The Kern County Water Agency voted Thursday to pony up its $32.6 million share of planning and pre-construction costs for the so-called delta tunnel after its member districts gave a somewhat grudging go-ahead. This phase of the tunnel is expected to cost $300 million, a tiny fraction of the eventual cost, estimated at $20 billion by the Department of Water Resources but closer to $50 billion by environmental opponents. “The decision was not easy for us. There were a lot of thoughts and discussion about dropping out entirely or lowering our participation level,” said Sheridan Nicholas, General Manager of the Wheeler Ridge-Maricopa Water Storage District. The district ultimately voted at its March 12 meeting to continue funding the tunnel but sent a letter to the agency with contingencies.