Governor should reduce water to fisheries, environment, county officials say

Farmers, cities, residents, business owners and just about everyone else in California have been required to cut back on water use during the worst drought on record.

Stanislaus County officials think that Gov. Jerry Brown should further reduce water consumption by cutting supplies to the environment and fisheries. While others have made sacrifices, they said, the environment has not shared in the pain.

Under a consent item for Tuesday’s meeting, the Board of Supervisors could approve a resolution asking the governor to introduce more fairness into the state’s drought restrictions. The proposed resolution was in board agenda documents released Friday afternoon.

“Especially in Stanislaus County, we are doing our part,” board Chairman Terry Withrow said. “We feel like the environmental side has not had to give. We think the environment needs to give, too.”

In early May, Fresno County approved a strongly worded drought resolution in an attempt to obtain more water for the parched San Joaquin Valley. It suggested that federal and state agencies curtail water supplies dedicated to environmental purposes. Other counties were asked to sign the proclamation.

Stanislaus would send its own resolution to the governor’s office, the State Water Resources Control Board and state Office of Emergency Services. Similar to the Fresno resolution, it asks the governor to ease the burden on urban areas and farmers by:

▪ Directing the state water board to change its operations in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to reduce allocations for the environment and fishery habitat;

▪ Urging the U.S. Department of Interior to be flexible in regulating water operations that affect endangered species;

▪ Supporting Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s legislative efforts to make more water available in the San Joaquin Valley;

▪ Continuing with state assistance programs and asking for more federal assistance.

The county maintains that 45 percent of the state’s managed water supply goes to fishery protection, wildlife refuges and support for endangered species such as the Delta smelt. A county report says another 45 percent goes to agriculture and 10 percent to urban areas.

The State Water Resources Control Board is considering a plan to support salmon by increasing flows in the Tuolumne River, which would further reduce supplies for irrigation districts in Stanislaus County.

The county’s Water Advisory Committee was asked for its opinion on the Fresno County proclamation and agreed with sharing the concerns with the governor’s office.

“What we are striving for is some sort of balance or fairness,” county Water Resources Manager Walter Ward said Friday. “More than anything, I think we are lining up politically with counties that are struggling with the same issues.”

Ward noted that federal and state agencies are involved with managing water that runs through the Delta, based on endangered species legislation and biological opinions. Valley farmers have seen their water allocations curtailed by decisions of the federal Bureau of Reclamation, state Department of Water Resources, the Water Resources Control Board and local irrigation districts.

“It is painful for all of us, but it has not been painful for the environment,” Withrow said. “I think there is a place where we can all meet in the middle. Everyone has to give during times like this.”

Fresno County supervisors said they wanted the governor to take executive action and reduce the amount of water for the environment similar to the 25 percent demanded of urban users.

Their drought resolution was a topic of discussion with federal legislators and officials when county representatives made a trip to Washington, D.C.

This story was originally published June 14, 2015 at 6:24 PM with the headline "Governor should reduce water to fisheries, environment, county officials say."