Tag: water

Bureau of Reclamation Steps In

Tell the federal government what to do about the Colorado River.

The Colorado River’s use is governed by an agreement among the seven states that draw water from it, and that agreement is overseen by the Bureau of Reclamation, a part of the Department of the Interior. The current arrangement is completely inadequate to meet the growing demands of the water users and the dwindling water in the river. After the states blew past a couple of deadlines without putting together a new plan, the Bureau came up with a couple of ideas of their own and — this is the good part — they’ve published the plan and have opened it for comment. Wide open. You can comment.

“Reclamation is particularly interested in receiving specific recommendations related to the analyses or alternatives that can be considered and potentially integrated into the SEIS.” (Quote from Reclamation’s page linked in the next paragraph.)

Here’s the plan on the Bureau’s page: https://www.usbr.gov/ColoradoRiverBasin/SEIS.html

Brace yourself. It’s over 400 pages not counting the appendices. There has also been a lot in the press about the river’s woes lately, including a flurry of new articles about Reclamation’s proposals. Google is your friend. And there will be Zooms on May 4, 8, 10, and 16. Details are on that same page I linked to above.

If your head is clear enough to frame an opinion after all that, you can comment here: https://www.swcavirtualpublicinvolvement.com/cr-interimops-comment-form

AB 125 Passed by Ag Committee

Today AB 125 passed the Assembly Agriculture Committee. The $3 billion agriculture bond is now awaiting hearing by the Committee on Natural Resources.

There seems to be strong support for the bill. Some groups objected to the portions of the bill that deal with meat because, meat. It’s a polarizing issue. And then Assemblyman Adam Gray (D-Merced) withheld his support until such time as more is done to ensure water for agriculture. Another legislator, who nonetheless voted to pass, thanked Gray for bringing up the issue. Rivas, who introduced the bill, said he’d handle it. I’m curious to see how that works out. Water is more polarizing than meat.