Water plays a lead role in the state’s political theater, with Democrats and Republicans polarized, farmers often fighting environmentalists and cities pitted against rural communities. Rivers are overallocated through sloppy water accounting. Groundwater has dwindled as farmers overdraw aquifers. Many communities lack safe drinking water. Native Americans want almost-extinct salmon...
Strong Support for Trump's Water Order from Valley Congressmen
Valley Republicans and Democrats are praising President Donald Trump's action Wednesday to send more water to California farms and cities. Trump signed a memo during a political rally in Bakersfield on Wednesday to change environmental calculations that have limited the pumping of Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta water to users across...
Gov. Newsom Proposes New Plan for Managing Water
SACRAMENTO — Gov. Gavin Newsom revealed a plan on Tuesday that would keep more water in the fragile San Joaquin River Delta while restoring 60,000 acres of habitat for endangered species and generating more than $5 billion in new funding for environmental improvements. The framework announced Tuesday by Gov. Newsom...
Trump Plan Delivers More Water for Valley Farmers
The Trump administration unveiled a new plan Tuesday to govern California's water usage that would deliver more irrigation water for Valley farmers. But the proposal is ringing alarms from environmental groups that say it would have a negative impact on endangered species such as salmon and delta smelt. An analysis...
My Turn: A Chance to Finally Solve the Delta Quandary
It is imperative to improve the health of the greater Delta watershed, a major source of water for cities and farms across the state. And various stakeholders have a chance to achieve that goal in the coming weeks while protecting important economic interests. Amid all the election news, Gov. Jerry...
Interior Secretary Wants Plan in 15 Days to Boost Water Deliveries
Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke issued a memo Friday outlining his expectations that federal officials quickly come up with a plan to increase irrigation deliveries to farmers south of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. "The time for action is now," Zinke wrote in an Aug. 17 memo that called for action...
Congressman Wants To Ban California Water Tunnels Lawsuits
SACRAMENTO — A California congressman wants to ban environmental lawsuits challenging a plan to build two giant tunnels to divert water from the north to the thirsty south. Rep. Ken Calvert, a Riverside County Republican, inserted the ban in a 142-page draft of an Interior Department spending bill for fiscal...
SoCal Agency Agrees to Pay $11 Billion for Tunnels Water Project
Gov. Jerry Brown’s controversial “twin tunnels” Delta water project will receive crucial funding from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. The MWD board voted today (April 10) to support the project with $10.8 billion in financing. Member agencies voted by a margin of 61% to 39% to fund the...
Breaking News: Water Allocation for Friant Contractors Doubles to 60%
The recent storms have delivered good news for Valley growers. The Bureau of Reclamation today provided an initial allocation to some Central Valley Project contractors and increased the allocation to Friant Division contractors for the 2018 contract year. Friant Division Class 1 water allocation has been increased to 60% — up...