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

Column: Brown’s Water Plan Faces New Geographic Fight

Coalition response…California’s water picture has changed since voters went to the polling booth in 1982. Many changes have occurred over the past 30 years, including regulatory restrictions based on evolving environmental policies.  These changes take water away from people and from the farms that grow our food. Years of scientific study and research have resulted in the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) – an opportunity to improve water supply reliability, while improving the Delta ecosystem.

It is important to understand that BDCP is not the 1982 plan to build the Peripheral Canal. The canal was an isolated facility while BDCP’s tunnels provide operational flexibility to maintain in-Delta water quality. The canal had a capacity to divert 21,800 cubic feet per second of water and the tunnels’ capacity is only 9,000 cfs. Learn more at www.farmwater.org/p-canalcomparison.pdf.