Can California reject a ‘scarcity mindset’ on water?
By Edward Ring During a 2022 press conference outside a desalination plant under construction in
new channel to allow water to flow through. Extensive study has already been per- formed on this proposal, promoted by the Water Blueprint for the San Joaquin Valley, a “coalition of San Joaquin Valley commu- nity leaders, businesses, water agencies, local governments and agricultural rep- resentatives.” The next step is to build a $1 million pilot project to serve as final proof of concept. The total project cost is around $5 billion for an infiltration channel, settling ponds, pumps and new aqueduct transport to aquifer storage with interties to major existing north-south aqueducts. During storm events, even in dry years, it would be possible to divert and store 2 million acre- feet annually and much more in wet years. The excessive flow through the delta during California’s atmospheric rivers is well doc- umented. This is hazardous, wasted flood- water. Diverting only an additional fraction of it will yield millions of acre-feet per year. Like all hypothetical ideas with great promise, its proof-of-concept pilot project should be built and tested immediately. A fish-friendly delta diversion project of this magnitude could be part of a larger project to harden the delta levees against earthquakes and severe storms. Bringing urban and agricultural water districts to- gether to seriously evaluate a new proposal to divert massive quantities of storm runoff from the delta may require the power and charisma of the governor’s office. Newsom, who seems to understand the problem in calling on us to abandon a “scarcity mindset,” has a tremendous op- portunity to make that a reality. (Edward Ring is a senior fellow with the California Policy Center and author of the “The Abundance Choice: Our Fight for More Water in California.” He may be contacted at ed@edwardring.com.)
Antioch, Gov. Gavin Newsom signaled a potential tec- tonic shift in how California address- es its water chal- lenges. In a hopeful sign, Newsom said Californians need to move “away from a scarcity mindset
Edward Ring
to one more of abundance.” Then last March, the governor issued an executive order to make it easier for local water agencies to capture runoff from that season’s epic storms to recharge aquifers. In November, he moved to shorten the review process for developing the planned Sites Reservoir north of Sacramento. These are welcome actions, but much more is needed. Without more investment and regu- latory relief, Californians face a future of chronic water scarcity. Our system of wa- ter storage and distribution is in trouble. We have depleted aquifers, nearly empty reservoirs on the Colorado River, and a precarious network of century-old levees that are one big earthquake away from cat- astrophic failure. Then there’s always the next severe drought. Even if the governor aggressively pushes for more investment in water supply in- frastructure and more regulatory relief so projects can go forward, the state is again staring down a budget deficit. Bonds to fund water infrastructure projects are go- ing to have a hard time getting approval from voters already overburdened with among the highest taxes in America. While creativity is demanded, Sacramento’s only consistent legislative
An agriculture, business and water-policy coalition is seeking a pilot project to study diverting Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta floodwaters to boost groundwater recharge for farms and cities.
solution is for us to use less water. In one egregious example, lawmakers in 2022 passed Senate Bill 1157 to restrict indoor water consumption to 42 gallons per person per day, and ration water for outdoor landscaping to conserve up to 450,000 acre-feet per year by 2030. Yet an independent analysis said implementa- tion, enforcement and needed system up- grades exceed the value of water savings, costing $7.4 billion over 10 years. To put things in perspective, California delivers about 7.5 million acre-feet for ur- ban consumption and about 30 million acre-feet for farm irrigation. Even in dry years, another 25 million acre-feet are di- verted and used to maintain aquatic eco- systems; in wet years, that number can soar to more than 60 million acre-feet. Spending money to enforce water ra- tioning on California’s urban residents will not deliver new water. But it will have a divi- sive impact. Resentful urban residents will
demand that farmers, who use much more water than cities, make proportional cuts. There is a better approach: urban water agencies and farm water agencies work- ing together to create abundant water for everyone. The potential implementation costs of SB 1157 may be enough to fund a fleet of desalination plants with 450,000 acre-feet per year of perennial output. But it is in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta where that money could be put to trans- formative use. Imagine allocating a mere 200 acres on an existing delta island to divert up to 30,000 acre-feet per day into aquifer stor- age for subsequent use by farms and cities. Because these islands are below sea level and protected by levees, infiltration beds of gravel covering perforated water-harvesting pipes could be built, with a parallel levee constructed to form a channel. Once that work is complete, openings could be cut into the existing levee on both ends of the
VOL. 51, NO. 2
January 10, 2024
AG ALERT ® weekly newspaper is an official publication of the CALIFORNIA FARM BUREAU
www.agalert.com www.cfbf.com
@cafarmbureau @cafarmbureau @cafarmbureau
@calfarmbureau
Board of Directors (District 1) Ronnie Leimgruber; (2) Scott Hudson; (3) Mark Lopez; (4) Kevin Merrill; (5) Kevin Robertson; (6) Joey Airoso; (7) Lorna Roush; (8) April England; (9) Jay Mahil; (10) Jan Garrod; (11) Joe Martinez; (12) Paul Sanguinetti; (13) Jake Wenger; (14) Joe Fischer; (15) Clark Becker; (16) Garrett Driver; (17) Johnnie White; (18) Daniel Suenram; (19) Taylor Hagata; (20) Jim Morris; (21) Ronald Vevoda; (Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee Chair) Trelawney Bullis. Advisory Members Jenny Holtermann, Chair, CFB Rural Health Department, Glenda Humiston, University of California Cooperative Extension. Letters to the editor: Send to agalert@cfbf.com or Ag Alert, Attn: Editor, 2600 River Plaza Drive, Sacramento, CA 95833. Include name, address, phone number, email address; 250-word limit.
Melanie Duval- Chief Marketing Officer
ADVERTISING: Brock Tessandori-Business Development Manager (916) 561-5585 Antonio Muniz- Sales Coordinator Classifieds: (916) 561-5570 2600 River Plaza Dr., Sacramento, CA 95833. Represented in the East and Midwest by J.L. Farmakis, Inc. Eastern office: Bill Farmakis 48 Topfield Rd., Wilton, CT 06897 (203) 834-8832; Fax: (203) 834- 8825. Midwest office: Russ Parker, P.O. Box 7, Albia, IA 52531 (641) 946-7646, Bob Brunker, 8209 NW 81st Ct., Kansas City, MO 64152 (816) 746-8814, Jennifer Saylor, 8426 N. Winfield Ave., Kansas City, MO 64153 (816) 912-2804, Laura Rustmann, 901 Lands End Cir, St. Charles MO 63304, (636) 238-8548. AG ALERT (issn 0161-5408) is published weekly except weeks of Memorial Day, July 4, Thanksgiving,
Christmas; and with exceptions, by the California Farm Bureau, 2600 River Plaza Dr., Sacramento CA 95833 (telephone: (916) 561-5570). Periodicals postage paid at Sacramento, California. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to AG ALERT, 2600 River Plaza Dr., Sacramento, CA 95833. The California Farm Bureau does not assume responsibility for statements by advertisers or for products advertised in AG ALERT nor does the Federation assume responsibility for statements or expressions of opinion other than in editorials or in articles showing authorship by an officer, di- rector, or employee of the California Farm Bureau Federation or its affiliates. No alcohol, tobacco or political advertising will be accepted. Shannon Douglass, President Shaun Crook, First Vice President Ron Peterson, Second Vice President
Peter Hecht- Chief Editor, Publications
Christine Souza- Assistant Editor
Ching Lee- Assistant Editor
Caleb Hampton- Assistant Editor
Shawn Collins- Production Designer
Paula Erath- Graphic Designer
GENERAL INFORMATION: (916) 561-5570
agalert@cfbf.com
Printed on Recycled Paper
BPA Business Publication Member
2 Ag Alert January 10, 2024
Powered by FlippingBook