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

Peaceful Delta in danger of plunder

Coalition response…The Delta has undergone a slow but continual change dating back hundreds of years. The Swamp and Overflow Land Act of 1850 spurred substantial changes that created the islands found in the Delta. Cities began to pop up around and in the Delta. Each change resulted in benefits that ultimately favored California, but that have undeniably created a Delta that is vastly different from its natural state. History is poised to repeat itself with the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP).

The Legislature’s 2009 mandate for co-equal goals includes both improved water supply reliability AND ecosystem restoration. Fixing the host of problems confronting the Delta will take a lot of work and may cause temporary inconveniences. That’s a necessary part of returning the Delta to its potential as a vibrant and productive ecosystem and serving the water supply needs of 25 million Californians and thousands of farmers. Doing nothing means that the Delta will continue to collapse, which is unacceptable for water users and true advocates for the environment.