CA Delta Water Wars

[FlyWright]

Here's a good article discussing the complexities of the CA Delta water rights and the lengths some water districts will go to villainize and the upstream users. Legal harassment is a favored strategy by these big corporation 'farmers' and for-profit water companies who resell their unused water rights at huge profits.

Water agencies: Delta farmers may be taking water meant for other regions - Our Region - The Sacramento Bee

Last year, they tried to blame the demise of the salmon on the striped bass population and spearheaded a failed effort to remove all limits on the take and possession of striped bass. Another attempt to distract the public from the effect of their massive water diversions.

 

[markpierce]

Per Images of America -- Maritime Contra Costa County: "... Old-timers claimed fish populations during the fall king salmon run were so vast one could walk from Antioch to Collinsville and never wet his feet." ... "Herring is the last commercial fishing business in the San Francisco Bay as of 2013.The bay fish stocks for halibut, sturgeon, salmon, and sardines no longer support commercial harvesting ..."

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Now the water wars begin. But it would seem the farmer and fisherman are teaming up together which is good.

 

[bligh]

The water issue in the delta is HUGE. Water should not be diverted to SOCAL at the expense of the salmon population. The salmon population should come first and everything else after that, especially farming in the middle of the desert.
No one has ever labeled me a tree-hugger, although I do consider myself a practical environmentalist. I think people are overwhelmingly bombarded with requests to support environmental and humanitarian battles, and the delta water issue seems like just another issue and not one that is very exciting. After all its much more romantic to save whales, otters, butterflies and trees. People have it in their heads that if the water is for farming, it must be a necessity. Water rights in itself is a complex issue as well, making it even less appealing to the average joe to form an opinion about and fight for.
Once all the pieces of this issue were laid out and I got a clearer picture of what is really happening, it is quite clear that much of the farming down south either has to shut down, find a different source of water, or learn to farm with much less water and not be guaranteed water annually. I'm sure I am simplifying the political issues, but thats my take.

 

[Scary]

Impact of water grabbs by the southland

Grizzly Island and the land on both sides of Montezuma Slough were irrigated farm land until Shasta and Orville dam were built. The Owens Valley was destroyed by water diverted to LA. The water rights in the west have been misused for 150 years. Growth in the water poor areas would not have been possible without the diversion of water from the Colorado river and North parts of the state. It makes no sense to me to restrict water usage by Delta Farmers to allow farming of desert land that will soon be useless due to salinity caused by irrigating poor soil. It seems short sighted for short term profit by Mega farms some of which like ABC farms are owned by foreign or multinational corporations. This land was desert tumble weeds until the Calif Aqueduct and the Delta Mendota Canal were built. It is a complicated issue because we let be one. it seems crazy to me when it makes sense to flood islands for water storage so we can farm desert with the water. Last time I was in LA I didn't see any dead lawns. We ship oil from Alaska by ship why doesn't the south state ship water the same way. Most of LA drinks bottled water, how about Canadian bottled water. Canada has huge water resources How about we let Jerry build a twin tunnel to BC.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

The water issue in the delta is HUGE. Water should not be diverted to SOCAL at the expense of the salmon population. The salmon population should come first and everything else after that, especially farming in the middle of the desert.
No one has ever labeled me a tree-hugger, although I do consider myself a practical environmentalist. I think people are overwhelmingly bombarded with requests to support environmental and humanitarian battles, and the delta water issue seems like just another issue and not one that is very exciting. After all its much more romantic to save whales, otters, butterflies and trees. People have it in their heads that if the water is for farming, it must be a necessity. Water rights in itself is a complex issue as well, making it even less appealing to the average joe to form an opinion about and fight for.
Once all the pieces of this issue were laid out and I got a clearer picture of what is really happening, it is quite clear that much of the farming down south either has to shut down, find a different source of water, or learn to farm with much less water and not be guaranteed water annually. I'm sure I am simplifying the political issues, but thats my take.

They should try and file with the federal judge (Redding) here in Washington and Oregon, who forced the feds to pay attention to the salmon on the Columbia River.

 

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Grizzly Island and the land on both sides of Montezuma Slough were irrigated farm land until Shasta and Orville dam were built. The Owens Valley was destroyed by water diverted to LA. The water rights in the west have been misused for 150 years. Growth in the water poor areas would not have been possible without the diversion of water from the Colorado river and North parts of the state. It makes no sense to me to restrict water usage by Delta Farmers to allow farming of desert land that will soon be useless due to salinity caused by irrigating poor soil. It seems short sighted for short term profit by Mega farms some of which like ABC farms are owned by foreign or multinational corporations. This land was desert tumble weeds until the Calif Aqueduct and the Delta Mendota Canal were built. It is a complicated issue because we let be one. it seems crazy to me when it makes sense to flood islands for water storage so we can farm desert with the water. Last time I was in LA I didn't see any dead lawns. We ship oil from Alaska by ship why doesn't the south state ship water the same way. Most of LA drinks bottled water, how about Canadian bottled water. Canada has huge water resources How about we let Jerry build a twin tunnel to BC.

Maybe so, but in reading the article the issue seems to be more about money than water...