Canal not a solution for Delta, columnist says
Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on July 20, 2008 at 7:18 amFrom Stockton’s Record, this column by Michael Fitzgerald:
I’m not a gung-ho environmentalist, but I’m pretty much against Earth dying, including the part I live in - the Delta, a wonderful place. So last week’s recommendation by the Public Policy Institute of California to build the Peripheral Canal and suck water out of rivers that feed the Delta and convey it around the Delta to cities and farms far away truly depresses me.
Here is why, in a nutshell:
“Selecting an export strategy,” the report reads, “does not, in itself, solve the Delta’s problems; … many technical regulatory, financial, governance, and policy decisions must accompany the implementation of a long-term strategy. In particular,” it goes on, “no matter which export strategy is selected, there will have to be investment in improvements of aquatic habitats within the Delta to increase the likelihood of fish recovery.”
In other words, a peripheral canal is necessary because the Delta is dying. But a peripheral canal will not keep it from dying.
In those lines, the peripheral canal can be seen for what it is: just another export-oriented engineering solution so contrary to nature it guarantees destruction.
“Cadillac Desert” all over again. Cadillac Valley.
Every time it appears progress has buried the crew-cut strain of 1940s dam builders arrogant enough to believe they can go nature one better, they bulldoze out of their graves and rev up their cement mixers.
And don’t kid yourself. Once the water users get their water, you can bet “investment in improvements of aquatic habitats” will never be more than a gesture.
Read more of Michael Fitzgerald’s column in the Record by clicking here.
Comments
Leave a Reply