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May 19, 2010 Water woes in California revolve primarily around the issue of whether or not the state should build the Peripheral Canal , a ---- mile long aqueduct that will ship water from the North to the South. Some say the canal is a shameless water grab by southern California major agribusiness. Others contend the aqueduct is essential due to water shortages around the state. This project will cost anywhere from 3.7 to 23 billion dollars [1,2], in a state that is running a deficit of at least 25 billion dollars. The idea of a water shortage sounds iridiculous in a state where rainfall totals have been pretty close to normal over the post decade, give or take a couple of years. This includes record rainfall in southern California during 2004-05. (3) Another source states, “So far this water year (July ‘09-present) we’ve recorded 8.81″ of rain in Irvine . That’s more than the annual total for the last 4 years! Los Angeles is in a similar boat, having recorded 9.71″ of rain. See the Los Angeles area storm summary here, and the San Diego area (OC included) storm summary here. Those are some might impressive totals! Perhaps the most impressive, in my opinion, is the 7 feet of snow recorded near the summit of Mt. Baldy !” (4) Opponents of the canal argue that the key area that would be affected by this project is the California Delta, a confluence of four rivers—the San Joaquin, Sacramento , Mokelumne and Calaveras. Second, California was mandated by a federal judge to limit water pumped from the delta because it threatened the already endangered delta smelt. Some of the power players in this water management issue include CALFED (a conglomeration of state and federal agencies that oversee the water system), the Schwarzenegger administration, the State Legislature, the Department of Fish and Game, and the Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee. These entities are beset by political in-fighting, financial woes and bureaucratic delays. Another group, assigned by the Department of the Interior to review the water being diverted from the delta, under the guise of helping the fish population, has one panelist whom is employed by billionaire Agribusiness owner Stewart Resnick. Recently I attempted to speak with Barbara Barrigan of Restore The Delta. Her group is in their words, “…is a grassroots campaign committed to making the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta fishable, swimmable, drinkable, and farmable to benefit all of California .” I also sent a series of questions to Dr. Clifford Dahm, the lead scientist for CALFED. According to Wikipedia, “The CALFED Bay-Delta Program, also known as CALFED, is a department within the government of California , administered under the California Resources Agency. The department acts as consortium, coordinating the activities and interests of the state government of California and the U.S. federal government to focus on interrelated water problems in the state’s Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. After multiple mailings of the questions and being told I would receive a response, neither Barrigan nor Dr. Dahm responded. Blame It On The Rain In an internet article, author Yasha Levine wrote, “We've been lied to for years now about the severity of California 's water shortage. The media and state officials have been ringing the alarm, warning that the state was in the grips of the quite possibly the ‘worst California drought in modern history,’ when in fact the state nearly pulled in its average rainfall in 2009. The fear mongering is about to go into overdrive, as powerful interests start whipping up fears of drought to push through a $11 billion bond measure on the upcoming November elections, setting up the Golden State for a corporate water grab.” [5] Many of those crying poor mouth Such scare tactics, coupled with Governor Schwarzenegger’s call for a 20% cut in water use (which farmers are exempt from), and claims that the “water shortage” impacts upon unemployment rates (of which no causal relationship has been proven), might be enough to expedite the building of the Canal. There are also fears that the state’s agricultural industry (largest in the nation) would be adversely affected if the canal plan falls through. Levine adds, “…the problem with this apocalyptic domino effect, which pops up as a talking point on Schwarzneger's press releases…is a pesky thing called reality. Most irrigation districts have been getting their water on schedule.” {6} In turn, they have sold their subsidized water rations at a profit. Levin writes, “One millionaire farmer-cum-real-estate-developer made roughly $60 million selling his welfare water to a McTractHome paradise in the Mojave Desert , selling water was easier and more lucrative than farming.” [7] Stay tuned. This battle is just beginning and it is something the current Governor is working hard to get the ball rolling. SB 1, which would set up an oversight committee made up of seven persons—four of whom would be appointed by the Governor. How’s that for impartiality? NOTES --------- (1) An article in wiki states, “A 2006 report[1] prepared by Washington Group International for the State Water Contractors (e.g. Metropolitan Water District) estimates the cost of a canal along the eastern side of the Delta to be between $3.3 and $3.7 Billion.” (2) According tro an article from calsport.org, a 2009 report “by Steven Kasower of the Strategic Economic Applications Company…reveals that the costs for the construction of a peripheral canal around the California Delta or a tunnel under the estuary would be much higher than previously estimated, ranging from $23 billion to $53.8 billion depending upon the conveyance facility.” (3) Think and Ask Non-profit News, “California Weather Predictions Show Higher Rainfall Rates, Warmer Temperatures,” http://www.thinkandask.com/news/californiaweather.html (4) http://silt.ess.uci.edu/?tag=rainfall-totals, “As We Wait For More Rain,” January 25. 2010 {5}, [6], [7] Yasha Levine, “Why Just About Everything You Hear About Caifornia’s Water Crisis is Wrong, Wrong, Wrong,” January 8, 2008, http://www.alternet.org/media/144992/why_just_about_everything_you_hear_about_california%27s_water_crisis_is_wrong,_wrong,_wrong/?page=3 ------------ About the author: Timothy N. Stelly is a poet, essayist, novelist and screenwriter from northern California. His novel, HUMAN TRIAL, is the first part of a sci-fi trilogy and is available from Amazon.com, allthingsthatmatterpress.com and in e-book format at mobipocket.com. HUMAN TRIAL II: ADAM'S WAR is now available. Stelly also has a short story included in the AIDS-themed anthology, THE SHATTERED GLASS EFFECT, due out in February 2010. His story, SNAKES IN THE GRASS, Is a tale of love, betrayal and its deadly consequences. Reviews of HUMAN TRIAL can be read at amazon.com Visit me at: http://www.myspace.com/pittwit website: http://www.stellyhumantrial.com Email: stellbread@yahoo.com 
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