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

New USC report shows promise of the portfolio approach

Coalition response…While claiming that excerpts from the USC report validates the portfolio-based conceptual alternative that features a single tunnel through the Delta, the author of this blog conveniently avoids a recommendation of the report regarding State water planning that states: “All of these elements require substantial investment to ensure a sustainable water supply future for the State.” (Page xxvi)

Applying this recommendation to the single tunnel in the alternative proves that the report does not provide support since the single tunnel would not deliver the water needed by millions of acres of farmland and 25 million Californians that rely on water that passes through the Delta.

BDCP researchers have studied (http://baydeltaconservationplan.com/Libraries/Dynamic_Document_Library/EIR-EIS_Alternatives_Update_Fact_Sheet_3-6-12.sflb.ashx) various sizes of tunnels, including 3,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) that is the size of the single tunnel. Their conclusion is that a 3,000 cfs tunnel simply does not provide the water needed for users. A comparison of the single versus twin-tunnels can be found at http://swc.org/images/stories/SWC.TunnelComparison.FINAL.pdf.

The USC report focused on three Southern Californian water districts—Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Huntington Beach and Cucamonga Valley. None of these districts deliver water to farms. Individuals and groups who champion the single tunnel ignore the impacts it would have on California farmers. A recent analysis at www.farmwater.org/BDCP-NRDC_alt.pdf reveals that 750,000 acres of farmland would no longer have a water supply to produce the fresh fruits and vegetables that consumers seek in the marketplace. This is the unwelcomed result of a single tunnel.