Bera Convenes Local Leaders to Determine Further Action on Drought Crisis, Discuss Long-Term Water Supply

Press Release

Congressman Ami Bera, M.D. convened a regional discussion about water supply concerns at the Folsom Community Center Tuesday to determine additional steps that can be taken at the federal and local levels to address the drought crisis, and to work on a unified regional response. Community stakeholders, representatives from neighboring Congressional offices, and other local leaders discussed the current drought conditions, progress on the Folsom Dam, and the Bay Delta Conservation Plan.

Bera voted last week for the Omnibus Appropriations Act which restores the federal government's emergency drought programs. The President recently signed it into law.

"With no signs of this record drought ending any time soon, we must do everything in our power to protect the water that Sacramento County families, small businesses, and farmers rely on," said Bera. "I'm continuing to look for solutions at the federal level, while also working with my colleagues to ensure that the Folsom Dam has the operating flexibility necessary to keep water in Sacramento County, and that the Bureau of Reclamation and USDA are doing everything in their power to respond to this emergency. We must also find a long-term, comprehensive plan for securing water access and storage that adds to our water supply rather than taking from it, and that is based on sound science."

Among the topics discussed were surface water storage in Folsom Reservoir, temporarily closing fishing in the lower American River, tapping into regional groundwater supplies, and the need for conveyance facilities, wells, and pumps to help deliver stored groundwater to Sacramento.

"There are actions that we can take in the region to better utilize water stored in the groundwater basin," said Folsom Mayor Kerri Howell. "200,000 acre feet of water were stored by the Sacramento Suburban Water District as part of a conjunctive use program approved about 12 years ago, and partially funded by State Grants through what are now the Sacramento Groundwater Authority and Regional Water Authority."

Other participants included:
Representative of Congresswoman Doris Matsui, Anne Sanger
Representative of Congressman Jerry McNerney, Gary Prost
Folsom City Manager Evert Palmer
City of Folsom, Director of Environmental and Water Resources Marcus Yasutake
Citrus Heights Mayor Mel Turner
President of Northern California Water Association David Guy
Partner with Municipal Consulting Group Kenneth Payne
Executive Director of Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency, Richard Johnson

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