From News Line, a daily compilation of farm water news distributed to CFWC members and others upon request.  To receive News Line, click here and submit your request.

The Peripheral Canal - How much water? At what cost? Who pays?

Coalition response...It is unfortunate that the author chose to write this article in a manner that includes incorrect information that leaves the reader with a false picture portraying the many efforts currently underway in relation to the Delta.  Consider:

1. The BDCP is not charged with "the state's co-equal goals of ecosystem restoration and water reliability." The BDCP is a permitting process for conveyance. The Delta Stewardship Council, created in 2009, is charged with the co-equal goals.
2. Both the BDCP and the Delta Stewardship Council plans are in the draft stages of their respective planning processes. Their work is ongoing and to suggest that either does not include certain documents or processes fails to understand the work schedules by both.
3. The author suggests that exports of water that flows through the Delta may have altered its route to the sea as she writes "which once flowed out to sea..." The Sacramento River still flows to the sea and the water that flows through the Delta is also delivered to 25 million Californians (not just south of the Delta but also to the East Bay, San Benito and Santa Clara areas) and also to farms to grow the food we rely upon.
4. The SWRCB early report of the flow requirements were publicized with specific instructions from the Legislature that the report did not look at other factors relating to water, such as local uses in areas of origin, the result of water delivered to millions of people and to farms. The report clearly articulates this; yet, many people choose to ignore its narrow scope, instead hanging their hats solely on the specific flow numbers by themselves.  The report's accompanying statement strongly recommended that more work needed to be done before final flow requirements could be adopted.
5. Contractors receiving water from the State Water Project pay the associated costs to deliver that water to its eventual point of use. If a contractor is located further south along the Aquaduct than another user, then that contractor must pay the costs for both construction and delivery for that extra distance. This is the major reason that contractors further south along the Aquaduct pay more than their counterparts to the north.