Darian
08-01-2011, 11:14 PM
For those of us who follow such issues, there was a very interesting, front page article in the Sunday SacBee concerning the bounty for agriculture brought about by a couple of very wet winters. :-| Check it out at:
www.sacbee.com/2011/07/31/3806034/surplus-water-flowing-to-states.html
Included in the text is some disturbing information about the extent of that bounty and the negative impact on delta fish species thru increased pumping. First, the surplus was so massive that BuRec and SWR had to reduce contract prices in order to sell the excess to willing buyers (as if any water agency would turn it down :lol: ) at the discounted rate of $9.00 an acre foot (ACF). :shock: In most cases, the contractual price is in excess of $50.00 per ACF. This represents up to a 75% discount.... :\\
Among the largest to benefit from this largess is the Kern County Water Agency (owned in part by Paramount Farms :-s ) who is supposed to use the water to re-charge its groundwater acquifer. Another is, of course, Westlands. Can you just imagine the profits to be made thru sale of water purchased at $9.00 per ACF.... :?: :?:
With all of that in mind, is there any doubt that the volume of water pumped at Tracy set an annual record and that included 660,000 ACF of surplus water :?: Ordinarily, i wouldn't have that much to say about this but where's the incentive to conserve :?:
Please note that the article mentions, in passing, that increased pumping resulted in "salvage" (a term used to describe killing of fish) of 8.9 million Split-Tail, 37,000 Chinook Salmon and 2 Sturgeon. No mention of the number of Stripers or Delta Smelt "salvaged" during pumping. So much for the EPA. :rolleyes:
All of this while the beneficiaries of all of this owe the feds/state fees to re-pay tax monies advanced to construct the system.... #-o
www.sacbee.com/2011/07/31/3806034/surplus-water-flowing-to-states.html
Included in the text is some disturbing information about the extent of that bounty and the negative impact on delta fish species thru increased pumping. First, the surplus was so massive that BuRec and SWR had to reduce contract prices in order to sell the excess to willing buyers (as if any water agency would turn it down :lol: ) at the discounted rate of $9.00 an acre foot (ACF). :shock: In most cases, the contractual price is in excess of $50.00 per ACF. This represents up to a 75% discount.... :\\
Among the largest to benefit from this largess is the Kern County Water Agency (owned in part by Paramount Farms :-s ) who is supposed to use the water to re-charge its groundwater acquifer. Another is, of course, Westlands. Can you just imagine the profits to be made thru sale of water purchased at $9.00 per ACF.... :?: :?:
With all of that in mind, is there any doubt that the volume of water pumped at Tracy set an annual record and that included 660,000 ACF of surplus water :?: Ordinarily, i wouldn't have that much to say about this but where's the incentive to conserve :?:
Please note that the article mentions, in passing, that increased pumping resulted in "salvage" (a term used to describe killing of fish) of 8.9 million Split-Tail, 37,000 Chinook Salmon and 2 Sturgeon. No mention of the number of Stripers or Delta Smelt "salvaged" during pumping. So much for the EPA. :rolleyes:
All of this while the beneficiaries of all of this owe the feds/state fees to re-pay tax monies advanced to construct the system.... #-o