GOP candidate for congressional District 16 offers plan for California’s water crisis

As California finds itself in another historic drought, the Central Valley deserves a voice in Congress who is willing to challenge the status quo and pursue a long-term solution to our state’s water crisis.

I decided to run for Congress because I am tired of career politicians who are concerned more with spending a lifetime in Washington than delivering real results for their constituents.

Below is the plan I developed after listening to recommendations from local farmers and environmental leaders. This plan aims to bring all parties together in pursuit of a common solution.

▪ Repair aging infrastructure and restore native habitat in the Delta: Today’s Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta looks dramatically different than it did a century ago. It has been transformed from a natural waterway into a complex channel of man-made canals, levies and dikes. A functional Delta is vital for California’s economy and must be retained. We must repair and modernize our existing water infrastructure and conveyance systems, invest in new conveyance systems, and provide resources to re-establish estuaries at various points along the Delta that will not impede its economic operation. Doing so will increase the economic efficiency of the Delta and restore natural habitats.

▪ Clean up wastewater discharged into the Delta: Close to 1 billion gallons of wastewater is dumped into the Delta each day. Despite strict governmental regulations, many cities and towns lack modernized treatment facilities and are unable to stop harmful pharmaceuticals or ammonia from making it into the Delta. These contaminants harm wildlife and increase the amount of water released from storage. We must invest in new water treatment facilities for every municipality along the Delta.

▪ Balance native and non-native species in the Delta: The Delta is one of the most invaded estuaries in the world. It is now home to more non-native species than native ones. If we continue to permit the populations of non-native species to grow unchecked, salmon and smelt populations will never recover.

▪ Create new water storage: If our climate is becoming drier, we must take advantage of when it does rain or snow. Federal funding for projects like the Temperance Flat Dam, Sites Reservoir, Del Puerto Canyon Reservoir, increasing the capacity of the San Luis and Los Vaqueros reservoirs and raising Shasta Dam must be a priority. These projects would also provide water for wildlife refuges and help recharge groundwater.

▪ Properly manage the forests: Properly managed forests would dramatically reduce the frequency and severity of fires and increase the amount of water runoff into streams and underground aquifers. We must focus on keeping forest floors clean and reintroduce logging to help restore a historic plant density.

▪ Invest in the development of desalination and reclamation facilities: Development of desalination and reclamation plants would dramatically reduce or eliminate the need to pump water over the Tehachapi Mountains. We must make it a priority to secure funding for the construction of these facilities along the California coast.

▪ Minimize the economic impact of fallowed lands and help farmers effectively re-purpose land: With state initiatives like the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) taking effect, some farmland will have to be fallowed. To minimize the adverse economic impact and prevent Dust Bowl-type conditions, farmers and scientists must be allowed to work in concert during the process and provide financial incentives to farmers. Fallowed land should be re-purposed into wildlife refuges, recharge basins, renewable energy facilities or parks.

While Valley Democrats like Jim Costa claim victory over passage of the trillion-dollar “infrastructure” bill, there’s no reason to believe the $1.5 billion that’s been allocated in it for local water projects is enough to do anything more than place another Band-Aid on the problem. The people and farmers of the Central Valley deserve and must demand more from their congressional representative.