Edwin J. Erwin: Why does state want more water? To send it south
Re “Day of reckoning is coming for rivers, with state about to reveal flow targets” (Front page, Sept. 11): I just read the well written article by Opinions Page Editor Mike Dunbar regarding the State Water Resources Control Board’s proposed increase of out-flows of the Tuolumne, Stanislaus and Merced rivers. One factor not discussed is the offset this water increase would have to the reduced Sacramento River flow through the San Joaquin Delta Area that would result from implementation of Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed twin tunnel water project, his so-called California WaterFix.
The proposed additional water through the Delta would help mitigate many environmental impacts created by the bypass of Sacramento River water under the Delta. This would be a major boost in justifying the project when the Army Corps of Engineers and others agencies do their environmental impact reviews.
Gov. Brown’s tunnel project would allow much more northern California water to flow south at the expense of Central Valley communities, creating the economic devastation highlighted in Dunbar’s article. That’s just not right
Edwin J. Erwin, Ceres
This story was originally published September 12, 2016 at 2:46 PM with the headline "Edwin J. Erwin: Why does state want more water? To send it south."