Hang on to your water rights, people

Farmers on the West Side and the southern part of the San Joaquin Valley got some alarming news this week with the announcement that they might only get 5 percent of their State Water Project allocations in 2010. It was the lowest ever initial allocation.

Even though the allocation probably will rise — it has almost every year — this is dire news for farmers who have to decide now or very soon what to plant this winter.

Reduced allocations also will affect millions of Southern California city dwellers that rely heavily on the State Water Project for domestic water. Many cities have already implemented severe water conservation restrictions.

Farmers have let some fields go fallow and have increasingly turned to wells during the drought. But some wells have gone dry.

The announcement has no impact on eastern Stanislaus and Merced counties, which rely on reservoirs that stand pretty close to average levels. In fact, Don Pedro Reservoir — owned by the Turlock and Modesto irrigation districts — jumps out at anyone looking at the state Department of Water Resources map because it is the only major reservoir in the state with more than the historical average of water. But the disparity is noticed by thirsty people elsewhere in the state, which is why the districts have to be so protective of their water rights.

Meanwhile, there was one piece of good news this week, for all of us. The National Weather Service put out a three-month forecast showing California can expect above-average precipitation this winter. See the map for yourself at www.cpc.noaa.gov. So, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow — through the holidays and beyond.