Pacific Progressive

Farmworkers Rally in Fresno to Protest Lack of Water for Crops

July 1 saw a rally in Fresno of Central Valley farmworkers protesting the lack of water available for crops.  The Central Valley has been hard hit with water restrictions coming from a lack of rain and snow for several years and pumping restrictions on the Sacramento River Delta imposed to protect several endangered fish species.  

The workers rallied to protest cuts in water supplies which lead to loss of jobs in agriculture.  In some Central Valley towns, unemployment has reached 40%.

The rally was coordinated by the California Latino Water Coalition http://www.gotwater.org/ , chaired by comedian Paul Rodriguez, Mayor Victor Lopez of Orange Cove, Ruben Guerra of the Southern California Latin Business Association, and Tony Estremera, Director of the Santa Clara Valley Water District.

Event organizers are planning similar rallies for San Francisco and the Southern California area. 

Paul Rodriquez recently chaired the Water Summit sponsored by the Orange County Water District http://www.ocwd.com/ .  Adam Probolsky was a co-chair for the event.

Suing to Stop Salmon

Westlands Water District     http://www.westlandswater.org/wwd/aboutwwd/aboutwwd.asp?title=Who%20We ,  located in western Fresno and Kings counties, has filed a lawsuit arguing that the National Marine Fisheries Service should have prepared an environmental impact report (EIR) before issuing a ruling that protected salmon by reducing the amount of water that can be taken from the Sacramento River Delta.  Westlands Water District serves many agricultural users in the cities of Mendota, Huron, Tranquility, Firebaugh, Three Rocks, Cantua Creek, Helm, San Joaquin, Kerman, Lemoore and Coalinga.  

Salmon, steelhead, Chinook salmon, North American Green sturgeon, and Southern Resident killer whales were given protection under a final biological opinion http://www.pacificprogressive.com/2009/06/central-valley-steelhead-chinook-salmon-imperiled-by-pumping.html  issued on June 4 by the National Marine Fisheries Service of NOAA.  The final biological opinion caused changes in water pumping operations at the Federal Central Valley Project.  It is estimated that 500,000 acre feet of water will no longer be available for pumping under terms of the agreement reached as part of the final biological opinion.

Central Valley Steelhead & Chinook Salmon Imperiled by Pumping

Winter and spring-run Chinook salmon, Central Valley steelhead, North American green sturgeon and Southern Resident killer whales are jeopardized by water pumping operations of the Federal Central Valley Project http://www.usbr.gov/dataweb/html/cvp.html   and the California State Water Project http://www.water.ca.gov/swp/ .   The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) http://swr.nmfs.noaa.gov/Default.htm released their final biological opinion on June 4.

The Federal Bureau of Reclamation, the operator of the Federal Central Valley Project, has agreed to change its water pumping operations to protect the fish.  Rod McInnis, southwest regional director for NOAA's Fisheries Service, said the requirements will reduce water deliveries by about 330,000 acre-feet per year on average, or about 5% to 7% of the average annual water moved through the Sacramento River Delta by the state and federal projects.  These changes are in addition to restrictions required to protect the endangered Delta Smelt. 

Delta Smelt Lose Preliminary Injunction Hearing

The Delta smelt lost a round on May 29, 2009, when U.S. District Court Judge Oliver Wanger granted a preliminary injunction barring the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from implementing water restrictions on pumping water from the Sacramento River Delta.  

Judge Wanger wants the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to explain why alternative, less restrictive measures would not adequately protect the Delta smelt.  The ruling requires the service to consider impacts the pumping restrictions would likely have on "humans, communities and the environment."  The ruling came in a suit filed by Westlands Water District and San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority alleging that the service failed to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) when its biological opinion regarding the Delta smelt.  

A copy of the injunction is here:  http://www.acwa.com/uploads/PI_FindingsFact_ConcLaw5_29_2009.pdf

Nearly 15% Rate Hike Proposed in Serrano Water District

Serrano Water District (SWD) is raising rates starting in July 2009. A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, June 9 at 8:30 AM at the SWD offices.

Residential rates will change as follows:

2009/10

Current Rate $2.17

Proposed Rate $2.49

% Change from Current Rate 14.7% Increase

2010/11

Current Proposed Rate $2.49

New Proposed Rate $2.74

% Increase from $2.17  Rate 26.3% Increase