Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Feds Raise Water Allocations for Farmers. Westlands Isn't Impressed.
GV-Wire
By Jody Murray
Published 5 years ago on
May 23, 2019

Share

Citing the latest storms sweeping through California, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation approved a slight increase in water allocation to westside farmers. The agency that provides water to those farmers says it’s still not enough.

“The storms experienced in the Central Valley during the past week are unusual this late in the year, bringing the month’s precipitation to over twice its average.”  – Ernest Conant, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

Allocations for Central Valley Project South-of-Delta agricultural use were increased from 65% to 70%, the bureau announced Wednesday. South-of-Delta allocations for municipal and industrial use were raised to 95%.

It’s the third time this year that the bureau has increased the agricultural allocation. It went up from 35% to 55% in March, then to 65% in April.

“The storms experienced in the Central Valley during the past week are unusual this late in the year, bringing the month’s precipitation to over twice its average,” Ernest Conant, the reclamation bureau’s Mid-Pacific regional director, said in a statement. “Snowpack throughout the state is still about 150% of average for this time of year.”

Westlands Says Allocations Aren’t From ‘Objective Formula’

However, officials for Westlands Water District, which administers water to farmland in western Fresno and Kings counties, said the allocation still doesn’t add up.

“Reclamation’s inability to provide South-of-Delta (Central Valley Project) water service contractors with full contract supplies is further evidence of the draconian impact ineffective regulations have had on water supplies for people,” Thomas Birmingham, the water district’s general manager, said in a statement.

“While this is a step in the right direction, I still believe (the reclamation bureau) needs to be doing more, given the high level of precipitation we had this year.” – Rep. TJ Cox

“Decisions that affect CVP water allocations are not the product of some objective formula. Rather, these decisions reflect the exercise of discretion by (reclamation) agency staff, and these decisions affect people and the environment. These decisions affect how much land farmers can plant, how many people will be employed on farms, and how much consumers will pay for food produced by farmers, and the people they employ.”

Rep. TJ Cox, a Fresno Democrat, had a similar reaction to the new allocation.

“While this is a step in the right direction, I still believe (the reclamation bureau) needs to be doing more, given the high level of precipitation we had this year,” Cox said in a statement. “The bureau must explain why we are not yet at 100% of the requested allocation for our South-of-Delta contractors, and we must continue to work together to figure out a long-term plan to address our Valley’s water needs.”

The bureau said it has had “ongoing challenges” in providing higher allocations for contractors because of water-storage limitations, along with restrictions stemming from protections for endangered species in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta system.

DON'T MISS

Tonight’s Biden Fundraiser With Obama and Clinton Already Nets a Record $25 Million

DON'T MISS

Supermom Carmi Is Ready to Be Embraced by Her Forever Family

DON'T MISS

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, Democrats’ VP Pick in 2000, Dead at 82

DON'T MISS

Trump Criticizes Judge and His Daughter After Gag Order in Hush-Money Case

DON'T MISS

CA Insurance Market ‘in Chaos,’ Says Former Insurance Commissioner. Can Lara Fix It?

DON'T MISS

House Speaker Mike Johnson Headed to Fresno on April 4

DON'T MISS

Police Had About 90 Seconds to Stop Traffic Before Baltimore Bridge Fell. 6 Workers Are Feared Dead

DON'T MISS

NBC Has Cut Ties With Former RNC Head Ronna McDaniel After Employee Objections, Some on the Air

DON'T MISS

Chinese Leader Xi Issues a Positive Message to US Business Leaders as Ties Improve

DON'T MISS

You Might Spot a Mountain Lion in California, But Attacks Like the One That Killed a Man Are Rare

No data was found

Ukrainian Navy Says a Third of Russian Warships in the Black Sea Have Been Destroyed or Disabled

12 hours ago

Wired Wednesday: How Going to Work for Trump Turned Devin Nunes Into a Millionaire

16 hours ago

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, Democrats’ VP Pick in 2000, Dead at 82

17 hours ago

Trump Criticizes Judge and His Daughter After Gag Order in Hush-Money Case

18 hours ago

CA Insurance Market ‘in Chaos,’ Says Former Insurance Commissioner. Can Lara Fix It?

19 hours ago

Stock Market Today: S&P 500 Sets a Record After Wall Streets Breaks Out of Its Lull

19 hours ago

House Speaker Mike Johnson Headed to Fresno on April 4

19 hours ago

Bredefeld, Smittcamp Debate the Salary of Valley Children’s CEO

19 hours ago

CA’s Liberal Government Has a Long History of Caving to Special Interests

20 hours ago

Corrupt Process? Bullard, Edison Parents Blast Handling of Superintendent Search

20 hours ago

Biden Administration to Lend $1.5B to Restart Michigan Nuclear Power Plant, a First in the US

The federal government will provide a $1.5 billion loan to restart a nuclear power plant in southwestern Michigan, officials announced Wedne...

11 mins ago

11 mins ago

Biden Administration to Lend $1.5B to Restart Michigan Nuclear Power Plant, a First in the US

26 mins ago

Tonight’s Biden Fundraiser With Obama and Clinton Already Nets a Record $25 Million

Animals /
4 hours ago

Supermom Carmi Is Ready to Be Embraced by Her Forever Family

12 hours ago

Ukrainian Navy Says a Third of Russian Warships in the Black Sea Have Been Destroyed or Disabled

Composite image of President Trump and Devin Nunes
16 hours ago

Wired Wednesday: How Going to Work for Trump Turned Devin Nunes Into a Millionaire

17 hours ago

Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, Democrats’ VP Pick in 2000, Dead at 82

18 hours ago

Trump Criticizes Judge and His Daughter After Gag Order in Hush-Money Case

19 hours ago

CA Insurance Market ‘in Chaos,’ Says Former Insurance Commissioner. Can Lara Fix It?

MENU

CONNECT WITH US

Search

Send this to a friend