Will drought relief money be used to support overpumping Delta water?

Will drought relief money be used to support overpumping Delta water?

by Dan Bacher

Sacramento - Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell announced at a press conference on Friday, February 6, that the Bureau of Reclamation is making $50 million in funds available immediately for controversial "drought relief" projects throughout the West —including nearly $20 million for California’s Central Valley Project (CVP).

The announcement drew criticism from opponents of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP) to build the twin tunnels, who questioned whether $5.37 million in federal funds for alleged “Delta needs” will support the overpumping of Delta water that threatens Central Valley salmon and other fish species with extinction.

The conference took place at time when California fish populations are in unprecedented crisis, due to massive mismanagement of northern California reservoirs and rivers by the state and federal governments during a record drought. The Delta smelt, formerly the most abundant fish in the Bay-Delta Estuary, is near extinction, while American River steelhead have collapsed to a record low population level and the endangered winter run Chinook continues to be imperiled by low, warm water conditions caused by the draining of northern California reservoirs to benefit corporate agribusiness and southern California water agencies.

Jewell claimed the "funding will help stretch water supplies in California’s Central Valley and throughout West during time of historic drought."

“California’s ongoing drought is wreaking havoc on farmers, ranchers, municipalities, tribes and the environment,” said Secretary Jewell. “With climate change, droughts are projected to become more intense and frequent in many parts of the West, so we need to pursue every measure to provide relief and support to communities who are feeling the impacts.”

“Today’s funding will help boost immediate and long-term efforts to improve water efficiencies and increase resilience in high-risk communities, including in California’s Central Valley,” claimed Jewell. “I appreciate the support of Congress, especially that of Senator Feinstein and the California delegation, in helping make these much needed funds available."

“California is ground zero for drought. There is no state that is worse off,” Jewell emphasized during the conference.

Secretary Jewell made the announcement after a meeting with Governor Jerry Brown to discuss the Obama Administration’s "all-in"approach to the drought in California. These efforts include "strategic investments in science and monitoring, operational flexibility to help manage limited water supplies and other efforts to ensure that public health and safety are not compromised."

"This important investment will help us improve how we save and move water, while continuing to protect sensitive habitat and wildlife," claimed Governor Brown, who continues to support the expansion of fracking in California and the Bay Delta Conservation Plan to build the peripheral tunnels, the most environmentally destructive public works project in California history. "Even with recent storms, we have a long, dry trek ahead and a close partnership with the federal government is crucial."

The $50 million for Western Drought Response was made available through the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015, according to Secretary Jewell's office. The funding enables Reclamation to "work with water districts and other water users to increase efficiency and conservation of available water." Highlights include:

• $19.9 million for California’s Central Valley Project. This includes: $5.37 million for Delta needs, including drought monitoring for endangered species and mechanisms to increase flexibility in water operations; $2.38 million for the Friant-Kern Canal Reverse Flow Pumping Project to bank groundwater for the southern portion of the Friant Division; $3.65 million for Water and Power Operations to facilitate water transfers in the summer months; $1 million to continue the Battle Creek habitat conservation work; $1.5 million to support the Livingston Stone Hatchery; and $6 million for refuges, including acquisition, conveyance and diversification of water supplies.


• $9 million for WaterSMART and Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse Program grants. The competitive grants programs support water conservation initiatives and technological breakthroughs that promote water reuse, recycling and conservation in partnership with states, tribes and other partners.

• $5 million for Drought Response and Comprehensive Drought Plans. This new program is helping states, tribes and local governments prepare for and address drought in advance of a crisis with 50/50 percent federal/non-federal funding.


• $8.6 million for the Lower Colorado River Basin Drought Response Action Plan. Funding will be used to generate up to 10,000 acre-feet of water annually in the Colorado River system storage.

In addition to the Western Drought Response funding, Reclamation is also dedicating an additional $8.8 million for the Central Valley Project made available through the Act. "The funding will support operations and maintenance, fish passage and fish screens and supplement the Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) water conservation partnerships to improve efficiency of agricultural water use in the state," according to Interior.

Restore the Delta (RTD), opponents of Governor Jerry Brown’s rush to build Twin Tunnels that would drain the Delta and doom salmon and other Pacific fisheries, responded to U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell’s announcement by questioning whether $5.37 million earmarked for "Delta needs" will actually be used to drive Central Valley salmon and other fish closer to extinction.

"Secretary Jewell's announcement mentions that $5.37 million will be available for Delta needs for drought monitoring of endangered species, and to increase flexibility in water operations,” said Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, executive director of Restore the Delta. “What we fear is that this spending plan will translate into funding to manage the system so that the greatest amount of water is exported to big agribusiness growers on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley."

"We are on the verge of losing Delta smelt; and salmon are at great risk during this drought," said Barrigan-Parrilla. "Where is the concern about water quality for our fisheries and for the farms and municipalities of the Delta?"

She also asked, "When is Secretary Jewell going to meet with the protectors of the San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary?"

For more information, go to: http://www.restorethedelta.org

On February 2, President Obama released his proposed budget for fiscal year 2015 that includes $37 million for "Bay-Delta Restoration to develop a comprehensive long-term plan to achieve the co-equal goals for securing California’s water supply and restoring the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta ecosystem" - in other words, the Bay Delta Conservation Plan to build the twin tunnels.

Obama's budget also includes:

• $89 million for Interior’s WaterSMART program, which promotes water conservation initiatives.


• $123 million for the Central Valley Project to fund operations, management and improvements within the project, as well as for the Trinity River Restoration Program.

• $35 million for the San Joaquin River Restoration Program to restore and maintain fish populations along the river, and improve water management to avoid impacts to supplies for water contractors.

For more information: http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/secretary-jewell-announces-50-million-for-western-drought-response.cfm