http://aquafornia.com/archives/9771 The California Water News blog! Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:48:00 -0800 hourly 1 http://aquafornia.com/archives/9771/comment-page-1#comment-15503 dfb Sun, 28 Jun 2009 05:34:02 +0000 http://aquafornia.com/?p=9771#comment-15503 Beyond demanding the pumps be turned on full bore, Mr. Nunes has declined to provide the leadership necessary to resolve the many complex issues involved with water management and the various constituencies beyond a few big, wealthy farmers in his district who will not receive full contractual water allotments from the projects. As the Cal Supreme Court has said over and over, “the scope and technical complexity of issues concerning water resource management are unequaled by virtually any other type of activity presented to the courts.” Environmental Def. Fund, Inc. v. East Bay Mun. Util. Dist., 26 Cal.3d 183, 194 (1980). The issue is more than just farmers versus fish. It has to do with fisherman who depend on the salmon; coastal tourist industry who serves the fishing, whale watching, and other coastal communities who depend on salmon and other sealife implicated; Delta communities whose livelihoods are interconnected with the health of the delta or who moved to the delta specifically for the lifestyle it provides; delta farmers; city dwellers who enjoy the delta for recreation; city dwellers who get their water from the Delta; farmers who get water from the delta; future generations of each; and so on. And in each group there are a variety of perspectives and needs. Moreover, each has a particular priority in their water rights or contractual rights. I expect more of Mr. Nunes, that he begin to realize the complexity of the situation and leads accordingly. Otherwise, he should expect to be soundly ignored in the future. Beyond demanding the pumps be turned on full bore, Mr. Nunes has declined to provide the leadership necessary to resolve the many complex issues involved with water management and the various constituencies beyond a few big, wealthy farmers in his district who will not receive full contractual water allotments from the projects. As the Cal Supreme Court has said over and over, “the scope and technical complexity of issues concerning water resource management are unequaled by virtually any other type of activity presented to the courts.” Environmental Def. Fund, Inc. v. East Bay Mun. Util. Dist., 26 Cal.3d 183, 194 (1980). The issue is more than just farmers versus fish. It has to do with fisherman who depend on the salmon; coastal tourist industry who serves the fishing, whale watching, and other coastal communities who depend on salmon and other sealife implicated; Delta communities whose livelihoods are interconnected with the health of the delta or who moved to the delta specifically for the lifestyle it provides; delta farmers; city dwellers who enjoy the delta for recreation; city dwellers who get their water from the Delta; farmers who get water from the delta; future generations of each; and so on. And in each group there are a variety of perspectives and needs. Moreover, each has a particular priority in their water rights or contractual rights. I expect more of Mr. Nunes, that he begin to realize the complexity of the situation and leads accordingly. Otherwise, he should expect to be soundly ignored in the future.

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