California "Water Bank" in Works Amid Drought
US: September 5, 2008
SAN FRANCISCO - California's state government is forming a "water bank" to
buy water for local water agencies at risk of shortages next year should a
current drought persist, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Thursday.
Schwarzenegger in June declared the most populous US state to officially be
in drought and declared nine counties in its farm-rich Central Valley to be
in a state of emergency because water supplies were so low after two years
of below-average rainfall.
California's water shortages have been compounded by a federal court order
to limit pumping water from the state's San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta
to protect a species of fish.
The delta area east of San Francisco is the state's fresh water hub. Its
water is conveyed across the state, including as far away as Southern
California.
California's 2009 Drought Water Bank will buy water primarily from local
water agencies and farmers upstream of the delta and make it available for
sale to public and private water systems expecting to run short of water
next year.
The last time California's Department of Water Resources set up a water bank
was in the early 1990s and the agency plans much more strict guidelines for
its new effort, said Wendy Martin, the statewide drought coordinator for the
agency.
"We will be paying closer attention to ... making sure water is being used
for the greatest and highest public service. We're not going to let people
take water and use it for frivolous reasons," Martin told Reuters by
telephone.
She noted that agencies buying water through the bank will have to commit to
a 20 percent reduction in overall water use.
Schwarzenegger said the program will help ease water shortages if
California's drought presses on and he once again urged lawmakers to agree
on a bond bill for financing an expansion of the state's water storage and
delivery infrastructure.
"California's drought is impacting our economy, our agriculture and our
families, and an end to these dry conditions is nowhere in sight," he said.
"While we are taking action to address the state's drought situation, there
remains an urgent need for Californians to step up conservation efforts and
for the legislature to pass a comprehensive water plan that will ensure
California has the water it needs to keep our economy strong and our people
working," Schwarzenegger added.
The Republican governor has threatened the Democrat-led legislature he will
not sign any of its bills until it crafts a state budget -- now more than
two months overdue -- but he will make an exception for legislation
approving state debt for water infrastructure, which he wants to put to
voters as a ballot measure, said spokeswoman Lisa Page.
Schwarzenegger and US Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat, have teamed up to
promote a US$9.3 billion plan to lawmakers that would address the delta's
environmental problems while expanding the state's water works.
Their plan and rival plans have been sidelined in the legislature as
lawmakers haggle over a state budget.
"Right now the No. 1 priority is passing a responsible budget. No talks are
taking place on water," said Alicia Trost, a spokeswoman for Senate
President pro Tem Don Perata.
Story by Jim Christie
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
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