Issue Position: California Water Crisis

Issue Position

Water for our Valley

The San Joaquin Valley needs water to survive. Our Valley's jobs and way of life are at stake, and it is my top priority to ensure that our farmers, workers, and communities receive the water we need to get our economy going again.

We are making progress, and each day is a new opportunity to secure more water and take on the critics of our Valley. This page will provide you with background on the water crisis, along with news and updates on my ongoing efforts to increase the flow of water to our Valley.

About the Water Crisis

Flawed policies and court-ordered water limitations, coupled with three years of below average rain fall, have taken their toll on our Valley. While drought conditions have made things worse, the water supply challenges we must confront are man-made.

A series of policies and regulations aimed at protecting fish and restoring the health of the Delta have severely limited our water supply. These one-sided regulations, which are backed by extreme members of the environmental community and Valley outsiders, have failed to restore fish populations or the health of the Delta. Instead, they have wreaked havoc on our economy and threatened the livelihoods of future generations of Valley residents.

On top of these misguided regulations, California's water infrastructure simply cannot support our state's growing population. Our water system was originally designed for 20 million people. By 2030, we could have as many as 50 million people residing in the state. Along with doing everything we can to fight for immediate increases to our water supply, we must also focus on solutions to our long-term water needs.

Simply put, we need water now, and our children and grandchildren will need water in the future.

Water Equals Jobs

Water translates into jobs and economic security for our region. The water limitations and years of drought have forced over half a million acres of farmland out of production and have had a ripple effect throughout our entire economy. From the producers, transporters, and sellers all the way to local businesses, countless Valley jobs are tied to the success of our $36 billion agricultural sector.

The catastrophic impact of the water supply crisis on Valley job losses is clearly illustrated by respected economists with the University of California, Davis, who estimate that because of reduced water supplies in 2009, the San Joaquin Valley lost more than 21,500 jobs, and calculate that the current restrictions are reducing regional economic output by $8 million a day.

Agricultural development is economic development in the Valley. Securing an increased supply of water is critical to putting people back to work and making a full economic recovery.

Taking On Our Critics

Ideologically driven lawmakers and critics of our valley are more than willing to play the blame game. They justify the water limitations by falsely blaming Valley agriculture for the decline in the Delta's health.

For years, we've operated under flawed policies and bad science aimed at restoring the Delta's health and protecting fish. However, the current biological opinions in place have neither restored fish populations, nor strengthened the health of the Delta.

So, as critics continue to point fingers at the Valley, other regions far to our North continue to dump nitrates, ammonia and other pollutants into the Delta. In fact, nearly 14 million pounds of nitrates have been dumped in the Delta since 2000.

Placing the blame on the Valley for degrading the Delta is both disingenuous and a full-scale attack on the people who call the Valley home. Our critics would be well served to remember where their food comes from and the critical role our region plays in our nation's economy.

Producing Results

Water is the lifeblood of our Valley. Without water there are no jobs and no economic opportunity. Fighting to increase our water supply is my top priority and we are making progress.

Last year, farmers on the Westside received a mere 10% water allocation. After my repeated efforts to press the Administration to do more, we have increased the allocation this year to 30%, with an additional 8-10% more of supplemental water being made available at contract rates. This possible 40% water allocation means that more farmers will be able to plant crops and put people back to work.

I have also secured funding for projects that will bring additional water to our region. For instance, I secured $10 million dollars in the last year's Energy and Water Appropriations bill that will facilitate water transfers totaling up to 150,000 acre-feet of water in the Valley. I also pushed the Administration to allocate $32 million in funds for drought relief in the Valley, along with an additional $20.7 million that was recently re-allocated for the Intertie project.

Our work is far from over, but we are winning this fight and more water is flowing to the Valley.

We will continue to fight against the flawed biological opinions and regulations that are dumping our water into the Pacific Ocean in the name of misguided environmentalism. We will continue to press the Administration and support a legal strategy to get the pumps flowing at maximum capacity. We will also continue to take on our critics and keep working towards long-term solutions to protect our Valley and state's water supply for generations to come.

To stay up to date on the progress we are making, check this page for regular updates and announcements.

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