January 2005 Conservation Notes

by

Winter Steelheading on the American River

Register Your Opinions

Well, the odometer rolled over. Welcome to 2005! In addition to a new year, we also get a new Congress, one which reflects a worrisome shift for anyone who values pristine rivers with plenty of water and ample natural fish. Of course, we need not be passive about it. In fact, if you would like a low-effort way to express your opinions, go to Senator Barbara Boxer's on-line constituent survey. There you will find an easy way to register your opinion on what the 109th Congress should be doing to further your interests. Each visitor can select three issues that they feel are important. The first two need to be selected from a pull-down menu list. However, the third selection can be typed into the form (provided you select "other" from the menu). So here's my pitch. If you are so inclined, look through the many conservation items that have been highlighted in this column over the last 6 months and enter one that you feel is important into Senator Boxer's form. Some of the current conservation issues include: (1) the "Napa Agreement" which will increase exports of water from the Delta to Southern California (Oct 2004), (2) the Bush administration plan to redefine (and thereby reduce) "critical" salmon habitat by up to 90% (Dec 2004), and (3) the huge subsidies that agricultural irrigation interests reap – resources which come out of Californian taxpayers' pockets (see below). The Fish Sniffer ran a recent editorial on issue (2) recently if you wish to read more. Be heard!

A Handful of Farms Get The Lion's Share of Water Subsidies

A recent study documents that the largest 10% of agricultural water users receive 67% of the water. This is the status of the Central Valley Project (CVP) which was intended originally to support family farms. Details of the report issued by the Environmental Working Group are reported in the SJ Mercury News and at the Fish Sniffer. According to the report, one farm alone received a subsidy worth $4.2 million dollars if its water were valued at market rates. The CVP water rates are 2% of LA drinking water rates and about one-eighth of what the public pays to buy back its water to meet minimum water quality levels in the Sacramento Delta. Links to the full report can be found at the bottom of each of the articles.

Who Owns the Water?

While most of us were busily preparing for our holiday celebrations, the US Justice department was setting a disturbing precedent. Just 4 days before Christmas it threw in the towel in a suit lodged by the Tulare Basin Water District, agreeing to pay $16.7 million in "compensation" for water diverted to save endangered salmon and delta smelt. By failing to actively appeal the ruling, the Justice department is tacitly agreeing that irrigators served by government water projects, in fact, already own the water delivered through the contracts they sign. The distinction is that the suit was not based on a breech of contract, but rather on a "taking of private property." Other water interests are expected to soon seek compensation against environmentally motivated water diversions under these same arguments. Full details can be found in this article in the Contra Costa Times.

2004 Conservation Issues in Review

As it does at the beginning of every year, the Fish Sniffer has announced its "Shiny Steelhead" awards, given to groups who have fought for conservation issues across the state. At the same time, it awarded the "Cold, Dead Fish" award to the US Department of Justice for the lack of action described in the last article. The awards are a great summary of the many ups and downs in 2004.

That's all for this month.

– Rodney