Fresno County Water Issue

[WinterrunRon]

Did anyone see the special on FOX and also Huell Howser's special on the water crisis affecting Fresno County last night?

They are farming between 0-30% of their land due to having a 10% federal allocation, tearing out perfectly good trees and crops that are dead or dying from lack of water and have laid off workers this summer (40% unemployment in the county). San Luis is at an all-time low level.

From what I heard, the delta pumps have been (were?) shut off due to the endangered smelt?

The reporting seemed a little one sided, and I'm sure there's more to the story, as there always is. Anyone have any insight on the "other side of the story?"

[Bob Laskodi]

And I'll bet Fox didn't report how Westland's is selling all this water to LA users at a fantastic and obscene profit! If they have all this water to sell to make big $$$$$$$ (and I mean big $$$$$) how come they don't have enough to distribute to the farmers in their own irrigation district!!!!!! If you want balanced and fair reporting never listen to a Fox "newscast". More like propaganda for the far right.

[pvsprme]

www.aquafornia.com
Best site for the issue. I live in the heart of it and my son-in-law is a farmer. The farmers believe all the water in the state should go to them. They dont see any value in fish, or recognize how many jobs are tied to clean water and fisheries in the north state. They've taken subsidized water, farmed marginal land with the benfit of cheap immigrant labor which they then dump on the taxpayer to support when it becomes more profitable to sell their water to LA than farm. 2500 acres of almonds were just turned fallow in Kings County when the corporate owners sold the water rights to LA for over $5000/acre foot. They'll continue to cry all the way to the bank while taking subsidies, tax cuts and corporate welfare, driving the small family farmer out until they sell all the water to the southland and turn their profits into some other venture; most likely housing over previously farmed land. A great read is "King of California", the story of JG Boswell, drainer of Tulare Lake and corporate welfare king.

[OceanSunfish]

To start out positively, CSPA has been winning in court where all the facts/truth come out on the record, thus the reason why recent federal rulings reduced pumping this past spring and hence the cutback to Fresno County farmers that rely on water from the Aquaduct.

CSPA is winning in court where the 'fight' counts.

IMO, Westlands, et al. have resorted to propaganda and utilizing 'tools' like sensationlized FOX 'entertainment' news to get the public sympathy in hopes that public outcry will put pressure on judicial decision makers.

Heull Howser, is good at going around and displaying amazement at what he sees, which is fine if he's showing us a waterfall in Yosemite, but his "Water Crisis" program was ridiculously narrow in scope IF you were to consider his show a 'news documentary'. (I'm not sure what his show is really) I suppose if CSPA had the funds to 'hire' Heull we would see a different story?

At least at the end of the show the contributors of that particular program were named which explained a lot....

With regards to Hannity's reports, well, it's pretty sad just how much he didn't report. IMO, he covered this story in only a way that fits specifically into his overall agenda and furthermore promotes his frustration with the current administration. Pretty sad how far so-call journalism has sunken too.

[Darian]

I agree with tristan about FOX News and the politicized nature of their broadcasts.

I'd like to provide some info that might spark some interest in you to look into this stuff, yourselves. It's true that:

Westlands sells excess water allocations to any and all downstream buyers (as do all entities who have excess water inventories, whether north or south),

it was reported that Westlands original allocation of water for 2009 was zero (later changed when the year was wetter than expected),

Westlands has agreed to retire 100,000 acres from cultivation to recieve payment from the feds (could this be some of the acreage where orchards are being torn up :?:),

farmers are retiring acreage and farm workers are unemployed at an slightly higher rate than normal (regardless of the reason),

agriculture is Californias economic gorilla and contributes to greater stability in the "balance of trade deficit" thru export of their products,

cotton crops are subsidized by the feds in support of lower prices to compete on the international market (apparently even in years when some products are in a surplus, worldwide, e.g. cotton),

Direct Payment Cash Subsidies formerly paid thru USDA have stopped but were replaced by :?::?: under the federal Farm Bill of 2006,

row crops are, generally, irrigated ineffeciciently compared to fruit and nut crops; growers of which have upgraded many acres down south to drip and other modern techniques (this was accomplished thru tax incentives provided to growers who upgrade, e.g. Paramount farms, etc.),

the programs on TV, "California Heartland" and the other (Euell Howsers) are sponsored by J G Boswell Foundation,

aquifers, water banks or "off-line" storage facilities (e.g. San Luis Reservoir, the proposed Sites Reservoir) are used to store/transfer water on a short term basis to accommodate the sales mentioned,

CSPA and other conservation organizations are guilty of putting out a narrow focus to generate interest in their own agendas (whether that is seen as good or bad is up to the reader),

welfare of low income farm workers has never been of great concern to growers in this state. It took state legislation to force growers to provide minimal housing, establish hydration requirements and improve working conditions (rest periods, tools, etc., for these workers),

some farm worker communities in the southern San Joaquin have experienced domestic water supplies that're polluted enough to be thought to be the cause of cancer clusters,

This was not meant to be an all inclusive listing as there's probably not enough space to enter it all. Just an attempt to show that there's a bunch more to it than meets the eye.... IMHO, everything's a two edged sword.... :neutral:

[Dormanw]

It's not only Huell Howser or Fox News, which is to serious journalism as Penthouse magazine is to women's studies, that is presenting an unbalanced view of the water crisis. A recent Wall Street Journal editorial brought this response from an environmental defense blog of some repute: "The Wall Street Journal’s editorial “California’s Man-Made Drought” (Sept. 2), buys into the false choice of fish versus jobs. It is disappointing that the Journal, given its financial focus, fails to address or even acknowledge opportunities for market-based solutions to improve water use efficiency. The editorial also ignores many salient aspects of water management in California.

The WSJ seems to believe that the “pumps” are off (pumps which convey water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to cities and farms to the south). The pumps were never “off” but pumping rates were reduced during spring months to protect endangered fish. While the legal rulings are in place due to concern over Delta smelt, it is only one of several species whose populations have plummeted in recent years as diversions of freshwater have reached record levels. The pumps are now at full capacity. Lester Snow, Director of California’s Department of Resources, estimated that protecting fish in the Delta reduced overall pumping only about 5% for the year. The largest reason for reduced deliveries is that California is in its third year of drought.

The WSJ notes high levels of unemployment in Central Valley towns. It does not mention that these towns have been economically depressed for decades and have been especially hard hit by the recent downturn in the construction industry.

The WSJ states that San Joaquin Valley farmers are an “endangered species”. Many farmers in the San Joaquin Valley are getting full supplies, in spite of the drought. Due to California’s water rights system, those who were the last to develop their land are awarded the most “junior” water rights. They are also hundreds of millions of dollars in debt to the United States for the cost of their water delivery systems – a debt that would be measured in billions were it not for the ZERO INTEREST loans they have carried over many decades.

The WSJ fails to mention that California, in spite of the drought and fishery protections, is projecting a record tomato crop. For the full comment, see
http://blogs.edf.org/waterfront/2009/09/03/the-wall-street-journal-buys-into-a-false-choice/

Incidentally, the morning after I viewed it, I emailed Howser's production company to protest the narrow point of view on his water crisis program and to suggest some alternative sources. I received a boiler plate response, written in his folksy Gomer Pyle style, to the effect that he greatly appreciated my writing, but that he's a busy man and hoped I wouldn't mind the form letter response. I'm now writing to local PBS station KVIE to see if someone there cares.

[Dabalone]

I watched Hannity's special. Disappointing at the least, obviously he is ignorant of the other sides to the argument is using the issue to try and embarrass some democrats and white house or both. It was shameful how the one person rebutting the farmers claims was treated, Hannity missed being fair and balanced by a country mile.

Having said that, I think Fox does a overall good job with their news division. People like Hannity and Beck are not news outlets, they are more of a talk show and openly admit their political stripes and disdain for liberalism. You watch them knowing what to expect, the same as if you chose to watch Keith Olbermann.

[Darian]

Dormanw,.... welcome to the BB. Good first post. :thumbsup:

[Larry S]

Isn't the Journal now a holding of Rupert Murdoch?
'Nuff said.

Larry S

[OceanSunfish]

Very good insight, indeed.

I know "two wrongs don't make a right", but why not contact Olberman et. al., at CNBC and offer up all the facts to get the complete story out, etc. Wouldn't Olberman love a good 'dig' back, etc. Maybe it's not in the best interest to get into such a mudslinging contest, and instead, stay the course in the court of law.

I don't have exact reference details, but I know the "Economist" magazine has been running stories on the CA Water situation for awhile, and from what I hear, the story has been very fair and objective. But, if not, then I would appreciate hearing otherwise. Nonetheless, interesting that the WSJ wasn't too thorough.

Lastly, when I heard the Comediene at the rally shout that the soils of the region affected are the most fertile soils on earth, I just chuckled and wondered what all the birds and frogs living in Kesterson think about that.....

[Dabalone]

California's massive population and its predicted growth for the future will push our water supplies to the breaking point. Possibly in less than only three decades our population will double, imagine twice as many people as you currently see in the state. The future for our fisheries looks a bit grim.

[Darian]

TFisher,.... I was hoping you'd participate in this discussion. Always good info from you. :nod: Hoping others will add their own perspectives.... :)

I have a partial explanation for the Folsom Dam issue. For many years, now, the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA) has had an agreement with BuRec to maintain Folsom at a maximum capacity of 50%. What that translates into is increased flows in the lower Amercan River until the agreed upon level is reached (regardless of inflow rates). Other releases are contractual/discretionary. According to SAFCA, the agreement was recently renewed. Altho this means Folsom might be managed better if the agreement was not in affect, it certainly doesn't guarantee that it would've.... :confused: Not much incentive to conserve water here.... :-s

(re-read the next to last sentence and edited it....)

[WinterrunRon]

Great posts, you guys.... lots of good info there. Darian, Tristan, Ocean, thanks for chiming in a couple of times.

I don't know about the politics, water rights, water contracts and all that and I don't know if anyone really does. It seems with everyone wanting an finger in the pie, these things are bound to overlap, I guess.

I do know this. In years past, Folsom has been filled to maximum capacity many times during the first three months of the year. And like clockwork, it's let out just as fast. One year not too long ago, I was down fishing sailor bar several times a week for steelhead, and the gate alarm from Nimbus must have went off 15 times in 30 fishing days! Then summer arrives, and we don't have enough water because of some 50% rule being applied? Geeez-o-pete? #-o

Unless I can be convinced otherwise (I'm usually willing to have an open mind), I will never be in favor for building more dams or increasing our storage capacity until what we have is better managed. More is not the anwser... often never is. Better, more effecient is the answer... almost always. That's all I know about that!

PS. And for the record, I thought the "reporting" of this issue was offensive. How stupid does that Hannity guy thing we are? Choosing people over a minnow? What an rediculous comment to make suggesting that's the simple issue. What happend to fair and unbiased "news" reporting. Seems every "news" channel has an agenda. Guess that's why I seldom watch FOX, MSNBC, etc. BTW, I don't like that Rachel gal, Oberman, or anyone else passing themselves off as a reporter when their not reporting, but rather being a mouthpiece. I do find Anderson Cooper relatively neutral and will watch him once in a while.

Man, is the fishing slow around here or what?

Ron