Tuesday, December 06, 2016

One tunnel instead of two for the Delta

Conflict over water allocations from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is the most intractable water management problem in California. The sources of contention are many, but three interrelated issues dominate the debate: whether to build two tunnels that divert water from the Sacramento River, how much water to allocate to endangered fish species, and what to do about the 1,100 miles of Delta levees that are essential to the local economy. All of these issues need to be addressed to reduce unproductive conflict and litigation and resolve our water problems. Here we outline a potential “grand compromise” for the Delta that meets the co-equal goals of water supply reliability and ecosystem health prescribed by the 2009 Delta Reform Act. To this end, California should:
▪  Build one tunnel, not two The most commonly stated fear about the twin tunnels is that they will increase exports and significantly harm the Delta. Project proponents have failed to convince opponents that proposed regulatory assurances on the tunnels’ use will actually protect water quality and species that are at risk. Building one tunnel with roughly half the proposed capacity caps the amount of water that can be taken from the Sacramento River and greatly reduces the project’s cost. Even at half of its proposed capacity, the project would significantly improve the reliability and quality of water supply. And by having two locations to draw water from the Delta – a new tunnel plus the existing south Delta pumps – the project creates the necessary flexibility to better manage the environment...more

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/article119289748.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/article119289748.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/opn-columns-blogs/article119289748.html#storylink=cpy

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