From News Line, a daily compilation of farm water news distributed to CFWC members and others upon request. To receive News Line, click here.
Coalition response…The water supply system in California is working in the manner it was designed by storing water for later use. But government regulations interrupted delivery operations earlier this year by taking nearly a million acre-feet that could have been stored south of the Delta and instead sending it through the Delta to the ocean. This action was taken to protect fish but agencies have failed to provide any results that the fish benefited. As a result, farmers are scrambling to save their crops.
Even if next winter’s supply of rain and snow is above average, there is no guarantee that water will again be taken away from farmers and other users for unproven benefits to fish. Lawmakers and regulators must acknowledge that changes must be made in regulations that restrict the ability of farmers to grow a food supply that we all depend upon.
