Farm Water News: News articles and links from October 1, 2012

Rivers

Restore the San Joaquin River for jobs, farms, and fish

Blog

By Eric Cane

From The Valley Citizen - Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012

Coalition response...This author and others who echo his claims should more carefully read the op-ed to which they object. I carefully explained that the settlement agreement leading to the restoration program would provide a means to replace the water that 15,000 farmers in the Friant Division gave up. This is certainly not a "few farmers" as these critics claim. Without a workable plan to restore this water, it becomes another example of taking water used to grow food away from farmers.

The California Farm Water Coalition has never advocated one group of farmers over another in relation to water supplies. Instead, we have staunchly provided facts to the conversation and those who disagree attempt to distort those facts to their own benefit. As pointed out in the op-ed, farmers raised concerns about how the planned restoration efforts would flood their lands and those concerns have become a reality with lost trees and crops. Again, these are the facts.

Others attempt to create divisions within the farming community in their efforts to obtain their solution to problems confronting the Delta. These problems affect all of us in California and not just farmers. The Legislature issued a clear directive that solving the Delta problems must include ecosystem restoration and a reliable water supply. Those who refuse to accept this mandate use such claims as "corporate agri-business" and "billionaire farmers" in an attempt to discredit the efforts of family farmers in the San Joaquin Valley.

The California Farm Water Coalition will continue its efforts to provide to the California public the facts needed to fully understand the water issues in front of all of us.

WATER SUPPLY

Family Farm Alliance presents important economic study at EPA workshop; Western irrigated agriculture creates annual benefit of $128 billion

Story

From Aquafornia - Monday, Oct. 1, 2012

California Sketches: Along aqueduct's path, a desert bears fruit

Column

By Stephanie Taylor

From Sacramento Bee - Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012

Forecast mixed for water year

Story

From Chico Enterprise-Record - Sunday, Sept. 30, 2012

Forecasts mixed as new water year begins but conservation always important