Schwarzenegger, Feinstein describe delta in crisis, urge fixes

ap on Daily Comet ^ | 8/21/07 | Naoki Schwartz - ap

[NormsRevenge]

Los Angeles (AP) -- State and federal officials must collaborate to restore the delta's ecosystem and preserve water deliveries to farmers and cities, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Tuesday in calling the crisis one of the state's most pressing challenges.

The two leaders appeared together at a summit in Los Angeles, underscoring the growing attention being paid to the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the heart of the state's water-delivery system.

"This is not an easy subject, but a subject that should involve all of California," Feinstein said. "Whatever it is that we do, we have to do it together, and it's going to be big and it's going to be costly."

California leaders this year are scrambling to devise a strategy for the vast estuary, which serves as the hub of the State Water Project and funnels water to more than 25 million people in Southern California and the San Francisco Bay area.

The delta is suffering from myriad ills that experts say threaten the water supply to two-thirds of state residents, as well as native fish populations and other wildlife. Among the risks is that a massive earthquake could crumble the delta's fragile levees. There also are long-term concerns about the integrity of the earthen levees if sea levels rise under global warming scenarios.

"We do not want to wait until we have a Katrina-type disaster on our hands," Schwarzenegger said.

At the same time officials are concentrating on the delta, the state and federal governments have been taken to court over concerns that water-pumping operations have led to the decline of the threatened delta smelt.

All this has occurred despite a joint state-federal partnership — known as the California and Federal Bay-Delta Program — that has spent an estimated $3 billion on water projects since 1998.

Schwarzenegger has asked the state Legislature to approve a $5.9 billion bond to build two new dams and study the possibility of building a canal to route fresh water from the Sacramento River around the delta. But there has been little movement on the issue with lawmakers, who have spent the past two months on state budget negotiations.

Feinstein opposed a 1982 ballot initiative that would have built a canal around the delta but described herself as open-minded on the issue today.

"The situation is very different today than it was 25 years ago," Feinstein said. "I had then, no idea of the condition of the levees that I do today. The earthquake probabilities have changed in the last 25 years; the ecosystem itself has changed."

Jeff Mount, a geology professor at the University of California, Davis who has studied the delta extensively, said the fate of region rests with policy makers.

"Ultimately, it comes down to what you two decide is your highest priority," he said. "We're going to look back at a period of time when we made a decision with a great deal of uncertainty, but thank God we made a decision."

California voters approved a $4.1 billion water bond last November that will provide money to strengthen levees and improve flood control. But some of the decision-making may be determined by the courts.

As Schwarzenegger and Feinstein were addressing the issue in Los Angeles Tuesday, government lawyers and environmentalists were squaring off before a federal judge in Fresno. At issue was how best to protect the delta smelt, a species that is key to the delta's food chain and considered a bellwether for the overall health of the ecosystem.

The Natural Resources Defense Council and four other environmental groups urged U.S. District Court Judge Oliver Wanger to force the state Department of Water Resources and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to modify pumping year-round as a way to reduce the risks to the smelt.

Their plan would require agencies to slow the rate of pumping or increase the flow of river water into the delta. That would create more favorable living conditions for the fish, Earthjustice attorney Trent Orr said.

"The longer these fish are exposed to the pumps ... the more fish cumulatively you're going to kill," Peter Moyle, a smelt expert from UC Davis, testified. "Cumulatively, that could be a large part of the population."

However, water contractors said the court should wait until federal wildlife officials write a new biological plan to protect the smelt. Any changes to pumping could threaten water-thirsty crops grown in the San Joaquin Valley, said Daniel O'Hanlon, an attorney for the San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority and Westlands Water District.

[NormsRevenge]

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., speak to media Tuesday Aug. 21, 2007, in Los Angeles, before a Delta Summit to discuss the future of California's water infrastructure. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

[ElkGroveDan]

You need only look within for the answers grasshoppers. It is LIBERALISM that is causing our water shortages.

[A CA Guy]

There is enough money in the budget to run CA three times over.
Thin the herd on who does not need to be on government payroll.

[bill1952]

Feinstein said. "Whatever it is that we do, we have to do it together, and it's going to be big and it's going to be costly."

LOL! - Its never enough is it? Tax and spend. You guys must all be filthy rich out there.

All this has occurred despite a joint state-federal partnership — known as the California and Federal Bay-Delta Program — that has spent an estimated $3 billion on water projects since 1998.

Hey, whats a few billion or so to all of you rich people anyway?
After all, you have endangered fish!

the more fish cumulatively you're going to kill," Peter Moyle, a smelt expert from UC Davis, testified. "Cumulatively, that could be a large part of the population."

Well, all righty then! - Get ready to pay, pay, pay. - there are fish at stake here.

We all get the government that we deserve. Who wrote that?

[SierraWasp]

"It is LIBERALISM that is causing our water shortages."

And especially the branch of LIBERALISM called EnvironMentalism that condemns all man-made improvements and developments. Especially on-stream reservoirs for hydro-power and nuclear energy!!!

They had a piece about the levees on the Katie Couric news show tonight with that creepy whitewater rafting, dam hating geologist Jeffery Mounts, that wants us to move the levees back away from the rivers to give them more "wiggle room," as he insipidly puts it!!!

The MSM ALWAYS goes to this ONE dumbass for his prejudiced opinion as if it was Moses, or something!!!

[SierraWasp]

Jeff Mount, a geology professor at the University of California, Davis who has studied the delta extensively, said the fate of region rests with policy makers.

"Ultimately, it comes down to what you two decide is your highest priority," he said. "We're going to look back at a period of time when we made a decision with a great deal of uncertainty, but thank God we made a decision."

Like I said without having read the above posted article... Here's Jeffery the JERK!!! They never fail to seek him out... EVER!!!

[q_an_a]

Someone might look at the 3 billion dollars spent by the FEDs for water in Calif. and ask this question, “What are the users paying for each gallon in their house?” I believe that you will find that Cal water is cheaper than say in Texas or in AZ, because the user is getting a subsidy from the Federal government. Raise the price of water to it’s natural level and there would be plenty of money for projects.

[sono]

Sorry to hear about poor Delta.