Central Valley Business Times: Wanger’s ruling a ‘devastating blow’

From the Central Valley Business Times tonight:

A U.S. District court judge late Friday agreed with environmentalists’ claims that the tiny Delta smelt is endangered by current pumping levels of the State Water Project and the Central Valley Project, the vast water systems that serve about 25 million Californians.

If it survives expected appeals, the ruling would restrict water deliveries from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to the Bay Area, the Central Valley and Southern California.

“Judge Oliver Wanger’s decision is a devastating blow to our water supply system and state economy,” says Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in a written statement Friday night. “This decision is also going to have a devastating impact on the state’s economy and the 25 million Californians who depend on Delta water.”

Water agencies maintain that the decline of the Delta smelt could be for a myriad of reasons, but apparently, Judge Wanger was unconvinced. The ruling will likely bolster Governor Schwarzenegger’s case for more water storage and conveyance projects:

Mr. Schwarzenegger says the latest opinion underscores the need to invest in more water storage projects:

“Following today’s ruling, there can be no doubt, we need more water storage and greater conservation efforts to meet the needs of our growing population, respond to the challenge climate change presents and meet the requirements of what the court has imposed,” the governor says.

To read the full text of the story from the Central Valley Business Times, click here.

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