Jerry Brown spent much political capital three decades ago to persuade the Legislature to authorize construction of a "peripheral canal" that would complete the immense statewide water project his father had begun.
Brown and state Sen. Ruben Ayala — who died this month — cajoled, twisted arms and bought (with local pork barrel projects) enough votes to finally win legislative approval. But a strange-bedfellows alliance of big San Joaquin Valley farmers and environmental groups sponsored a referendum on the project and persuaded voters to block it in 1982.
That paralyzed water policy until former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger jump-started it with legislative approval of a new water policy apparatus, coupled with an $11.2 billion bond issue scheduled for November's ballot.
Brown is governor again and has elevated water to his second highest priority after balancing the state budget.
The greatest challenge for Brown and legislative leaders would be to make some changes in the bond issue to enhance its chances of passage without reopening the entire water issue and, in effect, going back to square one.
Brown still wants the peripheral canal, or something like it, transporting Sacramento River water around (or under) the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to the head of the California Aqueduct near Tracy. He and other advocates contend that it would be the best approach to water supply reliability and the delta's water quality and wildlife habitat problems.
But it still has steadfast opposition, especially in and around the delta and among environmental groups, and any reopening of the issue could give them a new avenue to block the project.
Brown must weigh that against the possibility that the water bond will be rejected unless it is stripped of pork that has little or nothing to do with improving water supplies or delta improvement. Water is tricky business, as Brown knows from harsh experience.
THE SACRAMENTO BEE
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