Nov. 20, 2013 — Release Immediate

Announced Water Allocation Serves as Wake-Up Call
to Fix Broken Water Supply System

(Statement by Mike Wade, executive director of the California Farm Water Coalition, on the State Water Project 5 percent allocation announcement.)

“Today’s announcement by the Department of Water Resources should be a wake-up call to all Californians that our water supply system is broken. More than 750,000 acres of farmland in the State Water Project service area will once again face severe water shortages.

“Land that could have been planted to grow fresh produce will lie fallow. Consumers who shop for California farm products may instead find fewer choices at the grocery store, higher prices, or produce grown outside of the country. This announcement comes at the same time a report released by the Department of Pesticide Regulation reaffirmed an almost 100 percent pesticide residue compliance record for California-grown produce. California farm products are safe.

“This cannot continue. We must find a way to update our aging water infrastructure and improve water supply reliability to farms, homes and businesses. In the short term federal fishery agencies can legally exercise their discretion on the limits they set so that we can capture the water when it is available. And the Bay Delta Conservation Plan proposal by Governor Brown is expected to achieve further water supply reliability for 25 million Californians and millions of acres of productive farmland.”

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