Issue Position: Water Equals Jobs

Issue Position

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 estimated that because of reduced water supplies in 2009, the San Joaquin Valley lost thouseands of jobs, and calculate that the current restrictions have been 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.

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