From News Line, a daily compilation of farm water news distributed to CFWC members and others upon request. To receive News Line, click here.

Bay-Delta Conservation Plan must chart new course for water system

Coalition response…We have long advocated a “move beyond the heated rhetoric” to a “thoughtful discussion” in order to provide a secure water future for California. It is this type of approach that must be adopted in the review of the BDCP materials later this week of the long-awaited plan to establish a reliable water supply and a restored Delta ecosystem.

There is no question that the Delta is in peril and something must be done to protect it. At the same time, as clearly pointed out by the authors of this Viewpoint, there are “broader water challenges” that include the delivery of water to millions of acres of farmland and 25 million Californians.

The current conveyance of moving water through the Delta is not working for anyone. The BDCP’s tunnels provide the most workable opportunity to restore the Delta while moving water to those who rely upon it, which includes the farmers who grow the food and the consumers who buy that supply of fresh fruits and vegetables in their grocery stores.