California farms are set to have the best season in years, thanks in part to heavy rains this winter. Parts of the Central Valley where water was cut during drought years are getting bigger allotments.
Coalition response...In response to comments previously posted by dfb:Whether job loss totals were 6,000 or 60,000 at this point is irrelevant. The unemployment caused by water supply cuts was also the result of biological opinions from federal fish agencies that the courts found to be “arbitrary and capricious.” That is significant in the lives of people who lost their jobs as well as those farmers who lost everything, including their farms. The overreaching federal policy that caused much of this economic hardship is awful and yet you chose to ignore it. The drought played a role in reduced water supplies. No one argues that. The actions of federal biologists and their respective agencies are inexcusable.
Incidentally, as we enter one of the wettest years on record and all major reservoirs are nearly full, south-of-Delta State and federal water contractors are still receiving only 75 to 80 percent of their contract allotments, presumably because of the lingering effects of the biological opinions. That tells me that there’s more in play than just nature’s water supply.
Even during a recession that slowed urbanization, the number of irrigated acres farmed in California dropped by a record amount—and analysts said water shortages had a lot to do with the decrease.
Water will be rising late this week on the McCloud River between Lake McCloud and Lake Shasta, prompting kayakers to grab their paddles and fly fishermen to look for another place to cast their lines.
I was looking for recent MWD cost analysis on a canal, and found this Powerpoint presentation from a MWD committee meeting that was today. At the risk of reading too much into a Powerpoint without hearing the presentation, I found several parts very interesting compared to what I saw from MWD last year.
Property owners in the northern half of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta have approved a tax increase to defend their water rights in case the state pushes ahead with a plan to build a new tunnel or canal around the estuary.
Sacramento’s sewage district could sell treated wastewater to help cover the cost of upgrading its sewage treatment plant under legislation that cleared its first legislative hurdle Tuesday.
A handful of Temecula-area avocado and wine grape growers are now using soil moisture measurement devices wired to the Internet as part of a water district pilot program.
A request to delay studies on water quality and fish life and habitats by the Merced Irrigation District was denied by the State Water Resources Control Board last week.
During the relicensing process and other related activities, some participants will be urging Modesto Irrigation District to give up more water for environmental purposes.Hearings scheduled May 11 in Modesto and Turlock.
Coalition response...Here are two facts that have been skewed in this blog:1.No drainage water from farms in the Westlands Water District is flowing to the Delta.No physical outlet exists today that would send drainage water from Westlands to the Delta.2.There are about 600 family-owned farms in Westlands, averaging about 900 acres in size.Labeling them “agribusiness enterprises” paints a far different picture than the truth.
Water will again be on the agenda for elected county leaders today when they are briefed on the status of the controversial water desalination project.
Coalition response...There are many solutions to the water dilemma confronting California and other states.To halt the planting of one or more crops might be one way to free-up some water supplies but such action also creates other problems.If alfalfa was no longer planted in our state, where would our dairy industry receive its primary food supply?Delivering alfalfa hay from other states would create a gigantic impact on the carbon footprint resulting for the hundreds of trucks that would be required to deliver the food supply from out of state.It could also have a significant impact on the price consumers pay for dairy products.I would hope the author’s research for his book material would consider these and other consequences.
Coalition response...The Governor’s declaration that California is no longer in a drought means that water supplies this year have improved to satisfy most water needs.Some farmers are receiving reduced water deliveries this year, resulting in unplanted acres and some farm worker jobs going unfilled.
Everyone needs to understand that declaration only refers to this year and not future years. History has proven that our state will once again be gripped in the throes of a drought. That is why it is important to increase both storage and conveyance to help offset California’s water needs in dry years.
Coalition response...Not sure where this writer gets his information but according to Department of Water Resources’ studies the use of groundwater by farmers and urban users totals only 30%, far from the writer’s claim of “most.”His claim that California cannot afford new reservoirs is short-sighted.New storage must be a part of California’s water future, along with improved conveyance.
Coalition response...How do you get “record revenue” from a farming region when nearly 500,000 acres go unplanted? The author falsely substitutes statewide crop production with a region that saw unemployment climb as high as 40%. Still, he attempts to discount the effect of reduced water deliveries despite fallowed acreage and job losses. Discussing California’s water problems is healthy. In order to find solutions that make sense it’s necessary to start by discussing the facts.
Coalition response...This editorial is short-sighted and lacking in knowledge of who pays for what when it comes to water projects.“Beneficiaries pay” means the cost of construction is borne by those who benefit, a phrase that is linked to the proposed Sites Reservoir and Upper Temperance Flat.Reservoirs in California are commonly linked with public benefits, such as flood control, recreation and power generation.These public benefits are the responsibility of the State in relation to the State Water Project and, unfortunately, those payments have not been made in recent years.This lack of payments has resulted in farm water users subsidizing the public as they’ve been required to make the payments.
