Some accuse California, feds of poor drought planning as 5,000 senior water right holders face curtailments.
Some water and agriculture industry representatives are criticizing California and U.S. regulators for what they say is poor planning for this summer’s extreme drought as about 5,000 of the state’s senior water right holders are about to be told to stop diverting.
The State Water Resources Control Board on Aug. 3 voted unanimously to impose curtailments throughout the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta watershed after issuing similar orders in June to about 4,300 junior rights holders in the Delta.
The California Farm Water Coalition, which represents farmers, notes that the decision comes two years after most reservoirs in the state were largely full, and the group blasts state and federal water agencies for not capturing more water during wet years for use when conditions are dry.
Pat Minturn, chief engineer for the Shasta County Water Agency, agrees. He suggests the state was caught flat-footed by the sudden severity of the drought even though it’s in its second year. And he shudders to think what will happen next year if the West has another dry winter...MORE
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