So here we are again, California. We’re coming through another dry year and watching the sky, hopeful that Mother Nature will give us a reprieve. We’ve all had a bad year, but everyone needs to buckle up because some of the biggest consumer impacts are just now showing up. Farmers, many of whom received none […]
Newsom on California Water Future & Voluntary Agreements
Newsom on California Water Future On January 29, 2020 Governor Newsom spoke on the topics of energy, wildfires and climate change to an audience with PPIC (Public Policy Institute of California.) He was asked about his strategy for California water. These are real human beings whose lives are being torn asunder because of the scarcity […]
STATEMENT: Voluntary Agreement on Water Represents the Future and Deserves Prop 68 Funding
STATEMENT: Voluntary Agreement on Water Represents the Future and Deserves Prop 68 Funding By Mike Wade, Executive Director California Farm Water Coalition California has always prided itself on cutting-edge ideas. It is the place others turn to for new solutions to old problems. We are currently faced with a choice to continue that tradition of innovation […]
Countdown: 1 Day to Drought
Countdown: 1 Day to Drought On Wednesday, the State Water Board will vote to remove enough water from the system to irrigate over 200,000 acres of farmland or meet the domestic needs of 2 million people every year. If approved, this action will lead to one of the most predictable droughts California has ever faced. […]
Countdown: 2 Days to Drought
Countdown: 2 Days to Drought On Wednesday, the State Water Board will vote to remove enough water from the system to irrigate over 200,000 acres of farmland or meet the annual domestic needs of 2 million people every year. If approved, this action will lead to one of the most preventable droughts California has faced. How […]
Countdown: 4 Days to Drought
Countdown: 4 Days to Drought On Wednesday, the State Water Board will vote to redirect enough water in the system to irrigate over 200,000 acres of farmland or meet the annual domestic needs of 2 million people every year. If approved, this action will lead to one of the most preventable droughts California has ever faced. Who […]
Water: Time for a Fresh Look at What Works, What Doesn’t and What to Do About It
Water: Time for a Fresh Look at What Works, What Doesn’t and What to Do About It For decades, California has been stuck in a Groundhog-Day-like water debate that pits fish and the environment against humans, farms and other water needs. Presented as a zero-sum game, we are told it is necessary for one set […]
GUEST BLOG: Australia’s Water Management Controversy
By STEFANIE SCHULTE Water Policy Manager New South Wales Irrigators’ Council The old adage “when it rains, it pours” seems quite apt in the context of Australia’s recent water woes. What started with a mainstream news report aired by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in late July about alleged water theft of Federal environmental water in […]
Salmon can thrive without State’s unimpaired flow plan
Peter Fimrite’s story in the San Francisco Chronicle (http://bit.ly/2AOyfBh) brings a positive message about higher numbers of this year’s Fall run Chinook salmon on the Mokelumne River. According to Fimrite, near record numbers of fish have returned, thanks to efforts behind stream bed and habitat improvements. Interestingly, this success has been achieved without a massive […]
Managing water under California’s broken water system
Managing water under California’s broken water system California’s farm water suppliers don’t shy away from hard work. They never have-but our broken water system (graphic) continues to erode their ability to do the most important part of their job- managing and delivering the water used to grow the food and fiber we all depend on. With […]