A proposal by the governor would ship water from the Sacramento River around the lower reaches of the Delta, shown here. Press file photo
A statement from the office of Gov. Jerry Brown said he hopes two tunnels carrying up to 9,000 cubic feet of water per second would siphon fresh water from the Sacramento River at a location south of Sacramento and north of Lodi.
The water would be shipped through and under the lower reaches of the Delta and delivered to pumps northwest of Tracy that send water to the Central Valley’s west side and Southern California.
The plan also considers “habitat restoration” a priority, which would include flooding some Delta islands.
The estimated price tag attached to the proposal is $13 billion.
Brown hailed the concept as one that “balances the concerns of those who live and work in the Delta, those who rely on it for water and those who appreciate its beauty, fish, waterfowl and wildlife."
The proposal echoes a plan from Brown’s second term as governor. In 1982, voters defeated his idea to build a canal that would ship water around the Delta and send it south.
Ken Salazar, secretary of the interior appointed by President Barack Obama, said the tunnels were an important step toward fixing the state’s “broken” water system.
"Through our joint federal-state partnership, and with science as our guide, we are a taking a comprehensive approach to tackling California's water problems when it comes to increasing efficiency and improving conservation,” Salazar said.
Officials say the tunnels would provide a more reliable supply to those who depend on water pumped from the Delta, especially farmers on the west side of the arid southern San Joaquin Valley and cities including Los Angeles and San Diego. Supporters contend that the levees lining the Delta are vulnerable to an earthquake, which could threaten that supply without the tunnels.
Many, however, are lining up against the governor’s proposal, especially those who call the Delta region home.
On Tuesday, July 24, the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to oppose the plan by resolution, a day before its widely anticipated announcement.
Many Delta-area politicians have also stepped up to criticize the idea as one that would drown Delta farms and threaten the quality of the area’s rivers by reducing freshwater supplies and drawing in salt water in from Suisun Bay.
Rep. John Garamendi, D-Fairfield, rallied opposition Wednesday at the state capitol. The congressman is the brother of Celeste Garamendi of Tracy.
“The 9,000-cubic-feet-per-second conveyance facility being proposed could wreak havoc on the Delta and the jobs it sustains and put existing water rights in the Delta and Northern California at risk," Garamendi said in a statement.
• For more analysis of the governor’s proposal, see next week’s Tracy Press. • Contact Jon Mendelson at 830-4231 or jmendelson@tracypress.com.
The TEA PARTY has nothing to do with the conservative republican party. Our mission as republicans is to build our country for those who want to work, and support our constitution. We assume you know all the important amendments of the constitution. The TEA PARTY is nothing more than an ultra right wing group who want to help over throw the government of the United States of America. They say they want to cut taxes to help make America strong. All they have done to date is to weaken America. Our system was built on government for the people by the people. Now the TEA PARTY has split our country into three parts, and they say they are not a party.
Thanks.
But it was actually the English who forced the colonists to pay for it and also pay it back with interest. The colonists were just trying to eek out a living and were not very happy with taxes that were imposed and not called taxes. You did what the king told you to do.
But if you wanted to throw something into the ocean today it would be everything we own that says not made in the USA.
If you wanted healthcare costs imposed on you with interest, then vote for ObamaCare. It is your choice.
The Tea Party simply cannot throw the high cost of healthcare overboard. It is too late now.
The young have no jobs, but the king can still rob the elderly.
I am not a tea party member, but I think when you accuse them of that, it does not do them justice. The tea party accepts anyone. Are you trying to polarize the issue?
I thought the idea was to remove polarizations because some poeple see only one way or another. Sometimes they even say, "my way or the highway". Ask the tea party.
Tracy republicans are TEA PARTY members, you know that right?
ROTFLMAO
So Republican that Liberals recognize him... when Republicans won't.
"I honestly can't tell whether you're a satirical genius or a pawn put in place by the Democrats."
Select the simple explanation, a McNerney pawn.
To you the commoner, the answer is a Genius.
Thanks for your support,it's nice to know that there are people like you still around. I learned a long time ago, STAY CLOSE TO YOUR FRIENDS BUT CLOSER TO YOUR ENEMIES. I LOVE YOU TOO POOR MEMORY.
TOM BENIGNO THE ONLY TRUE REPUBLICAN AROUND TRACY.
Thought I read about a proposed desal plant in SoCal - San Diego I believe - that was going to cost about $300 million and produce about 50 million gals of water a day by 2016.
Seems like these tunnels are not the solution.
Using basic math and assuming that we spent $13B with no issues resulting in spending more, that money could build facilities that would produce over 2 billion gallons of drinkable water each day even in a drought. SO... if there were cost issues, cut that figure down by whatever figure makes your heart happy.
Let's see what our two supervisor candidates, Elliot & Ransom do now that Governor Brown is pushing for the duel pipeline in place of the peripheral canal.
One a democrat & the other a TEA party republican, how will they vote? More important how will you vote?
Farmers in the San Joaquin Valley are the backbone to California's import and trade income.
They should be the FIRST consideration, in order to provide an ample and inexpensive means to provide for our local, personal and state economy.
So. Cal. raped the land with it's Mulholland Dam and the draining of Mono Lake. Face it, if it wasn't for the Ca. Aqueduct, So. Cal. would be a wasteland.