Drought
From: Diana Diamond, Chico
Enterprise-Record
Let's not keep telling people to
conserve more water, take fewer showers or recycle their washing machine with
gray water. We need to do something much more dramatic to handle what, most
likely, will be continuing droughts in our arid state. A horrible
idea? Consider that California's usable water is divided into three
categories -- agriculture, which takes about 80 percent of it a year; industry
and commerce, which use 10 percent; and the 38 million of us who together
consume 10 percent. So percentage-wise, people don't use as much water.
Coalition response... Diana's claim that farms use 80%, Industry uses 10% an Cities use
10% of California's usable water is, regrettably, wrong. California's
Department of Water Resources, in their report on water use (Bulletin 160)
reports that the use of California's available water is: Agricultural Water
uses 41%, Municipal and Industrial uses roughly 10%, and we dedicate 49% of
available water to the Environment.
Finding solutions for our growing
state is important, and some balance of improved water management, new supply,
and conservation will help ensure we have the flexibility and resources to prepare
for the future.
Water Bond
From: Bettina Boxall, Los
Angeles Times
Most Californians surveyed say
the statewide drought has had little or no impact on their daily lives, and a
majority oppose the suspension of environmental protections or large-scale public
spending to boost water supplies, a new USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll has
found.
Although 89% characterize the drought as a major problem or crisis,
only 16% say it has personally affected them to a major degree.Despite
widespread news coverage of the drought - one of the worst in recent decades -
the state's major population centers have largely escaped severe mandatory
rationing. Even agriculture, which as California's thirstiest sector is
inevitably hit the hardest by drought, has partially compensated for reduced
water delivery by pumping more groundwater. That has softened the drought's
effect on many, apparently blunting the desire for drastic remedies and big
spending on water projects.
From: Ellen Hanak, Brian Gray,
Jay Lund, et al. California WaterBlog
In late January, Gov. Jerry Brown
released the California Water Action Plan, which outlines 10 strategic
priorities for putting the state on a more sustainable water management path.
The plan - intended to guide state water policy for the next five years -
places the current drought emergency in a broader context, acknowledging the
need for a comprehensive approach to improving water supply reliability,
restoring damaged ecosystems, and making our water infrastructure more
resilient to droughts, floods and other hazards.
From: Ellen Brown, Huffington
Post
Funding infrastructure through
bonds doubles the price or worse. Costs can be cut in half by funding through
the state's own bank.
"The numbers are big. There
is sticker shock," said Jason Peltier, deputy manager of the Westlands
Water District, describing California Gov. Jerry Brown's plan to build two
massive water tunnels through the California Delta. "But consider your
other scenarios. How much more groundwater can we pump?"
Water
Transfers
From: Mark Grossi, Fresno Bee
A drought-inspired water swap
will likely save hundreds of citrus orchards in the rolling hills of Tulare
County, but it won't come cheap for desperate farmers.
Terra Bella growers were facing
the summer without San Joaquin River water in a region with almost no well
water. Terra Bella Irrigation District leaders feared thousands of acres of
trees would be lost, amounting to a $59 million hit.
From: Ramona Giwargis, Merced
Sun-Star
A scaled-back version of a
controversial project to sell groundwater out of Merced County was unanimously
approved by Del Puerto Water District board members this week - one of the two
Stanislaus County water districts benefiting from the multimillion-dollar sale.
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