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...
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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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