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

Op-ed: California’s water house of cards

Coalition response…Unreliable surface water deliveries have pushed farmers to groundwater in order to survive. When similar groundwater issues occurred in the 1920’s the State and federal governments initiated the water projects that helped farmers continue to produce fresh fruits and vegetables for California and the nation. Today those projects are crippled by environmental regulations, such as the Endangered Species Act. A comprehensive solution, such as the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, which enhances the ecosystem and invests in new water facilities, is what’s needed to resolve some of today’s groundwater overdraft issues. Doing that should minimize future water supply cuts that have left hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland unproductive and unable to grow the food we all depend on to feed our families.