CALIFORNIA: Judge rules state must stop running water pumps

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 3/23/7

[SmithL]

Officials must first get permission to kill protected wildlife -

The state must stop running the giant pumps that send water to Southern California unless wildlife officials approve the continued killing of protected salmon and Delta smelt, a judge ruled today.

The decision by Judge Frank Roesch of Alameda County Superior Court gives the state Department of Water Resources 60 days to get the necessary permission from wildlife officials. Granting permission could, in turn, require massive efforts to increase salmon and smelt populations elsewhere.

Many environmentalists blame the exporting of Northern California water for causing sharp declines in the number of some fish species in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The pumps operated by the state are located near Tracy and send water to the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California.

[Doohickey]

Well...

As a native Northern Californian (Lincoln/Rocklin/Auburn), I haven't much sympathy for people who build a city in the desert and expect the rest of us to send our irrigation water south to keep their swimming pools full.

[GOP_1900AD]

Salt water intrusion is due to subidence of the land in the Delta area due to ground water pumping and peat compaction combined with dredging. Also, damming the southern Sierra rivers did not help (they were dammed mostly for things like the Friant Kern district, etc).

[The Blitherer]

As a native Northern Californian (Lincoln/Rocklin/Auburn), I haven't much sympathy for people who build a city in the desert and expect the rest of us to send our irrigation water south to keep their swimming pools full.

So you'd rather everybody move North TO the water instead of bringing the water here?

[freekitty]

"Ummmm....if they turn off the pumps, how many humans will die?"

That's probably the point.

[Zeroisanumber]

So lawns will get a little brown and pools will go empty, big deal. SoCal could use a little water discipline, they're drinking the Colorado River dry every year.

[lucky american]

Water?...fish...water?...fish... water?...fish

[Publius6961]

The irony is that Sodom-by-the-Bay and El Lay pretty much decide elections in California.

People get the government they deserve.

If agriculture in the California Central Valley withers, they can always get their veggies from Mexico...

[AZRepublican]

The problem isn't water or water pumps - these are symptoms - but lousy government who doesn't give a damn about governing wisely.

I doubt there will ever again be a government in the US that governs to avoid problems rather than create them.

[Doohickey]

That's okay. Y'all seem to have managed to mess up the entire state remotely :).

Plus, I don't live there anymore...

[The Blitherer]

Y'all seem to have managed to mess up the entire state remotely

Ack, don't get me started on the hippies in NorCal...

Plus, I don't live there anymore...

Lucky you. Really!

Hopefully I'll be in Virginia soon myself.

[George W. Bush]

<Sam Kinison>You live in a desert! </Sam Kinison>

Don't encourage them! They might descend on flyover country like a biblical plague of locusts.

That was one of Kinnison's best bits.

Kinison and world hunger (00:04:50 into the clip)

[Jaysun]

It's basically possible to trade a barrel of oil (or any other energy source) for a barrel of fresh water. That's rarely a good trade.

I don't undersrtand your point.

[Dog Gone]

California does provide a continuing political entertainment show for the rest of the country.

Smelt, whatever the hell they are, are more important than the residents of basically the southern 2/3rds of the entire state.

[John123]

Hey, I used to live in northern California. We always felt we needed to succeed from the southern part. They take all our water and vote liberal...

[4yearlurker]

Kip Adada...is that you?

[John123]

Um...so what am I supposed to drink? Ocean water?

I got two words for you... desalination plants. :)

[Dinsdale]

It takes a lot of energy to desalinate water.

You trade oil (or gas or coal) for fresh water.

[thackney]

Um...so what am I supposed to drink? Ocean water?

Of course, you just combine the Water Desalinization plant with the power plant with the oil production and the refinery. Just like they have been doing for several years.

Oh wait, that is not California. I was think of a more pro-development business location. They do the above in Saudi Arabia.

[George W. Bush]

Um...so what am I supposed to drink? Ocean water?

I've read that you can live off drinking your own urine for quite some time.

It's just a thought. You know, maybe a lemon twist and some ice, well, try to be creative.

[highlander_UW]

It's been decades since I lived in CA, but as I recall, a significant percentage if not the majority of water in So. Cal. comes from No. Cal...this could close down So. Cal.