News, Articles and Links from August 1, 2014

Water Supply

BLOG: How Conservation and Groundwater Management Can Gird California for a Drier Era From: Andrew Revkin, New York Times It's way past time for California to come to grips with the possibility that its extraordinary water woes are the new normal - and essentially the return of the old normal given the state's climate history, in which drought has been the rule and the verdant 20th century the exception. In the weekly update to the U.S. Drought Monitor site yesterday, nearly 80 percent of the state was in extreme or exceptional drought conditions.

Bay Delta Conservation Plan

OPINION: Status quo in Delta isn't working for California From: Mark Cowin, Sacramento Bee  The California Department of Water Resources and its federal and state partners on the Bay Delta Conservation Plan have a legal responsibility to protect threatened species and supply water to millions of Californians. It is important to correct serious misrepresentations of facts around those responsibilities. Natural Resources Defense Council staff attorney Doug Obegi and Defenders of Wildlife program director Kim Delfino assert that DWR "has lost sight of the bigger picture and ignored the need for long-term solutions that work within real fiscal and environmental limits," ("  'Tunnel vision would worsen health of the Delta, California's fish stocks," Viewpoints, July 29).

Groundwater

OPINION: Groundwater can't be regulated without increasing surface supplies From: Dan Nelson, Sacramento Bee Increased groundwater pumping is under growing scrutiny. The devastating consequences of a third year of drought, coupled with over-regulation of surface supplies, have increased momentum in Sacramento for state intervention in local groundwater management. The governor, legislators and others are calling for potentially far-reaching changes in the use and management of groundwater - new fees, new requirements and new bureaucracy to administer it all. Protecting California's groundwater is vitally important for everyone. However, we cannot legislate new approaches to groundwater management in isolation; the surface supply shortages driving the overdraft of groundwater supplies must also be addressed if we are to successfully protect and restore our precious groundwater basins.

OPINION: Groundwater can't be regulated without increasing surface supplies From: Dan Nelson, Sacramento Bee Increased groundwater pumping is under growing scrutiny. The devastating consequences of a third year of drought, coupled with over-regulation of surface supplies, have increased momentum in Sacramento for state intervention in local groundwater management. The governor, legislators and others are calling for potentially far-reaching changes in the use and management of groundwater - new fees, new requirements and new bureaucracy to administer it all. Protecting California's groundwater is vitally important for everyone. However, we cannot legislate new approaches to groundwater management in isolation; the surface supply shortages driving the overdraft of groundwater supplies must also be addressed if we are to successfully protect and restore our precious groundwater basins.

OPINION: Increasing concern over valley water From: Tony St. Amant, Red Bluff Daily News There is increasing concern in the Northern Sacramento Valley that the dwindling well water supply that irrigates the valley's vast fruit and nut orchards and provides water to the large majority of homes and businesses is at risk of being drained beyond recovery. The threat comes from the agribusinesses of the western San Joaquin Valley where farmers no longer have enough local water.

OPINION: Selling Valley's water to hedge funds won't help us From: Neil Hudson, Modesto Bee Last week, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack visited the drought-stricken town of Farmerville in Tulare County. Many homeowners' wells there have gone dry due to overpumping of the groundwater basin. In other parts of Tulare County, the land is subsiding from overpumping and the aquifer has disappeared forever. It was reported that Vilsack described an "extraordinary" demand from communities in rural America for capital to invest in wastewater systems, energy projects and infrastructure development.

Colorado River

$11M deal struck to conserve Colorado River basin From: Staff, Associated Press Water providers from four western states and the federal government announced an $11 million agreement Thursday to fund projects meant to counteract critically low water levels in the Colorado River basin, which supplies water to about 40 million people in seven states. The Interior Department said Thursday that local water providers in Arizona, California, Nevada and Colorado will take part in the deal.

Water Use

OPINION: Water czar is key to California's survival From: Denny Freidenrich, Long Beach Press-Telegram  The broken water main that flooded UCLA Tuesday with millions of gallons of water was no comedy of errors. When you combine that one-time event with the state's recent water usage report, well, it's hard to know whether we should laugh or cry. Not only did California fail to meet its projected statewide reduction goal, overall water usage actually increased! Talk about playing with fire (no pun intended). We are on the verge of a catastrophe and no one seems to care.

Transfers

Federal agency determines Merced County groundwater sale has 'no significant impact' From: Ramona Giwargis, Modesto Bee The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on Thursday approved the environmental report for a multimillion-dollar proposal to allow the transfer and sale of Merced County groundwater to buyers in Stanislaus County. The federal agency issued a "Finding of No Significant Impact" report, which occurs when an environmental analysis determines that a project has no major impacts on the quality of the environment.

News articles and links from July 31, 2014

Water Use

OPINION: Why almonds cover California From: Carolee Krieger, San Francisco Chronicle    California produces more than 80 percent of the world's almonds, accounting for an export gross of more than $2.5 billion. Almonds, in short, are a profitable crop. But there's a big problem with these new plantings in the San Joaquin Valley. Almonds are thirsty. California's almond orchards use almost 9 percent of the state's agricultural water supply, or about 3.5 million acre feet. That's enough water to supply the domestic needs of the Los Angeles Basin and metropolitan San Diego combined - about 75 percent of the state's population. Coalition response... Krieger seeks to portray farmers as a villain, but despite her efforts, the fact is California's farmers just don't fit the part. California's 80,000 farms are almost all (96%) family run businesses, & almond farmers are no different. Growing almonds in the San Joaquin Valley actually does make a lot of sense, & they have been grown there for more than 100 years. The San Joaquin Valley is one of the few places in the world where good soil & a favorable climate have come together to allow for incredibly efficient production of a crop the markets demand. Almond farmers have invested heavily in tailoring their farms to grow almonds. From the equipment they buy to the skills they practice, this focus on specialization ensures they are the best at what they do. Far from being a water-wasting crop, almonds are as efficient as the row crops once extensively criticized by environmentalists. The real villains for Krieger this time seem to be the countless professional scientists, engineers, hydrologists, policy professionals, & water managers who came together to find ways to mend what was truly a broken water system during our last major drought with the Monterey Agreement. The agreement is truly that, an understanding that brought diverse parties together. It increased flexibility in water storage, improved urban access to more secure water supplies, & reduced the red tape involved in transferring water where needed. In addition, it arranged for a trade. In exchange for precious water rights, the local, public agencies responsible for daily coordination of water deliveries took over control of the Kern Fan property owned by DWR. These local experts would later turn that property into what is now part of the successful Kern Water Bank.

Other News

Drought

How California Farmers Are Dealing With the Drought   From: Alan Bjerga, Bloomberg Television Bloomberg's Alan Bjerga reports on California's drought and how different areas of the state are dealing with it. He speaks with Mark Crumpton on "Bottom Line."

Running On Empty: Our Epic Drought From: Staff, CBS LA, KNX 1070 [Below are a series of food and agriculture related radio segments being run on KNX in Los Angeles.  Click the link above to browse the full list of segments. You can follow the conversation on twitter: #KNXDrought] Running On Empty: Ice Cream Running On Empty: Food Prices Running On Empty: California Grocers Association's Dave Heylen Running On Empty: Who's Watching The Water? Running On Empty: Two Farmers

West's drought leads to rising prices, shrinking lakes   From: Paul Vercammen, CNN With water sources drying up, farmers are looking for underground springs to support their livelihoods. Steve Arthur works in California's San Joaquin Valley, drilling for water wells on drought-ravaged farms and ranches. "It's just going crazy; people are starting to panic," said Arthur, the owner of Arthur & Orum Well Drilling Inc.

Groundwater

EDITORIAL: Stanislaus County officials finally responding to water crisis From: Staff, Modesto Bee This week, Stanislaus County's leaders and officials have shown more initiative, more compassion and more willingness to help residents than we've seen since the start of our drought and ensuing groundwater crisis.

Groundwater Depletion in Colorado River Basin Poses Big Risk to Water Security From: Sandra Postel, National Geographic Let's step back for a minute and consider the implications of the study released last week on the depletion of groundwater in the Colorado River Basin. For anyone concerned about the future of the American West, the findings of this study - which was published online in the journal Geophysical Research Letters and conducted by a team of scientists from NASA, the University of California-Irvine, and the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado-can make the heart pound.

Bay Delta Conservation Plan

Delta tunnel plan called a fish death sentence by key group   From: Carolyn Jones, San Francisco Chronicle The state's plan to build a pair of 35-mile tunnels under the delta would cause the extinction of winter-run chinook salmon, steep declines in dozens of other species and devastate water quality in San Francisco Bay, an environmental group said Wednesday.

Water Supply

California Bill May Jeopardize Water Supply From: Eric Thomas, KABC 7 A controversial bill that could impact where millions of people in the Bay Area get their water is moving its way through Sacramento. The changes are proposed along a stretch of the Mokelumne River in the Sierra foothills. That river provides millions of homes with drinking water from the mountains to the Central Valley and the East Bay. Some people are wondering if a move to save the river could leave others high and dry.

LETTER: Water picture is blurry   From: Rebecca Thompson, Fresno Bee It was with great interest I read the article and editorial on water usage in Fresno. The 20% drop in per capita water usage since the installation of water meters in Fresno is commendable. However, the current Fresno per capita water usage of 240 gallons exceeds the state average of 196 gallons and the United States Geological Survey national average of 100 gallons.

Fisheries

Salmon will only get more water if die-off starts   From: Jeff Barnard, Associated Press A federal agency said Wednesday it will release extra water into Northern California's Klamath and Trinity rivers once salmon start dying from drought-related disease, but not before. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation spokesman Louis Moore said from Sacramento, California, that the decision came under terms of a 2012 emergency water plan, and after consulting with tribes, irrigators and other agencies.

News articles and links from June 12, 2014

Environmentalists urge conservation as Calif. lawmakers bicker over drought From: Sharon Bernstein, Reuters Drought-stricken California could increase its water supply by a third by reusing water that would otherwise go down the drain and saving storm runoff, environmentalists said on Tuesday amid wrangling over the state's response to dry conditions. Report: Calif. could save plenty of water by recycling and conserving and storing rainwater runoff From: Raju Chebium, Gannett Washington    California could save more water than what its cities use in a year by ramping up its conservation and recycling programs and storing rain water instead of letting it run off into the Pacific Ocean, according to a report released Tuesday.

BLOG: Dueling Drought Strategies: Save More Water or Store More Water From: Lauren Sommer, KQED There's no doubt that in California, water is in short supply this year. How to avoid the same situation when the next drought descends is, on the other hand, a matter of debate. Two competing camps have emerged about how to boost California's water supplies during dry times: conserve more water or build more water storage.

Water-saving techniques should be taught to farmers, study urges From: J.N. Sbranti, Modesto Bee Farmers need to be more water efficient, and government funds should be used to help train them how, according to a new study.

The Coalition issued the following response to the above articles

Coalition response... Beware offers of easy money, rapid weight loss, and simple California water solutions. Environmental interest groups, like Pacific Institute and NRDC have sought for years to sell the public a message of vast waste, which when eliminated - will solve our every water woe. Unfortunately, this report is more of the same. Previous research on which agricultural water conservation potential in this report was soundly dismissed by leading agricultural researchers in 2009. There simply isn't 5 million acre-feet of water being wasted by the farmers growing our food and fiber. Where appropriate, and as feasible, California's farmers are already investing in drip and precision irrigation, soil moisture monitoring, and irrigation scheduling. From 2003 through 2013 California farmers have invested about $3 billion upgrading the irrigation systems on almost 2.5 million acres. Farmers are also intelligently selecting furrow irrigation, which, when coupled with laser leveling, adept irrigation practices, and careful monitoring has been proven by irrigation researchers to be highly efficient. Growers choose their irrigation methods based on the crop, the terrain, the geology, as well as economics. They manage that water to ensure optimal plant health, food and fiber productivity, as well as cost. The water problems facing our state demand serious solutions.

Report: State can conserve much more water From: Seth Nidever, Hanford Sentinel How do you solve California's water problem? Enhance water efficiency on the farm and in the home, capture more urban stormwater and reuse it, according to a report released Tuesday by the Bay Area-based Pacific Institute. The potential is there to save up to 14 million additional acre-feet - more than the annual use of all California cities combined, according to the study, which was conducted jointly with the Natural Resources Defense Council. Coalition response... Leading irrigation researchers categorically refuted the conservation potentials research this report is based on. There simply isn't 5 million acre-feet of water being wasted by the farmers growing our food and fiber. California's farmers will continue investing in improving the efficiency of their irrigation, as they have long recognized the plant health and productivity benefits.

Other News

Water Transfers

Environmental lawsuit filed to stop water transfer package From: Heather Hacking, Chico Enterprise Record A lawsuit was filed Wednesday in federal District Court for the Eastern District of California against the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, stating a proposed package of San Luis and Delta Mendota Water Authority transfers require a full environmental impact statement under the National Environmental Policy Act. Sending water from Northern California to other parts of the state has to stop, at least long enough for an environmental review of the long-term impacts, said Barbara Vlamis of Chico's AquAlliance.

Lawsuit targets Delta water shipments From: Alex Breitler, Stockton RecordEnvironmentalists sued Wednesday to block proposed water transfers from Northern California to the drought-plagued south San Joaquin Valley, arguing that the plan fails to protect the fragile Delta. Under the federal government's plan, willing sellers in the north would allow water to flow down the Sacramento River into the Delta, where the giant export pumps near Tracy would deliver it to southland farms, where very little water is available this summer.

Water Supply

Patterson Irrigation District to face water crisis by state's proposed curtailments From: Brooke Borba, Patterson IrrigatorDrought conditions have reached a new plateau this year, urging the State Water Resources Control Board to consider declaring a state of emergency at their next board meeting on June 17 and 18. As a result, the State Water Board is considering curtailing senior water rights holders in Sacramento and the San Joaquin Valley River such as Patterson Irrigation District, which could pose problems for over 700 local landowners and growers alike.

Drought Outlook: 'Disastrous Consequences' If 2015 Is Dry From: Craig Miller, KQEDThe assertion in a new report on California's long-term water woes likely comes as no surprise to most Californians: "A dry 2015 would have disastrous consequences for agencies and sectors up and down the state." That ominous prediction is part of a "drought action report" released this week by the Association of California Water Agencies, whose members manage about 90 percent of Californians' water. The document attempts to identify key vulnerabilities to the state's water system and offers recommendations that its authors say could stave off the worst impacts of a protracted drought.

Water Rights

Discussion on 100-year-old water rights delayed until July From: J.N. Sbranti, Merced Sun-StarThe State Water Resources Control Board will push back its discussion of curtailing 100-year-old water rights to July 1. The board planned to bring up the controversial issue at its meeting next week, but apparently its staff needs more time to prepare. "Our Division of Water Rights has had a number of responsibilities, including issuing curtailment letters to various watersheds, so has been very busy these past several weeks," Kathie Smith, a spokesperson for the board, explained Wednesday. "We just needed some more time to get language ready for the hearing, so it was rescheduled. These things happen."

San Joaquin River   OPINION: Why I'm planning to kayak (and walk) America's 'most endangered' river From: John Sutter, CNNIn California, water flows uphill toward money and power. That's a well-known maxim out here, especially in the Dust-Bowl-ready Central Valley -- that forgotten stretch of California that grows 40% of U.S. fruits, nuts and other table foods. Meet a few people and it's easy to see why.

News articles and links from May 16, 2014

Farming News

The Thirsty West: 10 Percent of California's Water Goes to Almond Farming

From: Eric Holthouse, Slate

In California's vast Central Valley, agriculture is king. But the king appears fatally ill, and no worthy replacement is in sight, as the area noticeably reverts into the desert it was little more than a century ago. Signs line the back roads here that run parallel to wide irrigation ditches:

"Pray for rain"

"No water = No jobs"

As I've already discussed in the Thirsty West series, city-dwelling Californians are a bit insulated from near-term water shortages thanks to the state's intricate tentacles of aqueducts, pipelines, and canals that divert water from the snowcapped Sierras to the urban core along the coast. Rapid population growth looms ominously, but for now, you'll still be able to brush your teeth in Oakland and Burbank.

Coalition response...  Author Eric Holthaus spent a short amount of time in our state to capture an understanding of agriculture and the water needed to produce a food supply that feeds our nation and others around the world. He correctly indicates that "We can't eat without California" when considering the over 400 crops grown by our farmers. But his perspective on farm water is a bit askew.

Water is a very complicated issue and it takes years to fully comprehend how it is used in California by the environment, farmers and families and businesses. Contrary to the author's assertion, agriculture does not use 80 percent of California's water. Every five years the California Department of Food and Agriculture releases a Water Plan that details how water is used. The current Water Plan that is now under review describes water use as: environmental, 49 percent; agriculture, 41 percent; and urban, 10 percent. 

California almonds, like other commodities that are exported, provide an economic lifeline to many beyond the farm, including truckers, processors, dockworkers and others. In other words, the water that is used to grow almonds provides jobs that people rely on to care for their families.

During this third consecutive year of drought farmers are scrambling to secure water supplies to grow their crops and keep trees and vines alive. This rush to find water is not only caused by the ongoing drought but also federal regulations aimed to protect endangered species in our State's Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. Water that could have been used to grow a healthy and affordable food supply has been redirected to fish in the Delta. Last year 800,000 acre-feet of water were given over to the fish and another 450,000 acre-feet this year. Unfortunately, scientists cannot tell us if these water diversions are helping the fish.

Because of this lack of water being delivered to our farms, farmers have been forced to turn to underlying aquifers for the water they need. This dropping of groundwater levels could have been avoided if reasonable regulations were in existence to allow farmers to receive the water they have a legal right to receive.

Water Supply

Water Wars: Local Leaders Say Our Water is in Jeopardy

From: Staff, KSEE 24

Valley leaders want to change a recent water decision that could dry up East Side farms. Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin, Orange Cove Mayor Gabriel Jimenez and Friant water officials held a press conference about an hour ago at Fresno City Hall.

They said the Bureau of Reclamation is not following procedure and ignoring senior water rights when allocating water. The bureau is releasing water but Friant water users won't get any. It means East side farms could dry up.

Water bill would aid flood control in California

From: Michael Doyle, McClatchey DC

Flood control projects in California's Central Valley get a boost in a long-awaited water resources bill now flowing toward final congressional approval. Under the tiller of some well-placed California lawmakers, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act authorizes major levee work protecting the likes of Sacramento County's Natomas Basin, the Stanislaus County town of Newman and the Sutter County town of Yuba City.

"Sacramento faces some of the nation's most severe flood risks," noted Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., adding that she is "pleased that this bipartisan legislation includes critical flood control that protects lives and property in California."

Drought

Feinstein: Environmentalists no help on California drought

From: Carolyn Lochhead, San Francisco Chronicle

Sen. Dianne Feinstein will try to fast-track farm-friendly drought legislation through the Senate over the objections of environmentalists, who the senator complains have done nothing to help her adapt California's aging water system to deal with climate change and the addition of millions of thirsty residents.

Environmentalists "have never been helpful to me in producing good water policy," the California Democrat said. "You can't have a water infrastructure for 16 million people and say, 'Oh, it's fine for 38 million people,' when we're losing the Sierra Nevada snowpack.' "

San Joaquin River

Millerton water releases upset Friant contractors

From: Staff, The Business Journal

The Friant Water Authority says its getting the short end of the stick as the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced plans to release water from Millerton Lake to benefit wildlife refuges and junior contractors farther west instead of serving growers in the Fresno area.

On May 15, the agency will begin using supplies from the Central Valley Project's Friant Dam to meet contractual obligations with the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors Water Authority on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley.

Valley water users irked by feds' use of Millerton Lake for west-side farms

From: Robert Rodriguez, Fresno Bee

Farmers, water district officials and city leaders expressed frustration Thursday over the decision by federal managers to tap water from Friant Dam to meet a long-standing obligation with west-side landowners.

Mario Santoyo, who represents the Latino Water Coalition, said the federal Bureau of Reclamation acted prematurely by using water from Millerton Lake. He said water from other sources, including reservoirs at Shasta and San Luis, should have been used instead of Friant Dam.

Friant dam water heads north

From: Gene Haagenson, Fresno Bee

They've turned on the faucet at Friant Dam. Most of the water is heading for farms in Merced County. It's the first time in 70 years water has been diverted there, but the government has a contractual obligation to provide it even though its leaves other water users high and dry.

You'd think this surge of water, during a drought would be welcome. But even the farmers who are receiving this water are not pleased. Cannon Michael said, "We have really no choice and it's a terrible position to be in."

Groundwater

Stanislaus water panel debates getting ag well data

From: J.N. Sbranti, Modesto Bee

Everyone knows Stanislaus County farmers are pumping lots of groundwater to irrigate their crops this season, but no one knows for sure how much they're pumping or whether they're overdrafting the region's aquifers. And, apparently, farmers aren't too keen about revealing their information.

Stanislaus' Water Advisory Committee is wrestling with proposals about how - and whether - to get that pumping and water level data from agricultural well owners.

News articles and links from May 14, 2014

Water Supply

Dam water to be tapped amid California drought

From: Staff, Associated Press

Officials said Tuesday that, for the first time in decades, they plan to tap water stored behind a dam east of Fresno, as they try to help California farmers through the ongoing drought.

Pablo Arroyave of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said in a conference call with reporters that low water levels in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta have forced officials to turn to Friant Dam on the San Joaquin River. The dam forms the Millerton Lake reservoir.

Eastside growers to get no water

From: Staff, Porterville Recorder

It is looking more certain that growers on the east side of the Valley, including those in eastern Tulare County, will get no water out of Millerton Lake.On Tuesday, officials said that, for the first time ever, they plan to tap water stored behind a dam east of Fresno for west side growers and that no water will be sent down the Friant Kern Canal.

"They has just basically said we don't have an obligation to meet their contracts on the east side," said an angry Joel Nelsen, president of California Citrus Mutual. He said the lack of water threatens 50,000 acres of citrus in Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties. Of that, roughly 7,000 acres in the Terra Bella area are at high risk because they do not have the ability to pump water from the underground. It is unknown how many thousands of acres of other crops will be impacted on the east side.

Water boost for San Joaquin Valley excludes citrus belt

From: Tim Hearden, Capital Press

Federal officials boosted water allocations for farms and wildlife along the San Joaquin River, but little relief appears headed to the state's beleaguered citrus belt. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation officials announced May 13 that exchange contractors along the river will get 529,000 acre-feet of water this year - about 65 percent of their normal allocation. They had been slated to receive 40 percent.

Some high-priority wildlife refuges in the region will see a similar boost. To accomplish the increases, Reclamation will begin releasing water from Friant Dam near Fresno as well as from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

Drought

State Distributes Food to Valley Families Suffering from Drought

From: Staff, KSEE 24

Thousands of people impacted by the drought received some much needed relief in Firebaugh.  Thanks in part to the Community Food Bank, as well as the state's drought relief package, struggling Valley families will now have food on their tables.  Part of the state drought relief included food and funding for local food banks, and people who would normally be working, instead lined up to feed their families.

The lines were long in Firebaugh Tuesday; the longest they've ever been as the ongoing drought leaves thousands without work and food.

Brown's Revised Budget Proposal Bolsters Drought Funding

From: Staff, ACWA News Blog

Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday released his revised budget proposal - a $156.2 billion spending plan that provides an additional $142 million for drought-related expenditures such as increased fire protection, enhanced salmon monitoring and more funding for the Save Our Water campaign.

Brown's budget replaces his $154.9 billion 2014-15 budget plan released in January. The new proposal reflects an increase in projected revenues and significantly bolsters spending on Medi-Cal.

Bay Delta Conservation Plan 

Brown makes urgent plea for delta tunnels

From: John Howard, Capitol Weekly

Gov. Jerry Brown delivered an impassioned defense of his ambitious plan to drill huge tunnels through the delta east of San Francisco to move more northern water south, saying California's economic well-being depended on it.

Brown said during a state budget briefing that the huge public works project - easily, the largest in the nation's history - "is an economic necessity that I've laid out, not because I want a legacy but because it appears absolutely imperative for the economic well-being of the people of California into the future."

Water Transfers

Modesto Irrigation District simplifies local water transfers

From: Garth Stapley, Modesto Bee 

On split votes Tuesday, the Modesto Irrigation District board made it easier on several fronts for farmers to buy and sell water locally. But participants still might have to provide some private well information.

MID management backed off considerably from stringent transfer rules proposed three weeks ago, and the board majority on Tuesday made another huge concession by erasing this week's application deadline. Rather than pinpointing by Thursday how much water would be transferred in individual deals between farmers for the entire season, farmers can submit staggered requests by deadlines of June 1, July 1 and Aug. 1.

Farming News

LETTER: Don't take valley farmers' hard work for granted

From: Pam Shallock, Bakersfield Californian

Beth Brookhart Pandol ("Tired rhetoric undermines hard work of Central Valley growers," May 12) reminded me of an agriculture seminar for teachers years ago. What an eye-opener it was.

Less than 2 percent of our population grow the food we eat and export to feed our world. California can compete with nations when it comes to food production. The highlight of that week was spending a morning with a farmer, shadowing what he did in a normal morning. While I have to know about children and education, they have to know about biology, chemistry, physics, labor relations and laws, finances, economic trends, markets, mechanical engineering, meteorology, product development, politics, animal husbandry, pest control, technology and water. Each season, farmers take a risk. They may see a financial benefit at the end of the harvest or they might lose big.

New Water Conservation Project to Help Local Farmers

From: Staff, KGO 7

The extreme heat wave is creating a dilemma for fruit and vegetable growers. The drought has put pressure on them to conserve water. A new water conservation project is now underway that's employing high-tech methods to find the best balance to water plants but not hurt the quality.

Sherrie's Farm in Gilroy, like many in South Santa Clara County, has switched to drip irrigation to save water. But growers now have a new tool to add to intuition and years of experience to know when to adjust water usage.