Nancy Hamer: Put our aqueducts underground and we’ll save enormous amounts of water

Southern California wants more water. With the help of Gov. Jerry Brown, they want to take the Sacramento River and send it south through the twin tunnels, upsetting the delicate balance between fresh water and salt water in the Delta. Instead of the twin tunnels under the Delta, why not re-build the old California Aqueduct by burying it underground, saving at least 30 percent of the water lost to evaporation and through cracks in the aqueduct. That would also keeping cars, dead bodies and other hazards out of the water.

So 30 percent more clean water for Souther California without upsetting the balance in the Delta – a win for all. Actually all irrigation ditches and canals should be buried, providing more water for irrigation and less need to take water out of the rivers so there is more water for fish. This would create jobs and be a large investment in all of California's future for cities, farmers and fish.

We need need to build more dams and water storage areas for the dry years that will come and not waste the water we have.

This story was originally published July 10, 2017 at 6:02 PM with the headline "Nancy Hamer: Put our aqueducts underground and we’ll save enormous amounts of water."