If California farmers are to survive another dry year, they will need better water-transfer and delivery systems, state water officials said Wednesday as they met in Fresno.
"The talking is over," said Al Montna, president of the State Board of Food and Agriculture. "And the time to act is now."
The State Board of Food and Agriculture water subcommittee, which met Wednesday at the Fresno County Farm Bureau, will recommend to the full board and to state and federal officials that the water-transfer process be streamlined.
Members also pledged their support for projects that would reduce environmental restrictions on delivering water through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.
Montna was among about 50 people who attended the meeting. He said the process for approving the water-sale transfers must be streamlined to allow growers the opportunity to use the water in time for spring planting.
Growers and water district officials say the process is expensive and time-consuming, involving multiple agencies.
"When you pay $400 for water in October, there is not much crop left to farm that on," said Sarah Woolf, spokeswoman for the Westlands Water District. "It is hard to utilize that at such a late date."
Woolf said a quicker turnaround on transfers may be the only thing to get growers through next year.
Water deliveries to west-side farmers were severely reduced this year. A lack of rainfall resulted in a zero allocation of federal water, and reduced water pumping to protect dwindling fish in Northern California rivers further cut supplies.
Board members discussed other proposed solutions, including support for the inter-tie and "Two Gates" projects.
The gates involve submerging massive barriers in river channels of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to prevent threatened delta smelt from being sucked into the pumps that send water south from the delta. The inter-tie would connect the federal Delta-Mendota Canal with state canals, making it easier to shift water. Both projects could take years to complete, once funding is secured.
Jeremy Freitas, a fourth-generation farmer, asked board members how many more meetings must happen before a workable solution is found. He said many farmers and their laid-off workers are running out of time.
"How long do the food lines have to get?" Freitas said.
A few rules are needed to help foster a feeling of community. We encourage a free and open exchange of ideas in a climate of mutual respect, but any post that violates someone's right to use and enjoy fresnobee.com is prohibited. Before you post, please read the terms of use and obey these simple guidelines.
Here are the ground rules:
Contents of this site are © Copyright The Fresno Bee. All rights reserved.
E-Mail
Print
@Nyx.CommentBody@