The Friant Water Authority, San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority, and the San Joaquin River Exchange Contractors have written Secretary Pritzker, Secretary Jewell, Region Director Murillo and Secretary Laird requesting a modest increase in the amount of Central Valley Project water released from upstream storage through the summer to allow for additional Delta pumping. “The San Joaquin Valley is in desperate need of immediate assistance to minimize certain socio-economic ruin,” the letter states. “A prompt decision is vital; the viability of the San Joaquin Valley is at stake.”
The letter points out that Reclamation is obligated to provide the Exchange Contractors with 650,000 acre-feet, or 75%, of their contract supply; however, Reclamation will not be able to satisfy that obligation without the Exchange Contractors exercising their senior water rights to the San Joaquin River supplies. The Exchange Contractors are currently short of receiving their 75% contractual amount by 60,000 acre-feet, which includes receiving 200,000 acre-feet from the San Joaquin River, the letter says.
“Pumping as little as an additional 300,000 acre-feet will meet the Exchange Contractor’s obligation and keep tens of thousands of acres in the San Joaquin Valley alive and minimize the multi-billion dollar economic impact occurring to farmers, farm workers, and rural communities,” the letter states. “By undertaking this reasonable discretionary action, we believe a better balance of project objectives will be achieved and will avoid a more involved and potentially contentious discussion over Reclamation’s obligations under law and contract.”
Read the full letter here: FWA-SLDMWA-SJRECWA Letter to Commerce-Interior-Reclamation-Resources RE …
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