federal Bureau of Reclamation has announced that between 5 and 7 p.m. today releases from Folsom Dam to the lower American River will be increased from 8,000 to 15,000 cubic feet per second for flood control management.
DELTA
Expert: Large quake could have dire consequences for delta levees
TV News
From Channel 10, Sacramento - Monday, March 14, 2011
Even though the San Joaquin Valley has a tiny history of earthquake problems compared to the Bay Area and Japan, the effects of a large quake could be significant on the delta levee system, says a University of Pacific geology professor.
FISHERIES
Salmon Speak to Governor Brown: The Full Series
Blog
From IndyBay/Dan Bacher - Monday, March 14, 2011
"The person who can have the greatest impact on reversing salmon's march to oblivion is California's past and current governor, Jerry Brown," said Bruce Tokars of Salmon Water Now. "The people he hires or appoints to manage and repair California's water system can make a difference. But they need to follow sound science and reject the hysterical political grandstanding of those who only care about their own greedy ambitions."
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