Western Water: War or Peace
More from the May/June issue: Whatever direction the BDCP takes, it will represent a major milestone in the history of California water. It is clear that with so many interested parties, the ultimate scope and scale of the project cannot easily be prognosticated.
More from the May/June issue: Whatever direction the BDCP takes, it will represent a major milestone in the history of California water. It is clear that with so many interested parties, the ultimate scope and scale of the project cannot easily be prognosticated. While the size of the project is not the overriding factor, it is inescapable that it is of great concern from an economic and environmental perspective. Water contractors, such as Westlands’ Jason Peltier, want the BDCP to put them on a path to reliability and sustainability. “We do not want the status quo; for us we do not want what we’ve had for 20 years,” Peltier said at ACWA. “Our bag of tricks is empty and we need an improvement and for those that think saving the Delta means maintaining the status quo … maintaining the status quo is not saving the Delta.” Going forward, officials will have to contend with the opinions of people such as Rep. John Garamendi, D-Walnut Grove, who speaks for many of his constituents in opposing the BDCP. “California is once again embroiled in a water war,” Garamendi wrote. “The Bay Delta Conservation Plan is not a comprehensive plan; it is a plumbing system that seeks to extract water from one part of the state and deliver it to another part. If history is any indication, water wars are expensive and fruitless. Only by embracing a comprehensive plan that creates new water for the entire state can we avoid gridlock and a water war.” Continue reading by ordering the digital version of this issue of Western Water – check out the free preview below and click here to order your copy! Click to launch the full edition in a new window.